![]() ![]() In regards to new, you can double those prices. As low as $450 should get you into a used but solid entry-level hardtail and about $900+ can get you a used but decent full suspension. If that is all you are hoping for and don't plan on advancing beyond, any entry-level mountain bike from a major brand like a Trek Marlin 5 will do just fine, but if you are hoping to ride anything above green-rated singletrack, I'd suggest a little more bike.įirst, some rough price guidelines. ![]() Also, this guide is assuming you are intending on riding on actual mountain bike single track, not just smooth dirt paths and gravel. If the bike doesn't fit, it doesn't matter how good a deal it is. Before we get started on talking bikes and prices, always make sure you're getting a bike that fits you. If you get hurt and sue them-they'll dissolve their branding and reverse incorporate and change their website URL all friggin OVERNIGHT and shed any liability.When looking for a starter bike there are a few things I'd recommend that will get you onto a solid/safe bike that should be built to last and be worth upgrading as you see fit. The CPSC and so on never check these goods. VeloNews or Bicycling did a counterfeit test of a Specialized IIRC frameset, and unsurprisingly found that the counterfeit failed spectacularly at doing anything beyond looking the part (the layup was not even close to right). Only way to know is to by two of them and destructively test one. Is there a safety difference between those two classes of goods? No one can say, as each is a unique product from lord-knows-where sold by who knows. Whereas the 3T Aeronova is a $300 handlebar the "RXL carbon handlebar" handlebar that is a carbon (heh) copy of the design is sold on Amazon and EBay for $50USD+shipping. Nor do sellers try to pass it off as one. These have the same shape as say the aforementioned 3T Aeronova handlebar (probably the MOST copied handlebar out there).however they are not painted/finished to look the part. They are SO good at counterfeiting, there are cases of counterfeits accidentally ending up in legit distribution channels and on LBS shelves. They are actually marketed as the real thing-be is a 3T Aeronova handlebar or a Specialized or Pinarello frameset. These are actually made and finished to look on the outside 100% like the real thing. Trek, meanwhile, outsources and offshores all their manufacture of frames except their top tier frameset AFAIK.ī) There's also a bit of a distinction to be made in Chinese mystery goods.Ĭounterfeits. ![]() They build lots of frames, both for themselves (to be sold under their branding) and for other major brands (to be sold under other branding). But the main reason, is that I really don't know how a random Chicarbon frame is going to ride/handle, which is (for me) the very most important aspect of the bike.Ī) Giant is actually a frame manufacturer. But I take all that with a grain of salt, because they are anecdotal accounts.Īt this point, I personally feel it is safer to buy a used 5-year-old carbon frameset made by Giant, Specialized, or Trek, over a new Chicarbon frame of the same price. If something fails and you break your neck, there's no recourse.įor those of you giving me personal examples of how well your frameset has held up, thank you for taking the time. There is no consistent structural testing done of these frames. However, compared to established known bicycle manufacturers, it's still a crapshoot. So, they probably have a reputation to uphold, so they're probably going to have better quality than some random ebay seller. So, after reading all these comments, here's my takeaway.Ĭurrently, there are now distributors that carry their own line of Chinese carbon frames. I'm not in the market myself, but I always try to get the lay of the land a few early on so that when I need to buy a frame/bike, I can just pull the trigger. Thank you for your thoughtful replies everyone. Russian roulette.īut now it seems like there are distributors with their own line of Chinese carbon framesets, like these guys: Īre there any distributors or lines of reputable Chinese carbon frames that you would consider reputable and safe? Until recently, I was aware of only three types of Chinese carbon frames:įrames made for major manufacturers like Trek and Giant. ![]()
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