Comments for Panda Podium

Comment on Bigrock Sohtea TEAM EDITION Carbon Road Bike Frameset by zeusxl5

zeusxl5 — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 16:16:07 +0000

This is a review of the frame itself I have not built it up yet Upon delivery i examined it thoroughly and was amazed how well presented it was, I had the M size 54 in blue, the paint is immaculate, the colour looks almost black in low light but in the sunshine the blue comes through very subtly it,s a shame I live in the UK. The reasons why I went for this frame was 1) weight 2) standard seat post and 3) Bottom bracket size.
The bottom bracket threads are super clean no over spray, the faces are also clean, brake mounts the same.
Looking at the inside of the frame it all looks neat and tidy all smooth, headset seats look good, you can see the care this company takes making the frame, one thing I would add the front mech hanger is actually bolted on the frame. I only found one tiny ( fault ) the drain hole in the BB was not finished off i.e not sanded after drilling
easily rectified, but that’s being very picky, it all came well packaged only took about 3-4 weeks thanks to Panda Podium . An observation on the photos, the frame looks like it has an extreme sloping top tube but in a Size M it looks more “normal”. If your looking for a very light climbing frame with a BB ready for a Cybrei crankset look no further, sometimes it is possible to find gold at the end of the rainbow, and no I do not work for Big Rock .
Real World Weights size M Frame 707 gms Fork 285 gms Seatpost incl ( hardware 380mm) 176gms

Comment on CRW Works CS5060 Disc Brake Wheelset by Chris Davies

Chris Davies — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 02:50:15 +0000

These wheels are the real deal. I won’t wax poetic about how fast and light they are, others with much better technical understanding and the ability to articulate that have done that before me. What I want to contribute is my personal experience of how durable they are, if only to allay any boring and tired misconceptions wheels this reasonably priced are such because they’ve skimped on quality and construction.

I recently crashed out during a criterium race, stupidly hurtling through a narrow corner at 60km/h and locking up my back wheel in a futile attempt to roost the corner. I washed out and smashed into a gutter. Both bike and handlebars were cracked. The sidewalls of my GP5000s were completely shredded through. But my CRWs were not only perfectly intact (minus some expected cosmetic scratches) but still perfectly in true. I’m 80kg and hit that gutter fast and hard.

I am so happy I have these wheels!

Comment on FARSPORTS 2025 New EVO S Series Wheelset by Nickolas Radovanovic

Nickolas Radovanovic — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 23:59:41 +0000

Awesome! All the performance benefits you would expect from such specs are immediately evident and appreciable. Fitting and seating with a floor pump was a breeze. While no spare spokes, other goodies included are a nice touch. Moreover, while I was concerned about the cross wind comparison with my old and heavy 40/50 wheels, which I assumed would have me swapping on a regular basis, I was pleasantly surprised that they in fact are less affected. Testament to the profile design. Very impressed. Great value. Buy with confidence!

Comment on QUICK PRO AR:One Carbon Road Bike Frameset by Etimld

Etimld — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 14:45:24 +0000

It rides fast, like really fast, and it likes going fast! I’m 172 cm, 65 kg, FTP 330w. My previous bike was a S-WORKS Tarmac SL7 size 52, weighing 7.35 kg with pedals and bottle cage. I took the AR:One in size 49 (54) because it looks perfect for my size. I used the same wheels (Zipp 303 Firecrest) for this new build and put Wheeltop GeX with a 50t front chainring and a 10-44 Garbaruk cassette (I love one-by and ride it on my MTB and gravel too). The complete build is 6.87 kg. The AR:One frameset + fork + all small parts were 140g lighter than my S-Works SL7, so I was very happy with that.

On the road, I’ve already done some 3 to 5-hour rides and it feels quick! It feels quick, and it rides fast! My friends seem to complain more now than before, haha. Is it really faster? I don’t know, but it asks for speed and gives you the feeling of riding fast — it’s a race bike! I love it.

The AR:One is different from the SL7 in some aspects. It filters less vibration, so it gives you more of a speed impression, but it’s not uncomfortable at all. With 30mm tires, it’s really great, maybe not on really poor roads, but where I live, it’s enough. The handling is different too. It’s a bit more agile and wants to play. One aspect where I prefer the SL7 (but it’s winter, so… you know) is the stiffness. When sprinting with the SL7, you feel it helping you. It flexes a bit and gives you back the energy like a bow. Here, on the AR:One, it doesn’t move. If you have the legs, it transmits everything to the road. If it’s not your best day, it won’t help you sprint, but it still goes fast.

In fewer words, I love the bike — it’s light, it’s fast, it’s a race bike.

And a final thanks to the Pandapodium team, who are always super helpful and reactive.

Comment on FARSPORTS F1s Handlebar by Johannes Angermann

Johannes Angermann — Tue, 07 Jan 2025 10:47:09 +0000

One of the few options for a Giant Propel (2023 – ). Looks superbe on the bike. Flawlessly made bar. Finish looks great.
Super stiff – way stiffer than the Giant Propel bar/stem combo.
The diameter oft the drops is quite narrow. Shape is quite slender. I have long fingers but still find it comfortable to grab. Haven’t had a 200 km ride on it though.

Comes with all necessary spacers and Garmin/Wahoo/Gopro-Mount. The spacer for the D-shaped Propel steerer tube is quite a tight fit.
The upper-most spacer (the one under the stem) is a 3D printed two-piece affair. The noses/hooks (male parts, as engineers would put it) of those pieces were not perfectly shaped. The smaller front piece always popped out. Told the Panda Podium folks – they sent out a one piece spacer immediately. If you’re ordering for a Giant Propel – ask directly for the one piece spacer. So you don’t have to do the whole bleeding thing twice.

Tried to get rid of the silver sticker on the top. This is heavy duty. Don’t use your finger nails! It cuts right in them. Took a hair dryer and a tire lever. Still a mess. Took white spirit for the residue Isopropyl wouldn’t work). Finish still looks mint!

Shipping took two weeks to Germany. No additional VAT or taxes. Tracking-link was quite useless. Comes well packaged. Great customer service from Panda Podium.

Comment on FARSPORTS F1s Handlebar by Johannes Angermann

Johannes Angermann — Tue, 07 Jan 2025 10:41:37 +0000

Shipping took two weeks to Germany. No additional VAT or taxes. Tracking-link was quite useless. Comes well packaged. Great customer service from Panda Podium.

Comment on TAVELO AVRO Gen-1 Integrated Handlebar by Andrew Shaw

Andrew Shaw — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 21:37:12 +0000

Excellent purchase.
Purchased the Tavelo bar for my C68.
I wanted to reduce my reach on a small frame from 90mm to 80mm.
390/80mm wasn’t available on the Colnago bar and it was an eye watering price.
The Tavelo bar is on a par with the Colnago, Enve or Deda bars I was considering at a very amenable cost.
Excellent finish, excellent shape, Joe the photos on the Tavelo page don’t do it justice.
I would have added some pictures if the option was there.
The bearing cover and spacers for the C68/V4RS are perfect.
The bar is not teeth rattling stiff, just the right balance of compliance,
The service was outstanding, delivered to UK in about three weeks.
Great job and confident recomendation

Comment on FARSPORTS 2025 New EVO C Series Wheelset by Jack Chapman

Jack Chapman — Sat, 04 Jan 2025 21:15:38 +0000

I ordered the Evo C series 50mm with steel bearings. A set of tyres and TPU tubes were included for free which is a nice touch.
Am running them with Pirelli P Zero 4S 30mm tubeless and my mechanic had no issues setting them up.
Have only put 200km in them so far but they feel fast and not overly stiff. At 55psi they are ironing out all the bumps in England, so seem like they will be comfortable on longer rides.

Comment on Farsports F1X Handlebar by Jack Chapman

Jack Chapman — Sat, 04 Jan 2025 21:05:39 +0000

Really neat looking setup. I run it with ultegra mechanical and shifting is perfect, mechanic had no issues with installing 4 cables through it.
I don’t put down mega watts, so I’ve felt no flex and it seems plenty stiff for your average Joe.
Nice tube shape and drop. Feels super comfortable.
Out front mount that’s included is light and solid. Came with loads of accessories so I can run my front light on the GoPro attachment under the mount so it’s all neat.

Comment on QUICK PRO AR:One Carbon Road Bike Frameset by Jack Chapman

Jack Chapman — Sat, 04 Jan 2025 20:57:35 +0000

Very impressed with the bike. Feels light, responsive and stiff but not uncomfortably stiff. It just feels like all the power you put down is propelling you forward. Built it up with farsports evo C 50mm wheelset, farsports f1x handlebar, Bigrock 117g saddle, ultegra 11 speed mechanical and total weight with cages, wahoo mount and pedals is 7.7kg in size large. Mechanic said it all made up well: no issues. Got the team edition colourway. Looks stunning in person. Got a lot of praise at the cafe stop Lastly the team at pandapodium.cc were super helpful. Sizing is always risky, so I let them know what the geometry is on my current setup and they advised me on what frame and stem length I needed. Everything is spot on. Much appreciated.