[Closed] "cheap" carbon road disc frames - Ribble, Planet X, anything else out there?

I usually think that PX, Ribble etc "cheap" carbon frames are overpriced as frame-only offerings - but that discount PX sounds a good deal if it is only cosmetically flawed.

T800 carbon so should ride like a much more pricey bike. I have a cheap Ribble carbon bike and it's OK but not worth full asking price IMO.

At the moment the PX is the one I'm more likely to go for - it's just taking that risk of what I'd get in the box - they say could be decal issues, or patchy lacquer - or something completely different?! Suppose I'm over cautious given the London Road seat tube debacle....

A

I thought about carbon disc for a while but concluded that lower-end carbon wasn't necessarily much better than alu, and could get a much better deal on an alu frame. The RT D80 seems a step up so might be good, but I could never cope with the awful graphics for starters.

What do you call cheap? You can buy an off the peg Giant Defy for £840 which is a lot of bike for the money.

You could even sell the stuff off it you don't want

FD - Where have you seen a carbon defy for £840?

Got a Diverge A1 at the mo - full 105 hydro set up, carbon Cobl-Gbr post, kinesis cx-lite wheels (1600g) - so the frame seems a sensible place to drop weight - the A1 frame is the old secteur, which was a bit portly.....

A

Cough!
[url= http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/fs-ridley-fenix-disc-rolling-frameset ]Carbon Disc Rolling Frameset[/url]
All you would need is a groupset and some tyres....

http://www.rutlandcycling.com/318561/products/giant-defy-1-disc-2016-road-bike-blue.aspx?origin=pla_with_promotion&kwd=&currency=GBP&gclid=COr7rv_K6c4CFUaNGwod_l8MDg

Less than £800 now

[s]Dolan[/s] not disc

Chinese open?

http://www.flyxii.com/en/products/flx-fr-602.html

Same design as the Ribble CR3.

Mine has been faultless - its pretty fast with slicks too. Mine weighs in at 8.75kg with heavy fulcrum racing sport wheels.

FD - that's an Alu Defy - probably not much difference between that and my Diverge?

A

Nathb - yeah, I've seen the CR-3, but looks like they don't do a frame-only option now?

Did you buy yours direct?

To clarify - I want to source a frame to hang the group set and wheels I currently have - not to buy a complete new bike (or buy one and strip.......)

A

No doesn't look like they do anymore.

I bought mine direct from Flyxii back when the £ was stronger 😆 Think it came in at just under $500/£350 inc tax, headset, di2 fitments, spare hanger and a carbon seatpost.

If you're interested I made a thread on it: http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/chinese-carbon-cr3flx-fr-602ac059cx-002

The RTD-80 r grade frames are paint imperfections only. Some of them are very slight indeed. Usually just incorrect size labelling on BB transfer, or a bit of matt overspray on a gloss area and vice versa, or maybe a couple of pin prick bubbles in the finish.

They're very good frames, well reviewed by mags and owners alike (that bike owners, not dave who owns us)...

^

That's good to know - thanks!

A

Sorry yes being stupid !

£900 for the advanced 3

sq225917 - Member
The RTD-80 r grade frames are paint imperfections only. Some of them are very slight indeed. Usually just incorrect size labelling on BB transfer, or a bit of matt overspray on a gloss area and vice versa, or maybe a couple of pin prick bubbles in the finish.

They're very good frames, well reviewed by mags and owners alike (that bike owners, not dave who owns us)...

Apart from PX after care service record is shocking/appalling/laughable/diabolical! I'd rather buy from China than from you/them even if the prices were identical.

Once bitten.

I've only ever bought one frame from PX / OO and that was fine - however, seeing the London road seat tube issues I'm wary.......

A

What did you end up with Andy?

Since this thread came up I've bought a Deng Fu R04, it's dead good. 50mm wheels from a random seller on AliExpress. Ultegra Di2 disc groupset, came out more or less dead on £2k. Like it a lot. Bought an all black Toupe for it since.

[img] [/img]

That looks nice!!

Direct from dengfu?

Holy thread resurrection!

I ended up with a specialized roubaix sl4 disc frame! Guy at work was upgrading, so ended up buying his frame from him.

Transferred all the kit from my Diverge onto it - then ended up buying another groupset to rebuild the diverge as winter/commuter bike......

A

I was intrigued as I've wrote off my commuter 😥

Nathb - rubbish. How did that happen?

I like the look of the new aero ribble disc but can't see it as a frame only - shame ribble have stopped doing frame only's...

A

Massive pothole 😳 I've cracked the rear hanger holder area, which means I can't get the wheel to sit straight. This means gears and discs are fudged!

My attempt at trying to get it to work again:

[IMG] [/IMG]

I'm thinking of going down the UK frame route this time, purely as I need a commuter quickly and nothing Chinese has drawn my attention. Njee's bike is a bit overkill for a commuter lol

Direct from dengfu?

Yep, via AliExpress as they do TopCashback and discounts and what not. Frame was $400.

Njee's bike is a bit overkill for a commuter lol

That's exactly what I built it for! The majority of my riding is commuting, may as well have a nice bike to do it on. Di2 and discs make for a good bad weather bike, no cables to go shitty.

That's a bargain!

Cheapest I can find that frame is £460 + import fees. But also I'd need to buy axle conversions for my wheels as I've got QRs.

At the moment I've found a UK supplied frame for £400, plus another £100 in bits (bb/headset/cables/tape) - everything else will be directly transplanted. It's not pretty, but it's not a PX(!!!!!).

What is it nathb?

Mmm, yeah, $570 now I see. I only bought it in April, admittedly it was on sale.

The Ribble Endurance 2016

The thread has come full circle! Ha ha!

Haha it's the $ to £ - makes importing a bit more painful in the wallet department.

Plus although the FR602 has been great, the steering is SO slow compared to my racing bike and it was never going to go off road so a little overkill for me lol.

Put an insurance claim in on Saturday morning.

They've just approved it and are paying out in the next 2-3 days.

Ribble & all the bits ordered 🙂

Just an FYI - I've had the Planet X RT80 built up to race crits and road races on. It's nice and light but man alive does it flex. Like, properly flex to the point where I worry it's cracked or something (it's not, or at least not that I can see). Given a choice, I'd not buy another based purely on this...

Njee - love that. Exactly what I want for commuting!

https://www.bike-discount.de/en/search?q=cube+attain+gtc&l=24&o=preis

n0b0dy0ftheg0at - Member
https://www.bike-discount.de/en/search?q=cube+attain+gtc&l=24&o=preis

Hmm quite tempted to cancel my Ribble order!!

^

I would be! They look awesome for the money!

EDIT - note you'll need to order the 142x12 axle too.......

A

njee20 - Member
Since this thread came up I've bought a Deng Fu R04, it's dead good. 50mm wheels from a random seller on AliExpress. Ultegra Di2 disc groupset, came out more or less dead on £2k. Like it a lot. Bought an all black Toupe for it since.

Do you commute down Priory Road/through Richmond Park by any chance?

Yeah that's the problem I'd require:
New brakes/adapters
New axles
bottom bracket

So probably another £150 over the ribble...

Yeah, I'd need new wheels/brakes/rotors/BB for the Cube.

I'm going to stick with the Ribble, as much as I like the look of the Cube.

Do you commute down Priory Road/through Richmond Park by any chance?

I don't not commute through RP/Priory Road... clearly we've met!

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/WPFURSPOD/fulcrum-racing-sport-disc-clincher-wheelset

~£160 for the 12x100/142 bolt thru set, basically the same set that come on the full Cube Attain GTC Pro. 😉

Don't know if this is the cheapest place, just something I spotted recently.

I won't touch PX or Fulcrum wheels 😆

I've got some cosine wheels (novatec hubs), which you can convert to thru axles, I can quite easily get hold of the rear one but the front 12mm caps seems to be impossible...

Tick

[url= http://www.eshop.novatecwheels.eu/category/spare-parts/axles-and-side-caps/side-caps-12mm-press-in-for-d771sb/ ]End caps?[/url]

Haha.

But now I'm so confused, I buy the axle for the rear wheel and the end caps for the front - what holds the wheel on? 😆

I'm sticking the Ribble.

The cubes very nice but I prefer the geometry of the Ribble and there's too much faffing to convert kit to get it to work.

I'll represent my home city here in the south.

(sorry for the thread hijack too haha)

Yep - I have the same Cosine wheels and those are indeed the end caps you need - I got them from that linky too.

njee20 - Member
Do you commute down Priory Road/through Richmond Park by any chance?
I don't not commute through RP/Priory Road... clearly we've met!

I thought I recognised the bike! I was going to ask if it was a Chinese carbon frame but thought that may be taken the wrong way. You've certainly inspired me to at least semi-pimp my commuter.

I'll say hello next time! (Boardman CX with full guards and creaking BB30)

You're going to say hello to each other, in London?!

My only form of communication on my commute is to erm politely ask the red light/line jumpers to stop getting in my way 😆

Any idea on tyre clearance on those Cubes?

I thought I recognised the bike! I was going to ask if it was a Chinese carbon frame but thought that may be taken the wrong way. You've certainly inspired me to at least semi-pimp my commuter.

I'll say hello next time! (Boardman CX with full guards and creaking BB30)

S'ok, a number of people have asked what it is! It's my second one, bought on the strength of the first. Be on it tomorrow/Thursday, so I'll give you a shout if I see you!

YoKaiser - Member
Any idea on tyre clearance on those Cubes?

From a CRC review:

I've fitted Conti gp4000s2's in 28mm, which actually inflate to approx 31mm on these wheels. There's room to go up a size, I reckon. That's with sks race blade mudguards too.

Cheers nathb.

I've not tried fitting them yet to my Cube Attain GTC Pro Disc, but I bought a pair of 28mm Grand Sport Race last week as something I could fit either on the Wazoo's 29er wheels or on the Cube.

I read somewhere that there's ~32mm of measured safe clearance, but as we know, some brands come up big and others small compared to advertised spec.

Njee - what tyre clearance have you got in that? 25? 28?

Pretty tight, running 23 on the rear, 25 on the front (just because one wore out more quickly, will be 25s both ends shortly).

You won't get wider than 25 in, which is what they claim to be fair.

Ribble have proper messed my order up, is it a sign? 😆

I can live with a 25. Thanks.