Chinertown
Chinese Carbon Road Bikes => Road Bike Frames, Wheels & Components => Topic started by: Cnasta on October 27, 2025, 08:24:59 AM
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A bit confusing, but since the TT-X69 name has been recycled I will start a new thread for the 2026 model.
The info was seen on the Instagram account of seraph__bicycle:
The Instapost:
2026 new superlight Aero Bike Frame TT-X69
New Product Preview
#newbikeday #newbike #ciclismo #bikenerd #cycling #roadbike #bicycles #bicycle #bikes #cycles #bikeporn #bike #bikelife #bici #bicicletta #cykel #bikestagram #bicicleta #bikeworld #bicibcn #cykla #ridebicycle #bicycleseat #bicicletta #bicicleta #bicyclekick #cykel #bicis #bicicletas #cycles #cycling #gravebike #gravelroad #ridemore
I asked about weights:
frame weight：836/+-40g
fork weight：345/+-40g
seatpost weight：216/+-30g
handlebar weight：386/+-30g
It looks promissing, but have got any info on price/shipping/geometry. Also can't find it on their site.
Some photos:
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Looks/could be nice…
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just released:
https://www.wilier.com/en/bikes/road/filante-slr-id2?color=f30-pure-white (https://www.wilier.com/en/bikes/road/filante-slr-id2?color=f30-pure-white)
altough this is clearly another bike, it has some similarities
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^so tired of these stupid comparisons. Anyway, that's a very flat fork crown for an "aero" bike
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^so tired of these stupid comparisons. Anyway, that's a very flat fork crown for an "aero" bike
Normally I would agree with you. I see a lot of comparisons that do not look a like, even not from far away. In this case there a lot of similarities (I don't know the geo, and I do see differences).
Would like to see the bike with some paint, wheel and the like. And a geochart. And shipping dates. And prices:)
More info would be nice :)
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Every $600 clone, inspired, or homage frameset I've ridden rides nothing like their more expensive Western counterparts. I am pretty much ready to stop using these comparisons as a talking point.
Doesn't mean homages can't be good for what they are. And the pricepoint can't be denied.
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Every $600 clone, inspired, or homage frameset I've ridden rides nothing like their more expensive Western counterparts. I am pretty much ready to stop using these comparisons as a talking point.
Doesn't mean homages can't be good for what they are. And the pricepoint can't be denied.
In the ER:One thread you just yesterday wrote:
"The TanTan X68 rides (kind of) like a Tarmac SL8." ???
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IIRC, Patrick's video said 75-80%. Unless his opinion's changed, that's not "nothing like"?
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In the ER:One thread you just yesterday wrote:
"The TanTan X68 rides (kind of) like a Tarmac SL8." ???
IIRC, Patrick's video said 75-80%. Unless his opinion's changed, that's not "nothing like"?
Correct. It kind of rides like a Tarmac SL8 in terms of how it interacts with it's environment. Meaning crosswind stability and when at speed. It's literally the same shape and design. I said this in my video. Both frames are essentially identical in these specific regards.
That's pretty much where the similarities end for me personally now that I have several hundreds of miles in. It's nowhere as stiff and nimble as the real SL8. I've swapped in at least 3-4 different wheelsets, dialed in my bike fit, and put the bike through my usual daily workouts/efforts. I even swapped to a different cockpit. From the EXS Aerover (known not to be stiff) to Peter's XMCS's cockpit. How it interacts with the rider is a different experience than an SL8. So unfortunately that 20%-30% delta from a genuine Tarmac mostly all comes in its lack of comparable stiffness, nimbleness, and power transfer. It's more comfortable than an SL8 because it isn't as stiff. Nevermind about the fit and finish...
I've been purposely quiet in here about speaking on the X68. And TanTan as a whole. Trying not to be cryptic or passive aggressive. I'm not exactly happy with everything surrounding my dealings for the company. It's a story for another time. But I will at least say that the extreme variation in rider experience among several customers highlights that perhaps the build quality from TanTan on this particular frame offering is very inconsistent frame to frame.
It's rare that I feel worse about a frameset over time. The only frame I've felt this way about was, you guessed it, the TanTan X38 (Scott Foil clone). I cant figure out how TanTan can make such a BANGER for a GR201 gravel frame and be questionable at best in their road offerings.
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I'm probably biased because of my small size (49) and lowish power. In that size, stiffness isn't an issue. In a 56 or more, yeah, it'd likely rear its head.
Although I'm happy with mine as a $2500 bike, I would expect much better fit, finish and corporate transparency/responsiveness at double that for an actual sl8. And likely get it.
It also would not surprise me to learn that there is more than one source for this frame/fork, which might explain the variances in reported experiences, if confirmation bias doesn't explain the bulk of it.
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Every $600 clone, inspired, or homage frameset I've ridden rides nothing like their more expensive Western counterparts. I am pretty much ready to stop using these comparisons as a talking point.
Doesn't mean homages can't be good for what they are. And the pricepoint can't be denied.
Fair enough, just wondering if this is indeed a Wilier Filante inspired bike. Seems kind of random to 'clone' that bike (unlike an SL8 or Foil, which make sense given it's world wide fame, which I think does not go for Wilier).
That being said, I'm not looking to compare ridefeel completly to it's inspiration (I wouldn't do that for the X68). I'd like to know if it's a good bike on its own. While the X68 might not be the 'real deal' I can imagine it still being better dan other western/more expensive options.
Also, if not the X68 or X69, which bike would be your go-to Chinerframe (aeroish, cheapish, lightweight, fast(ish) for guys with 1400W sprints, 4000km riding a year on that bike (6000 total, with gravel and TT) with some mountain/hilly rides).
And if you had to choose between X68 and X69, based on your insights, what would you likely choose (the X68 be an exact kopie, while the X69 just looks similair)?
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My buddy who's has a small climber build, rides an S-Works SL8 in 49cm. Just from holding it, it definitely feels stiffer (and lighter) compared to my 52cm SPCycle R088 (SL8 clone). Even on the steep climbs going toe-to-toe with him, his power transfer seems better. So even in the smaller builds, stiffness appears to be just as noticeable with the real SL8.
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I've been purposely quiet in here about speaking on the X68. And TanTan as a whole. Trying not to be cryptic or passive aggressive. I'm not exactly happy with everything surrounding my dealings for the company. It's a story for another time. But I will at least say that the extreme variation in rider experience among several customers highlights that perhaps the build quality from TanTan on this particular frame offering is very inconsistent frame to frame.
It's rare that I feel worse about a frameset over time. The only frame I've felt this way about was, you guessed it, the TanTan X38 (Scott Foil clone). I cant figure out how TanTan can make such a BANGER for a GR201 gravel frame and be questionable at best in their road offerings.
The simplest explanation is that they did not / do not make the GR201. Tideace/Haideli also sells that frame, which suggests it's likely from the Haideli/Long Teng factory. The LTK GV201 is also nearly identical.
There are no clear documented links other than product listings for Tan Tan and LTK. This is in stark contrast to business registrations, which tie Haideli to Tideace (they are very public about this) and Haideli to Permeants (found via searching registrations and legal filings in China). We know from photos of product in the backgrounds as well as photos on their websites that LTK and those three Haideli companies are tied together.
When looking for a manufacturer for my handlebar project, LTK was incredibly cost-effective, and with the quality of the LTK266-D-SL, it was very tempting to go with them. In the end, I did not. One factor was not wanting to touch the TanTan/Seraph supply chain due to a lack of trust. While it seems unfair to place the bad reputation created by a brand's bad behavior on a *suspected* supplier, for a project like this, where I am still learning, I wanted a partner I could trust without worrying. This, despite not finding a clear link. It is still possible that I trusted the wrong company, the design will get stolen, and the patents I have filed will amount to nothing. I still don't know if I trusted the right people, but there was enough of a worry bead there to go elsewhere for now.
Edit: to be clear, i dont think my ideas are inherently worth stealing, but i still felt like I needed to prepare for that just in case.
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I think these comparisons are good to have, as we are often buying cheaper Chinese frames, and personally, I tend to wonder a lot about what exactly I am losing compared to big brand western brands. When something is a clone, these comparisons are especially interesting as a lot of the variables can be fixed between the bikes. This is the reason I appreciate Patrick's SL8 vs. X68 comparison.
My buddy who's has a small climber build, rides an S-Works SL8 in 49cm. Just from holding it, it definitely feels stiffer (and lighter) compared to my 52cm SPCycle R088 (SL8 clone). Even on the steep climbs going toe-to-toe with him, his power transfer seems better. So even in the smaller builds, stiffness appears to be just as noticeable with the real SL8.
However, I think it is important to be at least approximately intersubjective. So, in the above quote, I really wonder, how and where the feeling of lack of stiffness is noticeable by only holding a bike? What gives you a feeling that your friend's SL8 transfers power better just by watching them? Btw, did you try to ride his SL8?
(I am in the market for the R088, which is why I got invested in this discussion. I am not looking for full big brand quality, but I would appreciate if the bike I build is not a noodle when I only hold it.)
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I really appreciate your insight @Sakizashi thanks. And others in here too. It's part of what makes this forum great.
My engineering and technical contribution is literally zero. I can only speak on: "Hey this bike rides good!" ;D
Companies do their best to mask their questionable practices from influencers. As well as up until they take the customer's money. What I've noticed is their true colors always appear when YouTubers make public critique. The companies either accept accountability to do better or berate said YouTubers via email. I've had both happen to me.
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I really appreciate your insight @Sakizashi thanks. And others in here too. It's part of what makes this forum great.
My engineering and technical contribution is literally zero. I can only speak on: "Hey this bike rides good!" ;D
Companies do their best to mask their questionable practices from influencers. As well as up until they take the customer's money. What I've noticed is their true colors always appear when YouTubers make public critique. The companies either accept accountability to do better or berate said YouTubers via email. I've had both happen to me.
I think your contributions to this community are huge. You've raised awareness of many lower priced options, and I do believe that your reviews can be a big boon to some of these companies. I look at XMCS. This forum and WW seem like a big part of their growth story. Not sure they have the same story without you. The same is probably true of TanTan who enjoyed a boost to their reputation in part due to your review of the GR201. Now, its also fair to say that the GR201 was also a good product. We should lament that, as a seller, Tan Tan has chosen to go down the path of the X68 and other clones rather than reselling higher-quality frames like the GR201.
One thing that gets too much weight here is whether or not X company is a manufacturer. The reality is that middlemen can be helpful if they are well placed enough to give you access to better manufacturing and can provide you with leverage to get things done that you otherwise couldn't. It should not be an inherent knock if a company is primarily a trading company with some small production of its own. I *think* there are some companies that we regard as manufacturers that do layup design, make molds, and then hand off the carbon production to another party. Are they truly manufacturers? Do you think we should care?
The answer to both questions is no. Is a middleman that gives you access to CarbonKing products less good than a smaller manufacturer? There are pros and cons to both, as a consumer or a small business navigating them. Put another way we give someone a relatively small amount of money and get back a product on the basis of trust. The motivations that back that trust are aligned with your own under different circumstances. If you want a high-quality product at the lowest price, go direct. If you want a high-quality product that doesn't exist or extensive customization, the additional leverage gained by using a middleman might be worth it if you are only spending a few thousand USD.
That is why I look at the bigger picture and return to the idea of trust. The amount of trust/$ spent on Tan Tan seems very low compared to XMCS, Zen, DFS, and LTK. Not to mention Carbonda / Flybike, who have been in the game long enough and with products performing well enough that the price of the Quick Pro frames seems warranted. After all, we are at the point where the forum regularly compares them to counterfeit sellers like Yoho and Rk.
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Correct. It kind of rides like a Tarmac SL8 in terms of how it interacts with it's environment. Meaning crosswind stability and when at speed. It's literally the same shape and design. I said this in my video. Both frames are essentially identical in these specific regards.
That's pretty much where the similarities end for me personally now that I have several hundreds of miles in. It's nowhere as stiff and nimble as the real SL8. I've swapped in at least 3-4 different wheelsets, dialed in my bike fit, and put the bike through my usual daily workouts/efforts. I even swapped to a different cockpit. From the EXS Aerover (known not to be stiff) to Peter's XMCS's cockpit. How it interacts with the rider is a different experience than an SL8. So unfortunately that 20%-30% delta from a genuine Tarmac mostly all comes in its lack of comparable stiffness, nimbleness, and power transfer. It's more comfortable than an SL8 because it isn't as stiff. Nevermind about the fit and finish...
I've been purposely quiet in here about speaking on the X68. And TanTan as a whole. Trying not to be cryptic or passive aggressive. I'm not exactly happy with everything surrounding my dealings for the company. It's a story for another time. But I will at least say that the extreme variation in rider experience among several customers highlights that perhaps the build quality from TanTan on this particular frame offering is very inconsistent frame to frame.
It's rare that I feel worse about a frameset over time. The only frame I've felt this way about was, you guessed it, the TanTan X38 (Scott Foil clone). I cant figure out how TanTan can make such a BANGER for a GR201 gravel frame and be questionable at best in their road offerings.
Oh man. You should add this comment to your YouTube video. People watch it and think, wow, I'll buy an almost-tarmac for pennies! Personally, two people sent me this video. So, your opinion might push someone toward the disappointment you just described. Well, it's up to you of course, but what you wrote above is literally the opposite of what you talk about in the video, it's not "80% of SL8", but its "it looks like SL8 but nothing more". Peace.
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^so tired of these stupid comparisons. Anyway, that's a very flat fork crown for an "aero" bike
That's a fair critique of the fork crown. I can see why you'd be tired of constant comparisons.
My intention for bringing up the Willier was simply because the 48-hour release window seemed like an interesting tidbit, especially when we have so little else to discuss. Is it a crucial piece of information? Probably not, but I felt it was worth adding to this thread.
After all, since we're working with just a handful of photos, speculation is all we have. I think it is part of the joy in this forum.