The harbinger of things to come...
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- Опубліковано 4 чер 2024
- Today we’re reviewing the premium custom keyboard that will change the mechanical keyboards hobby forever: The TKD #Cycle7 ! 🟢🟠This video is sponsored by PCBWay🟠🟢
If you are a hobbyist or a veteran consumer electronics product designer, check out how PCBWay can help you bring your creations to life: www.pcbway.com/setinvite.aspx...
⭐💾🖥⌨🖱⭐
Welcome to a I/O Sam’s in-depth #MechanicalKeyboard video production! Today we’ll look into the most aggressively priced premium custom we’ve seen in the market so far: the collaboration between #Vertex and #Equalz.
Can this beautiful (and sweet sounding) $139 FRL convince people to join a group-buy in 2023? Let’s find out!
🟡 MAIN FEATURED PRODUCTS (affiliate links are marked with “*”):
[Group Buy] TKD Cycle7 Mechanical Keyboard Kit 👉 clickclack.io/products/groupb...
ClickClack.io Discord Server: / discord
*Wowstick Electric Screwdriver:
(Bangood)👉 www.banggood.com/custlink/3DG...
(Amazon)👉 amzn.to/3iiArsC
*Drop DCX Hyperfuse Keycap Set (Drop)👉 fave.co/44g9QBW
*Cherry MX Black Hyperglide switches (Divinikey): bit.ly/3x4Pop5
🟡 I/O SAM SUB-REDDIT (ask any question about my videos)👉 / iosam
🟡 SOCIAL LINKS:
Web: www.iosamfranco.com
Twitter/”X”: / iosamfranco
Mastodon: bitbang.social/@iosam
Instagram: / iosamfranco
Reddit: / io_sam
Facebook: / iosamfranco
🟡 PARTIAL LIST OF PRODUCTS LINKS (some are affiliate links):
- Krytox 205 grade 2: amzn.to/3GDHAkk | ebay.us/G3ZAtJ
- Krytox 205 grade 0: bit.ly/3FS1nw1 | fave.co/413mV19
- Krytox 105: amzn.to/2NjBSuB | ebay.us/2oK4Fv
- Krytox XHT-BDZ: bit.ly/3SV9Q64
- KBDFANS X AI03 2-IN-1 Switch Opener: 🌏» kbdfans.com/r?id=rpgrn0 | US » bit.ly/3GKWXpt
- Aluminium Switch Opener - Kailh/MX Type: amzn.to/2Uq4ohu
- Hakko FX888D Digital Soldering Station: amzn.to/3zPpkB5
- Xytronic 426DLX Fume Extractor: amzn.to/3PVKa7m
- MG Chemicals Flux Paste: amzn.to/3PRUfSV
- Micro Brushes (for lubing switches): amzn.to/3iUsQkr
- Nylon Hair Brush Set: amzn.to/3rUYMr1
- Xool Tweezers: amzn.to/3rPrE3X
- Wiha Long Nose Plier: amzn.to/2ZbBgKc
- Jeweler Pick-Up Tool: amzn.to/3b01qFq
- Cutting Mat: amzn.to/3qgNHjS | amzn.to/3YxByIp
- Klein Tools Digital Level & Angle Gauge: amzn.to/3kyTYJE
- DYMO Digital Postal/Shipping Scale: amzn.to/3D3j21O
- GMMK NumPad: shrsl.com/3nt7m
- Wooting 60HE: region.wooting.store/?partner...
- Fujitsu Realforce R2 TKL: amzn.to/3j09wWv
- Razer Huntsman Mini: amzn.to/3t6Phq1
- Glorious Model O 2: gloriousgaming.pxf.io/modelow2
- Razer Tartarus Pro Gaming Keypad: amzn.to/3sMRHeS
🟡 FULL LIST OF FEATURED PRODUCTS LINKS:
👉 www.iosamfranco.com/post/tkd-...
🟡 MY KEYBOARD TYPING SOUND RECORDING SETUP👉 bit.ly/iosamtyping
🟡 TIME CODES:
00:00 - 1) Intro
00:44 - 1.1) Video Briefing
01:41 - 1.2) Disclaimers
02:23 - 2) TKD Cycle7
02:23 - 2.1) The package
03:13 - Video sponsor: PCBWay.com
04:06 - 2.2) The layout
04:48 - 2.3) The PCB
06:13 - 2.4) The plate & mounting system
07:10 - 2.5) The case & its measurements
10:55 - 2.6) The sound damping
12:00 - .7) The software
12:35 - 2.8) Warranty & support
12:50 - 3) My choices of switches and keycaps
12:57 - 3.1) Switches
13:57 - 3.2) Keycaps
14:40 - 4) The assembly
16:52 - 5) Typing Sound Test
18:40 - 5.1) Typing Sound Test analysis
19:39 - 6) Conclusion
19:43 - 6.1) Layout & looks
20:44 - 6.2) Sound & Typing Feel
21:17 - 6.3) Overall quality, price and value
21:53 - 6.4) Competitive analysis
22:37 - 6.5) Target market and availability
24:08 - 7) Outro - Наука та технологія
I took a while to get around to just even opening the keyboard and put it together. It was my first ever custom build so I had zero experience. I ran into an issue where the keyboard would connect to PC. I reached out to CC support and they were super. No hassle and just had me try a few things, they ended up sending me a new PCB and daughterboard. It can pretty quick. While it was something nobody ever wishes for when buying something, CC was there for me. I will definitely recommend and continue to see other items they will have.
Good to know that your build came out well in the end! There aren’t many group-buy vendors out there doing the type of customer service that ClickClack does… Their reputation so far has been spotless! Which is why they are one of the very few GB vendors I feel comfortable recommending to beginners and veteran keyboard builders alike.
I always appreciate how thorough you are in your reviews. One of the best reviewers I've seen for covering every angle. You have convinced me to pick this up. Thank you once again for the awesome review!
Thanks Mark! I really appreciate your words my friend! This type of video is always challenging to make (specially when you have a demanding day job), but I wouldn’t have it any other way… 👊😎
The Cycle7 is truly a remarkable accomplishment in this hobby! This is the first time I feel confident to recommend a premium custom to the general public. Really no reservations here at all…
Perfect, an IO Sam video for my morning coffee.
Welcome to the I/O Breakfast Club my friend!!! 😎☕
The other day I built out a barebone Keychron Q5pro for a friend and installed Gateron creamsoda's and some MT3 profile keycaps on it. This hurts me to say, but the Keychron Q5 pro is very close to my Odin R3.
I think that keyboard, and the QK100 should have people in the hobby looking at other customs with a side eye. It is very hard when you understand the machining processes, know how much PCB's cost and see the same materials and mounting techniques used as "premium customs" in a mass produced sub 200$ package to look at those group buy premium boards and say they are worth it.
The only differentiating factor is the weights and weight material all of the boards are made out of aluminum either 4043 or 6061. And it is not a complicated machining process to mill a weight then drill and tap holes. So suddenly a whole mess of premium boards need to be questioned in regards to fair value per dollar spent. My Odin R3 for instance was 400$'s for the base keyboard I think the hobby needs to see these boards and re-evaluated its pricing scheme.
As an original Odin owner myself (for which I paid $341.00 with shipping back in 2021), as well as the owner of numerous other custom and production keyboards, I understand EXACTLY what you mean! From a solely cost to benefit ratio point of view, at this point in 2023, it basically makes no sense to buy expensive custom keyboards anymore. Prebuilts have gone beyond being good enough, and are now pretty much as good as most custom boards, but for a fraction of the cost.
Sure, the same could be said about luxury cars against Toyotas and Hondas… And yet people still buy expensive Mercedes and Porches because, at the end of the day, luxury products end up offering other non-tangible benefits that go beyond functionality, features and build quality (such as different designs, and the feeling of “exclusivity” that so many people lust after). So, I believe premium customs will always have their own niche space in this industry regardless.
But with the increased competition from the likes of Keychron, we now at least have the benefit of seeing the birth of this new kind of “hybrid” vendor, such as ClickClack.io, trying to offer the best of both words: production keyboard’s price with premium custom keyboard’s design… which is, of course, very much appreciated!
Time to brew some tea and sit down for a Sam review!
That's the spirit! 😁🙏
I was waiting your next video, and finally here it comes!! And, as always, it is one of a kind for the quality of your commitment to cover every detail of the product you present: bravo!
Thank you so much for your super nice words Domenico!!! Very much appreciated!! I will need to sleep for a week now to recover from this project 😂, but it was worth it... This is a landmark custom board!
Thank you, after researching this keyboard with reviews like yours have put my mind at rest that I haven't wasted my money by jumping on this GB. TY
Glad I could help!👊
Im pretty sure mx blacks have higher pitched top out sound which makes it unique.
Their bottom out sounds more deep and low, while their top out is tacky and high
That's an interesting take.I guess I'm not super sensitive to the upstroke sound of nylon tops, so I all I hear is the overall lower tone of these MX Blacks. I guess the reason why I attributed this tonality to the top housing is because I've tried other switches with nylon bottoms (and PC tops) that did not have the lower pitch of these Hyperglides.
Phenomenal review Sam! May have just convinced me to buy-in on this one.
Thanks Rivek!! Appreciated my friend! 🙏
...and this is a tempting one for sure!
I had been saying no to a lot of reviews lately (for how crazy the day job has been), but I could not say no to this one! Too good to pass...
Hopefully this board becomes in stock like normal at some point as someone allergic to group buys. I'm sure that it's gonna sell well so I have my fingers crossed.
If they manage to make a good profit on this first run, this would be a good candidate to become an in-stock item… I suspect ClickClack might be trial running it to see if this could be their first real in-stock item.
I know they had this intention with the Arc60, but I think the Arc ended up being too complex and expensive to manufacture to justify large scale production (wouldn’t be profitable enough to them, I think). The Cycle7 (and the Cycle line as I believe they might have other layouts planed) might be the perfect product for a first inventory item/line for them.
@@IOSam Next TKD will be a 80% FRL
@@TM-zo1nz That makes total sense, I think... The obvious 2nd layout in the Cycle line.
Yeah, the more I look at the TKL layout, the more I've come to appreciate its aesthetics and understand why there are so many of them in this hobby.
If TKD can deliver the same value with a lower cost, it's gonna be a must buy for me@@IOSam
@@TM-zo1nz what is an 80% FRL? The only possibility for that combination of words is a regular FRL (70%), with 2 right-side nav columns
Or it could be a 70XT, but that's weird to call an 80%
Great review, as always. The Cycle7 is indeed such a great proposition for an enthusiast and a dream come true for a beginner hobbyist. Congratulations on the professional and thorough take on the board. ✌️👌
Thank you for the nice words my friend!!! And well said! I had been waiting for a truly good deal on a premium custom (that I can actually recommend) for a very long time...
absolute banger !
also I notice your "usb hub" situation in the back is total madness 🤣, love it!
Dude... That is just 1 of them... I have 3 more of those out of the shot!!! 🤣🤣🤣
Hey, they call me "I/O Sam" for a reason! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Great vid man, I appreciate your viewpoints and your approach to the hobby, can't wait to get my unit. As an owner of boards that span the entire price spectrum, I agree with your competitive analysis. When a board like this comes out, a lot of people are quick to knock it down a notch by saying that it's just a basic wedge design and any board that is offered at such a low price regardless of features will always be just that..........a wedge or a slab on wedge. However, with designers like Vertex, TKD, and QK, to name a few, that are constantly pushing the envelope of budget friendly boards that continue to encroach on the lines that separate them from higher priced boards, it's only a matter of time before they start to offer boards with more intricate designs while keeping the price within the budget range, and that's when high-end designers are truly going to have to make sure that they can offer a board that can justify the premium price.
Thank you Tetsuo!!! And yes, very true!! I mean, just look at the Arc60 for example… It was already a sophisticated design, with intricate curves and immaculate manufacturing, which Vertex sold for a lot less than similar boards at the time.
So, they already showed they can do the high-level stuff without overcharging for it. With the Cycle7, they are just showing how much more aggressive they can go on pricing if they really put some effort in it… Which is almost like a shot across the bow for the competition.
I’m very curious to see what they come up with next in the Cycle line (which I’m confident they’ll bring it back in different layouts after the success of this FRL).
Great review as always. I picked one of these up as well with a wireless PCB. Aluminum plate with nylon, long pole switches and case foam only will most likely be my build. I've been waiting for an FRL, WKL, TKL and who knew after all this time waiting for one to appear it'd be something at this price.
As my grandma used to say, “good things come to those who wait”… And you’re now the living proof of that my friend! :) Never thought I’d see the day when a custom of this quality would go under $200... It was definitely worth the wait!
just when you think these sub $200 customs can't get any better, they do
you should also check out the neo 65, i think that's the only other upcoming custom than can match this in terms of bang for your buck
I remember when I first saw the price of the Cycle7 (after I had received the pre-production unit) and I could not believe my eyes... lol
As for the Neo65, while it was my fault for not getting one sooner, I agree that it is looking as a great option for a more compact board, from a trustworthy name in this hobby, and (also) for a killer price!
So, yeah... This is a new trend in this hobby we all can get behind, right? 😆
I saw the frog and the qk65 in the intro, will reviews for those ever come out?
I think the cycle7 is going to set the new standard for the hobby..
Oh yeah! I have a pile of boards here to review, and both the QK65 and the Frog are sitting on top of it!
With the Frog in particular, I'll have some extra fun, since it will be a special project sponsored by PCBWay, where they made me an Alps plate for me to install vintage Alps SKCM Oranges on a Hiney PCB in the Geonworks Frog. It'll be a good video! :)
As for the Cycle7, I'm predicting it will be so successful for ClickClack and Vertex, they'll have to come up with more versions of this board in different layouts.
@@IOSam Excited for those videos to come out!
thank you for this video now im confident in my color option (got the lavender a while ago but there are not many pics/videos for that color)
looking foward to get mine - getting happier with every review im watching with this board. i guess there are no wkl prototypes at all ? didnt see a single wkl layout yet :(
anyway good and informative video 👍
Hey Martin! Thanks man! Gotta say I'm in love with this lavender color! I've seen other lavender colored customs before, but to me this one is the first that really nailed it.
And you're right about the WKL... There were no WKL or Wireless pre-production units made. So, only buyers will get to experience those options when the production units ship.
anyone know what screensaver that was in the background? that shit was fly.
Super cool, right? It's an animated wallpaper called "Chroma Drencher" that you can find in the Wallpaper Engine app (www.wallpaperengine.io )
A+
Looks and sounds unreal!
I was blown away by the final result as well… This is a game changer!
Thank you for such a detailed review, loved every second of it. Now, I'm definitely going to cop one Cycle7
Wow, thank you so much for the nice feedback my friend!!!
By the looks of it, I'd say Vertex will have a lot of orders to fulfill... This might be the most successful group-buy ClickClack ever hosted, at a time when most other vendors are struggling to reach MOQ (which says a lot about the perceived value this board is bringing).
@@IOSam big shout out to ClickClack Vertex and Equalz for bringing such a value proposition to the hobby. Now I want to see how other Keyboard designers will respond to this going forward. And also I'm really looking forward to more projects from TKD, would personally love to see them do a 60%.
Now that the custom keyboards are going in a better direction, I would want to see keycaps taking same direction as well. High quality with consistent legend keycaps in budget price. Someone has to to step up.
@@TemProduction Agree 100%!! I know Black Simon is raving about some super high-quality dye-sub PBT sets he is getting from China, which I'm now curious to check it out... But I'm also holding on for some real challenger to come into the premium double-shot thick ABS Cherry space (thought Domikey could be it, but they never scaled unfortunately).
As for ClickClack+Vertex+Equalz, I'd be surprised if they don't make a full family out of the Cycle brand (they would be foolish not to do so).
@@IOSam Domikey is on par with GMK in terms of quality but lets be honest here DMK sets also does not fall in the budget category. Some of there rare sets are almost priced equally as a GMK set. If I have blur out a number for the bang for the buck area, I would say sub $50 range with high quality double shot ABS
Now that I think about it Cycle7 price tag is equivalent to that of a GMK set LOL
That should not be a thing
"Keycaps priced similar as a Keyboard"
@@TemProduction True... I remember buying one of their original SA sets back in 2020 for $99, and expecting them to come up with a Cherry set for a cool $70 or $80, but no... When they finally launched their Cherry sets, it was basically the same price of GMK…
Not to mention that, outside of seeing them in Drop once or twice, you have to go through the thugs at KPRepublic to get one, which is a no go for me. So yeah, we’re still playing the waiting game to see who can bust this side of the market now.
i think you really did achieve the low pitch build you want hahaha, i am going for the same build except with a alu plate with mx blacks. i hope to achieve the high pitch clacks from this combo hehe. sick build btw! subbed :))
Yooo my good caveman! Thank you for the sub my good sir!! I’m typing on those bassy lubed and filmed Hyperglide Blacks on PC plate right now (and loving it)! I think that even on an Alu plate these things will still give you a lower tone... It’s pretty interesting how the nylon top housings affect the sound of these switches (which explains why so many people mod switches with Cherry nylon tops I guess).
Nice vid mate
Thank you my good Sir!!! 👊
This is compelling, when someone creates a custom 95/96 / fullsize keyboard that will cost me less than 200$ CAD ( 150USD ~) for a barebones kit that I could see coming in at less than $350 when you factor in buying your own stabs, switches, and keycaps then we will have something that directly competes with OEM's. Even for my friends that like mechanical keyboards when they see the price of a custom they say, "I'll just get a new corsair that is hotswap and fully assembled, if I want new switches or keys I'll get them later."
It's a hard sell to get users to cross over to enthusiasts.
Secondary thing, I have a really easy method for dealing with pesky stab wires, its so easy that I just do it by default. I have 2 floor tiles 12" x 12" (30cm x 30 cm) but any size will do so long as they are flat. I take the stab wires lay them down on the tile, then take a plumbers torch, turn it on heat up the stabs until they are hot, and then set the other tile down ontop of them. I then go and lube switches / do other parts of my build, about 20-30 minutes later when I need the stab wires they should be cool to the touch but more importantly they will be flat. give it a try, it'll save you a lot of time over manually tuning stabs.
Yeah… I hear you… I think I’ve only one custom full size so far… And it was very expensive! To this day, whenever I’m in the mood for a full-size board I usually pull one of my vintage Alps keyboards, since I’ve never built a custom full size myself.
My suggestion for everyone who asks me for a good “semi-custom” option, for people who demands a full size, has been the hot-swappable Keychron Q6. I think it doesn’t get any better than that (outside of some custom designer deciding to have a go with a full-size board in the future). It is definitely superior to anything Corsair offers, that’s for sure! Check Chyrosran22 review of the Q6 (he is a “full-size absolutist” himself :)
I know at least a couple of people who bought the Q6 and are very happy with it (both software developers that do a lot of typing).
As for the wire straightening technique, that is brilliant! I have blow torch, so I think I only need the tiles to try something like this… Thanks for the tip!!
@@IOSam I own 2 Q6's and am typing on one of them right now they are very good boards, I can't even complain about the stabs in them. My 3rd board is an Odin R3, and it is just slightly above the Q6's imo from a build and a quality standpoint. Its tough to say whether or not that tier above the Q6's justifies the increased price though.
@@BType13X2 So, you were two steps ahead of me then... 😂 And hey, I still have an Odin V1 in the box here (when they were still top mounted, I think), which I got from KBDFans in 2021 (if I remember correctly) and never got around to build it.
But build it I will (and of course there will be a video about it here when I do :). That will be my first 96% (ish) custom, so I'm actually pretty curious to see how that will fare for my day job when working from home (when I do use a numpad).
I think that at this point in time for me, a 96% keyboard makes more sense than a full-size, considering how crowded my desk can get, but I still use full size boards with my vintage PCs often (just for fun, of course).
I came so close to buying this board, and still might but the shipping is crazy at $39 bucks for me
Yeah, I've been seeing a lot of people mentioning a $40 shipping rate in their Discord. I'm pretty sure that depends where in the world you're located and rather you can get it from a local vendor or if you have to get it from ClickClack.
And then there is the issue of local import duties, that can add another chunk of change on top of the final price, which always sucks to high heaven...
@@IOSam I wish that was the issue but I tried my PA address and German APO address. It's an amazing board so Ill prob bite the bullet. Oh and I forgot to say great video! was my first time seeing one of your reviews and made me sub
@@user-be3mk6cg4c Thanks man! Your sub is highly appreciated!!! And yeah, this board is such a good deal that even with the expensive shipping it still makes sense (if you can stomach the extra $40 of course).
Consider me influenced. I’m in for one
Be careful there Jack, or otherwise people will start to address me as "Dear influencer" on their e-mail pitches... 🤣
But seriously now, thanks for the feedback my friend! I trully believe this is a landmark product in this hobby.
what do i think? maybe...I am in the market for a new keeb, been out of the keeb world since covid (on purpose). I've heard lots has changed, wonder what has/hasn't from vendor/accessibility/price?
It is true that a lot has changed in terms of vendors competence and products availability since the pandemic. The reasons for this are many, of course....
But my simplest theory is that after the counter cyclical inflationary policies of most governments started to subside (after the worst of the pandemic passed), and people's disposable income went down, the demand for luxury keyboards basically crashed.
And like the lowering tide that shows who's naked, this shrinking demand caused a "natural selection" in this market, where only the best managed vendors thrived (and the bad ones that could only survive on a booming market are starting to fail and go out of business).
And now, the survivors, that are the best managed vendors with access to good designers and quality manufacturing, are at a point where they need to compete on price to stay in business.
And that's why I think the best keyboards for the lowest prices are finally starting to pop-up, and I believe this trend will only get stronger going forward...
Hence the title of this video. I think this hobby is entering a new era of quality products, for competitive prices, sold by competent vendors.
@IOSam thank you for your time/response. I was hoping your answer would be the case and how it's showing.
Reading this response makes me excited in finding a nice 75%/tkl! Thanks!
W
Will force big companies to lower price and for smaller designers to be more innovative and or creative
Still annoyed you dont do a 0 foam config
Yeap! Vertex+ClickClack is going for the kill this time... Not leaving any margin on the table for other vendors...
As for the 0 foam build, I couldn't do it this time because of the solder PCB... Since I like to use plate foam myself (especially when using Cherry switches), I had to pick just one: with or without plate foam (since I wouldn't want to desolder/resolder the whole thing again later 😂).
You know what is as good as the keyboard? The video
Yo! Thank you so much for the nice words my friend!!!🙏
i gb this too waiting for too long
ClickClack says it will take about 3 months for this to ship... Which while it sucks to have to wait (compared to the Arc60 that shipped within a couple of weeks), 3 months is still rather quick when compared to the average GB waiting time (RAMA buyers know this all too well... 😂)
@@IOSam angle65 is about to drop too. waiting for your review since you are vertex fans now iosam.🤣
Yay to the global financial crisis 🎉🎉🎉
Jokes aside, those extras for the stabilizers is a great attention to detail. No more tedious cutting and fitting in the bandaids...
Great review as always 👍
😂 Thanks man! The silver lining for the global financial crisis: cheaper premium custom keyboards! LOL Hey, we'll take what we can get, eh?
As for the stabs, always nice to see premium stabs with all the bells and whistles included in a competitively priced board like this! Kudos to Vertex and Equalz for not cheaping out on anything here.
@@IOSam For sure! I haven't been active recently in the Mechanical Keyboard community, but this... even though it is a group buy... It looks very tempting.
Face expression reflected at 2:46
Literally says that tIO Sam is very demanding and won't cut some slack to anyone. Anyone 😡😄
🤣🤣 That was before I found out that this kit costs only $139...
(seriously, when I opened that box I was like: "ah, here we go again... another overpriced fancy keyboard...")
$40 shipping
Ooofff... That's rough... Which country do you live in? I know that shipping has been much better for people living in countries where there is a local vendor (where the board will ship from the local vendor instead of shipping from Asia).
The other problem I heard is the extra taxation a lot of people get slaped on by their country (Canada, Brazil and some European coutnries come to mind).
Absolutely love your reviews man. I’d really like to hear your views on the new tofu 2.0. I have the 65%, mounted on the silicone bowls with FR4 plate and the feel is awesome. Also, any chance we could get a Neo65 review from you? Been thinking about getting one for my gf and one for myself but it’d be nice to see what you have to say about it as I highly respect your opinion. Hope you have a great day!
Thank you so much!!! Yeah, a lot of new and updated kits have come to market in the last 3 to 6 months, that I couldn’t catch up to… I’m hoping I can finish the project I’m currently working now (on my day job), so I can finally get back to making videos again. I did miss the opportunity to get a Neo65 for review. But considering how fast things are moving in this hobby, by the time I get around to review the Neo65, Qwertykeys might be coming out with the V2 of this board 😂
At any rate, from what I could see so far, this kit seems to be an insane value (even when compared to the Tofu 2.0)! Not at the same level of fit and finish from the stuff ClickClack has been putting out, but not too far from it (and for a significant price reduction over the already ultra-competitive Cycle7!).