I deal with A LOT of cheap bike parts, mainly from China, that I usually buy from places like AliExpress. But am I sick of using the cheap stuff?
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I ride cheap road bikes, built almost exclusively from parts bought through sites like Ebay and AliExpress. Going the direct to consumer route can save a lot of money, but sometimes the quality of the parts can be lacking. However, if you are sensible and do a bit of research, you can build yourself a very capable carbon road bike, and save thousands in the process.
However, sometimes the parts can cause problems, and even on the simplest bike builds I’ve done, when using cheap bike parts, there is always some small problem or issue that needs addressing. All of the bits rarely go together perfectly straight out of the box, and even once the bike is built, things can go wrong.
So if I come across these issues using cheaper bike parts, why do I bother? If i spent a little more money buying parts from mainstream brands, things would probably be a lot smoother right…?
Well in this episode, I’lll cover my ethos and approach when it comes to these cheaper direct to consumer bike parts, show you some of the potential cost savings, offer some advice and what to look out for if you decide to follow my approach, and ultimately help you decide if using cheaper parts are worth it…
Timestamps:
00:00 – Start
00:46 – Intro & issues with my last bike
01:53 – Why do I bother?
03:23 – An upgrade path
05:00 – Insta360 sponsor
06:18 – Democratisation & Individualism
07:49 – Problem solving
11:04 – Replicating my approach
15:21 – Bonus clip - Frame issue
Intro roll:
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Email:
tracevelouk@gmail.com
Please note:
I am not a professionally trained bike mechanic. There can be risks associated with using products that are unbranded, untested, or come from sources where the provenance is unknown. Please talk to a qualified bike mechanic if you are in any doubt.
In essence, be careful, do your research, and cycle safe!!!
