Looking for insight on road bike frame/suppliers

[patliean1]

This is one of the reasons that I want with my Winspace T1550 Gen 1 instead of something like a Velo build 268. I understand a lot of people are on this form to get a cheap performance bike but something about having that brand behind it  makes it feel a little more luxurious for the long haul.

I've spoken to hundreds of individuals here in Chicago. From 30-year recreational enthusiasts to Cat 1 crit racers to. We actually had a local U23 athlete who raced exclusively on a Winspace T1500/Hyper 50 setup until he was eventually picked up by a continental (or conti-pro?) team in Europe.

Over 4 years of doing this whole YouTube thing. And still the only brands I can convince folks here to buy from are Winspace, Yoeleo, and to some extent FarSports. That's literally it. The western brand culture has a powerful stronghold here. Rightfully so with local dealer support. But there seems to be a proven trust with those aforementioned brands versus me trying to explain how they could save money with TanTan, Light Bicycle, or VeloBuild.

Branding and customer experience is still important to those who don't waste hours on the internet like myself.

[Sakizashi]

I am sort of the opposite of @patliean1 in the sense that I have zero inclination to be an influencer and will probably never make a YouTube video about bikes. However, I do sustain my bike hobby through a bike accessory business which is largely done via 3d prints. It has also allowed me to afford a few adjacent projects/prototypes, including (e.g., a Ti frame, modified track bars for road, and picking parts for a new wheelset to test some thoughts around the Conti 111 tire).

The 1st was a bad business idea, the 2nd was a missed opportunity, and the 3rd I expected the tariff situation to kill, but it's led me to a more long-term purchase mentality for frames. In that vein, three frames are interesting choices, IMO for going the low-cost China route.

• Speeder SC-R55D: I have never bought a frame from them, but I do have experience with their forks and bars / stem combos, and I believe in their quality. The use of UDH is a plus for future compatibility, but also because bent hangers are the thing that i hated most about my open mold frames and why all my bikes currently run the same hanger (the syntace x12)
• Bigrock Sohtea Team (or regular): I think with the Panda Podium sale, this fits in your budget, and with some good FB marketplace / eBay skills, you might be able to also work in a wheel upgrade. The thing I like about this frame is that it uses a round seatpost with an external seat clamp, so getting your position dialed will be easier/cheaper, and this, more than anything else aero will make you fast vs. slow. Also worth noting that slipping or stuck seat posts are a common frustration with cheap frames, so this one avoids that trap too.
• Ican FL1: if you are OK with a little more weight but don't want that horrible brand name, this is an alternative to the Bigrock. I

I haven't ridden any of these bikes, so I defer to others for their expertise, but I would consider these 3 bikes in your price range for those two reasons.

[Gloopann]

However, I do sustain my bike hobby through a bike accessory business which is largely done via 3d prints.

If it's not a secret, may I know what kind of accessories you print? Or direct me to your website/product page?

[100poods]

OP stated he only needs a frame

The frame is available separately, I mentioned this in my first message, but completed bike for this price and a set of characteristics cannot leave me indifferent.

[Macedingle]

Over 4 years of doing this whole YouTube thing. And still the only brands I can convince folks here to buy from are Winspace, Yoeleo, and to some extent FarSports. That's literally it. The western brand culture has a powerful stronghold here. Rightfully so with local dealer support. But there seems to be a proven trust with those aforementioned brands versus me trying to explain how they could save money with TanTan, Light Bicycle, or VeloBuild.

Branding and customer experience is still important to those who don't waste hours on the internet like myself.

If only you could see my wife's face, who works in banking, when I tried to tell her I wanted to Paypal/ Wire Transfer to a FACTORY IN CHINA to buy a frame. There is something more about an actual brand, it really is us forum members that have been here awhile that would go the even cheaper direct from factory route. It took me 2 years of being on this forum to even entertain the idea of buying from Velobuild/Lightcarbon.

[Sakizashi]

If it's not a secret, may I know what kind of accessories you print? Or direct me to your website/product page?

~50% headset covers to convert to different internal cable routing systems, 50% mounts for dynaplug tools. I done / do some custom stuff too. It's a cool little business. https://aprotobike.com/

I generally prefer to be just a person on forums like these and on Weightweenies rather than push products. After all, I am here to learn what I can about what other people are thinking. In my opinion, there is greater variation here than there is in the mainstream Western forums. Some of it is a different product development approach, for sure.

I ride quite a bit too, so between regular wear and tear and using the bikes to test different mounts headset adapters, etc., being able to swap parts and build / rebuild the bikes makes me have a bit of a different perspective than most.

[Serge_K]

~50% headset covers to convert to different internal cable routing systems, 50% mounts for dynaplug tools. I done / do some custom stuff too. It's a cool little business. https://aprotobike.com/

That's awesome! Well done! How do you find your clients / market to your clients?

[patliean1]

~50% headset covers to convert to different internal cable routing systems, 50% mounts for dynaplug tools. I done / do some custom stuff too. It's a cool little business. https://aprotobike.com/

I generally prefer to be just a person on forums like these and on Weightweenies rather than push products. After all, I am here to learn what I can about what other people are thinking. In my opinion, there is greater variation here than there is in the mainstream Western forums. Some of it is a different product development approach, for sure.

I ride quite a bit too, so between regular wear and tear and using the bikes to test different mounts headset adapters, etc., being able to swap parts and build / rebuild the bikes makes me have a bit of a different perspective than most.

Doh! I just realized you and I have already spoken on Instagram in the past. You offer up great products my friend! May need you to design a lower stack FSA no69 headset cover 

[Sakizashi]

That's awesome! Well done! How do you find your clients / market to your clients?

I do place some ads. I've worked with a few smaller teams and sold stuff to mechanics associated with some larger ones. Sometimes when verifying addresses, I get some interesting additional details. The one thing that confounds me is how many pro athletes, cycling-related and otherwise, have bought dynaplug holders. I have no idea how these people found me, but I won't complain.

Doh! I just realized you and I have already spoken on Instagram in the past. You offer up great products my friend! May need you to design a lower stack FSA no69 headset cover 

Yeah, I've sort of accidentally stepped into a gap for people who are willing to give up compatibility with cables for lower stack or better aesthetics. I am sure I can do something that looks better than what FSA came up with. I have been getting TPU inserts printed too so that hole isn't massive.

We can talk at at length about internal cable routing systems and their design, but specific to buying a frame direct from a factory, I would make sure to buy one that takes a 1.5" upper and lower bearing. Putting in a decent-quality headset is an excellent thing to do when building up a bike, but also, these systems require pretty high preloads, and some of the cheaper stuff doesn't seem to handle it well.