Hello everybody
And happy to have been sent to this forum!
I want to build a bike for my child, carbon fiber hardtail MTB, with some pieces that I have around: the wheels and the suspension fork, shifter&deraillers etc. The point is that my wheels are QR standard, 27.5 with novatec hubs (D771SB + D772SB). The fork is an 120mm Manitou, straight steerer, not tapered, but I have a spacer to reduce it to 100. On the other hand, there are adapters to solve the tapered headset/straight steerer problem.
I'm completely new to carbon frames, and a bit reluctant, since the fame of chinese frames is not that great. Not to mention that I've seen on youtube this guy, and this really turns me off. I would't want my kid to go through such a thing:
On the other hand, the only branded frame that I could find close to my budget is a Cube of wrong size:
https://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/cube-reaction-gtc-slt-27.5-side-swing-frame-carbon-n-flashred-837341.
If it matters, I'm from Romania (European Union). And I don't have previous experiences with AliExpress, I've only red some things about how to deal with them.
So, my questions:
1. What Chinese carbon frames, size 16- 16.5 (maximum 17) would you recommend me for this project? We're in cross-country, XC type of riding, 100-120 mm forks are enough. I'm privileging safety over shaving some grams, the 1100-1200 grams interval is OK, I want the frame to be reliable;
2. I like this frame, although it is a bit expensive, but I'm turned off by the low number of orders (allegedly, the safest indicator). What do you think/know about it?
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/China-Carbon-27-5er-Hardtail-MTB-Frame-Frame-MTB-Sobato-27-5-with-headsets-2-Years/32765225749.html?spm=a2g0s.8937460.0.0.53362e0eItRgTwAgain, I'm building the bike for my son, safety comes first. As for me, I'm riding aluminum, and the safest scenario for this bike is, up to now, an aluminum superlight CUBE frame, which comes at 200Euros and 1700 grams for 16". But I'd like to try a carbon frame, he tested a team colleagues bike, and felt it really less tiring and absorbing shocks completely different.
Thanks everybody for being patient with a newcomer.