buying carbon/ti frames from china

reutercrooks

Just wondering,

has anyone bought any carbon or ti frames from China. They sound cheap but you have to bulk buy. Anyone have any experience of this and if so, was the quality any good?

Monty Dog

Bought a custom ti frame from Xi'an / Tilon Titanium in China a few years ago - many other on here have too. They will deal with single-frame quantities. Build quality and standard is excellent for the price - the same frames 'stickered-up' in the UK sell for £700+ whereas it will cost you about half that if you go direct. No experience of carbon frames, but there seem to be plenty on ebay, so don't see the point of buying direct in small quantities.

reutercrooks

Im in australia, so would lose out buying in UK, and aus ebay and aus retailers cant match the price that is available to UK buyers. Global postage takes the saving out of any bargain on individual frame, so you either buy one frame here in aus or several from China at same price.

Trouble with this buying from China is unknown quantity and quality.

Jez mon

OK I haven't got any direct experiance but there are a few things I would say.

If you have a problem, who do you deal with? There are some bad stories you hear about well known companies, but establishing a relationship with some people in China might well be imposible.

Build quality, now China does have the knowledge and the experiance to build good quality ti/cf frames. However, the ones on eBay etc, may well be those which have failed to live up to the expectations of the manufacturers.

thexvw

Monty Dog wrote:

Bought a custom ti frame from Xi'an / Tilon Titanium in China a few years ago - many other on here have too. They will deal with single-frame quantities. Build quality and standard is excellent for the price - the same frames 'stickered-up' in the UK sell for £700+ whereas it will cost you about half that if you go direct. No experience of carbon frames, but there seem to be plenty on ebay, so don't see the point of buying direct in small quantities.

Where and how much?

de_sisti

I've bought 2 frames from xacd.com. Very satisfied with both of them.
This is the reply I had from them. You can ask them to make amendments
on the drawing (to achieve a defacto custom frame),


Hi Sir:
OK! Please you see our attached the drawing of 56cm road frame.

Our price is following:
Ti 54cm road frame
FOB XI'AN USD445.00/set 1set USD445.00
Shipping costs(EMS express):USD155.00
Bank fee:USD40.00
Total:USD640.00

Regards!

Porter

simbil1

Don't forget to add on some for import tax at customs (20%?).

ronthechef

I also have bought from XACD, almost a yearnow, couldn't be more please

http://ronniethescot.blogspot.com/2007/ ... -bike.html

thexvw

Looks like a good deal, quite tempted. Anyone bought the standard 54cm road frame ? Does it come with forks ?

de_sisti

simbil1 wrote:

Don't forget to add on some for import tax at customs (20%?).

No import tax on mine.

loughor

another company worth a look is 'trekking fox' based in taiwan, their ti frames are also excellent, and they are easy to deal with.

simbil1

maander wrote:

simbil1 wrote:

Don't forget to add on some for import tax at customs (20%?).

No import tax on mine.

Sure, it sometimes gets through. I suppose what I should have said is budget for the worst case of getting charged import tax.

reutercrooks

cheers, will have a look.

de_sisti

simbil1 wrote:

maander wrote:

simbil1 wrote:

Don't forget to add on some for import tax at customs (20%?).

No import tax on mine.

Sure, it sometimes gets through. I suppose what I should have said is budget for the worst case of getting charged import tax.

xacd.com put a low value declaration on the package, that's why people who order from
them don't seem to pay import taxes.

reutercrooks

maander wrote:

I've bought 2 frames from xacd.com. Very satisfied with both of them.
This is the reply I had from them. You can ask them to make amendments
on the drawing (to achieve a defacto custom frame),

How did you pay?

I would prefer to pay with CC but they are saying to wire cash. It sounds a dodge way to pay for goods, and would be a skam if this was London but...this is the prefered way to pay for goods in China?

Monty Dog

There's enough people who have dealt with XACD to know that this isn't a scam - wire transfer in US$ is the normal way for payment to Chinese businesses. Prices work out at about half of what you'd pay retail in the UK - obviously you get no warranty, so in that case buy two in case one breaks!

thexvw

This is the drawing I was sent. I asked for mudguard clearance on a 25mm tyre. It looks ok to me anyone able to confirm this ?

redddraggon

thexvw wrote:

This is the drawing I was sent. I asked for mudguard clearance on a 25mm tyre. It looks ok to me anyone able to confirm this ?
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b393/ ... arrey2.jpg

Have you got a higher resolution version, can't make out the figures?

Burghley

Another happy customer !

I have three from XACD - one off-the-peg and two with custom sizing/brazons etc.

Very good frames, easy enough to deal with, and an absolute steal (cost delivered to my door averaged £370 per frame).

Happy to supply drawings/correspondence if required.

Rgds

Pete