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I am toying with the idea of a direct buy chinese frame as I want a more xc race focused bike for next season (until I pay of more of my credit card its [i]probably[/i] parked in the planning stage).
I'm looking at the CS-136 650b. [url= http://www.xmcarbonspeed.com/Productinfo.asp?f=1283 ]Linky.[/url]
Firstly, just wondering if anyone else has got one and fancied giving thoughts on it? Reports on the MTBR forum seem positive, but mostly consist of 'i've been riding it for [insert duration] and it hasn't broken yet'
Whats the mud clearance like? Are the drop-outs standard bits you can get replacements of easily?
In terms of direct buy in general CarbonSpeed seem to be one of the better ones - any reports otherwise?
One thing that confuses me is its an open mould frame with the 136 indicating the mould - hence why there are also hongfu 136's, Ican 136's etc. Are all the 136's identical? There seems to be slightly different geometries in the geo tables between sellers. Are the differences actually mistakes in the geo tables?
Is there only one factory with the 136 mould or will a bunch of different factories have the 136 mould and so the layups/quality may vary slightly between the different direct sellers?
Cheers 8)
Wait till you've paid off your card, then save up for one 
bikeneil - MemberWait till you've paid off your card, then save up for one
You sounds suspiciously like my wife! 😯
I sound like mine too 😐
A load of factories will sell identical looking frames. Short of cutting them up you'll struggle to know if they're actually the same. I don't believe all these companies are actually using the same frame.
I've not heard of CarbonSpeed, but have recently bought a Deng Fu road bike and it really is bloody good. I'd recommend them.
Buy a spare mech hanger. They're easy to get, but you'll likely be going back to China. I got one FOC with my road bike.
That one looks comparatively heavy, I'd go for a lighter one myself!
Cheers njee, (and a bump for the Friday evening half-cut crowd to tell me i'll end up with carbon fibre severing my femoral artery) from what I could read on mtbr, 'peter' who runs carbonspped used to work for one of the others and then set up on his own and seems to have a good rep.
That model is a touch heavier than others but a) I thought it probably meant it stronger and b) the lighter ones I've seen have 71-72 deg head angles. That one is exactly the same geo (for 16 inch) as a small Scott scale,