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

[Tom77]

Here's an update on the fork: I received a new fork from TanTan in the mail today. All seems good, and the new fork is definitely heavier than the previous one. It is 401g uncut.
This new fork was not painted that well compared to the original one. There is quite a lot of overspray on the brake mounts, and they painted the inside of the thru axle, which was not painted on the original fork. But it's not a big deal i guess I can just sand it down.
also the old one had like a metal insert on the end where you screw in the thru axle and this one does not have it. (there is one gold washer on the thru axle and one in the fork on the old one)
Edit: there was no metal insert in the old one i must've remembered it wrong. 

I will update the post after I replace it on the bike.

At leats you got the new fork, I got promised a new one and nothing happened since 6 weeks, not even painting.

[Tom77]

Finally I'm back on the road. Fork took long to arrive, but the paint color matches perfectly and I survived my first two short rides

Put some titanium parts, new solid oil bearings (way cheaper than CS https://www.kugellager-shop.net/acb495h6-5-bo-max-sl-steuersatz-kugellager-vollkugelig.html) and a lighter wheelset plus cassette on the bike which is now about 6,85 kg with everything on. I'm still loving that color, it really shines and pops in the sun!

Wish me luck, that everything works out in the future. It really rides lovely!

At least you are back on the road 

[crutoyall]

Hello everyone!

I'll tell you about my story of ordering a TT-X 68 frame.

I wrote to Vivian on August 14, confirmed the order on the same day and paid via Ali Pay.

I ordered a frame in size 56, matte black with the Seraph logo.

Today Vivian wrote that my frame is ready for shipment. He sent a photo and the tracking number of the parcel.

I'll write later when the parcel arrives to me and I can examine the frame in detail.

[Stubbie Blue]

Received my frame today. Ordered from tantanbicycles.com for $719 -$10 coupon 'ROADBIKE' + $180 shipping to Florida. Ordered July 14, it shipped on August 20, then handed over to UPS in California on Sept 9, ground shipping to Florida and received Sept 15. I was not billed for any tariffs.

I got the chameleon white and it has a nice pearlescent shine to it. Brake mounts, BB face, headset bearing cups all look fine.

Weights:
878g 52cm frame, derailleur hangers, no axles
422g fork, uncut
340g 400 x 90 mm handlebars
154g seat post and saddle clamp

I'm going to build it up with:
$1,087 Ultegra Di2 R8150 groupset
$338 XCADEY Ventus carbon crankset power meter
$608 EliteWheels Edge 50mm deep
$300 other parts
$889 frameset
===
$3,222

[Sander2177]

Received my frame today. Ordered from tantanbicycles.com for $719 -$10 coupon 'ROADBIKE' + $180 shipping to Florida. Ordered July 14, it shipped on August 20, then handed over to UPS in California on Sept 9, ground shipping to Florida and received Sept 15. I was not billed for any tariffs.

I got the chameleon white and it has a nice pearlescent shine to it. Brake mounts, BB face, headset bearing cups all look fine.

Weights:
878g 52cm frame, derailleur hangers, no axles
422g fork, uncut
340g 400 x 90 mm handlebars
154g seat post and saddle clamp

I'm going to build it up with:
$1,087 Ultegra Di2 R8150 groupset
$338 XCADEY Ventus carbon crankset power meter
$608 EliteWheels Edge 50mm deep
$300 other parts
$889 frameset
===
$3,222

The BB and mounts look fine, but they haven’t been faced at the factory. You can see this on the BB where the paint goes right up to the edge of the shell. On the original SL8, that surface is properly faced, leaving a ring of exposed carbon.

I eventually had my mounts faced because I just couldn’t get the front brake caliper set up perfectly—it always rubbed once torqued down. After facing, everything aligned properly.

It really comes down to luck—you might have issues, or you might not. Even some big brands don’t factory-face their frames. It wouldn’t be such a problem if disc brakes didn’t need to be set up so precisely—dead center, level, and perfectly upright!

[Ger]

Not looking as bad as other ones I seen where the paint covers the whole of the BB sleeve. Looking at a genuine SL8, the Specialized bonded BB threads don't have an outside lip on the sleeve, so when the BB gets perfectly machined you can see the bare carbon. On the X68, to get to the carbon you'll have to go beyond the alu sleeve lip. I may be wrong, would love to see a frame after being faced
I'm waiting for my X8 details to be finalized. Still not sure to get it on that lovely British racing green or bare carbon and get creative. Either way I'll be gently facing the BB and go at it on the brake mounts with diamond cutting bits for the facing tool

[BeR]

Not looking as bad as other ones I seen where the paint covers the whole of the BB sleeve. Looking at a genuine SL8, the Specialized bonded BB threads don't have an outside lip on the sleeve, so when the BB gets perfectly machined you can see the bare carbon. On the X68, to get to the carbon you'll have to go beyond the alu sleeve lip. I may be wrong, would love to see a frame after being faced
I'm waiting for my X8 details to be finalized. Still not sure to get it on that lovely British racing green or bare carbon and get creative. Either way I'll be gently facing the BB and go at it on the brake mounts with diamond cutting bits for the facing tool

What do you think of this one ?

[Bobinski]

Received my frame today. Ordered from tantanbicycles.com for $719 -$10 coupon 'ROADBIKE' + $180 shipping to Florida. Ordered July 14, it shipped on August 20, then handed over to UPS in California on Sept 9, ground shipping to Florida and received Sept 15. I was not billed for any tariffs.

I got the chameleon white and it has a nice pearlescent shine to it. Brake mounts, BB face, headset bearing cups all look fine.

Weights:
878g 52cm frame, derailleur hangers, no axles
422g fork, uncut
340g 400 x 90 mm handlebars
154g seat post and saddle clamp

I'm going to build it up with:
$1,087 Ultegra Di2 R8150 groupset
$338 XCADEY Ventus carbon crankset power meter
$608 EliteWheels Edge 50mm deep
$300 other parts
$889 frameset
===
$3,222

Looks nice! Would you mind taking a short video with the frame in the light to show how the frame colour changes?

[Ger]

What do you think of this one ?

Is that an x68 faced? Thanks for the pic. So if that far is required to achieve 68mm spacing it means Specialized also got rid of the sleeve lip. I'll be getting the Vernier callipers on it then. Cheers

[BeR]

Is that an x68 faced? Thanks for the pic. So if that far is required to achieve 68mm spacing it means Specialized also got rid of the sleeve lip. I'll be getting the Vernier callipers on it then. Cheers

Not a x68 but a SL8 like. It was only to show what it looks like.

[Stubbie Blue]

Looks nice! Would you mind taking a short video with the frame in the light to show how the frame colour changes?

Sure but it's not a complete color change like other chameleon paint jobs. It's more like an oyster pearl glitter in the reflection.

[Sander2177]

What do you think of this one ?

Just showing off  .
But yes that like the real SL8 surface is a bare carbon surfaced pre faced, not like my X68 where they spray it  .
Thing is if your fitting a carbon crank the paint thickness might affect the  Q factor of the crank when installing so need to be faced back really.

[patliean1]

@Sander2177

My frame will probably will arrive early to mid October. I only requested a frameset, no handlebars. Awaiting for the UPS tracking to update which means it's still on the ocean shipping container LoL

Anything I should look out for in terms of potentially breaking or stripping bolts? Seatpost clamp? Saddle clamp bolts? Any other tidbits?

Since Im going with my own cockpit I'll have to decide what's compatible with the supplied headset bearings. Shame the frame doesn't work with an original SL8 seatpost because I actually purchased a spare last year.

[BeR]

Just showing off  .
But yes that like the real SL8 surface is a bare carbon surfaced pre faced, not like my X68 where they spray it  .
Thing is if your fitting a carbon crank the paint thickness might affect the  Q factor of the crank when installing so need to be faced back really.

Showing off the (not perfect) job of Tantan 😁.

[Sander2177]

@Sander2177

My frame will probably will arrive early to mid October. I only requested a frameset, no handlebars. Awaiting for the UPS tracking to update which means it's still on the ocean shipping container LoL

Anything I should look out for in terms of potentially breaking or stripping bolts? Seatpost clamp? Saddle clamp bolts? Any other tidbits?

Since Im going with my own cockpit I'll have to decide what's compatible with the supplied headset bearings. Shame the frame doesn't work with an original SL8 seatpost because I actually purchased a spare last year.

The main issues people have flagged so far are pretty minor:
   •   Paint overspray – sometimes on thru-axle threads or bottom bracket threads, worth checking and cleaning up.
   •   Bottom bracket & brake mounts – not always faced from the factory, so it’s hit or miss. Sometimes everything lines up fine, sometimes it needs a bit of work.
   •   Seatpost/saddle clamp – no torque specs supplied, so I just use the SL8 manual as a reference (grease and paste applied as per that). A few people have had cracks when tightening the back bolt on the saddle, but that seems more like over-torquing.
   •   Head tube transition spacer – on some bikes the back end rubs slightly on the top of the head tube. I had the same issue; fixed it by trapping a bit of sandpaper upside down and moving the bars side to side until it cleared.

Overall, nothing major — just small things that either come down to luck with the frame you get or a bit of extra prep when building.

Seatpost fitment
Quick update on this: a guy I know fitted a 15° original post (not zero). His feedback was:

“Hi mate, no issues for me. I used plenty of carbon paste and tightened it to where I was happy 😁. No photos to hand but honestly, it’s just a seatpost in a frame 🤷🏻‍♂️ — fitted as it should. Been running it for the last 2 weeks, no problems. Did a fast 60km on Saturday and 2–3 interval sessions. The old post/seat clamp used to creak, but this one’s been mustard.”