It’s been a while since I had a proper bike build series here so I think it’s time for a new one! Not that I really need a new bike, but at the Tour Down Under my lovely wife pointed out that I was the only one still riding a rim-brake bike and wondered why. Now she seems to think I need a disc-brake bike “for my safety.” Who am I to argue with her?
Introducing the Quick Pro ER:One!
I’ve been eyeing off a Quick Pro frameset for quite some time now. They’re a Chinese manufacturer, but not a cheap knock-off AliExpress brand. They test and develop their products and provide bikes to a World Tour team. I was originally considering their lightweight climbing frame, but when the aero-focused ER:One was announced that really got my attention! A fully UCI approved race-proven aero bike that holds it’s own against high-end brands on the road and in the wind tunnel? Yes, please!
Image Credit & Website Link: Panda Podium
The price is obviously a major draw to the Chinese brands. An equivalent aero road frameset from a Western brand will set you back three or four times the price. If I select the parts carefully and don’t go crazy, I should be able to build the entire bike for less than the price of a Cervelo S5 frameset.
A lot of people still believe Chinese goods are rubbish. While that may have been partly true 30 years ago, a lot has changed (for all products, not just bikes). Most of your brand name gear is likely made in the same Asian factories. Take Cervelo, while they may be “engineered and designed in Canada and the USA” all their frames are manufactured in Asia. Specialized bikes are manufactured primarily in Taiwan and China. As long as you choose wisely and avoid any obvious counterfeit products, you’re winning.
The frameset and integrated bars arrived very well packed from Panda Podium
This will be my first time building a fully integrated, internally routed, hydraulic disc equipped modern road bike, so I think it might be a steep learning curve. A little trickier than my old school Trek 5200 build that’s for sure. I’ve already had to order a couple of specific tools for the job. More parts are on the way from China too.
That’s it for now. I’ve got to go Google how to actually put this thing together. Stay tuned!
Two Wheels with TC 
using the wife’s worried about safety excuse for a new bike is genius 😂
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Maybe I can get her to call my wife and convince her to worry. ;)
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A true masterclass! 😁
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A small warning about “obvious counterfeit products”. A few years ago Velo Magazine cut open two carbon fiber frames, both labeled as Specialized Tarmac. One was counterfeit. Other than price, there was no easy way to tell them apart. https://velo.outsideonline.com/not-all-frames-are-created-equal-a-look-deep-inside-the-carbon-in-counterfeit-bikes/. [P.S. When I bought my used frameset, the manufacturer was able to verify its authenticity.]
I thought I’d bought the last bike of my life in 2016. But now, all bikes have disc brakes, can take 32 cm or wider tyres, most have electronic shifting. My old steel bikes may be collector’s items. My “new” carbon fiber bike is merely obsolete. If my lovely wife pointed that out, I might buy a new bike. I don’t think that will ever happen.
I wonder how many people think their carbon fiber frame was built somewhere other than China or Taiwan. Trek, like Cervelo, talks about being designed and/or engineered in Waterloo, WI ( don’t remember what the label says now), not made there.
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Can 100% confirm this! Many years ago when I was young and stupid(er) I bought a set of counterfeit 3T AERO handlebars. They were so poorly made and so flexible I didn’t even bother installing them on a bike. I gave them away to a friend to use as a wall hanger!
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