I thought you might want to know. Aluminium corrosion increases dramatically when it comes in contact with titanium, zirconium etc. Would consider adding plenty of lube or some sealant to avoid bate metal to metal contact of those aluminium screws with your titanium frame.
Could you recommend some Chinese trustable carbon brands for a seatpost and an aero handlebars (40 mm) preferably available through AliExpress? Thanks in advance and keep up with these great videos!
Good question. There's lots of 'good' cheap stuff, but it is also sometimes a roll of the dice. (See Trace Velo's latest video) I think seatposts are a lot less likely to fail just because of the way the forces are loaded into them, and it's essentially a straight tube - very hard to mess up. But a handlebar definitely requires something stronger. I have a review of 'The One' on my channel which I got along with very well. I'm currently using the 'Zero' from Winspace; it's not cheap, but it's ridiculously strong.
Keep in mind that engraved head tube, logos and anodising are added extras. Plus shipping has gone up due to less flights for the cheaper EMS shipping option. Barring that, I've just approved my drawings and started fabrication for a couple more Waltly frames. Can't fault their quality, customer service and quick turnaround. 😁
how did it go for you? really want to order one but not 100% sure. I have found several people who said they bought one and a few that did review / write ups when they got the bike bit cant find a single long term review (not even a year latter)
@MrRay645 i've made of couple more now (another gravel and a hardtail) and still faultless after several years with daily commutes, offroad, bikepacking overseas etc. You just have to know how to read CAD drawings thoroughly and know your bike designs/geos well after riding many types. If you're not thorough, it's all on you as they will weld exactly what's on the drawing as they are not bike designers
My understanding is that the "legendary ride feel of titanium" has more to do with the tube choice and wall thickness in specific spots (butting). I have a 90's titanium Kona MTB and am going to be getting a Litespeed titanium gravel bike in a few weeks. I am interested to see if I can feel a difference. Some will say that the reason the Waltly is so cheap is because you're not getting the thoughtful design that leads to that magic carpet ride that is described about the material. I will say, if you have the knowledge to design your frame with all that special magic built into it and tell Waltly exactly what you want, I'm sure you can get close. In the end, I think the main selling points of the material are longevity of the material, no paint or corrosion to worry about and the aesthetics. Thank you for making this video and good on you for going through that process. Cheers!
According to one Sheldon Brown’s article (Upgrading Older Road Bicycles), before 1970, road bikes (especially European) were designed to be more springy, particularly the front forks. The front forks will have gradually thinner walls as the fork diameters reduce toward the bottom. But all this changed when road bikes became popular with American baby boomers during early 1970’s. Fearing lawsuits from “casual” riders, road bikes started to be over designed and become stiffer.
@@CycOp And now with disc brakes, with flat legged forks built for stiffness and not bend under braking forces, this has got to next level. Tho' as they say in car industry - there's no replacement for displacement - super stiff alu frame on 2" Apples runs like on pillows. If I want something or someone to bend under me....it doesn't have to be frame)
I agree. I had a 1998 Litespeed Vortex that weighed 1280 grams with relatively small diameter tubing all over and 1" fork steerer and it had the Titanium flexy springy feel (which I like, as I raced on Vitus 979 Carbone 3 in the 80's). I got a Waltly done with a big tapered headtube, a fat 42mm downtube and much higher cross-section (not double-butted) tubing all over. It weighs 1650 grams with ISP and it rides much more like a modern stiff carbon frame than that Ti flying carpet ride (which is not good or bad but very different).
Looks like a badass apocalypse rig, I'm happy that you're so happy with it! Do you have any details on their full suspension MTB frames, they have no examples on their site? I'm a year or two out on a new bike but at these prices it would be rad to get a custom frame built up.
Don't be so low-key in the comments, brah! For the record everyone; this is the guy who actually got me into road bikes and riding. No this guy, no China Cycling. To answer your question, I wasn't really paying attention to MTB stuff when I was there. But when you're ready to buy carbon or titanium; just hit me up bro.
@@ChinaCycling lol, you flatter me! I'm sure I'm sure you can drop me with ease now. I will hit you up tho when it's time for a new bike. It will be interesting to see what China has to offer. It seems most of the "cheap carbon" Chinese mountain bike frames I've found are a few years behind in geometry. I am sure there are some Chinese companies making frames with proper modern geometry, I'm just looking in the wrong places.
great video. How did the bike hold up? Dont think I have seen it in another of your videos since this one. Thinking of having them make me a monster cross or drop bar MTB type thing for loaded bike trips.
Titanium frames can feel very different from one another. Try a Seven or Moots and you will see what I'm talking about. I've had 4 different ti road bikes and each one was considerably different than the other in ride quality. Tube profiles and thicknesses/lengths make a big difference.
Bike frame material etc is miles below placebo effect. Tires, spokes lacings, handlebars flex seat flexible bring way more significant deflection ability than flexibility that comes from the frame. We did a fun experiment with different bike frames that we padded and wrapped from road frames from 80s through MTB bikes from 90s and then modern road frames from 2004. Tested on rather rough road an a bit of a packed forest trail we only managed to gather 32 bikes and 15 participants and aside from one old MTB frame the results for ride comfort were all over the place. I wouldn't put much into gospels about frame flex (aside from top level pros and their bottom bracket abuse) or vibration dampening of frames unless you go to dangerous extremes of weight savings or crazy geometries. Head tube angle is the most sensitive parameter you can alter to change ride characteristics. As for the rest focus on contact points with the body and the terrain that's where flex and vibration damping is orders of magnitude bigger than frame materials.
Nice one! I actually had pretty much the same requirements except for the mounts (want to force myself to travel light), I also thought the grail was the best choice. But I went and bought the full Grail CF SL and have zero regrets. I run 38c slicks which suits my 99% commuting/city and 1% gravel I do, plan to take it all over Japan very soon.
I think I still prefer carbon as a material for bikes. But, custom is really nice. Get everything set-up just as you like it. If an off-the-shelf bike fits you perfectly, then it's also a good option. Oh, and of course cost is an issue. (and if it's not, you're lucky.)
Hi , I just got a gravel ti frame made from Waltly last week . Is better that you know exactly what you want so that they understand you well, anyway no worries if you are not that technical, they will be happy to give suggestion and advise to suit your need . Amy ( the sweet girl whom I booked my order from ) is very patient and a great person to deal with! Prices that I paid for the frame & carbon fork , including shipment to Singapore is US$1030. IT IS THE CHEAPEST PRICE I EVER PAID FOR A TOP QUALITY CUSTOMISED TITANIUM FRAME ! Thanks to China Cycling for a great video!
hi , i came across your comment , im from singapore actually intrested to buy the frame also , hows the payment to them? and did you get pay gst when receiving it here? thanks
@@natasaragih1546 Hi Nata, I contacted them and 50% deposit are paid thru Alibaba.com ,which I have an account with them before.You can open up an account with Alibaba.com.And fyi, my frame is still in production and hopefully I will be able to received them in mid. oct . I yet to know whether I will be paying gst for that !
Legend! Love to see people getting the same experiences as me. I actually have anxiety about recommending things on here and then people spending their hard earned cash and it being trash. So, every comment like this helps my anxiety.
I will most likely make my next frame purchase with Waltly Custom frames. A TI frame for less than 1K U.S. ? I visited a bike shop 10 yrs. ago and fell in love with a SEVEN TI frame. The price was for $2,700 U.S. & the shop owner wanted it out of his shop for an even $2,000 but 2 grand for just frame alone 10 yrs ago was too steep for me. But this company I admire what they do. Thanks again @China Cycling.
Dwayne, Seven frames are on a completely different level. They do extensive butting of their tubes and design the frame for rider weight and bike load. Though the material used is the same, there are many factors that go into what makes the bike and how it feels. I wish I could find a brand new Seven for that price. You missed a steal of a deal.
Really love this build and video. What a great breakdown. Curious, is this a design you are willing to share? If we wanted to get something similar built.
Bought one a year ago and was largely satisfied with the product except the satin finish. Ended up spending 30 hours on sanding the frame down to a mirror finish. Extremely satisfied ;D
Hey Joe, I'm curious why you didn't go with Hi-light titanium bikes, they are the OEM of Van Nicholas and official distributor. Was it also because Waltly was much closer to you distance wise?
I met the hi-light guys and gals at the Shanghai bike show last year. Seem like good people, and have been doing custom titanium frames for a very, very long time. I hear nothing but good things about their quality. I also heard good things about Waltly too though, and when I saw they were just down the road; it sealed the deal. It was also in a very intense COVID period, so being so local was a huge boost. Zero regrets choosing Waltly, but I'd also love to check out Hi-light (or Hanglun as the factory is known.)
I bought a chinese made titanium frame in 2009 made by a make named Tor. I couldn't find anything out about them since buying the frame. I've been riding this frame ever since, we've traveled over 28 countries together and the bike remains beautiful. Sadly last year I was hit by a car and it now has a dent but the geometry remains perfect. When/if I ever earnt a decent wage I would get a bike just like this one you're showing, its fantastic for just about everything.
New sub to your channel here, just discovered your videos today. I was told to avoid cheap Chinese TI frames because TI is very difficult to weld and there's stories of welds failing as a result. I don't know much about it honestly but I'm not sure if I buy an expensive frame if I'm paying for quality welds or because it's a well known brand name. In this video you seem to be happy with their work but does Waltly offer a warranty on their frames?
Valid points. I'm not allowed to say which brands' frames I saw being made when I was there, but let's just say if their factory had a quality problem some big brands we all know would be taking a huge hit. There is a warranty, but the details of which escape me. I'm sure they can offer more info there.
Unfortunately they pushed up the prices a good bit. I Basicaly have opted for the same specifications (even less bottle cage bosses!) and it would cost me around 1160$ ... so it would propaply be more than 1200 USD with the amount of bosses you have... For 800$ i would have bought it...
@@ChinaCycling Cheers! Really wanted to stay up to be there for the video launch but it's too late here, down under. Regardless, looking forward to your next video!
Fantastic video Joe! I love the way you went into detail on how you came up with the geometry and design process. I’m also keen on hearing about the group set choice...
I’m enjoying the bike so far ru-vid.comUgkxMesz3KOGEmwmvyKQfLfrRSUXLFzfVHZA My only real complaints are the brakes and the pedals. I feel like a bike designed for bigger people should have much larger pedals and more heavy duty brakes. I’ve only gotten two really good rides out of it, minimal downhill action, and the brakes feel like they’re already going out. A larger person has more momentum, so I think this wasn’t thought through very well. Also, I wear size 13-14 wide shoes. My feet cramp up on these pedals that are clearly made for smaller feet. Since I’m not a pro rider (and I don’t think many are who purchase this bike) I don’t think that the straps on the pedal are necessary at all. None of this takes away from the enjoyment I get from riding, however. I’ll just head to a bike shop to improve on a few things.
The Mao cup sips the stamina off of any landlords in the vicinity of the cup, and puts it inside the next cup of coffee 😂. But the craftsmanship on that bike frame is impressive, if the titanium quality can back it up.
I have sent many emails to Waltly, and absolutely no response from them. I called and spoke with Amy, she said she will reply back -but still no response. I am bit disappointed so far from their response time.
@@ChinaCycling bike, what looks like yours =)) I did bikefit before making drawing. I was very surprised when I saw that my drawing was almost 1 in 1 in size like Enigma Escape between 50 and 52 size.. I want a versatile bike for the road, light gravel and bikepacking for long distance trips and marathons. I hope everything works out as I intended.
@@ChinaCyclingA fork bought from Carbonda, model 606. They sent it to Waltley's office to send it all together in one box fith frame.Carbonda is a very famous brand, makes many frames and forks for expensive brands like Ridley, Thesis and Vitus, etc. I am 100% sure of the quality and the cost came out cheaper.
TriStas Oh man Congratulations I want a road bike I have never make a custom one. Any advice for a beginner on the matter like me. Thank you in advance.
Congrats on a great video and sharing the build process. Following your first video on this, I did reach out to Amy and looking fwd to working with her on a design. We are at the middle stages of design and few things you mentioned (like tapered vs non tapered head tube) was a good point. Bikecad also a great tip. Thank you sir.
Hey Joe, great content! do you have internal routing in the right chainstay? I am ordering at Waltly these days and we are discussing the details. Do you have any experience / recommendations about internal or external routing at the chainstays?
Thank you for the video. I only wish, you'd show the welds a little better. A also wonder if Waltly does weld smoothing or fillet brazing instead of TIG welding. And if there's a premium for anodising, and if so, how much.
Great video. Being excited about part 2 for a while. Bike looks great. Would have loved a bit more of a build video. Maybe in part 3. They will be my next frame.
eeeyyy finally! good to hear the bike worked out great for you! Might just go for a frame, once I build up my budget winspace dream build, I'll have a spare bike, so might as well move those 6700 ulte components to a commuter/city riding bike? hmmm. to go full custom or not hmmm.
You have a wonderful and laconic presentation style that's down to earth and easy to follow. You make great unique content - keep it up. I also saw the Mark Ferguson video and hope they've fixed their issues. Currently deliberating between a Curve GXR or a Waltly custom.
My head is really long and really thin (my big stoopid brain sticks out the back) so I have to buy big helmets and then from the front, all my helmets look huge. Anyway, I'd rather it stick out more so it hits the ground before my valuable bits. Hahaha.
Hi. Really appreciate your videos, but Waltly is apparently out-of-commission! Their sales address auto-reply says something like "Try us back in a few months," but I wonder if supply chain/materials/labor issues have doomed them. Any insights/thoughts?!? Thx.
I'm planning to create a new bike brand where the designs are based on all season all surface riding... The best I could come up with for now was Titanium bike 700c with Cyclocross Geometry, with short travel mountain bike forks, and a 2x setup, hard air suspension 30mm travel seat post, and max tires width 50mm. Both suspensions lockable and adjustable. How close am I? Any tips? Can you help out with the prototype builds? P.S. Your build is an inspiration btw, damn!
Nice video Joe. After pricing a Moot build this seems almost free. Cant fault a u.s.a company entirely since they have some insane government regulations, energy, and insurance cost to factor in.
I am 170cm height.. almost the same height as you. Can I copy your cad design?.. maybe my weight is heavier than you and maybe I just buy the fork from them to match the bike
I'm currently waiting on my Waltly frame myself as of now, I am curious of what BB you went with and how do you like the Lun wheelset you are using on your frame as well as what is the weight of those? I am interested in getting those for my Litespeed Watia frame
Except their dropouts are to big for Paragon's sliding inserts. They also messed up on where they installed the ports for the brake hose, after multiple communications with them. Decent bike, but just beware it won't be perfect.
Hey man, just noticed that you’re using the Sensah SRX pro group set. What are your impressions about it? I’m thinking on building a bike with the same group set
Now if someone in China would make steel bikes for cheap(er) :D great video, yet I wonder - how theyr seatpost and stems hold up. Really need to change my seatpost to something better, and thanks to this video - will drop them a message.
Do you have a list of all the parts for your gravel bike ie handlebars, stem, wheels etc?. I am interested in building a budget gravel bike since i mainly ride on the roads and have a Ti road bike already.
Pretty sure that’s the same price you’d get too. It’s right in line with the quote I got from Waltly. Not sure what you’re on about in regards to sponsorship.
I had to just bite the bullet and get a specialized gravel bike here in Chengdu. Trying to build all on my own was a bit pricey... I'm loving it and getting out in west is gooood
