them cheap carbon frames on ebay

opinions on other (lesser ) forums range from being good frames down to held together with newspaper.
google "chinarello" (chinese pinarello - some are shaped like Dogma's) for more.

Hi Fringe,
I did last year, similar model but with the bars, stem seatpost and they threw some bottle cages in. Absolutely cracking and at the door in about a week - same company.
I built it up with average(ish) kit and it was a cracking ride, light and handled well. Only small problem I had was getting a headset that fitted but most are pretty standard now. Put some flat bars and clip-ons as a commuter and excellent. Maybe a little naughty but I put some cheap stikers on it but wasnt too long before I took them off - created too much attention, if you know what I mean.
Would I do it again,,,,, in the middle of one now.
Piccy (naughty) above or below - wherever it loads.

Regards
Trikeman.

If you go for it, show us all the finished products.

We could form a Chinarello Cycling team.

I'd be very cautious - we have stripped cheap (and some not-so-cheap but still cheaper-than-average) carbon frames back and found things that scare me to death going on under that nice "12k" surface lay-up.

Problems we have seen are voids, high proportion of glass, high proportion of resin, poor jointing, assymetric wall thicknesses on fork blades and crowns ... none of which is a formula for a frame with longevity or nice riding characteristics.

We all know it's de rigeur to assume that bike manufacturers are all theiving, skanking b*stards that are ripping us all off - but in general that isn't true, though one can always dredge up examples ...

Muppets at the UCI claiming that cheap carbon frames can be had out of China for $40.00 don't actually help, either ... out by at least a couple of hundred US, there, Pat ...

I'd wonder if the guy who sourced the particular one that was referred to in the link above knows too much about bikes, as it says in the spec "fits V-Brakes" so his judgement about the quality *might* be questionable.

ta for the comments, must admit i probably wont be getting one, it was more a case of curiosity after coming across them.

what did strike me was what is the difference between these frames and other 'cheapish' carbon frames (planet x, ribble etc etc) apart from a paint job/stickers and probably a bit more of a mark up for profit margins..

I dont know about the chinarello's and others on ebay

But i've always fancied an Axman SW since seeing them a few years ago

One of these

http://www.axman.com.tw/product-detail.php?class_id=30&page=13

Interesting bike, Gkam, though they appear to have forgotten to design in a folding mechanism for it

Whoa! Just thinking about Dave on that Axman… it wouldn't be pretty

Here is the folding one, less racy design though

http://www.axman.com.tw/product-detail.php?class_id=30&page=14

When you look at the bare frame, it looks strange

http://www.axman.com.tw/product-detail.php?class_id=35&page=5

There is loads of discussion out there if you google it -> one forum has a thread that is on it's 5th incarnation of 200+ pages!

One guy even visited one of the factories..

be careful if you do go down the Chinese carbon route, and if you're buying outside ebay. Scammers set up fake versions of some of the suppliers in order to get your cash.

I look great whatever I'm riding.

What? Oh.

my personal experience has been a planet-x team alu mk2, £199. Carbon
stem, bars and forks from flyxii.com, £102 (including postage). Headset
was either fsa or planet-x, so £20. Pedalon (lbs) did the swap and build.
The bike is good. An alternative frame supplier could be ribble, their sportive
frames are tasty. But please remember globalisation means there aren't
that many mass manufacturers of carbon or alu frames and most are made in
china or taiwan (most goods are made in china aren't they). However the high
end stuff will most probably be european, cervelo being a prime example.

Fringe: "what did strike me was what is the difference between these frames and other 'cheapish' carbon frames (planet x, ribble etc etc) apart from a paint job/stickers and probably a bit more of a mark up for profit margins.. "

+1 I'm riding a carbon fibre frame/forks from Graham Weigh in Deeside, but when I bought it he had a load, some of which were theirs, some were apparently a cancelled order for Terry Dolan, a couple were a similiar thing originally intended for Ribble etc, which I was told were all basically the same thing, churned out of the same far eastern factory to the same template. What's the difference between these and the scary ones mentioned by velotech?

to my knowledge the only cervelo frame not made in the far east is the R5CA (I'm not sure about the S5 and P5)

The majority of high end Carbon frames are made in the Far East.

thats kinda sad but only to be expected i suppose.
so is the answer todo your research into your cheap
carbon frame manufacturer. my experience was is
to date positive. now has anybody bought carbon clinchers
from china (ie direct & unbranded) ? answers please.

Can't wait for Britain to fulfil it's promise of becoming the world leaders in composite technology.

Does anyone know whether my 2011 Wilier Izoard XP frame was made in China? Have I been unknowingly riding a Chilier?

By the way Trikeman, not sure that 'cracking' is the best word to describe a cheap carbon frame

)Figure of speach - but I see what you mean,,,, Not to be displayed by the slogan, 'it's a cracker'.
Regards

Trikeman.

I have a '09 Trek Madone 5.2, and Trek claims they made it in Wisconsin, USA. Is that TRUTH?

That's where they put them together....out of bits mainly made in Taiwan, China etc

izoard is taiwain, matey. BUT dont look at it as a bad thing. most top end bikes including all but the very top colnago etc are made there. i have no issues with it as probably 95% of bikes are made there . they are just clever with the wording i.e. 'built in britain' that means the bike was put together in britain generally as opposed to 'manufactured in britain'

Last time I imported something you had to add in VAT and couriers "handling fee" so its likely to be about £320 ?

I think I'd be happier going to Ribble for one of their sportives when they have an offer on

Nearly all frames are made in the far east,but under close instruction from the bike brands.Top bike makers will mix in various substances in with the carbon weave and resin and specify the exact composition of the material of there super high mod carbons.They will then inspect the framesand guarantee when building them up with the groupset, finishing kit and wheelset to complete the bike.so cheap far east frames can be made of any grade carbon(sometimes very poor) and you only have there word on what modules carbon its made from.Ribble frames tend to be rebranded deda frames and offer brilliant value for money,usualy cheaper then buying a deda without the ribble logo.for example on ebay yesterday i saw a condor Leggero go for £1000 and a ribble scuro hc going for £128 .Exactly the same deda frame with a differt logo.

Who were the types of people it caused attention to? I was thinking of getting some decals for mine.

I recently brought some wheels (24mm Carbon Tubs) from one of the CHinese companies ... FARPSORTS .... and cannot be happier.

My wheels costs approx £350 shipped, Carno 24mm Rims, built on Sapim CX Ray Spokes and lightweight Bitex hubs, weighing in at 1008g if I remember correctly..

They marked them up as samples so no VAT, IMport Duty, etc and I have to say that dealing with them was a far easier experience than dealing with some companies in this country ... SERIOUSLY.

I dont know whether I'd buy a frame myself, but wheels, etc, absolutely no doubt whatsoever.

Ooops

That should read:

Carbon 24mm Rims....

My bad ..