aaron01
Likes Bikes and Dirt
What kind of cake?
Chinese Carbon 29er
- Thread starter rearviewmirror
- Start date
Antsonline
Likes Dirt
Haha!
She bakes / cooks better than she rides (she wont mind me saying that!) and she rides pretty good.
If you ever see her at a race, ask her about her homemade pesto recipe (legendary around these parts!).
....completely off topic now.
MrCove
South Shore Distribution
Ibis bikes are made in China.....
however, a mate bough a no brand Chinese carbon harftail a few months back, spent the next few months sourcing parts on-line. finally built it up full XT with Tora forks just over 2 weeks ago
went out for a ride with me, it lasted 1 hour before the chainstays snapped in half
the previous hour consisted of a tarmac start, fire road, one xc downhill which he walked down, one singletrack climb then more fire road, a bit more tarmac, a xc descent then a climb, which is where it broke
in my opinion, had it been riden 'properly' it would have lasted about 10 minutes
however, a mate bough a no brand Chinese carbon harftail a few months back, spent the next few months sourcing parts on-line. finally built it up full XT with Tora forks just over 2 weeks ago
went out for a ride with me, it lasted 1 hour before the chainstays snapped in half
the previous hour consisted of a tarmac start, fire road, one xc downhill which he walked down, one singletrack climb then more fire road, a bit more tarmac, a xc descent then a climb, which is where it broke
in my opinion, had it been riden 'properly' it would have lasted about 10 minutes
Did you laugh.... much?
Sumgy
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Where are you buying name brand carbon fibre 29er frames for less than a grand??
Ivan
Eats Squid
Which frame was it? Just so I know to avoid those ones...
Most of this thread is hersay crap!
I have a 'cheap chinese' (calling them that immediately tells me most people are going to think they are junk) 26inch hard tail. It built up perfectly, weighed less than my previous easton aluminium framed bike and it felt nice to ride. I weigh over 100kg so it has had a hard life so far. It was also bigger than any frame or whole bike I could get here (22 inch). I have raced it in many 6 / 8 hour races and I used it for most of my prep for last years 24 hour world champs. I did some of that race on it too and although I am not the best rider, it handled pork barrel well.
It looks suspiciously similar to a Merida. It is exactly what was shown on the ebay listing, I have nothing but praise for it although when I first got it I was nervous about the chance of cracking... but many hours and crashes later it has some scratches on the clear coat and pine sap stuck to it but that is all.
I have a 'cheap chinese' (calling them that immediately tells me most people are going to think they are junk) 26inch hard tail. It built up perfectly, weighed less than my previous easton aluminium framed bike and it felt nice to ride. I weigh over 100kg so it has had a hard life so far. It was also bigger than any frame or whole bike I could get here (22 inch). I have raced it in many 6 / 8 hour races and I used it for most of my prep for last years 24 hour world champs. I did some of that race on it too and although I am not the best rider, it handled pork barrel well.
It looks suspiciously similar to a Merida. It is exactly what was shown on the ebay listing, I have nothing but praise for it although when I first got it I was nervous about the chance of cracking... but many hours and crashes later it has some scratches on the clear coat and pine sap stuck to it but that is all.
Clyde Dave
Likes Dirt
Which one did you get mate?
Part 2
So, having had a good experience, I bought a 29er frame the same way (have to keep up with my single speed lynskey mate).
It has the same weave as my older '26er' but this one has no disc brake mounts, internal cable routing and a head tube for a tapered steerer fork. It also built up easily, no wonky bits as some previous posts have referred to (as seen by a friend of their cats mothers last owners hairdresser).
It is new but I rode it today for the first time. Amazingly for a 'cheap chinese' frame it did not snap and kill me in a slow and horrible death. Again, I was a bit nervous about it but it was really nice. I have not ridden a 29er before so everything was different and I had to stop to adjust things as I felt what was not quit in the right position... but I have to do that on the first few rides on any new bike.
Like the last chinese frame I bought, it is exactly what the listing advertised, if anything I think the listing undersold this one. It has the advertised geometry, it weighs what the listing said it would and it is big enough - unlike anything I could get here.
The seller answered the few questions I had before buying and he ended up giving me 3 spare deralier hangers free as I was concerned that if I needed one it would be hard to get later - if you buy one I would recommend buying a couple of spares with the frame, they were under $5 each to buy.
I paid $US 590 shipped with spare hangers and headset. Bought a 120mm Reba Ti from Jenson USA and got a pair of Stans wheels there too. All the other bits came from my '26er'.
This has been my experience with 2 unbranded chinese frames. I would hesitate to buy a dual suspension frame - not because of the chinese part but because I don't know how to work out all the rear shock stuff but my HT frames have been / are great
So, having had a good experience, I bought a 29er frame the same way (have to keep up with my single speed lynskey mate).
It has the same weave as my older '26er' but this one has no disc brake mounts, internal cable routing and a head tube for a tapered steerer fork. It also built up easily, no wonky bits as some previous posts have referred to (as seen by a friend of their cats mothers last owners hairdresser).
It is new but I rode it today for the first time. Amazingly for a 'cheap chinese' frame it did not snap and kill me in a slow and horrible death. Again, I was a bit nervous about it but it was really nice. I have not ridden a 29er before so everything was different and I had to stop to adjust things as I felt what was not quit in the right position... but I have to do that on the first few rides on any new bike.
Like the last chinese frame I bought, it is exactly what the listing advertised, if anything I think the listing undersold this one. It has the advertised geometry, it weighs what the listing said it would and it is big enough - unlike anything I could get here.
The seller answered the few questions I had before buying and he ended up giving me 3 spare deralier hangers free as I was concerned that if I needed one it would be hard to get later - if you buy one I would recommend buying a couple of spares with the frame, they were under $5 each to buy.
I paid $US 590 shipped with spare hangers and headset. Bought a 120mm Reba Ti from Jenson USA and got a pair of Stans wheels there too. All the other bits came from my '26er'.
This has been my experience with 2 unbranded chinese frames. I would hesitate to buy a dual suspension frame - not because of the chinese part but because I don't know how to work out all the rear shock stuff but my HT frames have been / are great
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300553640572&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT
this is the 29er
The 26er was from this guy
http://myworld.ebay.com.au/bikebicycle99
but there was no reason for choosing these sellers apart from the fact that they had what I wanted. Go to ebay USA - select items from worldwide and then search carbon frames.
Opinion
While buying here gets warranty there is not really any other reason I can see to buy carbon frames through a shop here unless you like supporting the shop or you need them to put it together - they come out of the same factories.
I really dislike the brand name 'aura', ie the brand name makes it better. Almost all carbon stuff is made in china - these frames are most likley from a factory that made some for a brand name company to sell and then they made some more to sell at a higher price than they got for the 5000 produced for some big name company.
Things made in Japan used to be 'cheap junk' but not now, chinese manufacturing is good enough for virtually all of the branded frames to be made there, most clothes, most of everything really - so other than they are sold for less money I see no reason why these frames should be considered inferior. No one who has made negative comments on this thread has actually owned one. But all the people who have had one seem to make positive comments... I wonder what that means.....
While buying here gets warranty there is not really any other reason I can see to buy carbon frames through a shop here unless you like supporting the shop or you need them to put it together - they come out of the same factories.
I really dislike the brand name 'aura', ie the brand name makes it better. Almost all carbon stuff is made in china - these frames are most likley from a factory that made some for a brand name company to sell and then they made some more to sell at a higher price than they got for the 5000 produced for some big name company.
Things made in Japan used to be 'cheap junk' but not now, chinese manufacturing is good enough for virtually all of the branded frames to be made there, most clothes, most of everything really - so other than they are sold for less money I see no reason why these frames should be considered inferior. No one who has made negative comments on this thread has actually owned one. But all the people who have had one seem to make positive comments... I wonder what that means.....
crash bandicoot
Likes Dirt
Chinese is faster!
I hardly think so, trek oclv carbon frames are made in the usa, trek tct carbon frames are made in the trek factory in taiwan. Reputable carbon factories would hardly make extra copies of frames from big name companies then sell them cheaper, thereby ensuring they get repeat business.
Like all consumer goods, there are good quality goods and there are cheap copies, often coming out of the same country. You take your chances.
I can verify that I witnessed Matt go 94.2% faster on the Chinese frame!... and it didn't implode or turn into an egg! Conclusive proof really.
I hardly think so, trek oclv carbon frames are made in the usa, trek tct carbon frames are made in the trek factory in taiwan. Reputable carbon factories would hardly make extra copies of frames from big name companies then sell them cheaper, thereby ensuring they get repeat business.
Like all consumer goods, there are good quality goods and there are cheap copies, often coming out of the same country. You take your chances.
I can verify that I witnessed Matt go 94.2% faster on the Chinese frame!... and it didn't implode or turn into an egg! Conclusive proof really.
rearviewmirror
Likes Dirt
Thanks for sharing everyone. Look, I'm not trying to stir the pot or offend anyone who thinks these frames are junk. I'm just curious to see one in person and hear from others who might have taken the plunge. I won't pull the trigger on a frame until I figure out the correct fork requirements and what not, I don't want to spend more money in other parts, I want to be able to swap over the 100mm 29er fork or 80mm 26er fork I already have a spare of. I will say it's been an interesting exercise researching these frames, I've really only scratched the surface so far, but I think I'm getting closer. I'll post an update once I submit the order, and please keep the comments coming. I think we've gotten over the hump of warranty and quality, so now let's focus on the actual frames and build info.
silentbutdeadly
has some good things to say
As someone who doesn't have a large stock of available parts to work from then these cheap Chinese frames don't strike me as being especially cheap....even at $500 to $600.
Throw in a decent fork, groupset, wheels and contact points and you are looking at a three grand bike even before you put the sucker together.....
Three grand buys you an awful lot of brand name & warrantied carbon goodness at your local bike shoppe.
Just not much as yet in terms of a 29er.......yet.
Of course you could just stump for an RST shock, an Acera groupset, Star wheels and no name contacts.....but on a carbon frame?!
Throw in a decent fork, groupset, wheels and contact points and you are looking at a three grand bike even before you put the sucker together.....
Three grand buys you an awful lot of brand name & warrantied carbon goodness at your local bike shoppe.
Just not much as yet in terms of a 29er.......yet.
Of course you could just stump for an RST shock, an Acera groupset, Star wheels and no name contacts.....but on a carbon frame?!
scblack
Leucocholic
I am in the last stages of building up a Chinarello road bike. It does not cost $3,000 to build one of these frames up. It is roadie stuff, but costs are not that different.
My build is this:
- Chinarello frame, fork, headset all carbon(China) $600
- Campagnolo Centaur carbon groupset (Ribble) $750
- Campagnolo Shamal Ultra wheels (Ribble) $850
- Seat & Most seatpost all carbon (Ebay) $120
- Bars, stem, tape, spacers all carbon (Ebay) $180
- Tyres (ProBikeKit) $70
The only item that is different for costs is the fork probably.
Larryscustomcycles
Likes Dirt
Add the difference between disc brakes and road calipers plus the suspension forks and I reckon you are at the $3k pretty easily.
Anyone ridden or seen one of these?
seems they hit an interesting midpoint between Chinese cheapness and brand name goodness.
http://on-one.co.uk/i/q/CBOO29RACEFRM/on-one-carbon-29er-xt-race
seems they hit an interesting midpoint between Chinese cheapness and brand name goodness.
http://on-one.co.uk/i/q/CBOO29RACEFRM/on-one-carbon-29er-xt-race