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On light chinese frames
Stating the obvious here, but i hope some will find it helpful to see it spelled out: There's more risk in buying a super light frame, than a "regular" frame, and it should cost more: lighter / fancier fibers cost more, less margin for error means more labor cost (either more qualified labour, or simply more hours, or both). potentially, if you really push the envelope, a monocoque frame should be lighter, but the mould costs more and the manufacturing too, and so on. Generally, there's usually a reason why higher end stuff costs more, it's not all due to marketing BS. Recent posts have shown that corners have been cut and catastrophic failures have happened (that brings back to mind the days of 5+ years ago when "will that chinese frame self destruct from under me?" was a legit question. Until now, i have enjoyed not seeing such stories, precisely because i could tell my friends who're still in denial that chinese carbon is everywhere that the days when unbranded stuff could just self destruct were over. As pointed out by BeR, it's not only Tantan that skimped on resin, but also the swiss cheese examples from light carbon, just to name 2. And all the reports of frames you could flex with your fingers, and the uncertainty as to whether it's a feature or a bug (worrying as people with the same frame would report different things pressing in the same place). We also have multiple examples of winspace frames being built like ass and them trying to weasel out from any responsibility (and their website being flagged as a potential scam). And related to fakes, several reports of cracked seatposts and what not. And that report of a fake frame debonding in a sprint. And that report of someone not doing group rides because he doesn't trust the frame "yet" and wouldn't want to take down people with him. Would that guy ever feel comfortable riding down an alpine pass? Isn't it a big appeal of road cycling, and isn't it a pity to buy stuff where at the back of your mind, you're constantly "did they add enough material, or did shaving that last 50g mean i'm going to die here on a vanity project?". When i bought my LT268, i took comfort in the fact it wasn't light, because i figured it was likely to be stiffer from the materials and shapes, and figured it'd be less likely to disintegrate mid ride. My frame in M weighs c.1150g, from memory, and i'm c.80kg, so i'm a unit. I've ridden so much with it, down some really sketchy stuff, i trust it more than my supersix evo, at this point. But it's not 800g. I put tractor on it for a reason. Our group rides are now routinely above 40kmh, and when there are gravel sections, i just go "meh" and bomb through. This thing is a fast work horse, and I like it. So, again, at the risk of stating obvious banalities, now that marketing is passed the "aero is everything" and back to "look at how light this frame is", let's bear in mind that it's harder to make a light frame. And so, risk wise, and especially if you're an average 80kg westerner, is the vanity of running a 700g frame sensible? To people who are on the fence after seeing these horror stories, imagine you order anyway, then you crash, and your family sits down and asks, befuddled: "why though?". And you're like "yeah, but 6.9kg!". Yes, it is overly dramatic. Then again, what if it ends up being you? Do you want to look like the village idiot? Hopefully nobody here face plants because of such a frame, but the wider question is: is it worth it in the 1st place? Those are tail risks. They rarely happen, but they do happen. And there's an easy hedge so it's less likely to happen to you: be careful with what you buy. Banalities over  Be safe, and happy riding. PS: why did i post this in "Vendor Discussion & Reviews"? No clue. If there are moderators on this forum, please feel free to move it to a section that makes more sense. May 05, 2025, 07:45:14 AM |
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Re: Sensah Electronic Groupset (14 speed?)
The 14 sp thing has to be a marketing tagline, just like 3-14 sp from wheeltop. They just give you the ability to set that, but obviously, it will be primarily meant for what's currently out there. A 14 sp casette and chain with current standards would be absolutely awful, especially without direct mount udh. Selectable cassette speed isn't a marketing tagline, it's basically a main feature over Shimano and SRAM. Being able to throw any speed cassette allows so much more freedom. I'm already running a mix of 11 and 12 speed groupsets with LTwoo electronic and can still use some of my older 10 speed cassettes if need be. May 05, 2025, 09:19:01 AM |
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Re: Sensah Electronic Groupset (14 speed?)
Ah right, I suspect you guys are in the US and need to factor in the Trump tax.
May 10, 2025, 11:04:26 PM |
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Re: VeloBuild VB-R-268 frame
Easy! Nardo gray in the back, pink icebreak in the front  Hi Hazzer, did you paint it with Velobuild? And do you by any chance still have the color scheme (pantone or whatever) for it? I am also trying to come up with a similar color scheme, albeit adding some white here and there, and it would be super helpful to get an idea about what these colors look on the bike with respect to the catalogue May 25, 2025, 11:41:22 PM |
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Re: Seraph Bikes Superlight 836g X68 - Alternative to SL8 Fakes?
Wait so TanTan lurks this thread, never chimes in or engages its customer base, but steals photos for Instagram? I saw it in Vivian's Status on WhatsApp and was wondering why showing an incomplete build there for promotion? Strange they haven't used my exploded fork for promo, its almost an incomplete build  Joking aside, it's three weeks since my last conversation with them. Looking forward to a new fork, but so far no sign of them. @TanTan Would be nice shipping out the replacement fork incl. the expander soon
May 28, 2025, 03:43:16 PM |
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Re: VeloBuild VB-R-268 frame
Can anyone tell me what is the native disc size for the front and rear? Both 160, 160f/140r, or both 140? Or else, would I need an adapter to mount 160 both front and rear? I have a shimano 105 groupset . Front is compatible with 160 but you'll need and adapter for the rear if you want to use 160. Otherwise it seems to be 140 without an adapter. May 31, 2025, 11:04:39 AM |
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Re: TanTan TT-X38 Build
Where did you get the decals?! If this is the same bike that was posted on bdc-mag forum that means I might be able to source them as well Yes it's me  I got the decals on this site : https://www.decalfont.com/ June 05, 2025, 11:32:14 AM |
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