Seraph Bikes Superlight 836g X68 - Alternative to SL8 Fakes?

[Davidhe23]

Is that you Black people or black people?
Hows the build going?

I have already finished it, after about 300km with it I can say that everything is going perfectly. I have had some problem with the tightening of the seatpost, but usually everything is correct.
I don't know if to attach photos since I have vinylized it with specialized logos and I don't know if this is the right place to do it.
I must also say that looking at images of Eissen I firmly believe that it is 100% the same replica, I do not think it will be built by Tantan.

[glepore]

I must also say that looking at images of Eissen I firmly believe that it is 100% the same replica, I do not think it will be built by Tantan.

Eissen quotes a weight (with a photo) of almost 100g less than tantan, so I don't think the source is the same, regardless. I think the headset bearings may also be different sizes.

[Sander2177]

Eissen quotes a weight (with a photo) of almost 100g less than tantan, so I don't think the source is the same, regardless. I think the headset bearings may also be different sizes.

From what I have been sent unfinished unpainted  frame weights are broadly similar within 5% which is generally the accepted tolerance.
So it’s just splitting hairs personally I don’t want a copy as light as my genuine frame which painted 54cm is 700grams
I’m hoping the Tan Tan I have ordered comes in at claimed weight which is there finished at around 836grams
I’m gonna do a sheet to predict weight but I am aiming for 6.8kgs predald and bottle cages.
Anyway Tawain Eisen Peter appears to have gone AWOL so I’m glad I ordered from TanTan!

[Sander2177]

I have already finished it, after about 300km with it I can say that everything is going perfectly. I have had some problem with the tightening of the seatpost, but usually everything is correct.
I don't know if to attach photos since I have vinylized it with specialized logos and I don't know if this is the right place to do it.
I must also say that looking at images of Eissen I firmly believe that it is 100% the same replica, I do not think it will be built by Tantan.

Is that problems with the seatpost rail clamps or the frame clamp?
Any issues myself I will buy a genuine one only £20
If it’s the screw and barrel I have a spare and some fine carbon paste will sort it

[dovh]

Good to know about hanger hmmm well if it does not fit well i can bin it  as well who know when the frame arrives hopefully earlier tan estimates!

Main thing to hear is there are no issue with the frame and yes give feedback on your 100K 
Enjoy your ride!

It was a bit shy of 100k, but it was a really nice ride. The front brake had some issues, but that is unrelated to the frame.
The ride was really nice, and the frame felt really good. I did some quick sprints on to the small hills, hitting over 900w, and all was good, no creaks or anything. On my old bike, I would sometimes hear brake rub and some strange noises from the bottom bracket area when doing similar power outputs (though not measured) on the same sections.

I'm still surprised by how hard/stiff yet comfortable the frame feels. It may be normal for carbon frame bikes, but this is my first experience with one.

[MTB-Addicted]

From what I have been sent unfinished unpainted  frame weights are broadly similar within 5% which is generally the accepted tolerance.
So it’s just splitting hairs personally I don’t want a copy as light as my genuine frame which painted 54cm is 700grams
I’m hoping the Tan Tan I have ordered comes in at claimed weight which is there finished at around 836grams
I’m gonna do a sheet to predict weight but I am aiming for 6.8kgs predald and bottle cages.
Anyway Tawain Eisen Peter appears to have gone AWOL so I’m glad I ordered from TanTan!

Peter is replying to me..

[Sander2177]

Peter is replying to me..

Where has he been hiding 
Christ imagine turning on his phone and seeing WhatsApp!

[glepore]

From what I have been sent unfinished unpainted  frame weights are broadly similar within 5% which is generally the accepted tolerance.
So it’s just splitting hairs personally I don’t want a copy as light as my genuine frame which painted 54cm is 700grams
I’m hoping the Tan Tan I have ordered comes in at claimed weight which is there finished at around 836grams
I’m gonna do a sheet to predict weight but I am aiming for 6.8kgs predald and bottle cages.
Anyway Tawain Eisen Peter appears to have gone AWOL so I’m glad I ordered from TanTan!

No argument here about not wanting an Sworks weight clone. As cool as some of the Specialized paint jobs are, I'm a little creepy about TE's marketing of direct counterfeits. But as to the post above that the frames are from the same source or are identical, no. The photos attached are from Tantan and TE's websites and show weights that aren't 5% different, but more like 100g. Again, I don't know that the lighter bike is a good thing...

[patliean1]

^^^^^^

My Tarmac SL8 Pro in a size 56 came in at 827g.

[Sander2177]

Ahhh my bad
836g Tan Tan is 52cm
And Vivian at tan tan also sent me these photos of RAW frames
771G and 797G no idea what sizes though
And the red frame 56cm came in at 870g
So of my 54cm UD glossy comes in under that Im happy!

[Jouke]

Vivian said on whatsapp that this frame is “ on hold” right now. Wondering why they stopped the production. QC issues?

[Oro]

Weird. The frame isn't listed on the seraph page anymore. I paid beginning of february and they havn't even finished the frameset yet.

[Serge_K]

Vivian said on whatsapp that this frame is “ on hold” right now. Wondering why they stopped the production. QC issues?

Weird. The frame isn't listed on the seraph page anymore. I paid beginning of february and they havn't even finished the frameset yet.

There are interviews of the dude from Specialized whose entire job is to hunt down fake Specialized stuff. If the guy found a way to claim that Seraph is doing more than a clone - and you can expect Specialized to be the worst patent troll imaginable, because this brand has shown to have no spine over and over again -, that could explain why seraph would go dark.

For reference, a friend of mine, IP lawyer, helped Amazon patent the most random stuff related to conveyor belts, with the explicit aim to prevent the competition from using conveyor belts efficiently. These companies have weaponized patent trolling to extents that are unimaginable to the average Joe. My friend ended up quitting law, she is an engineer & lawyer by training, she was absolutely disgusted by what she was asked to do for these companies.

[Lero970]

There are interviews of the dude from Specialized whose entire job is to hunt down fake Specialized stuff. If the guy found a way to claim that Seraph is doing more than a clone - and you can expect Specialized to be the worst patent troll imaginable, because this brand has shown to have no spine over and over again -, that could explain why seraph would go dark.

For reference, a friend of mine, IP lawyer, helped Amazon patent the most random stuff related to conveyor belts, with the explicit aim to prevent the competition from using conveyor belts efficiently. These companies have weaponized patent trolling to extents that are unimaginable to the average Joe. My friend ended up quitting law, she is an engineer & lawyer by training, she was absolutely disgusted by what she was asked to do for these companies.

It would be interesting to know whether there’s even a patent on a bike frame like the SL8. I mean, it’s obvious that certain features can be patented, but I doubt that this applies to a specific geometry or tube shape. And in contrast to a lot of other sellers, Tantan is not painting fake logos on it. 

[glepore]

You can patent features of a frame, but there's nothing on the sl8 that's patentable except maybe the unique front fork construction.
But the logos etc are trademarked. TE and others that are selling logo'd frames are vulnerable to enforcement, and I don't doubt that Specialized would go after them. It could be that whomever is actually producing the frame has had threats such that they've paused until its sorted, or that demand for the logo'd frames was integral to their production plans.
FWIW, my frame was held for 5 days for customs inspection last week before being released for shipment.