Carbon handlebar/stem/seatpost from ebay?

MarioM

Likes Dirt
For such critical parts I would choose a known brand sourced from either CRC wiggle or jensen or even aussie sellers. I thought about these ebay ones for my first intro to carbon a couple of years back but opted out . If you search the web there are some who have had success and others who have had failures . I`m not saying these will be crap but they are an unkown and as such where is their quality control . I think both FSA and Ritchey got a hold of their copies that you find on Ebay and cut them up to see what construction was like and if memory serves correct there were quite a lot of inconsistencies with the product that would lead to failures .

Having said that there are reputable ones search and find them through different forums . Merek carbon I have heard are the more reputable sellers on Ebay .
 

Minlak

custom titis
For the price do it... Make a ride report... If you don't update it we know you died and don't buy them if you do update we all win.


My only concern to be 100% honest is quality control on the cheaper ones. This batch might be great the next not so much. I too have been tempted in fact might put them on the loaner then do ride reports.

Today Timmy took the loaner for spin and had a ball. here Timmy is smashing his first jump look at that grin.... here Timmy is dead he still looks happy but.....
 

ChopSticks

Banned
Buy at your own peril.....


i warned a mate of carbon knock offs.... Or those that failed qc.....

didnt listen to me and bought a bontrager carbon bar for something like $60 shipped.... Installed it and hit ourimbah the next day. Bars clipped a tree, otb and the bars snapped........ Luckily it wasn't off a jump.... Could've ended a lot worst
 

scblack

Leucocholic
So im wondering, would you trust carbon parts off ebay?

$27/$31 for a carbon handlebar/seatpost seems so tempting for a loaners bike =X
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/31-8-720...pt=AU_Sport_Cycling_Parts&hash=item4874a7c572
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/7P-carbo...pt=AU_Sport_Cycling_Parts&hash=item3f3e47e5a3
I have bought plenty of carbon parts from Aliexpress. With no negative issues to report. Seatpost - yes I have used one for years, but it is a Road one. Aliexpress is probably exactly the same parts and sellers as ebay though. Aliexpress does offer buyer protection - and it genuinely does work, I have used it. Give a seatpost a go.

Bars I would not buy cheap period.
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging
Hmmm - have a Bontrager carbon bar en route from aliexpress. It was $40.

Looks like a real part, in at that the packaging etc is all with it - so thinking it is out of the Bontrager factory. Or may be I'm undrestimating the effort gone to make copies look like the real thing.

Dunno. I shall treat it with caution - perhaps any serious points of failure will be obvious enough if looked for.

Had an FSA knockoff seatpost on my last roadie that cost about $15 - it was fine.
 

scblack

Leucocholic
Hmmm - have a Bontrager carbon bar en route from aliexpress. It was $40.

Looks like a real part, in at that the packaging etc is all with it - so thinking it is out of the Bontrager factory. Or may be I'm undrestimating the effort gone to make copies look like the real thing.

Dunno. I shall treat it with caution - perhaps any serious points of failure will be obvious enough if looked for.

Had an FSA knockoff seatpost on my last roadie that cost about $15 - it was fine.
I rode a fake carbon Pinarello Dogma for two years. Perfect bike, once I sorted out small issues like a derailleur hanger not made from alfoil.

Overall I reckon the stuff from Aliexpress is perfectly fine.
 

vansman

Squid
I bought knockoff bars and seatpost to see how bad they could be. The carbon "bontrager" seat post from Aliexpress had an awful clamping mechanism. It would slip (angle) occasionally, and on one occasion the saddle popped off. The diameter was slightly under as well, so wasn't as secure as I'd like so in the bin it went.

The "bontrager" handlebar felt nice to begin with, but ended up snapping when I lost balance on a skinny and rolled off the side (~1m drop). I too thanked my lucky stars it wasn't on a jump/ drop at speed! Needless to say I am a name brand convert now, especially after seeing the difference between my mate's SixC bars.
 

mitchy_

Llama calmer
Buy at your own peril.....


i warned a mate of carbon knock offs.... Or those that failed qc.....

didnt listen to me and bought a bontrager carbon bar for something like $60 shipped.... Installed it and hit ourimbah the next day. Bars clipped a tree, otb and the bars snapped........ Luckily it wasn't off a jump.... Could've ended a lot worst
how are your Light Bicycle wheels going...



have had chinese carbon seatpost, stem, frame, fork and wheels... no issues. haven't tried handle bars though.
 

ozzybmx

taking a shit with my boobs out
I have 2 of those exact seatposts, one is on the missus's bike, the other was a "temporary" post while waiting on 27.2mm Syntace seatposts coming back in stock about a year ago... still riding it.

Handlebars are a different matter IMO, I always buy decent bars... though the Chi Carbon ones are probably as good as brand name bars.

Sticking a brand name on it and charging 4 times the price doesn't make it safe.
 

markgab

Likes Dirt
I guess i'd get a carbon seatpost and see how it goes.

From the opinions raised I guess carbon handlebars from china are a 50/50 and can be potentially dangerous.
Alloy it is for a loaner bike lol
 

scblack

Leucocholic
I guess i'd get a carbon seatpost and see how it goes.

From the opinions raised I guess carbon handlebars from china are a 50/50 and can be potentially dangerous.
Alloy it is for a loaner bike lol
In December I just built myself up a winter/wet weather roadie to commute on when my good roadie is scared of the rain. I built it up with cheap alloy parts, not cheap carbon parts. Mostly because I just want it to be reliable and not really bothered by its weight. And I know Cinelli gear (even the cheaper stuff) is quality gear. Having said that I have actually enjoyed playing around and experimenting with the carbon gear available on Aliexpress.

Get the seatpost and give it a go! Its not like you're going to die from it. Good luck with it.
 

rowanb

Likes Dirt
Hmmmm. I don't think those injuries had anything to do with handlebar failure! Stem bolts loosening was the culprit.

I'm torn about running a cheap carbon bar myself. I've got a 26" chinese carbon hardtail that's now seen several years riding, including probably more (smooth!) gaps and drops than it was designed for. So cheap carbon can be solid. Still, I do have some resistance to cheap bars... perhaps unfounded, and perhaps related to a story about bars failing in the Mont24 years ago and pitching some poor guy into a tree...
 
Much like a number of people here, I wouldn't fret about a carbon seatpost failing.

Bars & stems on the other hand, I'd recommend approaching the purchase like you would when choosing a helmet i.e. best quality you can afford, by whichever means. When you're piffing along & things go awry in the control room you know the outcome is NEVER going to be pretty, be it failure of (cheap) carbon parts or in VEX' case*, stem bolts rattling loose & unwinding.

*Good little reminder that it pays to have a bottle of Loctite242 in your kit of tricks for whenever you're doing work on or rebuilding your bikes. Stem bolts, shock bolts, rotor bolts, pivot bolts etc. Give them all the treatment for peace of mind.
 
His injury has ZERO bearing on this thread.

Trying to make "shock" links of peoples unrelated injuries does not help an argument at all.
The linked injuries is what could happen if a cheap and nasty stem cracked/snapped off and since this thread refers to stems and screws that hold handle bars on i think it is relevent as my suggestion that cheap poorly constructed carbon parts are one to avoid
 

Nerf Herder

Wheel size expert
I've bought cheap carbon bars off eBay in the past ... Perfectly fine 620s ...

Whats the worse that could happen

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