Following on from the roadie thread.

Any recommendations for long travel hardtail frames direct from the far east?

I think XACD do custom builds, so just send them the dimensions of the bike you want building and they can do it. Cost goes up, though!

xacd

yes they do. I’m waiting for my custom 29er to be delivered.

$455 for a 29er frame.
$155 for Shipping.
$40 for bank charges their end.

Changing the dimensions of the frame won’t cost any more. Changing the thickness of tubes, Bending them, brushed finish, putting a logo on etc.

all adds up.

Mine finished up $975.
That’s brushed with bend in the down tube and logos on the DT and HT.

i couldn’t be arsed with the hassle 🙂

I’d consider it if I knew what I was doing on sizing and geometry but give I don’t, and have always been quite happy with standard sizings, I’d rather buy off the shelf.

Couple of questions out of curiosity really:

What sort of warranty / protection do you get?
What is the turn around time?
How do you know the design you have come up with is going to work?

OK so there is a saving but how much of a saving compared to going down the On_One, Ragley, Cotic, Singular route? And is the saving worth the hassle and worry.

Going to be very interested in the responses from people who have done this some time ago and are either having a great time aboard a Chinese wonder or have put it down to bitter experience and are hanging their heads in shame (if they are brave enough to admit to it on here).

Don’t try to discourage the man epicsteve, jedi & shortcut. 😉

I think its a great idea to buy a custom made frame from the otherside of the world.

I look forward to the ride report from its first outing Hora 😯

I think i’d just copy the dimensions of say, an Orange P7. The specs are on their website. But, how much cheaper is it really going to be?

what could go wrong?

…if you’ve got questions you might find this site useful:
Spanner

It’s certainly not an approach that would suit everyone, more a bit of fun for people who fancy designing their own frames…

I’d hate to think of the industrial pollution put out by the manufacture of a Ti bike in China compared to somewhere like the U.K.

Enough to stop me ordering a ti bike via that route.

Won’t someone think of the kittens?

All very well asking them to design a Ti frame around your preferred geometry but how do you propose to work out how much stronger and how to strengthen the headtube area etc. to accomodate your big ghey long travel fork?

I thought about having a stiff/strong rather than light/forgiving Ti 4X/DJ frame designed a few years back and came to the same decision as Jedi 😉

Get a Lynsky ridgeline LT there superb with a 140mm fork.

Frames fail under me and I have frequently made use of warranties… for that reason I’m out

Hora, when i’m back give me a shout, i’d be more than happy to help out and have a few things up my sleeve

You must have Wizzard-sleaves for something that big!

you should see what i’m wearing right now… currently sat in a capsule spa hotel in Sapporo. possibly the most odd place I’ve ever been with the oddest clothes dress code

Take some pics of Jap girls and get them posted!

I have pics(in general, not just your perv ones) but i’m having a UK phone & Japan internet connection problem so cant upload them.