It depends I guess.... If you always ride alone it could be OK, but if you do group rides, there will definitely be some real SL8's and it will be a little (or a lot) embarrassing to ride a fake...

I asked for the mix but they said full T1000.

Not interested in doxxing myself

well for starters, people knowing my identity wouldn't change my opinions. Even if I did give you my strava, I don't upload there anyways so you wouldn't learn anything other than my name, which I could give you directly, were I inclined to reveal it to randoms online

Thanks for this detailed input, Serge — your take adds a lot of nuance and clarity to the discussion.

You’re absolutely right to draw the line between ultra-light, high-performance, race-day-only frames and the kind of dependable bikes most of us want to ride daily without a second thought. That distinction often gets blurred, especially when people chase weight savings without fully appreciating the compromises that come with it. The comparison to F1 cars is a good one — cutting-edge, but not necessarily built for longevity or the wear and tear of everyday use.

Also appreciate you highlighting the insider view on S-Works and previous Pinarello practices. It’s easy to get dazzled by the marketing and pro endorsements, but reliability often takes a back seat in that world — literally, in some cases, judging by the stories of cracked frames in car trunks.

Unfortunately, I am a bit of a weight weenie myself — however, I don’t sacrifice performance or reliability in pursuit of lower grams. There’s a line, and I do my best to stay on the right side of it.

Your point about friends and trust hit home, too. Ultimately, a frame isn’t just carbon and resin — it represents confidence, responsibility, and safety for the people we ride with.

Do you write these replies with AI?

Just out of curiosity, why are people resistant to the idea that TanTan / Seraph are the ones making fake frames?

Objectively, this saga raises the following possibilities:

• TanTan sources some of their frames from other factories
• TanTan doesn't fully own or control their factory. Perhaps it is a shared asset and these fakes are financed by another partner in the factory
• TanTan is producing fake frames

Folks seem sold on scenario 1, but I don't get it. Most of the frames on this thread already sport S Works or Specialized decals, so it's not resistance to counterfeiting. I'm just really curious to understand why TanTan is held in enough regard to discount possibilities 2 and 3.