Pinarello vs Carbotec

[EPOJoe]

OK, so I come across this article, which informs me that the current crop of Pinarello carbon bikes are manufactured by a Taiwanese company, Carbotec:

https://www.bikebiz.com/features/cream-competent-or-cowboy-which-factories-are-faking-it

Stating: "Carbotec, for instance, makes Pinarello frames but also makes Carbotec frames, available at a fraction of the cost of Pinarello*frames. The frame shapes are different, of course, and a Carbotec – because it isn't marketed, or ridden to Grand Tour victories – does not turn heads the*same way as a Pinarello turns heads".

Carbotec is selling their frames directly here, although they don't specify a price and ask me to make an offer and tell them "what I want to pay".

http://carbotec.imb2b.com/sell/index.php?itemid=25208

So my question is, and I really don't know if anyone other than Carbotec could answer this, are the Carbotec branded frames of equivelant quality to the Pinarellos?

[FlashUNC]

Did they also ask you to make an offer on this bridge they own that goes between Manhattan and Brooklyn?

[Veloo]

Got a chuckle out of these

Price: Negotiable

And a button that says "Send Inquiry"

[dave thompson]

Carbotec is an OEM. Send your inquiry for lots 10 to 50 frames. Make offers on quantities over 50.

[audiojan]

Hard to comment on quality, but I would venture to say no. OEM frames rarely go through the rigorous testing protocols that brand name frames does. This also means that the scrap rate can be kept down with OEM frames (allowing a great variance in manufacturing).

That doesn't mean that an OEM frame can't be absolutely fantastic, but it's definitely more of a gamble. With brand name frames, you have a company that will stand behind the product (some warranties are pretty decent others not so much, but at least it's there). With OEM, you may or may not have a company standing behind the product and you may end up with a frame that is just ok and another that is really good, from the same batch...

[Mikej]

There is a possibility that there are patents in play and fees to use patents and licenses for various processes throughout the chain from carbon weave to epoxy to curing to molds etc, who knows. There is more to name brands than just a sticker and marketing. But yeah, the cheap frames could be great.