New Vamoots RSL with disc brakes
 

I'm new to this forum so sorry if this has been discussed before, but I noticed that Moots has a new disc brake version of their RSL series:

Vamoots Disc RSL

It's ridiculously expensive, but here are the claimed disc-brake specific "features":

• 58 cm = 1360grams, (3.0 lbs) – (VDR – 1550 grams (3.33 lbs)
• Reynolds internally butted tubing in the main frame for lightweight and stiffness
• Moots proprietary 1.125”- 1.25” tapered thru axle flat mount disc fork (in 2 offsets)
• Pf 30 bb, 30.9 seatpost
• 6/4 3D printed dropouts* for optimal lightweight, stiffness and strength in a flat mount disc brake design with 142 x 12 thru axle
• Great clearance for the brake for bleeding on all frame sizes

I'm not really sure what to make of most of these, but I have read that the thru axles rather than quick release are preferred for disc brakes (especially with flimsy carbon forks).

How close could you get to this using another (e.g. cheaper) frame? I've see some forks like the Whisky No. 9 have a thru axle, but I'm not sure about the rear wheel without a custom frame job.

I've also seen some purely custom disc brake bikes with proprietary thru axles like the Focus Izalco Max Disc.

Do you really have to get a custom frame at this point for proper disc brakes on a road bike?

No, there are literally hundreds of production road bike models out there with disc brakes that work fine. A few of which already are being offered with thru axles (this list has a few). And in the next couple of years thru axles will probably be the norm for disc-equipped bikes.

$14k for that Moots, a small production (non-custom) ti bike, is sort of ridiculous. There are a lot of custom builders who will build you a ti bike with discs and thru axles, and that is more personalized, for a lot less.

Some examples of custom ti builders that will be in the $4-10k range for a complete bike. Many of these bikes are stunning and deserve attention:

- Firefly
- Bilenky
- Stinner
- Seven
- Mosaic

Sorry to say, but most everything on that page appears to be empty marketing. Proprietary is usually just a way of locking you in to something so they can continue to milk the cash cow. Occasionally there is some real value, but that is very rarely the case. JMHO

I am awaiting delivery of a Hongfu FM079-F (flat mount, thru axle) direct from the manufacturer. Total cost for the frame, fork, and two carbon tubular rims with delivery was $950. Total build should be sub-$3500 for a <16 lb. bike with Campy Chorus and mechanical disc brakes.

Please keep us updated. I haven't heard of many people building up disc Chinabombs (and that is a new model, I think.) It'd be nice to here about how it is going.

I had looked at that one a bit---a Canyon copy, I think---in a rim-brake version. Pretty frame---and you can get a BSA.

I know a few people who are interested so I'll start a new thread once parts begin arriving.

And this guy, although he's currently not taking orders due to the current length of the cue:


Engin Cycles | Handmade Titanium Bicycles Philadelphia, PA


Frames start at around $4K. His shop is amazing.

That Moots in the link is top of the end in everything. The wheelss are a fortune in themselves. Im sure you could get a build close to half that price since the frame is $4400.


In my opinion, Moots cant be beat and this is coming from someone that bought a Seven.

Check out Kish

Thanks, this is interesting. Could you give a few examples of features of Moots frames that other manufacturers can't replicate or not to the same quality? I've heard various subjective opinions on this but nothing really concrete. The most concrete thing I've heard is regarding fluff like the finish, where Moots will paint vs Seven will do plain Ti finish. But that stuff doesn't really matter to me.

I forgot to note in this post that the Hongfu frame and fork I ordered are both thru axle compatible. I will be building wheels using Bitex thru axle centerlock hubs, Sapim CX Ray spokes, and the carbon tubular rims from Hongfu.