I will be the guinea pig.

bcmf

Ok.So I bought a new frame.Well its paid for I just have to recieve it.
Thanks to all who I pm'ed and got great replies.
Money At the mo was/is a very discerning factor.
Looked at many frames. Steel.Alu.Alu with Carbon rear.Alu with Carbon front and on and on..............
I was watching a few on ebay (yeah he Asian carbon ones). Saw 2 I liked 1 painted and 1 just a carbon finish. Spoke to a good friend in An Post main sorting office about Customs. He watched for a week or so for bikes coming in from outside EU and basically to the conclusion that it is a lottery if customs open the package and if they do it is really up in the air what they charge. You can putwhatever declaration on it but they may ask to see the ebay listing etc so that put me off.
Then I spotted this
http://cgi.ebay.ie/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260543943310&_trkparms=tab%3DWatching#ht_500wt_975Based in the UK so it ruled out that custom issue.
Did tons of googling and came up with this site
http://www.hongfu-bikes.com/Prclass.asp?Id=1&page=2
The one I got is the second one down.HF-FM001
Google Google Google
Came up with some threads on RBR
which include this one
http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=180618
and this
http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=198213
and this
http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?p=2133365&highlight=asian+Carbon+Frame
Hmmned and hawwed

Decided to watch it.he had it in at Buy it now for £350stg or "Make an offer".
So I made and offer of £250stg. He almost immediatly came back with a counter offer of £285. Couldnt really say no.Sold. Came in with Paypal with shipping at €377.

The only real question's left are
A) Is my life insurance enough to cover the kids etc when the frame cracks in 2 on a 60mph descent :eek:

What decals to put on it.:D

sy

bcmf wrote: »

What decals to put on it.

行星x


Best of luck bcmf, have always been tempted to do what you did so will be watching this space

Chips Lovell

bcmf wrote: »

What decals to put on it.:D

You know you want to:

blorg

bcmf wrote: »

What decals to put on it.:D

PINAVÉLLO :pac:

Beasty

bcmf wrote: »

A) Is my life insurance enough to cover the kids etc when the frame cracks in 2 on a 60mph descent :eek:

That's what insurance is for - It's the only way you can get your money's worth:)

sy

el tonto wrote: »

You know you want to:

Corrected

bcmf

well ideas for decals are
a) as taken from RBR. on the downtube and forks


e
m f
a o
r r
f k


or
b)
top tube
my name

f
m
c
b

in simple white writing.


Certainly have decided on a 'logo' for the front of the headtube. Gonna be very similar to the Rock Racing skull logo.

http://shop.rockracing.com/Anarchy_Tee_in_WhiteBlack/pd/np/15/p/2361.html


if someone here is better then me at computerish stuff they might superimpose it onto the frame for me

mloc123

ftw

blorg

bcmf wrote: »

well ideas for decals are
a) as taken from RBR. on the downtube and forks


e
m f
a o
r r
f k

I like that idea

bcmf

mloc123 wrote: »

ftw

As a man once said........
NEVER,NEVER,NEVER

bcmf

.... between the seat collar and brake bridge
b
c 4
m 1
f 0

bcmf

here is a question that was asked on RBR and (afaik) didnt get an answer.
Why is the offside chainstay flat?

RobFowl

bcmf wrote: »

here is a question that was asked on RBR and (afaik) didnt get an answer.
Why is the offside chainstay flat?

It's to do with differing force loads on the chain stays on the drive and non drive side.

An engineer mate had a Kuota Khan which had similar ones and he explained it to me in detail......

Nice frame BTW

blorg

bcmf wrote: »

here is a question that was asked on RBR and (afaik) didnt get an answer.
Why is the offside chainstay flat?

Not sure if this is what you mean but a straight chainstay can be used on the non-drive side and is stiffer- the drive side needs clearance for the chainrings and is often curved as a result.

niceonetom

blorg wrote: »

PINAVÉLLO :pac:

How about PINELERRO? Or is that a bit, um, waysis?

AstraMonti

Good luck with it man! Let us know how it will go.

bcmf

Right I am gonna wreck your heads over the course of the next few days>This is my first ever handling of a carbon frame.
So Seat Post.
Carbon or ordinary. Pro's<> Cons
Seat post clamp.Will I have to use Carbon or ........

AstraMonti

I have a carbon one, but an alu would be fine too. Pros for the carbon, it's probably lighter and looking better, can't think anything else. There have been some rumors about carbon seat posts breaking, but I wouldn't worry if you are less than 180kgs I have an alu clamp with titanium screw (!). I would advise to use a torque wrench to tighten this against a carbon seat post.

The problem is, that when you have a nice looking carbon frame, you don't want to put crap on it. So regardless of what you have budgeted, you end spending twice as much while being completely honest with your self that you have to eat your nails for the next 4 weeks in order to survive.

blorg

As Astra says either will be fine. Maybe carbon gives a little more damping, I have loads of carbon and alloy posts and difficult to tell on that one to be honest. It might be possible. Carbon seatposts are not exactly expensive. Some sort of torque wrench might be advisable but I am not sure it is as critical there as handlebars. Standard clamp is fine.

bcmf

just emailing the guy I bought the frame from and he can supply me with a seat post and bottle cages but it is a 3k weave for both and the frame is a 12k weave.
Will it look all unbalanced...so to speak

Quigs Snr

Is there a fork with it ?

blorg

bcmf wrote: »

just emailing the guy I bought the frame from and he can supply me with a seat post and bottle cages but it is a 3k weave for both and the frame is a 12k weave.
Will it look all unbalanced...so to speak

I really think you are overthinking this.

Chips Lovell

Both my seatpost and stem are a much narrower weave than my frame. My bike still looks class. Don't sweat it.

bcmf

Quigs Snr wrote: »

Is there a fork with it ?

yeah its the 'Pina' Onda style fork as in the pic

mloc123

I see he has more up now, interested to see how it pans out.. and delivery date?

bcmf

he let me know that it was shipped on Thurs am with Global Parcelforce so am kinda expecting hoping for Tues at some stage.

He told me that he deals direct with Asia/Hong Kong.

bcmf

....so it arrived today.
Gotta say it looks bootiful. Top (cross) Bar is in a sort of triangle ,hard to get in a pic. Huge head tube.Mid way on the down tube is recessed leading to a very big BB area.The flat off side chainstay looks weirdly cool. Very nice weave. Nice forks which are full carbon.
However on closer inspection on the down tube I found a crack.Only looks like its on the clear lacquer.Wont be 100% sure till I can get hold of a magnifying glass.There are some slight imperfections on the same tube which leads me to believe that yes they may be rejects.

bcmf

More pics.....

oflahero

Nice work. Not sure about the wavy fat forks though. Put me in mind of something designed by Fernando Botero:

papac

....so it arrived today.

Looks nice.Hope it pans out ok.
Would be interesting to find out actual weight. (as opposed to claimed.)

bcmf

papac wrote: »

Looks nice.Hope it pans out ok.
Would be interesting to find out actual weight. (as opposed to claimed.)[/QUOTE)
Its light.its very liight.will weigh it in a bit

uberwolf

bcmf wrote: »

There are some slight imperfections on the same tube which leads me to believe that yes they may be rejects.

whose rejects though? Pinarello have those style forks and the differently designed chainstays don't they?

gman2k

Good luck with that frame, it'll look nice with the right decals.
Just to note however, and I don't want to throw a dampener on the party, have the frame looked over properly by a good mechanic, as some of these Asian unbranded frames may be seconds from the manufacturing process. In particular, make sure your bottom bracket is checked for facing, and also your head tube also.
As another poster said, what's the weight of the frame & forks?

Chips Lovell

uberwolf wrote: »

whose rejects though? Pinarello have those style forks and the differently designed chainstays don't they?

Forks are definitely Pinarello, but you're right, they have the wavy chainstays too. I thought it might be the older F4:13 frame, but even that has those chainstays.

papac

it'll look nice with the right decals

I,d build it just as it is. Black and mysterious.(2c).

bcmf

ok. on the kitchen scales it Frame and forks are coming in at 1630gms.

I have searched almost every bike brand to try and match it and all I could figure out was the guy who was selling in Taiwan/ China was aslo selling branded new Raleigh frames with those forks.

bcmf

gman2k wrote: »

Good luck with that frame, it'll look nice with the right decals.
Just to note however, and I don't want to throw a dampener on the party, have the frame looked over properly by a good mechanic, as some of these Asian unbranded frames may be seconds from the manufacturing process. In particular, make sure your bottom bracket is checked for facing, and also your head tube also.
As another poster said, what's the weight of the frame & forks?

No dampener gman. Gonna get RobFowl to have alook at it and maybe Skeffo if he agrees.
I will let the seller know that there may be an issue and see what he says.

papac

coming in at 1630gms.

Thats decent.(I assume steerer is uncut).

bcmf

papac wrote: »

Thats decent.(I assume steerer is uncut).

yep

bcmf

Kuota Kredo Clone.

furiousox

http://cgi.ebay.com/Full-Kuota-Kredo-Bike-Frame-Decal-Stickers-kit-WHITE_W0QQitemZ160394739750QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR?hash=item2558458026

bcmf

Yeah I saw thwm. Just don't think I could do it. Will look at getting my own personalised decals done.

bcmf

just for those who are interested I will keep this updated: I got 2 opinions on the scratch that I had a concern about.1 was in a bike shop.They hmmnned and hawed and then the owner of the shop said that he wouldnt take a chance and to send it back.It occured to me later later that they may have been covering their arse. Anyway I let the seller know that I wished to return it.He had no problem with this was adamant the scratch was only in the clear coat and not any deeper saying he would not sell anything thing that he knew to be defective and had inspected it himself. He said that if he replaced the frame he could not guarantee that the frame he would send me would be "unmarked" which leads me to believe that all the frames he has are marked.
Anyway I got out a big magnifying glass and had a good long look at it and saw that he was right.I could not see anywhere where the clear coat had been pierced and the scratch was narrow and clean.
I agreed to take it but stated "that if the frame opened at the scratch I would be straight back onto him". He had no problem replying "..if the worst does happen,although I very much doubt it, I will gladly replace and I would contact my supplier and tell them.But like I said I wouldnt sell anything that isnt right."
So back to the business in hand. Personalised decals or as Furiousox pointed at "kouta" decals?

Super Freak

Having had some experience with composites I would suggest you examine the frame with a tap hammer...aka a coin.

Use the edge of a coin and tap the frame and fork and listen to the different sounds it makes. If the forks are cracked you should be able to hear the difference between a scratch in the clear coat and a structural failure in the carbon fibre. When there is a crack or delamination the sound the coin makes changes from a sharp "crack" to a dull "thud".

Captain Havoc

Have you tried it yet, how is it?

peterako

Speaking of Guinea Pigs...and seeing as today is.....

(Sorry...I know it's not Friday yet )

bcmf

Captain Havoc wrote: »

Have you tried it yet, how is it?

In lbs at the mo getting headset fitted and BB. A hoping for the virgin ride at the weekend but realistically will be late next week.

bcmf

peterako wrote: »

Speaking of Guinea Pigs...and seeing as today is.....

(Sorry...I know it's not Friday yet )

mmmmm....guinea pigs pancakes

dexty

wow, interesting project & thread. What groupset u putting on it? where'd u purchase it?

bcmf

dexty wrote: »

wow, interesting project & thread. What groupset u putting on it? where'd u purchase it?

Gruppo is basically a bit mish mash. Drivetrain Campy working from xenon up prob to Veloce or centaur but with a Raceface crankset with a DA BB.
Brakes are the Tektro I am using at the mo but will be most certainly upgrading to Centaur or Mavic.
Bars will be Cinelli with seatpost and stem almost decided on.

Got it from ebay but a UK dealer NOT ASIAN.V IMPORTANT WHEN CONSIDERING PRICE

adodsk

I knew i'd seen that frame before.

Lovely looking. How's the project working out?