First Waltly frame

wkkie

It's Not Easy Being Green
Have Waltly folded?

I just tried having a look at their website and both of them are down, along with their Instagram page.

I got all those links direct from their email and they've worked in the past.

Hopefully no one has any money with them waiting on a frame if that's the case.
 

beeb

Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
They've stopped custom frame ordering/production until at least March (at the earliest). They say they are overbooked and need to catch up.

I do have money with them at the moment, but only found this out when I asked to confirm the E.T.A on my frame which was meant to be due arrive in a fortnight after ordering on December 30th. They told me it was going to be another 60 days.

We have had some "discussion" about the lack of communications over these extended production/delivery delays and they are now claiming a nearer E.T.A for my frame, but I am on a hair trigger ready to reverse the payments as I am seriously unimpressed.
 

Litenbror

Eats Squid
They've stopped custom frame ordering/production until at least March (at the earliest). They say they are overbooked and need to catch up.

I do have money with them at the moment, but only found this out when I asked to confirm the E.T.A on my frame which was meant to be due arrive in a fortnight after ordering on December 30th. They told me it was going to be another 60 days.

We have had some "discussion" about the lack of communications over these extended production/delivery delays and they are now claiming a nearer E.T.A for my frame, but I am on a hair trigger ready to reverse the payments as I am seriously unimpressed.
That's really disappointing @beeb hope it gets sorted out.
 

beeb

Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
That's really disappointing @beeb hope it gets sorted out.
I'm fairly confident it'll arrive, it's the total lack of communication about it that has me annoyed.

Reading between the lines* - it sounds like the manufacturers they build for have increased their orders due to increased demand (from COVID shortages), so they have pushed back custom frame production to accommodate. Not illogical for them to do this, but the invoice I received stated "45 days to deliver", so if it was going to push past that it really should've been communicated (especially when you're adding two months to an order.

I have a workmate who also placed an order during January this year too, and he also hasn't been told anything - so it's pretty slack given they claim the lead-times were increased "from (after) 2020".

*(Speculation, not stated)
 

Litenbror

Eats Squid
I'm fairly confident it'll arrive, it's the total lack of communication about it that has me annoyed.

Reading between the lines* - it sounds like the manufacturers they build for have increased their orders due to increased demand (from COVID shortages), so they have pushed back custom frame production to accommodate. Not illogical for them to do this, but the invoice I received stated "45 days to deliver", so if it was going to push past that it really should've been communicated (especially when you're adding two months to an order.

I have a workmate who also placed an order during January this year too, and he also hasn't been told anything - so it's pretty slack given they claim the lead-times were increased "from (after) 2020".

*(Speculation, not stated)
Yeah that was my first thought, it makes business sense but communication cost almost nothing.
My invoice had 30 days and it ended up at nearly 70 so I think it's more of a guideline, personally I would rather have the real date than an aspiration target.
 

Minlak

custom titis
Yeah that was my first thought, it makes business sense but communication cost almost nothing.
My invoice had 30 days and it ended up at nearly 70 so I think it's more of a guideline, personally I would rather have the real date than an aspiration target.
This ^^^^^^^

I have an item missing in freight (again) - Contacted the sender company lodged enquiry - They said "We will get back to you" - So I always ask "What is the expectation of when I should hear from you?" - I am not trying to hurry you - I am not trying to berate you - All I want is an expectation of when I should hear from you - Then I am not waiting and thinking mmmm I wonder - If you say 1 day I want 1 day if you say 3 days thats fine too I want 3 days or less.
I do this every time and it seems to fluster the person I am speaking to - I think its because I now have an expectation of you - I just want to know I haven't been forgotten - Even if you say there is no response yet at least I know.
And this bullshit auto email response that says 1-3 days to contact you due to the high volume we are dealing with - then stop fucking up or put more staff on.
 

beeb

Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
Yeah that was my first thought, it makes business sense but communication cost almost nothing.
My invoice had 30 days and it ended up at nearly 70 so I think it's more of a guideline, personally I would rather have the real date than an aspiration target.
I particularly enjoyed ( :rolleyes: ) this line from their e-mail in bold below:

"And sorry i also left out to update it on invoice as well, i copy previous invoice .
Thanks for your reminding , you are the first customer who told me it was not acceptable for longer delivery time , i understand all .
If the order is urgent for you , it is better to tell me from the start."


My Response was:

"I did not mention a specific completion date requirement because I was working off what was written on the invoice."

FFS, it's not that hard...
 

Calvin27

Eats Squid
Lol this is the price you pay for a cheaper product that is not lower quality - the service is a bit patchy.

No doubt their operations are to make a few extra bucks on the side for their business and the volume stuff take priority. The first frame I got really fast but the second one I ordered mid last year was super long. I literally asked them to just cancel if they hadn't started. It got done the next week. Apparently they were moving factory or something?

The other thing is stop telling everyone about waltly lol, it's affecting our supply of cheap Ti frames lol!
 

Calvin27

Eats Squid
Looks mad! Keen to hear about the pinion. As in where to get it and the tolerances required for the frame etc. Which pinion you running and how do you make it not hurt as much cost wise lol.
 

wkkie

It's Not Easy Being Green
Pinion!
Mullet? Looks like 27.5 rear wheel and front a 160mm travel 29?
Correct! And 150 / 160mm up front depending on the a2c of the fork.
Looks mad! Keen to hear about the pinion. As in where to get it and the tolerances required for the frame etc. Which pinion you running and how do you make it not hurt as much cost wise lol.
I've got the Pinion box and bits coming from Zerode. It's going to double as spares for the Katipo.

The frame makers have plates they build onto for mounting the gearbox.

Hurt cost wise... Can't help there, except to say that it's about the equivalent price of a high end SRAM groupset, but you don't have to replace the cassette, the "chain" is meant to last at least 3 times longer and the only lubrication going on is 60ml once a year.
 

cokeonspecialtwodollars

Fartes of Portingale
Assuming that you're considering a Gates Carbon Belt at some stage @wkkie, what resources did you use to work out whether your chainstay length will work with the available belt and sprocket combinations... this is currently fucking with my head.
 

wkkie

It's Not Easy Being Green
Assuming that you're considering a Gates Carbon Belt at some stage @wkkie, what resources did you use to work out whether your chainstay length will work with the available belt and sprocket combinations... this is currently fucking with my head.
Yes, it'll be belt driven. I'm waiting on ordering a specific belt until I can confirm the gearing.

I was thinking something a little harder than what I have on the Katipo and the next smallest rear cog they make is a 34t (currently running 39t front and rear on the Katipo).

I used a Gates online calculator where your put in the chainstay length and the size of the front and rear cogs and it spits out the correct belt size. It gave me a 115t belt for the 34/39 combo, but that's with the chainstay coming in to 431.66 (to be exact) mm. If I stick with the 39/39 then it gives me a 118t belt, with the chainstay at 434.5mm.
https://www.gatescarbondrive.com/Apps/DriveCalculator/index.html

373270


I have ordered a new drive kit with the gearbox from Zerode and I'll run that first to check the gearing and clearances before I order a specific belt for the Waltly box.

All those bits will be spares for the Katipo anyway, so they're not wasted if they don't plan out how I want it.
 
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cokeonspecialtwodollars

Fartes of Portingale
Cheers, I found that belt calculator but unfortunately for a direct mount sprocket and 1:1 ratio I couldn't get a belt to match desired chainstay length and give enough clearance for the fat tyres. Going to a 32t front sprocket and 30t rear sprocket gets me closer and if I put a slight bend in the seat tube then it should work.

It took a bit of searching to find the internal gearbox ratios so that I could compare it to my current 1x setup so for reference this site gives all the internal ratios for the Pinion in a way that makes sense.
 
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cokeonspecialtwodollars

Fartes of Portingale
Are you not going for sliding dropouts?
I am, 440-455mm with the idea to be able to run a 27.5 x 3.8" at 440mm and 27.5 x 4.5" at 455mm, but this is where I come unstuck.

32t-32t
113belt = 445.5mm (chainstay a bit longer than I wanted with the 3.8" fitted)
115belt = 456.5mm (chainstay longer than the proposed full length)

32t-30t
111belt = 439.99 (spot on for 3.8")
113belt = 450.99 (needs a tad more clearance to the seat tube for 4.5")

EDIT: Also at 32t-30t the lowest gear ratio is closer to my current setup which I didn't need to be any lower anyway so that gives me a bit more in the top end.
 
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