ALWAYS Great to see a Master Craftsman like Aaron at work. Not only his Expertise & attention to Detail but also his ability to Communicate Clearly + some Aussie humor along the way. Looking forward to the ride review on both the bike & the components. Perfect breakfast episode😎
Chinglish is a language of its own, but after working in China and having no clue how their language works, mad respect to those Chinese people doing their best to translate and make software for an equally foreign and difficult language! 👏👏
Most of them were or are part of big brands, like the people that made the brand L-Twoo are ex sram engineers not all of china is ‘counterfeiting’ everything
@@robtminnican well when you use the same size batteries where as other companies could not (campagnolo) due to patents in place, yes they are ripping things off. They could not operate doing that anywhere else. China does not respect IP and rips off everything.
It's always great to get a pro mechanics perspective of these components. The build looks fantastic, and I'm looking forward to your road review. Cheers!
It’s a shame this guy doesn’t have a channel. By far the best proper English speaking mechanic. Your mechanic and your fitter are some of the best in the business. He (Mechanic) either learned from an old school world tour mechanic or was a world tour mechanic. The way he moves his hands and organizes his work and ability explain things on the go is identical to what is required to be a team mechanic. The China groupset, continues to suck. Bike looks amazing.
I have this groupset for about a year now and it shifts good and is very reliable. Instructions suck, tuning the derailleurs is tough and takes a while for the first time to really dial it in. I mean to get it PERFECT. Once you tune it is really good! NO JOKE. I use dura ace calipers from the start. The olives for the hoods are sram avid btw. Connects with Garmin head unit. And run it in casual mode so the derailleurs will go to sleep otherwise in competitive mode you will likely have a 20 percent battery in the morning, as they do not sleep in competitive mode. Not really all that much faster. Anyhow. Lastly shifts beast with Shimano parts, cassette, chainrings and chain. Honestly it's as good if not better than my buddies 11sp ultegra di2.
@@hill160881 No they are not unless they have changed the supplied olive and updated the shifter, barb may work. The olive for the shifter and brakes (I do not use the wheeltop brakes) on my set is definitely an Avid, as it flat in the center and barrel shaped and Shimano bh59 is more tapered at the end and a sharp 'V" shape in the middle. I tried the Shimano olive and it leaked. I have avid brakes on my mountain bike and had some spares. Avid olive, no leaks.
I would be curious for @CAM Nicholls to follow up and show a picture of the olive from the set he got and compare to what my groupset has. I got mine almost a year ago BTW.
Chinese brands tend to iterate very quickly, so I imagine that this will only get better. It's half the retail price of 105 Di2 right now, but if it follows the trend of most Chinese bike brands they'll increase that pricing over time. Competition is always good though.
I have about 600km on a gex. Brakes are good but i had a newer caliper. Lever reach is big even at minimum setting. I tricked that by removing the tuning bolt and reduced reach a bit more. The app is not very good because sometime if you don't exactly follow instructions it'll make setting so bad you won't be able to put it back to normal. No reset option. Weirdly it seem to solve by itself by just reconnecting to the app. Where you'll be able to restart setting. Weird but ok. Once the setup is good it shifts well no issue. Glad to be able to use all my cassette with different sprocket count. My last gripe is the button feel. Sometime you really think you pushed enough but it just don't shift. You really have to consciously push those button to be certain to shift and the feedback from those is average. All in all i'm happy for now, just hope it'll be reliable and parts will be available when needed. Most of the time chinese stuff has been decent in last years for parts availability, often better than western brand that charge ridiculous amount for spares.
Setting up the fd is going to be a challenge, just make sure you avoid chain rub on gears that you are using for most of the time. Until today I still don't have the authorization from Wheeltop to adjust values for each trim position my front FD using app. All I can do is to use the screw on the FD and also setup its initial position via app. For daily riding and maybe weekend warriors this groupset should be ok. But you guys are going to race with it so... Just keep your expectation in line. Also I hope you get the updated shifter hood from wheeltop, otherwise bleeding brakes is going to be painful. The old shifter hood is as stiff as rubber can be.
V. Happy but... 1. Rear caliper rubs spokes Giant std wheel (fix is some filing of caliper) 2. FD cages could not clear 52T shimano chain ring on TCR SL hanger (fix is filing of FD hanger)
You have been able to micro adjust individual SRAM gears for a few years now. Both thru the app and WHILE RIDING using the buttons on the inside of the levers.
Fascinated with this groupset. Not much known about them, bit left field. Most hopes for Chinese competition with L-TWOO eRX - the newer v2 Blue edition not the older v1 Yellow edition which is the only one you can get hold of atm. New one been out 8 months so not sure what their hold up is, whether its manufacture or release delay?
Interesting, I just bought the GeX and it comes with upgraded calipers. Road seems to still use the previous model, must be a reason, weight perhaps. The GeX has been amazing so far, but only have 16 hours of riding so far, but v happy. I paid a much lower price from a different sales channel.
It's a hard one Bruce because some I paid for and some I got given. The stuff I paid for was at wholesale and retail, so it's a mess. But roughly 10K Aussie for all this.
Truly a shocker that as Chinese manufacturers started sponsoring UA-cam content, UA-cam creators post positive videos. In related news, those same Chinese components now cost almost the same as old name brands, but without the customer support.
I have a probleme with this groupset , I think you have the answer , when I shift the front derailleur to low to high , the chain blocking between the derailleur and the chain ring What do you think ?
Hi , could be 1 of many things . Firstly is the Chain in good condition especially relating to lateral wear? Is the Chainring shifting ramps worn and not allowing the chain to pull up and over during rotation of the cranks? Also as mentioned in the video , the derailleur yaw angle support screw may not supporting the derailleur, and the derailleur is squirming inwards therefore not Pushing the chain across firmly enough. Also Check the derailleur height is to manufactures specs too . Hope this helps !
Quill stem: hey change your bar height and angle in 30 sec with a 6mm Modern stem: hey order a new bar and stem for $600 and take 2 hours to swap it out, hope it works
@CamNicholls hi cam, yes they are great, I live in Cheshire UK, I've been building bikes for 40 years, best bike era mid to late 80s, well said you. Great channel
Cam Nicholls made a hobby in showing us how bad chinese stuff is, he started with frames ... for a few videos....now he's trying groupsets....next will be cassettes ... wheels....who knows. The "20 years experience" mechanic doesn't know about EDS... or Ltwoo... or Sensah ? Maybe he's working only with spoiled expensive things all the time...because only watching youtube or reading a forum you'll see that almost everybody knows about them. Instead of a better translaion...I would love sram to put "micro adjust for every gear" in their app. Cam Nicholls please understand that NOTHING will save the "mainstream" overpriced brands from the chinese wave that's comming. Nothing. They got greedy in covid times..now everything is comming for them. Alot of "mainstream" brands will go bankrupt in the following years. They will soon follow campagnollo's "success". If ltwoo steps up just a bit (and they are almost there) in quality ... they win the groupset game.
ALWAYS Great to see a Master Craftsman like Aaron at work. Not only his Expertise & attention to Detail but also his ability to Communicate Clearly + some Aussie humor along the way. Looking forward to the ride review on both the bike & the components. Perfect breakfast episode😎
Cheers mate
Chinglish is a language of its own, but after working in China and having no clue how their language works, mad respect to those Chinese people doing their best to translate and make software for an equally foreign and difficult language! 👏👏
No matter what, the way he seated the chain quick-link = smoooooth AF!😘
Looks great excellent value. Really good that your mechanic was so open minded and unbiased. Have heard positive feedback on this groupset.
ripping off other established companies hiding behind a country that thrives on counterfit products always seems to be a great value
Most of them were or are part of big brands, like the people that made the brand L-Twoo are ex sram engineers not all of china is ‘counterfeiting’ everything
What company in the world doesn't rip off other competitors at some point ? @@mtlaprade
@@robtminnican well when you use the same size batteries where as other companies could not (campagnolo) due to patents in place, yes they are ripping things off. They could not operate doing that anywhere else. China does not respect IP and rips off everything.
It's always great to get a pro mechanics perspective of these components. The build looks fantastic, and I'm looking forward to your road review. Cheers!
Can’t wait to see what Wheeltop do with Rotor cranksets, will it be a full group set next?
Trimming individual gears is a great feature and surely so easy to programme (nudge nudge Sram, Shimano and Campag)
It’s a shame this guy doesn’t have a channel. By far the best proper English speaking mechanic. Your mechanic and your fitter are some of the best in the business. He (Mechanic) either learned from an old school world tour mechanic or was a world tour mechanic. The way he moves his hands and organizes his work and ability explain things on the go is identical to what is required to be a team mechanic.
The China groupset, continues to suck. Bike looks amazing.
He learnt some of it from me actually. And our mate Donnie.
I agree
Thanks lads loved the no nonsense no BS video love the bike Cam.
I have this groupset for about a year now and it shifts good and is very reliable. Instructions suck, tuning the derailleurs is tough and takes a while for the first time to really dial it in. I mean to get it PERFECT. Once you tune it is really good! NO JOKE. I use dura ace calipers from the start. The olives for the hoods are sram avid btw. Connects with Garmin head unit. And run it in casual mode so the derailleurs will go to sleep otherwise in competitive mode you will likely have a 20 percent battery in the morning, as they do not sleep in competitive mode. Not really all that much faster. Anyhow. Lastly shifts beast with Shimano parts, cassette, chainrings and chain. Honestly it's as good if not better than my buddies 11sp ultegra di2.
Olive and barb are BH59 Shimano per the wheeltop website.
@@hill160881 No they are not unless they have changed the supplied olive and updated the shifter, barb may work. The olive for the shifter and brakes (I do not use the wheeltop brakes) on my set is definitely an Avid, as it flat in the center and barrel shaped and Shimano bh59 is more tapered at the end and a sharp 'V" shape in the middle. I tried the Shimano olive and it leaked. I have avid brakes on my mountain bike and had some spares. Avid olive, no leaks.
I would be curious for @CAM Nicholls to follow up and show a picture of the olive from the set he got and compare to what my groupset has. I got mine almost a year ago BTW.
I've had my eTap sram gears for over 5yrs now... Its good youre getting competition for sram and shimano 👍
Nice timing. My groupset arrives tomorrow. Rim brake.
Niice! Rim.
The individual trim feature might be good for slightly misaligned derailleur hangers.
Cam, you need to wait a little while as Wheeltop has just acquired Rotor 😎
Chinese brands tend to iterate very quickly, so I imagine that this will only get better. It's half the retail price of 105 Di2 right now, but if it follows the trend of most Chinese bike brands they'll increase that pricing over time. Competition is always good though.
great video, very informative and honest. I have been wanting to try PASS QUEST Chainrings for a while, he said they shift good, any opinions?
Miss you Aaron. Come home to see us soon.
I have about 600km on a gex. Brakes are good but i had a newer caliper. Lever reach is big even at minimum setting. I tricked that by removing the tuning bolt and reduced reach a bit more. The app is not very good because sometime if you don't exactly follow instructions it'll make setting so bad you won't be able to put it back to normal. No reset option. Weirdly it seem to solve by itself by just reconnecting to the app. Where you'll be able to restart setting. Weird but ok. Once the setup is good it shifts well no issue. Glad to be able to use all my cassette with different sprocket count.
My last gripe is the button feel. Sometime you really think you pushed enough but it just don't shift. You really have to consciously push those button to be certain to shift and the feedback from those is average.
All in all i'm happy for now, just hope it'll be reliable and parts will be available when needed. Most of the time chinese stuff has been decent in last years for parts availability, often better than western brand that charge ridiculous amount for spares.
Setting up the fd is going to be a challenge, just make sure you avoid chain rub on gears that you are using for most of the time. Until today I still don't have the authorization from Wheeltop to adjust values for each trim position my front FD using app. All I can do is to use the screw on the FD and also setup its initial position via app.
For daily riding and maybe weekend warriors this groupset should be ok. But you guys are going to race with it so... Just keep your expectation in line.
Also I hope you get the updated shifter hood from wheeltop, otherwise bleeding brakes is going to be painful. The old shifter hood is as stiff as rubber can be.
Exactly what he explained in the video
I got approval from wheeltop within 24 hours. I however communicated through WeChat with wheeltop direct using Chinese.
Sid from Toy Story has grown up and became bike mechanic
V. Happy but... 1. Rear caliper rubs spokes Giant std wheel (fix is some filing of caliper) 2. FD cages could not clear 52T shimano chain ring on TCR SL hanger (fix is filing of FD hanger)
You have been able to micro adjust individual SRAM gears for a few years now. Both thru the app and WHILE RIDING using the buttons on the inside of the levers.
Fascinated with this groupset. Not much known about them, bit left field. Most hopes for Chinese competition with L-TWOO eRX - the newer v2 Blue edition not the older v1 Yellow edition which is the only one you can get hold of atm. New one been out 8 months so not sure what their hold up is, whether its manufacture or release delay?
The new one isn't out, they've had like half a dozen revisions in the timeframe you mention.
@@invisiblescout6335 Yeah, apparently mainly issues with the shifters from pro team testing. China Cycling thinks early '25.
Interesting, I just bought the GeX and it comes with upgraded calipers. Road seems to still use the previous model, must be a reason, weight perhaps. The GeX has been amazing so far, but only have 16 hours of riding so far, but v happy. I paid a much lower price from a different sales channel.
Just received mine with updated brakes. Direct from China cost around 700aud for carbon set. Or 580aud for the alu ones
Also came with new rubbers which are softer. Have to replace the old one youself. Pain in the s...
loved the video Cam, can we get a rough estimate of cost for the package?
It's a hard one Bruce because some I paid for and some I got given. The stuff I paid for was at wholesale and retail, so it's a mess. But roughly 10K Aussie for all this.
Such a good looking frame 🥰 That rear mech does stick out like the proverbial though 😄
When's the review??
Not sure at this stage Adam, next project is to have a break! All the best over the festive season.
@CamNicholls yeah, fair call 😁 You too mate, all the best for the Nicholls crew 👍
Im more excited on the magene groupset 🤔
What kind of crank is this? You say there is also a Shimano version, i.e. with a 24mm axle? Can you give a link?
elilee.com.au/
Truly a shocker that as Chinese manufacturers started sponsoring UA-cam content, UA-cam creators post positive videos. In related news, those same Chinese components now cost almost the same as old name brands, but without the customer support.
I have a probleme with this groupset , I think you have the answer , when I shift the front derailleur to low to high , the chain blocking between the derailleur and the chain ring
What do you think ?
@BS16tech
Hi , could be 1 of many things . Firstly is the Chain in good condition especially relating to lateral wear? Is the Chainring shifting ramps worn and not allowing the chain to pull up and over during rotation of the cranks? Also as mentioned in the video , the derailleur yaw angle support screw may not supporting the derailleur, and the derailleur is squirming inwards therefore not Pushing the chain across firmly enough. Also Check the derailleur height is to manufactures specs too . Hope this helps !
Quill stem: hey change your bar height and angle in 30 sec with a 6mm
Modern stem: hey order a new bar and stem for $600 and take 2 hours to swap it out, hope it works
Or do a proper bike fit first, and buy the correct one piece Bar/Stem combo ;-)
What was the make of the crank?
Elilee elilee.com.au/
Got to agree with the rear mech comment, the size and design of it looks out of place on the bike
Just Why?? Just use 105 Di2 - why risk using some cheap stuff to save a few quid.
Rotars, I feel like that's how a pirate would say rotors
It's always a pleasure to meet a fellow spelling/grammar pedant!😂
Can we go back to cables, and enjoy the road again, get out of workshops.sheds n garages, oh and be lighter and cheaper.
I rode my 2011 rim brake bike this morning. Love it
@CamNicholls hi cam, yes they are great, I live in Cheshire UK, I've been building bikes for 40 years, best bike era mid to late 80s, well said you. Great channel
You riding it then Cam? Or is it for ‘ol mate…
Ol Mate only rides mainstream rim bikes mate
Cam Nicholls made a hobby in showing us how bad chinese stuff is, he started with frames ... for a few videos....now he's trying groupsets....next will be cassettes ... wheels....who knows. The "20 years experience" mechanic doesn't know about EDS... or Ltwoo... or Sensah ? Maybe he's working only with spoiled expensive things all the time...because only watching youtube or reading a forum you'll see that almost everybody knows about them. Instead of a better translaion...I would love sram to put "micro adjust for every gear" in their app. Cam Nicholls please understand that NOTHING will save the "mainstream" overpriced brands from the chinese wave that's comming. Nothing. They got greedy in covid times..now everything is comming for them. Alot of "mainstream" brands will go bankrupt in the following years. They will soon follow campagnollo's "success". If ltwoo steps up just a bit (and they are almost there) in quality ... they win the groupset game.
I'll stick with Campagnolo. It always works and is absolute in quality.
Cmon, 20 years of experience and still can't pronounce Campagnolo the correct way.