Seraph Bikes Superlight 836g X68 - Alternative to SL8 Fakes?

[BeR]

Your link is invisible
I can't get it to show up either. Seems to be some kind of bug...

Yes, it is a bug. You can search it on YouTube :
TT-X68 inner wall shows precision cutting and high-strength carbon cloth stacking

[MTB-Addicted]

Yes, it is a bug. You can search it on YouTube :
TT-X68 inner wall shows precision cutting and high-strength carbon cloth stacking

It seems made extremely well..
I really hope it is the same producer of Taiwaneisen that I ordered.

[dsveddy]

Tantan says the frame only comes in matte black. No custom paint options are available.

This tells me Tantan is probably just brokering the frames rather than manufacturing them. A little unsettling if you ask me.

When I originally saw the comments re: "Specialized offloading overstock" I first thought: "what a wacky conspiracy theory!". But now after digging into this thread, and playing a bit of "spot the difference" between photos of the original SL8 and the Seraph SL8...I'm becoming more convinced.

What a weird thing to do. They must be taking quite the loss on each frame sold this way if they really are overstock.

[toxin]

What. If they had overstock issues like that they could just do a big sale, at 30% they could burn through all stock in like a week

[patliean1]

When I originally saw the comments re: "Specialized offloading overstock" I first thought: "what a wacky conspiracy theory!". But now after digging into this thread, and playing a bit of "spot the difference" between photos of the original SL8 and the Seraph SL8...I'm becoming more convinced.

What a weird thing to do. They must be taking quite the loss on each frame sold this way if they really are overstock.

Currently staring at my SL8 as I type this. The X68 is close but not identical.

[BeR]

Currently staring at my SL8 as I type this. The X68 is close but not identical.

Can you tell us the difference please ?

[patliean1]

The overall shape of the seat post is ever so slightly different. The area where the seat tube meets the top tube is also marginally off.

While the bonding of the BSA bottom bracket to the X68 frame is rough compared to the SL8, it's on par with $500 frames. Specialized does a superb job of facing the bottom bracket (and caliper mounts), and you can clearly see how smooth the bare carbon is around the BB. I have a video on this. However, I can't tell in TanTan's photos if they either faced the BB then added matte black paint or simply not face it at all.

Personally I don't believe the X68 will catastrophically explode like one would expect if this was a purely counterfeit frame sold on AliExpress. That would be a bad look for a genuine supplier like TanTan. And other than TanTan using that seatpost gripping material, the frame would 99% pass the eye test for a genuine SL8.

[fhill]

I just stumbled across this thread.

Is the TTX68 from Tantan or the SL8 version from Airwolf the "better" frame, geometry is the same, I'm just curious with which of these two frame to go, from which of those two sellers I can expect the better frame in general?

Or should I go with a LCR017 from Lightcarbon which has a very similar geometry and is not like a direct copy of a brand frame but more like heavily inspired by the SuperSix

[Gloopann]

I just stumbled across this thread.

Is the TTX68 from Tantan or the SL8 version from Airwolf the "better" frame, geometry is the same, I'm just curious with which of these two frame to go, from which of those two sellers I can expect the better frame in general?

Or should I go with a LCR017 from Lightcarbon which has a very similar geometry and is not like a direct copy of a brand frame but more like heavily inspired by the SuperSix

I'd personally pick TanTan over Airwolf 9/10 times.

The LCR017 is also pretty good from what I've seen and heard, don't think you can really go wrong with it if you like the look.

[fhill]

I'd personally pick TanTan over Airwolf 9/10 times.

The LCR017 is also pretty good from what I've seen and heard, don't think you can really go wrong with it if you like the look.

Thanks,

I like the not so much look a like look from the LCR017 it's more like a genuine bike standing on it's own rather than a copy that's why it is in my list

[BeR]

I'd personally pick TanTan over Airwolf 9/10 times.

The LCR017 is also pretty good from what I've seen and heard, don't think you can really go wrong with it if you like the look.

I wish I know if Tantan is the manufacturer of this frame, or just a broker.

Maybe Patrick can have the information ?

[Serge_K]

I wish I know if Tantan is the manufacturer of this frame, or just a broker.

Maybe Patrick can have the information ?

Tantan is a big animal, and their reputation is not great because of that. They sell a LOT of frames. Airwolf frames are dog $hit, for simplicity. If you have to choose between the 2, 100% of the time, go w Tantan.
Tantan isn't a broker, they make frames, afaik. It might be a carbonda situation where carbonda does make frames but it's probably the mothership behind it called - the name escapes me - that actually makes them, but it doesnt make carbonda a broker.
Velobuild is a broker.
Airwolf frames are crap, in the sense that the probability that you have significant problems with your frame is so high that you really have to want to make your life difficult AND give your money to people who give zero fucks to work with them. I do love their cockpits though, which tells me, they source stuff all over the place. Maybe they make the frames and source the cockpits.