Where is a good place to buy a frame?

Pompous

I want to upgrade to carbon fiber but I don't want to pay the crazy prices of the pre-built bikes in shops around Dublin. Does anyone know where I should go to get a reasonably priced carbon fiber frame? I can transfer all the components of my current bike or buy new ones.

Seaneh

Ribble start at decent prices.

countrykid

Firstly set yourself a budget ...
Do this by deciding whether you intend to upgrade your groupo eventually...if you do.. Then your after a high end carbon frame...
If not then your looking at mid point carbon..
If you want to get value then look for NEW OLD STOCK (nos) framesets on the web..
It's a tedious process but you can turn up gems ...
Make sure you have all the data you need..
Your size...what BB you need for your groupo... Etc etc
IMHO ribble frames and there like are basic..they are Chinese frames cleverly branded and marketed ...work horses but nothing special
For a few hundred more your likely to nab say a 2010/11/12 top end frame online...
A useful way of finding ads is to enter a bike name / frame you like in google images..
Lots of pics of frames being advertised worldwide will be linked into images so click on various ones and you could get brought to an ad ...

ednwireland

http://www.westbrookcycles.co.uk/

scott foil for 1500 sterling (di2 frame)

Pompous

I'm really poor. I think I'm going to just get a Ribble. A top end frame would be wasted on me anyway. As far as I can see, a frame is a frame. The only difference is the weight. (I know this is not true, but for me it is).

Mechanic365

PlanetX or HongFu are good options, or if your near galway go into oranmore and go into velocity bikes behind the clayton hotel and he will sort you out with one of the new turas frames

EDIT: Should mention good turas carbon frame is only around 1000yoyos mark

Mechanic365

ednwireland wrote: »

http://www.westbrookcycles.co.uk/

scott foil for 1500 sterling (di2 frame)

one of the mates got this absoulutely stunning frame built with ultegra di2 and dura-ace c50's!

Mechanic365

Pompous wrote: »

I'm really poor. I think I'm going to just get a Ribble. A top end frame would be wasted on me anyway. As far as I can see, a frame is a frame. The only difference is the weight. (I know this is not true, but for me it is).

The other difference is crashing! Buying something at half price/ off a non-dealer means if you crash the company will not offer discounted crash replacements and therefore you have to fork out money again

XtotheZ

Dolan

Lumen

Pompous wrote: »

I want to upgrade to carbon fiber

Pompous wrote: »

As far as I can see, a frame is a frame. The only difference is the weight. (I know this is not true, but for me it is).

This is a bit confusing. If a frame is a frame, why do you want to "upgrade"?

IMO there is a massive difference between how different frames feel, weight is really the least important aspect to how the bike will ride once you get down to the 1000-1500g range (i.e. most alloy and carbon frames). Geometry, stiffness, tube profile, seatpost diameter and length make a big difference.

A 2004 Colnago C50 frameset weighed over 1750g, but I'd rather have one of those than a lighter Planet X Pro Carbon or whatever.

If you're on a budget make sure you're not going to have any BB compatibility issues.

Planet X were doing the Nanolight for £399 recently but now seem to be out of stock. That would be a lot of bang for buck.

godtabh

Lumen wrote: »

This is a bit confusing. If a frame is a frame, why do you want to "upgrade"?

IMO there is a massive difference between how different frames feel, weight is really the least important aspect to how the bike will ride once you get down to the 1000-1500g range (i.e. most alloy and carbon frames). Geometry, stiffness, tube profile, seatpost diameter and length make a big difference.

A 2004 Colnago C50 frameset weighed over 1750g, but I'd rather have one of those than a lighter Planet X Pro Carbon or whatever.

If you're on a budget make sure you're not going to have any BB compatibility issues.

Planet X were doing the Nanolight for £399 recently but now seem to be out of stock. That would be a lot of bang for buck.

I tried to get a nanolight off them a couple of weeks ago. None left

wav1

Feck all wrong with a Ribble Evo Pro carbon.Great entry level frame and forks.

Brian?

If I was going to low budget route I'd probably go with a hong fu. Loads of very positive reviews online.

WillyFXP

Mechanic365 wrote: »

PlanetX or HongFu are good options, or if your near galway go into oranmore and go into velocity bikes behind the clayton Maldron hotel and he will sort you out with one of the new turas frames

EDIT: Should mention good turas carbon frame is only around 1000yoyos mark

FYP

lennymc

Brian? wrote: »

If I was going to low budget route I'd probably go with a hong fu. Loads of very positive reviews online.

there is a possibility of an anti dumping tax as well as the importu duty and vat on top of the purchase price for all chinese frames now.

Brian?

lennymc wrote: »

there is a possibility of an anti dumping tax as well as the importu duty and vat on top of the purchase price for all chinese frames now.

It's still a money saver though.

Pompous

Lumen wrote: »

This is a bit confusing. If a frame is a frame, why do you want to "upgrade"?

I said a frame is a frame and the only difference is the weight. I'm upgrading to a lighter frame. How exactly is that confusing?

Lumen

Pompous wrote: »

I said a frame is a frame and the only difference is the weight. I'm upgrading to a lighter frame. How exactly is that confusing?

OK. I was a bit confused about you knowing something was true and untrue at the same time.

lennymc

Brian? wrote: »

It's still a money saver though.

im not sure if it is if you are hit for a 48.5% ADD. your 400 euro frame set costs the guts of 800 when delivery and all taxes are added.

End of season specials from within the EU seem to be better as all taxes etc are included, and there should (in theory) be an easier backup service.

Pompous

Lumen wrote: »

OK. I was a bit confused about you knowing something was true and untrue at the same time.

I said it is true for me. You seem easily confused.

Mechanic365

Lumen wrote: »

If you're on a budget make sure you're not going to have any BB compatibility issues.

The list goes on here, the bb can be different. If you have a clamp-on front derailleur its normally smaller on a alloy frame than a carbon frame or it will be a braze-on instead. Then if your changing seatpost and bars theres more room for error as there's two different thicknesses usually and most likely you'll need a different stem

Mechanic365

WillyFXP wrote: »

FYP

Shows ya how much attention I pay to names of places lol

fat bloke

A handle more apt than mine own.