Carbon Frames from China, would you buy one?

[Riamich]

I think I might have seen your bike!why is the pic takenin what looks like a toilet?

[sometime]

Oh ok that sounds like the turnaround time for every single giant frame warranty claim from any bike in the entire range is just 3 days (let's be conservative and make it 5 days) , this is amazing!!!

 

Ok guys you heard it all from Sometime - to prove his theories correct you may only buy Giant frames from now on becuase with pretty much any other brand you going to be waiting weeks or months and that will make his theory fall flat on its face.

No more Scott's , Specialized etc - you get the general idea

 

Oh dear - I forgot schools are still on holiday this week and based on your reply I can only assume your marks in English class are on par with Malema's woodwork marks.

 

Sit down with your English teacher on Monday and ask her to explain the difference between the indefinite pronouns "others" and "everyone" and what comprises a theory.

 

If you feel like returning to this thread after that and continuing this conversation on adult rather than juvenile level, please do so.

[sometime]

Are you interested in buying Chinese now?

Have you done an about turn on this whole "Chinese only make good when big boss Brand name overlord is watching" ?

 

Big brand name only means you may have some end user support from a supplier who may or may not be helpful if at all.

Big brand names still lump consumers with many expensive lemons

Big brand names still often sell useles crap sh1te and they don't do refunds by the time you realize you got had

 

How about answering the question? I'm genuinely interested to know how you handle returning good to China, how the shipping logistics, claim process, reimbursement and/or new product supply works. I'm sure I'm not the only one here who would like to know.

 

Thanks

[TEAM KOEKEMOER]

_{ha ha it was taken in my spare room where i keep my bikes.}

_{It has a basin in the room.}

[usxorf]

I have a china frame + carbon wheelset. I had my doubts but 6 huge threads on rbr with very little negative feedback settled it for me.

 

The process is not for the feint of heart or those with little faith. Stick to the popular distributors, expect a long wait for email replies, them to get your frame size in stock, then to paint it and ship it, and after you receive your package the wait for them to ship the seatpost collar or headset they forgot to include.

 

The paint job is iffy, clearcoat was flaking out of the box. Paint in the hole where the brake bolt goes needing to be sanded, clearcoat in the drain holes needing attention too. If you are going to order a blank frame from china, have it painted locally.

 

The frame I have gets painted and resold by some company in luxembourg at 3 times the price I paid for it landed. I think the branded version it's copied from goes for 10 times as much.

 

edit: AFAIK for warranty you have to ship the frame back at your own expense. If the frame is FUBAR, you can get away with just cutting out the BB and sending that.

Edited September 4, 2012 by yazzo

[DIPSLICK]

Cheaper yes/maybe it's called seeing the bigger picture !!!! it's not as easy, what happens to the local market ie your local bike shop that repairs/helps/orders parts you need, rather build up good relationship with a bike shop and you know you got support,do the Maths of how much financial sense it would make for them to help you when you start importing everything yourself????? We will end up paying double for everything else on the bike,

This year I have done 3 builds from frame up,once you break it down most quality bike shops are not "printing"

Money like we all think!, if you have a complete bike and you upgrade on the frame it makes sense, but eventually bike shops will just stop helping, my2c

[awesme]

A small dif view,

 

Bike shops don't really make allot of money on the bikes itself. they prob won't care, they want you back for the services, for the upgrades, for the extra's...

 

Thats where the money is for them. the bike just gets you there/in the door.

 

G

 

Cheaper yes/maybe it's called seeing the bigger picture !!!! it's not as easy, what happens to the local market ie your local bike shop that repairs/helps/orders parts you need, rather build up good relationship with a bike shop and you know you got support,do the Maths of how much financial sense it would make for them to help you when you start importing everything yourself????? We will end up paying double for everything else on the bike,

This year I have done 3 builds from frame up,once you break it down most quality bike shops are not "printing"

Money like we all think!, if you have a complete bike and you upgrade on the frame it makes sense, but eventually bike shops will just stop helping, my2c

[DIPSLICK]

Besides, the price of most frames on the hub are nearly free,

They are 90 percent local agent import so you got warranties

Why go through all the drama for the same price if not more, I can't count the times there has been sub R5k carbon new /nearly new frames for sale just do what all Hubbers do keep yours eyes on the hub classifieds

[DIPSLICK]

A small dif view,

 

Bike shops don't really make allot of money on the bikes itself. they prob won't care, they want you back for the services, for the upgrades, for the extra's...

 

Thats where the money is for them. the bike just gets you there/in the door.

 

G

I hear you I am in the motor industry, trust me when clients bring there own parts they purchase elsewhere We do actually care, I have two bike shops I use

And I really feel I get "extra" service and pricing due to my support I give in total

[awesme]

dipstick, I'm not referring to parts brought in.

 

I'm saying bike shops don't make as much as everyone think on the actual bike bought off the floor, they make money of the guy coming back to BUY upgrade parts, to buy clothes, to bike computers,

the bike is sold once. the parts/upgrades never end.

 

G

 

I hear you I am in the motor industry, trust me when clients bring there own parts they purchase elsewhere We do actually care, I have two bike shops I use

And I really feel I get "extra" service and pricing due to my support I give in total

[DIPSLICK]

dipstick, I'm not referring to parts brought in.

 

I'm saying bike shops don't make as much as everyone think on the actual bike bought off the floor, they make money of the guy coming back to BUY upgrade parts, to buy clothes, to bike computers,

the bike is sold once. the parts/upgrades never end.

 

G

Oh for sure upgrades is a cyclists worst "enemy"

[Skylark]

 

Oh dear - I forgot schools are still on holiday this week and based on your reply I can only assume your marks in English class are on par with Malema's woodwork marks.

 

Sit down with your English teacher on Monday and ask her to explain the difference between the indefinite pronouns "others" and "everyone" and what comprises a theory.

 

If you feel like returning to this thread after that and continuing this conversation on adult rather than juvenile level, please do so.

 

Someone's in an awful mood

[Unclerico]

Besides, the price of most frames on the hub are nearly free,

They are 90 percent local agent import so you got warranties

Why go through all the drama for the same price if not more, I can't count the times there has been sub R5k carbon new /nearly new frames for sale just do what all Hubbers do keep yours eyes on the hub classifieds

Theres no warranty on a hub bought frame at all

[tombeej]

I have a question about HongFu. There seem to be 2 sites:

http://www.hongfu-bikes.com

http://www.e-hongfu-bikes.com/

 

Which is the correct one?

[awesme]

Upgrades, the worst lovely there is

 

G

[Skylark]

How about answering the question? I'm genuinely interested to know how you handle returning good to China, how the shipping logistics, claim process, reimbursement and/or new product supply works. I'm sure I'm not the only one here who would like to know.

 

Thanks

 

Come on ama-kleva kid , how do you post anything?

Pop it in the post!

 

The post office Global EMS Service is surprisingly affordable all things considered and it's 5 day worldwide delivery to major cities , longer to smaller towns.

 

Granted one of the considerations when buying from China is that it may be cheaper or easier to write off than return faulty goods.

 

The Chinese are in business these days which means they follow best practice to encourage business growth , that includes facilitating warranty claims.

If you are prepared to return the item they most gladly entertain warranty claims.

And they err on the side of the customer.

 

Please go buy your branded goods folks , not sure why you are so willfully against something that is common sense.

Many of us get great and amazing frames from china , they are dirt cheap.

And we ride them.

Haters

Edited September 5, 2012 by Skylark