XC & ROAD - Mark's Chinese Carbon Builds

[c3024446]

The stickers have turned out really well. I need to put a clear coat over them however, since the corners will get knocked off if i don't.

I chose the Brazilian guy because everyone else did, his catalogue was big, and when i sent him a modified version of what he already had on his website (which i marked up in paint) he sent back a design which was exactly what i wanted. There is an Australian guy who does a similar thing, here - http://cyclomondo.net/ but i think he mainly deals in decals for retro bikes.

My stickers took 3 weeks to get here from Brazil, but they are worth it.

 

[dl79]

How did the internatioanlly sourced stickers turn out? Surely someone here in AUS could do something similar. I'm kinda interested becasue the SantaCruz stickers on the Heckler are starting to look a bit dirty and tatty and was thinging of having some 'unique' or customised stickers put on the frame.

check out www.magnetoindustries.com.au for custom decals. The sky is the limit, A1 work

 

[Damienp]

Loving the Roadie Mark.

I am getting keen to grab one of these now and start a little build over summer.

 

[c3024446]

One final bump to show the finished products with stickers in the first post. I'm not clear coating them, I tried it, and the experiment was a disaster. The clear was lifting the stickers, something that the stickers were designed not to do. Anyway, doing a trial was the best idea ever.

If they last 12 months, that would be awesome. Because then, i could order some new ones after i get sick of my "Shrek" and "Demonized" cleverness.

 

[Bikeriderguy]

One final bump to show the finished products with stickers in the first post. I'm not clear coating them, I tried it, and the experiment was a disaster. The clear was lifting the stickers, something that the stickers were designed not to do. Anyway, doing a trial was the best idea ever.

If they last 12 months, that would be awesome. Because then, i could order some new ones after i get sick of my "Shrek" and "Demonized" cleverness.

Good point about the stickers.
Being Chinese and all you can get something more appropriate for your road bike like Ladyboy or Coke Zero.

 

[crowash]

Great builds I've been eyeing off the Chinese frames for a while now. Where you at all tempted to look at the Carbon wheels? I was pretty close to getting a set from light bicycle.

From the MTBR forum chatter I'm guessing a 650B frame and wheelset isn't far away, I don't have $2k to spend but most of my old hardtail components woudl move accross ok.

 

[c3024446]

Thought about the carbon wheels, but i'm not that light, and wanted something bulletproof and something i knew how to service, so went for the Mavics. Also I'm a Mavic fanboi, and think they look bling!

Getting carbon rims, i would need to find hubs and spokes, then build them. This seemed too hard, and i didn't think i could trust their wheelset options. Next build in X years time will definitely have carbon wheels, probably Chinese ones with sweet stickers .

 

[rone]

Getting carbon rims, i would need to find hubs and spokes, then build them. This seemed too hard, and i didn't think i could trust their wheelset options. Next build in X years time will definitely have carbon wheels, probably Chinese ones with sweet stickers .

http://www.light-bicycle.com/carbon-50mm-wheels-road-bicycle-700c-tubular.html

I've seen about half a dosen assorted sets of these (road and mtb) and they're excellent. Novatec hubs, choice of spoke numbers and shipped for about $550. Their 29er XC wheels are brilliant.

 

[c3024446]

So Shrek finally had a race: The Mont 24hr.

Verdict: The LTK023 frame I have is bulletproof. I weigh 95kg kitted, and it handed all of the bumps and rocks at speed like a champ, and some of those bumps i hit VERY hard. It hasn't been though this much stress before, and passed with flying colours.

The hardtail allowed me to fly up hills, but i am definitely getting a dually 29er for my next bike (429C for my birthday next year?!)

 

[Ozkaban]

Just found you thread. Very cool builds. Awesome to hear how it went in the Mont.

I've been tempted to build up a roadie in similar fashion. I was going to get the stickers to say "carbonio cinese", which is Italian for "Chinese Carbon", just to have a play with the high end Italian bikes running around.

 

[ClintC]

As somebody about to build a chiner this has been very inspiring.

The hardtail allowed me to fly up hills, but i am definitely getting a dually 29er for my next bike (429C for my birthday next year?!)

Well why not buy the China 29er dually frame?

 

[c3024446]

Well why not buy the China 29er dually frame?

Well.....

1. The Chinese dual suspension frame I saw was $1000 not including the shock, so the value gap between a name brand isn't really there.
2. You would need to spend ages tuning the shock, and who knows how the suspension was designed, if it bobs, or flexes on the rear end etc.
3. The dual suspension frame has unknown quality of bearings and bushings, and is far more complicated than a static Hardtail / Roadie frame
4. Most importantly - I want a DW Link Pivot with a 110mm Lefty and XX1 (or Shimano equivalent) for my next bike, just because really. Still happy with Shrek for another 1-2 years though

 

[ClintC]

Well.....

1. The Chinese dual suspension frame I saw was $1000 not including the shock, so the value gap between a name brand isn't really there.
2. You would need to spend ages tuning the shock, and who knows how the suspension was designed, if it bobs, or flexes on the rear end etc.
3. The dual suspension frame has unknown quality of bearings and bushings, and is far more complicated than a static Hardtail / Roadie frame
4. Most importantly - I want a DW Link Pivot with a 110mm Lefty and XX1 (or Shimano equivalent) for my next bike, just because really. Still happy with Shrek for another 1-2 years though

Yeah the price really isn't as appealing when compared to the hardtail.

 

[c3024446]

The 29er frame (Shrek) suffered a fatal injury last night. Broken seatstay on the LHS. I went for a ride last night and got a big stick caught between the chainstay, seatstay and wheel which was wedged in a speed. After removing the stick, about 6km later i hear some tyre rubbing and find the seatstay broken all the way through. Bugger.

Not completely sure that the stick caused the crack but probably helped. It’s likely that it caused a partial crack that eventually turned into a full one (was a very bumpy 6km). Was still able to limp the bike home 5km which was surprising.

I’m not lightweight, 95kg loaded, and it lasted me 3350km and 2.3 years over some very bumpy terrain. Overall it was a great frame for the price. I considering options to replace it, whether this be another China-9r, alu dually 29er or something else.

Lucky I still have my Scalpel as my main bike

 

[agentninety3]

Needs more titanium!

Seems a pretty rare event brought the frame undone, although I'll be you're glad it wasn't a catastrophic snap.

 

[steve24]

And in another two years, i will fork out another $500 for a fresh one. :bowl:

yep, it looks like you are right......

Love my LTK, I have upgraded to a BH and my wife want the LTK, fine by me....