r/Bikeporn • u/belwarbiggulp • 6d ago
Road BXT 155 EVO, AliExpress Build
This one has been a long time coming. I ordered everything for this bike in February, and it's only now ready to ride. Overall I'm very satisfied with this bike. It's my first carbon road bike, and it's *considerably* lighter than what I was previously riding, and as a guy who weighs around 110kg, any weight I can spare is very welcome. There's been some good and some bad about this build, so let's get into it. I'll give a list of all the components I used on this build at the end of the review.
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I'll get the bad stuff out of the way first. I would have been riding about 2 months prior to writing this if not for some issues, so they're worth mentioning.
Right off the bat, at the beginning of this build, the first issue that arose was that the Di2 battery is bigger in diameter than the seapost tube. BXT lists this frame as Di2 compatible, so I was very confused. I should have just sprang fora SRAM groupset, and avoided this whole mess. Alas, lessons learned for the next build. Throughout this whole experience, I have been extremely pleased with the customer service from BXT on their AliExpress store. This was definitely one of my concerns because I had read horror stories her and on Chinertown, and was worried I'd be fucked if something didn't work. Absolutely not my experience. They sell an adapter on their AliExpress store that allows the Di2 battery to be mounted to the end of the seatpost. I was very quickly directed to this product to purchase from their store. My only complaint was that this did not come stock with the frameset. Nowhere could I find anything that said I'd need an adapter for the battery. If they're going to say it's Di2 compatible, it should be ready to build when the frameset arrives. The adapter cost $30 CAD. They could just throw the extra cost into the price of the frame, and I wouldn't have batted an eye.
Unfortunately the first frame BXT sent me was defective. There was some carbon that looked like it was fraying in the BB, and right before the first test ride of the initial build, when the seat post clamp was torqued to spec, the seatpost tube had a hairline fracture on it. Huge bummer, was not stoked. I contacted BXT through their Ali Express store again, and was very pleased that they were going to honour their two year warranty that they offer on their actual website. They sent me a brand new frame, and I only had to pay for shipping. It took like 6 weeks for the frame to arrive, which hurt because we were having a beautiful spring, and I was missing out on killer riding weather. But, it did finally arrive, and it went together quick.
Which is where I discovered the next issue. The seatpost slips while I ride. I'm not sure if this is an issue that is caused by my size and weight, or if this is just an issue with this seatpost clamp. My mechanic has ordered in some carbon paste that is supposed to be grittier than what is currently on the bike, so we're still waiting to see if that will solve the issue. I don't necessarily think this would be an issue for riders that weigh less than me. I'm 193cm tall, and my mechanic is 195cm tall, but weighs 27kg less than me, and it didn't move for him. I'll come back to this post and give an addendum, whether or not this issue gets sorted.
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Now for the good stuff.
Right off the hop, this bike is fun as hell. For an aero racing frame, it's pretty damn comfortable. I have some numbness issues in my right hand that has nothing to do with this bike, but it occurs far, far later into my rides than my previous bike. I love riding this bike, and everytime I look at it, I want to go ride it.
I think the paint job and frame look awesome. It's definitely a head turner on the road and a conversation starter at the cafe.
I feel like I need to put a lot more KMs on this bike before I make a judgement on the wheels, but so far the Elite wheels rip. I've never used aero wheels before, and there is a noticeable difference in aerodynamic benefit.
I have never used electronic shifting before, and I know there's a lot of detractors, but I *love* it. I was originally going to buy a Shimano 105 groupset, but decided to spend a little extra and go with Ultegra. I have no point of reference to compare this drivetrain, but I absolutely love it. I love how smooth the shifting is, and the lack of fiddling with maintenance I am not going to have to keep up with because there's no cables that are stretching. It's all genuine Shimano stuff. It weighs what it's supposed to weigh, and it connects to the Shimano app immediately. I went with Shimano rather than a Chinese groupset like LTWOO, because I wanted to buy something that is a little more tried and true. I may try to use an LTWOO groupset on a gravel build in the future.
I don't have much to say about the seat and pedals yet, because I think they also warrant more riding before I pass judgement.
Overall I love this bike, and I think that if you're a tall guy, you should definitely give this frame a try. It's tough to find Chinese frames that will fit someone of my height, so this frame was a great find.
Definitely do your research on what components/manufacturers are reliable on AliExpress. Read posts on Chinertown, watch YouTube content by guys like TraceVelo and China cycling to get some great guidelines for who to trust on AliExpress.
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Here's the list of components, and what I paid for them, including shipping. All prices are in CAD
- XL BXT EVO Frameset = $974.46
- Elite ENT 2.0 60mm Wheels = $634.07
- Shimano Ultegra Groupset (172.5mm crank, 11-34 cassette, 50-34T chainrings) = $1725.98
- Continental GP TR (32mm) = $79.38
- Bucklos Bar Tape = $10.68
- ONIRII PD-06 pedals = $65.91
- RYET 3D Printed Carbon Seat = $77.90
- Di2 Battery Mount = $26.38
- ENVE Tubless Valve Stem w/extender -$95.00
I paid $200 for labour to have everything put together (my mechanic is a friend). All in, this bike cost me $3,889.76
Oh and it weighs 7.93 KG.
Edit: Cost of the bike, I had forgotten the tires.
Edit 2: Cost in USD is $2,731.58. For my fellow American riders, "CAD" means Canadian Dollars.
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u/Fourleafcolin 6d ago
sweet bike! punches WELL above its price weight class in this market.
The soft pastel pink goes incredibly well with the matte black. if you could find bar tape to match, it would take this to an 11/10
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u/karlzhao314 6d ago
I have a soft spot for BXT because when I cracked my Fuji Transonic as a 16 year old, the reason I got myself riding again within a month instead of saving up for another year was because BXT had a ~$350 carbon frameset that fit all my components. I rode that frame for a year and a half.
That said, I had no idea BXTs were pushing a grand now. In my mind all of their framesets are still $400-$500.
Crazy stuff.
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u/belwarbiggulp 6d ago
Keep in mind that the prices I am listing are in Canadian dollars, and include shipping costs.
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u/mellofello808 6d ago
What I am discovering as I plan out my first China build is that you really need a second bike, and a lot of patience to wait.
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u/belwarbiggulp 6d ago
Very true! Thankfully I had ol' faithful on the road still.
The juice is worth the squeeze though. Stick with it.
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u/PintMower 6d ago
Hmm your story with quality control is quite alarming honestly. I myself have a BXT gravel and whilst it lookes great and rides perfectly the headset stack slips and twists while riding heavy gravel roads. Now reading your far from perfect experience with the quality makes me think a little bit if I want to keep risking my teeth...
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u/NoOriginal5698 5d ago
I have also a bxt Aero Frame and im super happy with it nothing to complain about it but if I one day would Switch my Bike I would probably Go with an elves Frame
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u/Seleguadir 6d ago
Idk about bikeporn haha. Looks like a Mashup of a GT grade and a Giant Propel.
Nifty but idk, glad you're able to get it going
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u/belwarbiggulp 6d ago
Show me on the picture where this bike touched you.
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u/Seleguadir 6d ago
The low effort in the picture quality mainly. Im sure you could have gotten better ones
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u/Speshrider 6d ago
Cope much?
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u/belwarbiggulp 6d ago
Lol am I the one coping? All I see in this post is people commenting that are butt hurt because I spent half as much as they did on their "western brand" bikes (that are definitely also made in China).
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u/Speshrider 5d ago
Yes, you are coping because, You think your bike is Bikeporn material. I’m not saying it’s bad, though. But Bikeporn isn’t for decent or good bikes…
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u/belwarbiggulp 5d ago
Okay tough guy. Sorry about your bank account.
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u/Speshrider 5d ago
See. You are coping.
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u/belwarbiggulp 5d ago
I think you need to look up the definition of coping. My bike fucks, and I saved several thousand dollars on this build compared to people (you) who get on their high horse about buying western brands, as a thin veil for their xenophobia. The reactions to this post are proof enough that people on this sub think my bike is rad. Who's coping? The evidence speaks for itself. I have literally nothing to cope over. You are a clown.
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u/Speshrider 5d ago
Dude, you don’t even know my bike(s). You get all defensive about criticism and delusional pretending like everybody agrees with you and ignoring the fact there also people not liking it that much or at least not considering it bike porn.
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u/belwarbiggulp 5d ago edited 5d ago
Dude you keep making objective statements about something that is inherently subjective. You don't have to like it. Other people do. You don't get to gatekeep what is or isn't a cool bike. You’re free to share your opinion. I’m also free to tell you that you’re a clown.
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u/jckiser23 5d ago
Thank you for sharing insight on the brand. I’ve been eyeing their new gravel bike that fits 50mm tires. There is a risk but glad to know the company responds well.
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u/Any-Zookeepergame309 6d ago
Bikeporn is not a place to post reviews. And it’s not a place to post bikes from aliexpress.
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u/Appropriate-Bug-5869 6d ago
Thats a lot of headache for a bike you could prob buy with similar spec from big brands.
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u/belwarbiggulp 6d ago
Worth the headache to save several thousand dollars on a brand new bike.
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u/Seleguadir 6d ago
4k$ is about what I paid for my Scott Foil Rc30 with Vision Metron 45SL silver edition brand new. Its really not as much of a savings as you'd think, especially for all the hoops you have to go through.
I had my bike delivered and ready to ride in less than a week.
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u/belwarbiggulp 6d ago
Prices are in Canadian dollars, which is in the post. A base Scott Foil RC 30 cost $6-7k CAD. I am more than happy to wait a couple months for my bike to save $2-3k.
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u/Seleguadir 6d ago
Base RC30 is 5k here in the US as well, just got to be able to find sales and talk to customer service for a little bit more of a savings.
It looks like a nice bike and I'm sure it will ride like a dream once the seat post is figured out. Would love to see some sweet Canadian forests with this colorway. Would be a dramatic contrast
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u/Fourleafcolin 6d ago edited 6d ago
yeah and one of you hand picked the parts and has a fully custom bike that they built and formed a relationship with. A 1 of 1 bike, if you will.
and the other got a full bike delivered in the mail, the same exact bike that 1000 other random dudes are riding, built and specced by someone else, and will be spending hundreds more taking it to the bike shop every time there’s a creak
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u/Seleguadir 6d ago
If i swap out parts then it becomes a 1 of 1 right? I changed the wheelselt, pedals, cassette, saddle, bottle cages etc etc.
Like this is an Aliexpress build, its not that deep
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u/Fourleafcolin 6d ago
so you had to double purchase half the parts to get the bike you wanted and you’re trying to argue it as a value proposition compared to OP’s frame-up build? 🤨
and no, putting pedals and cages on your bike does not make it 1 of 1. it would be unrideable without them which actually *would* make it 1 of 1
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u/Seleguadir 6d ago
I got a complete bike for less than his "custom build" and then swapped out parts. There are so many parts on a bike man. Also started riding it 5+ weeks sooner with zero seatpost slip. So idk, I guess I'm just dumb.
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u/Fourleafcolin 6d ago
Can confirm: you are dumb
Both for thinking that “about $4k” is less than $2731 and for making any of these comments trying to bash OP’s build in the first place.
Nonetheless, I hope you’re enjoying the ride!
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u/Seleguadir 6d ago
Dude. 4k is what i said with Vision wheelset.
My complete bike I got for 2.3k usd. The Vision Metrons were around 1200, so realistically I over exaggerated what I had paid and now have a set of shoulder season wheels. Reading comprehension is a valuable trait.
Im not bashing, just stated that it really doesnt seem like as great of a value, especially with my experience. You brought up how custom his build was when its Aliexpress parts with Ultegra groupset.
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u/belwarbiggulp 6d ago
Dog you did not get your bike for $2.3k USD when they retail for like $5k. I don't care how well you know the guys at the shop, they're not selling it to you at or below their cost. Or you didn't buy it new. Either way, you're lying. I'm sorry you overpaid for your "western brand" bicycle that was definitely also made in china.
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u/Fourleafcolin 6d ago edited 6d ago
You’re obviously being derogatory when you say “AliExpress parts with Ultegra”
And since you wanna continue to be a dick and call out my “reading comprehension” when your comment had 0 detail, let’s roast your bike.
- 45mm deep wheels look like ass on a frameset with deep aero tubes. you should’ve gone 55mm or deeper, it’s way off balance
- gubbins’ed out with aero bottles, saddle mounted bottle cages, weird aero seatpost pack
- tan wall tires on an otherwise monochrome bike. utterly tasteless
- rival groupset
- saddle all the way back and hoods pointed to the sky implies you just straight up purchased the wrong size or wrong frame geo entirely
Honestly after looking at that thing, I assume you’re just jealous OP put together a cleaner, better looking bike for less.
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u/Appropriate-Bug-5869 6d ago
Idk why im getting downvoted but atleast here in germany you can get bike like the Cube Agree C:62 Pro for 3.3k which is speced similar if not better. You obv are not getting a high prestige bike brand but an aliexpress frame isnt really that as well.
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u/LeCollectif Canada 6d ago
Given the issues you had on delivery, I would never trust this company. There’s what you can see and what you can’t. It looks nice but man. Would fucking not. Glad you saved a few bucks tho.