direct from asia carbon fiber bicycle stuff

[bicycletricycle]

Reading the Ritte carbon frame post started me thinking. Many "Name brand" carbon frames come from china, sometimes we can buy a frame from the same mold direct for much cheaper. This can be said for forks, rims, frames and some other components.

I have read some various reports on the quality of these items. I was wondering if it might be nice to have a place here for people to post reviews or experience with some of these direct from china composite components and frames. That way others might get some comfort before ordering themselves.

anyone have an idea of the best direct from china

Rims
Frames
Stems
Bars
etc?

anyone have an idea of what the worst direct from china

Rims
Frames
Stems
Bars
etc?

[kramnnim]

I would not buy carbon bars sold as 3T brand without proof they are not counterfeit. Guess I should take a picture to explain why...

[Lanternrouge]

This is heavily discussed on the Weightweenies forum. In particular, you may want to check out this thread: http://weightweenies.starbike.com/fo...p?f=3&t=113717. At least for me, since I realize that I don't have the expertise to be able to determine whether parts are built well enough to not fall apart, I find it worthwhile to get something where there is someone involved who presumably has the expertise to make that determination and will bear some responsibility.

[cmg]

i posted a negative comment on the RITTE thread but i almost pulled the trigger on a Cervelo r look alike. too cheap not experiement. anyone buy one of these? i would be interested too.

[old fat man]

I am pretty happy with my 50mm carbon clinchers from Focus-Carbon. I also happily rode a carbon no name frameset for 2+ seasons before passing it on to ebaumann.

No issues with either purchase or product.

Next up will be some wide carbon hookless mtb rims from Light Bicycles
http://www.light-bicycle.com/wider-c...l#.VHYfiIvF9QQ
and maybe some of their tubular 29er rims for next year's cross season

[gavingould]

i've been quite happy with carbon tubular rims from Light-Bicycle. that's been the extent of my Asia-direct experience, though i know several guys who've been riding/racing on frames from various sources.

[Admiral Ackbar]

i have a hong-fu FM066sl frame/fork that i bought in january, ridden 7000+mi on it now.

literally the best 600 dollars I've ever spent, hands down. it is kick ass imo. quality is great. ride is great. value is fantastic. I never would've been able to afford a comparable carbon (or alloy, or steel) frame for my purposes otherwise.

i can't speak for bars, wheels, stems or the like but this frame has far and above exceeded my expectations. id buy another one in a heartbeat

[ultraman6970]

Chinese cheap frames aren't bad the problem starts when you have to claim warranty. As another forumite said.. best bang for the buck but if you have bad luck with a frame that was "passed' through QC, then you might have problems.

I had one too, used it like for 3 weeks and sold it, dont have too much complains about the frame to be honest.

About the other part the OP is asking no idea. Chinese headset is not like critical if it did not pass qc. But with a stem then we are talking different.

[LJohnny]

There is a LOT of info and personal reports by users on RBR forums. Just search and you'll find, huuuge threads on the subject of frames and also threads on carbon wheels...

[azrider]

Article here:

http://bikefitter.co.uk/?page_id=58

Quote:

I have now been using Farsports wheels for over 3 Months on a regular basis (Floods permitting,) they still run true as the day I received them. The bearings are still running smoothly and overall I would have to say I am still as impressed with them as I was the first time I rode them. If you have read my earlier reviews and are still deliberating I would have no qualms in recommending them.

[buldogge]

I'd like to know if anyone has experience with any of the fork suppliers. I'm in "need" of a 35mm CF track fork (well track-lite with a brake drilling) and would love to know who to look at, or avoid.

I'm kinda wondering about the source of the Crew fork:

http://www.citygrounds.com/crew-bike...rack-fork-3797

-Mark in St. Louis

[nublar]

I have counterfeit 3T bars that survived a crash that broke my ridley noah

[Gummee]

I bought 3 pair of carbon rims from DIY on the bay last summer. 24mm tubular, 38mm tubular, and 44mm clincher. The clinchers are zipp toroidal copies, so not the newest/bestest aero wheel out there. All 3 sets of rims ran me ~$700 shipped to my door.

I built the tubulars on hubs that wouldn't go 11 when I upgraded so have since sold em. In the meantime, I raced em last CX season with no ill effects.

The only issue I'm having is with the front clincher. Its got something of a 'pulse' in it when braking. I'm keeping an eye on it.

I built all of em to be 'race wheels.' I figured that if something happened, I'm out $100 instead of many hundred to thousands of $$

The FM058 I had custom painted in FN Bicycles livery is great. So much so that I'm thinking about having a road frame custom painted in FN Bicycles livery. The only think I don't know about is the paint job: orange/white or olive green with Army-style stencil lettering.

M

[ultraman6970]

Chinese stuff is fantastic for self sponsored racers, I agree on that.

In my country the asian imports killed the national production big time. Even the master builders stopped building like 15 years ago due to this.

[Alwurst]

My son living in Portland recently built up a road disk frame to use as a commuter during the winter months so he can leave his Litespeed Titanium in the garage. He bought wheels, frame, bars, seatpost, cages, headset and seatpost from Velo Build. He reports that it was a great experience. He has been on the bike for 2 months now 22 miles a day to and from work.

He loves the bike and the 50mm carbon disk wheels have held up well and remain true.