TanTan'd again seraph cs197 fat bike frame brake mount out of spec

[ChinerDetroit]

TanTan'd again.  My fifth TanTan build, my seventh frame in total (sold two new unbuilt) since 2018.  Four frames have had issues - not minor ones either, including one cracked frame. 

This one takes the cake.  I should have learned my lesson with this china crap and bought a name brand to replace my cracked Borealis crestone but I figured I'd roll the dice since I badly wanted a frame to accept a 5.05" rear tire.

Well, my seraph cs197 fat bike frame brake mount out of spec.  The hole pattern is 27mm on center where the standard is 34mm. 

Throwing this out there.

Good luck to you all, in your builds, I am absolutely done with dealing with TanTan for any frame needs - after they fix my issue.  Any money I "saved" by going cheap on a chiner frame+fork+paint vs just getting something "name brand" even if it was made in china, is now out the window in lost hours of specifying, ordering, and assembling and dealing with issues.  There's a definate lack of QC/QA over at TanTan and it shows.  It's been that way for me since 2018.  Highly recommend you pass.  You might get lucky with your sample, but for me, 50+% of the time, you'll come up snake eyes.

[Irideslow]

I'm sorry this happened to you

But one honest question. This is your fifth TanTan build, and you've had issues with four of them. Why do you keep purchasing from them?

[ChinerDetroit]

I'm sorry this happened to you

But one honest question. This is your fifth TanTan build, and you've had issues with four of them. Why do you keep purchasing from them?

Honest question How many bikes and how many wheel sets have you assembled "from scratch" in your lifetime?   no kits, all individual builds.

Once you find yourself doing builds from scratch, you'll find issues.  At some point, it's a question of "money saved".  For this build, which is to replace a cracked "main stream" bike build, getting a top of the line frame was not in the works.  It's my 7th bike and sees limited use during the winter.  i figured I'd roll the dice on the tantan as I WANT to run 5.05" wide tires on 100mm rims, which my old cracked main stream brand frame would not do.

TanTan acknowledged they didn't ship the special adapter as they should have with the frame.   Nor did tantan ever mention the brake adapter was special, nor did they ever mention one thing about it during my purchase inquiry or payment.  Good luck to y'all in your china endevors.  I'm swearing off anything that isn't mainstream going forward.  Too many issues.

[FullCarbonAlchemist]

The Framed Alaskan Carbon can be a good compromise here. Substantially less expensive than most comparable branded frames but can generally be trusted not to subject you to this kind of BS.

I’m planning to change my older style Alaskan Carbon (V1 with curved tubes, sold as a 26” wheeled bike) to 27.5 fat wheels this winter and since it’s about five years old now, having been through more snow riding brutality than almost any fat biker I know, an eventual frame replacement is somewhere on the horizon.

I’d probably consider the Alaskan Carbon V2 (current model with straight tubes, specifically intended for 27.5 fat wheels) first before anything else, FWIW.