Cheap(ish!)carbon parts?

yikes this thread got me thinking, I just looked up the Exotic carbon forks I had http://www.carboncycles.cc/?s=0&t=2&c=43&p=498& = Recommended rider weight limit: 97.5kg (215lbs). Which means I was riding right on the edge

Thats them out of the window for me then. Thanks for the link more research to be done by me.

I have a Coyote Ultralight Dual Slalom bike, well it's just a frame now. When my DB Apex broke due to rust I had to build it up quick smart for a XC race I was doing. It had Thomson post and stem, carbon seat, decent disc brake wheel set, 1.9 Maxxis Larsens and a few other nice bits. It came in quite light, well as light as I dared to go. After the 12 hour race it was creaking a bit But I think it was the BB more then anything.

Id be creaking a bit after 12 hours never mind the bike!!!
edit. just googled "weight limit for pace rc 31 forks" and this popped up first http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/ind ... 190.0;wap2
intresting.
But the 3rd add down was a wiggle add and has in the blurb "weight limits 95kg" hmmmm

Yeah I slept pretty well that night! I was a bit gutted that the frame was just an inch to small or I would have kept it built up For the race I had to go for a seat that had a gel padding and high rails to get extra height.

Get some pics up though, would love to see your frame!

The most fun is had riding that way

Chatting to a few LBS owners, it would appear 95% of major brands you have heard of are manufactured by the same handful of factories in Taiwan. The designs and final assemblies (drivetrain and stickers) may be done back at the brand's HQ but manufacture is all done there.

Giant are the biggest manufacturer in the world, but only do their own brand. Merida are next biggest, IIRC they do Spezzie, Kona, Boardman, Carrera and of course their own brand. Kona and Spezzie frames have also been sold as Carreras with the difference being drivetrain and price. The frames are also sold as different brands in other countries.

A friend of mine lives there and he says the whole place is very much into being "Cutting edge"; the standard of living is very good. The quality control in factories is a source of great pride as the Taiwanese like to distance themselves politically from the mainland Chinese.

The Taiwanese plants are themselves under threat from factories in mainland China undercutting them, which is why unemployment is appearing on their political radar for the first time since the 70s.

Regarding carbon itself, I am 14 stone and having seen (not personally mind; on the internet) carbon bars shattering, I've decided to go with carbon-wrapped alloy on my Bontrager for bars and stem. I have got carbon forks but as the bike won't be doing rock gardens I am happy.

Some of the deals on ebay seem bonkers cheap though; unbranded carbon frame, stem, bars, post and seat for around £400 IIRC. Don't know anyone that's taken the plunge yet but it's tempting.

There was a thread on another bike forum about carbon chinese knockoffs. Someone had bought what they thought was a Specialized team carbon road frame, happened to be travelling at a decent speed when the headtube snapped off! Bike wasn't that old, only a few thousand k's old, it was only then he realised it wasn't actually a real one, although you would have never known! Same thing with posts, bars etc...

If your going to go down the Carbon route, make sure you buy decent brands, from a reputable dealer/seller, and being 106kg's don't buy the lightest weight weenie stuff...

That will do for me, Im taking the plunge. This build isnt going to get raced
so I really cant see any modern day carbon component failing me for the use Im intending for it(hanging onto the back of buses round manchester after a few). Forget the weight limits a hours googling = carbons tuff stuff.