Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 55 total)
  • Tell me about chinese carbon frames…..
  • mtbtomo
    Free Member

    Ok, so I’ve been looking at the Planet-X frames but have seen the thread on ‘how much does your road bike weigh’ and there was mention of various far eastern frames, such as hongfu bikes?

    I realise its ‘cheap’ carbon so won’t perhaps have the high end development in it but I’m not that heavy a rider, not going to race it – I probably just like the look, and fancy something perhaps slightly comfier and marginally lighter than alu.

    There are a lot of options on ebay – anyone got any recommendations and/or horror stories???

    njee20
    Free Member

    I had one of the MTBs, bought direct from the Chinese eBay sellers. Was good, lighter than claimed, didn’t break. Sold it on to a friend who continued to ride it. Did eventually break (along with the forks and his face) when he rode it into a flight of (ascending) steps.

    I’d have another one. Just check the geometry, top tube was short on mine. Was pretty well dead on 20lbs with XTR, SIDs and Roval Controle SLs:

    michaellivett
    Free Member

    I’ve got one of the Hongfu road bikes which has internal cable routing. All of it is fine except the exit point for the front mech cable which seems too far forward along the bottom bracket so it fouls the front mech spring

    Had to extend the cable securing bolt outwards to avoid it and now all is fine

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middling Edition

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middlin...
    Latest Singletrack Videos
    mtbtomo
    Free Member

    How did you buy your hongfu frame michael?there’s no option to buy on their website?

    michaellivett
    Free Member

    I emailed Jane at hongfu- janejian@hongfu-bikes.cn

    Payment is via PayPal, about $50 delivered to UK. Was a bit of a leap of faith sending the money but after 5 weeks (took longer as specified the paint) it turned up. They send you tracking details. Have since ordered bottle cages and mech hangers and all have come through fine.

    IanMunro
    Free Member

    Bought this via ebay from flyxii –

    Built it up without any issues.
    Only ridden it once so far. Felt fine, got the KOM I wanted, and didn’t snap.
    Sorry, only got a rubbish photo-

    clubber
    Free Member

    Have a look on aliexpress too. there’s an escrow type system which.in theory should make it safer.

    mtbtomo
    Free Member

    Can I ask how much michael? Again, couldn’t see any price info on the website or is it price on application depending on options?

    mtbtomo
    Free Member

    Can I ask how much michael? Again, couldn’t see any price info on the website or is it price on application depending on options?

    The-Swedish-Chef
    Free Member

    This is a “show us your Chinese carbon framed” bike thread from the Swedish version of this place. It runs to 50 odd pages, but there are loads if pics and links:
    http://happymtb.org/forum/read.php/1/1267323

    michaellivett
    Free Member

    I paid $795 for frame, fork, headset, seat post, seat clamp, handlebars and stem plus paint and delivery which at the time was £550.

    mattjg
    Free Member

    Nice looking bike Michael.

    mtbtomo
    Free Member

    Hey Swedish Chef, that just puts fuel on the fire 😉

    trailflow
    Free Member

    Check out velobuild forums + the shopping page.

    http://www.velobuild.com

    fibre
    Free Member

    Whats putting you off the Planet X frames?. I’ve had my 456 for over a year and have had no issues with that and it rides really well. I’ve heard the same from the road frames too. The way I look at it is the Planet-X stuff is cheap carbon with the reassurance of a 2 year warranty and hopefully a higher level of quality control than some of the Chinese eBay stuff.

    mattjg
    Free Member

    You gotta wonder how many Hard Eddies Intense expect to sell at 1800 quid frame only.

    mattjg
    Free Member

    Michael did you get whacked for VAT and import duty etc on top?

    KevinPP
    Free Member

    Got mine from Carbonal. It’s been well and truly ridden. Excellent frame. My mate has just got a Spesh Stumpjumper S-Works carbon frame in the same matt finish and I would say the quality is up to the same standard as the Spesh. Mine is lighter too… 😀

    KevinPP
    Free Member
    ChunkyMTB
    Free Member

    Got my from Carbonal last year. So easy to deal with. Mine was dispatched on the Wednesday, arrived the following Tuesday! Finish is superb and the build had no issues. Everything is straight and faced. I’ve had a lot wonkier On Ones…

    Its got a Lefty on the front now however.

    mtbtomo
    Free Member

    @fibre – Nothing at all is putting me off the Planet-X frames, there indeed may be some future negotiations to be had with another STWer on that front ;-)….Plus I’ve had a carbon456 before now and it was like a tank but without the weight….so definitely still considering….

    But there’s just a bit of query on the sizing of the PX frames, as the geometry is different to what I’ve previously ridden so I still can’t quite figure which size would be best.

    Some of the chinese options look to have geometry more in line with what I’ve ridden before.

    Various things are keeping me indoors a little too much at the moment – winter, kids, work….so in the meantime I’m just planning a ‘new’ build to keep me sane….

    mtbtomo
    Free Member

    Chunky – the finish on the Carbonal looks absolutely mint!

    zippykona
    Full Member

    Chunky we need a whole bike shot please.

    ChunkyMTB
    Free Member

    Have no more at the moment. Been a bit busy at work – 6 Nations 😮

    Might take some on Sunday.

    The-milkybar-kid
    Free Member

    There all good frames I’ve had them off ebay Flyxii and x-goods.com have a few mates on them aswell all have been fine and they ride as good as anything.

    ChunkyMTB
    Free Member

    Direct from China, basically a Dirty Disco

    mtbtomo
    Free Member

    How would something like this Ribble Evo Pro compare?

    clubber
    Free Member

    who did you get the “dirty disco” from chunky?

    damo2576
    Free Member

    Isn’t there just a massive opportunity to import these with some good QC and a guarantee? The latter seeming to be what’s holding many people back from purchasing?

    Though I guess that it Planet X et al…

    deserter
    Free Member

    Got to say the carbonal is looking great, has anyone tried the carbon wheels, I’m fancying the clincher wheels

    onehundredthidiot
    Full Member

    OH has a roadie it took over duties from a planet x spotlight which was smaller than small. It’s done a winter and with some de rosa stickers looks pretty good. A guy I ride with followed suit and bought one on full pina dogma make up it looks the mutts and is going strong and given he’s a big lad. It shows they are decently built.

    neilsonwheels
    Free Member

    Aliexpress is a very good place for carbon frames. I have order plenty of stuff from there without issue. Just make sure the seller you are buying from is well “rated” and you should ok.

    Cheezpleez
    Full Member

    Anyone know if any of these places do a proper SS 29er frame, with either track ends or EBB? I know you can get EBB converters for BB30 but I’m a bit wary

    IanMunro
    Free Member

    Sorry, not that I know of, as that was what I really wanted too.
    In the end I couldn’t justify the cost of an Intense, don’t really trust EBBs and decided that if you’re going to fit a singulator you might as well just put the gears back on.

    mtbtomo
    Free Member

    Its not chinese (well it may be originally 😉 )…but has anyone tried or got a Ribble Pro Evo Carbon:

    aracer
    Free Member

    My road bike, which is the lightest on that thread apart from the ridiculously expensive exotica is based on a Pedalforce frame – which is effectively a taiwanese carbon frame, and the same sort of price, but run as a US company, hence there’s a bit more in the way of support there, though I would still have to ship back to the US for any warranty issues. Still worth it for the saving.

    Definitely worth considering a Ribble though if you can cope with the stickers – they are also effectively the same thing – the carbon Sportive is exactly the same frame as one Pedalforce used to sell.

    Anyone know if any of these places do a proper SS 29er frame, with either track ends or EBB?

    Add sliding dropouts to that spec and I might be interested too.

    yetitony
    Free Member

    Hey ChunkyMTB,
    Some nice bikes there! Running the hard tail with no front chain device? Any issues with the chain coming off?
    That dirty disco replica looks lovely as well.

    bm0p700f
    Free Member

    Given the Chinese factory that I am going to start importing rims from make the De Rosa 838 (not a copy the real thing) I’d say there are good chinese carbon frame makers. There are those that also do copies. If you can buy direct from a factory. You can tell them apart from resellers and the factories website is normally crap.

    mtbtomo
    Free Member

    Yep, logos on the Ribble are my main problem with it!

Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 55 total)

The topic ‘Tell me about chinese carbon frames…..’ is closed to new replies.

New deal added to Members Discounts