[Fringe]

has anyone bought one, if so what are they like? worth a punt or just money down the drain

this is the ones i mean http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Full-Carbon-Road-Bike-Bicycle-Frame-56cm-Fork-Headset-/270896101224?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item3f12aa7768#ht_1670wt_1165

Topic

[cjjones]

I HAVE A CHINESE MADE BIKE
I HAVE A CHINESE MADE BIKE (confession) AND OH MY!! i brought it for £360 on eBay and it is just brilliant! well worth the money, soo stiff, easy to maintain, lightweight, and looks just awesome! I’m going to order another one just after Christmas that’s how good they are. what people tell you about Chinese equipment is nonsense until you own it!

https://scontent-b-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/1454716_535827966507406_483659948_n.jpg

[glynr36]

bashthebox wrote:Well that’s

bashthebox wrote:

Well that’s why it’s so cheap, isn’t it? No one is suggesting you get the same customer service and after-market support with a no-name frame. If you did, it would cost the same sort of money.
It’s an extremely cheap, slightly more risky way of getting a very high spec frame. I want a very high spec frame, but I don’t have £3-5k to spend on one. And so.

Is that not what was just suggested though, that you do/can get the support.

Well thats the crux of the matter really, people want what they can’t afford.

[bashthebox]

Well that’s why it’s so
Well that’s why it’s so cheap, isn’t it? No one is suggesting you get the same customer service and after-market support with a no-name frame. If you did, it would cost the same sort of money.
It’s an extremely cheap, slightly more risky way of getting a very high spec frame. I want a very high spec frame, but I don’t have £3-5k to spend on one. And so.

[glynr36]

atlaz wrote:
If you get the

atlaz wrote:

If you get the right company, they’ll offer replacements for frames that break JRA. Crash replacement, no. I even had follow-up on my frame a month after I built it up to ask if it was okay and to get photos of parts I said could have been painted better (I’d had a custom paint job).

Shouldn’t be down to luck and ‘getting the right company’ to get decent after market support though should it?
Thats part of what you pay for buying from a ‘company’ and not the factory gate.

[Neil753]

Being a fat bloke that’s into
Being a fat bloke that’s into steel frames, I’ve never really looked at carbon. But crikey, after reading this thread, and looking around the web, I’ll definitely more choosy about whose wheel I sit on when I’m out on a group ride.

[bashthebox]

Which company did you buy
Which company did you buy from, Atlaz?

[atlaz]

But it’s the aftermarket
But it’s the aftermarket support I’m thankful for (and think is worth it), cracked my frame this summer, I called the shop up they took a look and a few pics contacted Bianchi and I got a brand new 2013 frame to replace my 2010.

You’re not getting that with any Chinarello at al

If you get the right company, they’ll offer replacements for frames that break JRA. Crash replacement, no. I even had follow-up on my frame a month after I built it up to ask if it was okay and to get photos of parts I said could have been painted better (I’d had a custom paint job).

[Paul J]

I bought a 38mm carbon
I bought a 38mm carbon wheelset from Farsport last year for just under £400 and very pleased with them. They’ve done just over 3 Mm now over 2 summers. I’d happily buy another wheelset from there (e.g. those 3 or 5 spoke carbon wheels are tempting).

There are fly-by-nights, and there are companies that are in it for the long-haul and care about their brand and reputation. This is as true in the UK as it’s true in China. Pick a seller accordingly. China has no statutory consumer protection though, but reputable companies there will give guarantees. You must agree on the warranty & returns policy at the time of sale and be very clear on it though.

The Chinese know how to make high-quality carbon, they’re making “Western” branded stuff too after all. The prices are going up and up though, as China gets more expensive. Don’t forget to take import tax and VAT into account when comparing with LBS prices, as you may end up paying those (particularly for any shipment worth over some threshold, £500?). You don’t necessarily save that much money.

[zanf]

There is a website called
There is a website called [url=http://velobuild.com]”VeloBuild”[/url] dedicated to people who buy Chinese carbon frames (open mould frames) as well as wheelsets, handlebars and groupsets. They even do groupbuys from selected trusted suppliers and will even deal with the supplier if you have issues (see forum posts for instances).

You can see endless amounts of [url=http://velobuild.com/6-build-photos]build threads with photos[/url] and tons of information/experiences.

[giobox]

allez neg wrote:Russyparkin –

allez neg wrote:

Russyparkin – Indeedy.

I think about the descents where I top 40ish, and the few occasions I top 50.

I know a big name frame and fork isn’t a guarantee that it won’t break but it’s something.

How would you go about any sales of goods act type redress to little more than an email address in China?

Exactly. There simply isn’t going to be the level of R and D that the big guys put in. Look at the recent Specialized product recall of the Tarmac SL4 fork – none had actually failed in the wild but Specialized still recalled all of them. I’m sure the cheap Chinese manufacturer care just as much…

[giobox]

bashthebox wrote:I’m going to

bashthebox wrote:

I’m going to get one of these for next summer, and am very excited about it. If the bike fails (and that would seem very unlikely, certainly no more likely than a big name frame) then I can write off maybe 4-6 frames before it costs me more than ONE branded one.

And you’re prepared to write yourself off 4-6 times too when you fall off at speed? Bizarre logic…

Pretty sure I wouldn’t be buying a frame again if it had failed once!

[allez neg]

Russyparkin – Indeedy.
I
Russyparkin – Indeedy.

I think about the descents where I top 40ish, and the few occasions I top 50.

I know a big name frame and fork isn’t a guarantee that it won’t break but it’s something.

How would you go about any sales of goods act type redress to little more than an email address in China?

Each to their own and I’d not think less of someone buying one for themselves but it’s not for me.

One question – would you be happier riding on big brand carbon forks that have never been crashed but are 7 years old (as I am), or a brand new pair of unbranded Chinese carbon ones?

[bashthebox]

I’m going to get one of these
I’m going to get one of these for next summer, and am very excited about it. If the bike fails (and that would seem very unlikely, certainly no more likely than a big name frame) then I can write off maybe 4-6 frames before it costs me more than ONE branded one.

[russyparkin]

after many ciders i have
after many ciders i have often considered buying one of these r5/dogmas, even added them to basket.

then i think about the cattle grid i bunny hope over at circa 45 ish mph and just think if, if i have bought one of the dodgy builds that has a head tube made of newspaper, to save a few hundred quid is it worth of the risk of implementing the face brake.

saying that i love love love Ritte bikes and was devastated to find out they are just sprayed up ax or whatever they are called frames.

[giobox]

Yep. my very nice R5 VWD
Yep. my very nice R5 VWD frame sports a made in China/Taiwan (can’t remember which…) sticker.

Manufacturers often point out there just isn’t the infrastructure or factories to make them in volume anywhere else, which is why its only ever ultra low-volume specials like the RCA that get built in the US/Europe.

[Author]

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