Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - i hope i'm wrong about this...

my resent ebay purchase (too good to be true) gave way to google time on my mac. what i found is of concern - well, to me anyway.

my specialized 06 s-works langster frame (freshly purchased on ebay) is eerily similar to a generic track frame offered in a catalogue from a mass producing manufacture of cycling goods from asia.

"currently supply to global customers and many of them are the most reputed bicycle assemblers, such as Jamis, DMR, Ritchey, Surly, QBP, Planet X, Dawes, Greenspeed, Rans, Da Bomb, VooDoo, Sachs and so on."

not uncommon these days to be sure, however:

a.) an s-works langster track frame is made from top-shelf "columbus SLX" (as stated on specialized website)

http://cgi.ebay.com/Road-Track-Single-Speed-Hybrid-Fixed-Gear-Bike-Frame-62_W0QQitemZ140024746985QQihZ004QQcategoryZ98084QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

b.) the ar7048 track frame, from common "7005"

http://bicycle-frame.bicyclenet.com.tw/track-bicycle-frame/AR7048.htm

The dropouts, chainstays, and seattube all look significantly different

edit: track ends, not dropouts. you get the point.

The dropouts, chainstays, and seattube all look significantly different

edit: track ends, not dropouts. you get the point.

really?

they seem alike to me

i hope your right

Whats the price difference? Damn, id like to buy frames from that place. Like buy MANY. I wonder if theyll deal with me.

Just on my first glance the track ends seemed obviously different to me too.

really?

they seem alike to me

i hope your right

yeah, the track ends on the asian one are higher quality with steel inserts. you
can see the screws. But the Langster frame is almost 500g lighter. So maybe
check the weight when you get it.

yeah, the track ends on the asian one are higher quality with steel inserts. you
can see the screws. But the Langster frame is almost 500g lighter. So maybe
check the weight when you get it.



are you/all taking into account that the ar77048 picture is actually an illustration enhanced photo?

if so, man - i need spectacles


btw--- i thank you all for your thoughts - much appreciated

i second the trackend observation... the downtube on the maxway looks a bit wider and more oval as well.

seat tube flares a little more on the maxway

but they are close

i second the trackend observation... the downtube on the maxway looks a bit wider and more oval as well.

your right about the dt being wider

kinda like those "leader" track frames

and leaders sport drop-outs with steel inserts...

this forum is a fricking "think tank"

thanks!

this should help:

http://www.et-ia.com/download/maxtrack.jpg

not the same bikes

the headtube looks super short on the maxway. not so w/ the langster. the langster's top tube shape doesn't look round where it joins the seat tube, but it could be my eyes. can't tell what shape the maxway's top tube is.

the front end of the Maxway (top tube and down tube) looks quite a bit different then the front end of the Langster.

The '07 Langsters are now equipped with steel inserts on the track-ends, maybe that Maxway is just an '07 Langster. Or maybe it is an '07 Bianchi Pista Concept. Either way, I doubt that a small-time asian company is going to have the resources to come up with their own track bike with it's own geometry when they can just buy a bunch of non-badged track frames that have already been produced.

it seems though from what i've been able to dig up on the interweb they aren't that small time. just not known here yet. i'd say its more likely they manufacture the frames that get rebadged by the big companies, but still badge some themselves. just guessing tho.

I doubt that a small-time asian company is going to have the resources to come up with their own track bike with it's own geometry when they can just buy a bunch of non-badged track frames that have already been produced.

I think this is one of those Taiwainese companies that makes the frames for everyone else. Maybe they have to use a different shaped drop tube or something to protect Specialized's intellectual property or something? Regardless of whether it's a "specialized" or a "maxway", if it's coming from the same place and it's made by the same people/robots, it should be a good deal.

Is there any way to actually order the frames on that site? I'd be interested in seeing how much they are selling these for (esp. the 853 lugged road frame)...

yeah, i was thinking that too. i wrote them an email. lets see if i get a reply. i'm guessing if i get a price it'll be $500+. like the duratec magnetic ones.

\Regardless of whether it's a "specialized" or a "maxway", if it's coming from the same place and it's made by the same people/robots, it should be a good deal.

With different tubing.

Isn't that a repainted Fetish/Leader frame?

the fetish/leader ones have replacable trackend covers tho, don't they?

interesting...wish i could see how much they were selling for.

i'm stumped as to what it is but i'm pretty sure what it ain't; the s-works langsters have a slight taper and pinch to their top tube.

interesting...wish i could see how much they were selling for.

i agree

like i said. i emailed them with a serious inquiry. if they holler back i will post here.

You can't really order single frames from these guys. I think their min. order is 100 frames in one size/color. You CAN lie and tell them you want a sample frame because you are thinking of starting a bicycle company and they will charge double the normal price for a sample frame. They will give you lots of options in terms of paint colors forks and geometry. The shipping is outrageous though and in the end will end up costing the same as buying a similar frame here from Fuji, Bianchi, Specialized, EAI, whatever and it involves lying which is BAAAAAAAAD.

Are you assuming the Langster is not a Tiawan frame? Are you concerned that it is?
The Langster doesn't have the steel plates to protect the Drop-outs.
But the Langster is a Tiawan frame.

I emailed the ebay seller about those supposed S works "lanster" frames. My inquiry was:

Though I see you have excellent feedback and are obviously an asset to ebay, I have to ask: Are these really Specialized S-Works track frames? The top tube doesn't quite look right to me, and why are you selling them w/out a fork? Thanks for your time; no offense intended w/ my question, it's just that something doesn't quite fit.

His reply was:

Yes, my item is Specialized S-Works frames, and it is OEM item, because we have no the fork for it so don't sell it, thx!



Oh well, clearly what appeared too good to be true, is precisely that. Bullsh!t

I emailed the ebay seller about those supposed S works "lanster" frames. My inquiry was:

Though I see you have excellent feedback and are obviously an asset to ebay, I have to ask: Are these really Specialized S-Works track frames? The top tube doesn't quite look right to me, and why are you selling them w/out a fork? Thanks for your time; no offense intended w/ my question, it's just that something doesn't quite fit.

His reply was:

Yes, my item is Specialized S-Works frames, and it is OEM item, because we have no the fork for it so don't sell it, thx!



Oh well, clearly what appeared too good to be true, is precisely that. Bullsh!t

i dont get why this answers your question? if they are grabbing the frames from the factory... it would make sense they dont have the forks because they are carbon (i believe) and most likely made somewhere else where this dudes cousin doenst have acces to trowing stuff out the back... if anything the reply makes me think it might be more legit, in the loosest sense of that word

as bad as his english is.. he even correctly used the OEM...showing he has something to do with the factories at least

i dont get why this answers your question? if they are grabbing the frames from the factory... it would make sense they dont have the forks because they are carbon (i believe) and most likely made somewhere else where this dudes cousin doenst have acces to trowing stuff out the back... if anything the reply makes me think it might be more legit, in the loosest sense of that word

as bad as his english is.. he even correctly used the OEM...showing he has something to do with the factories at least

That's accurate I bet. Probably is the OEM selling the frames though. Good point about why there is no fork.
Frame probably sells for around $100 US And by the time it's stickered and marketed it's a $499.99 Frame (or more).

i dont get why this answers your question?

It doesn't, it just casts more doubt on the item which means I will not bid on it.

It doesn't, it just casts more doubt on the item which means I will not bid on it.

ah.. i see what youre saying.. to me it actually gives more hope... but the best part about it is we dont need to worry.. 'cause gravity already bought one and he can give us a true yay or nay when it arrives... right gravity?

the langster has a stupider name.

...no wait - the maxway has a stupider name.


...no wait -

the langster sounds like gangster, which is dumb. the maxway sounds like a supermarket which is somehow awesome in an ironic sort of way. (if that is at all possible)

Is that bike a s-works langster, I dont know. But those two frames are not the same. The tubes are not even close to each other..

this should help:

http://www.et-ia.com/download/maxtrack.jpg

thats the same generic taiwanese frame as the tsunami's I believe, looks just like the one I have

any word onn this one gravity?

Isn't that a repainted Fetish/Leader frame?


the fetish/leader ones have replacable trackend covers tho, don't they?

yes they do have replacable trackend covers

and the fetish and leader track frames arent the same. yes, they do both have funny shaped seat tubes but there are differences just take a closer look.

i'm not sure what makes some of you think that a production bike like the wangster is lovingly hand-made by zen masters in the united states. the majority of our frames these days come from taiwan. if a guy has a batch of oem frames, who is to say they're inferior because they're not painted black and stickered with brand names? if i could find a deal on that maxway frame and their carbon track fork, i'd go for it.

it seems though from what i've been able to dig up on the interweb they aren't that small time. just not known here yet. i'd say its more likely they manufacture the frames that get rebadged by the big companies, but still badge some themselves. just guessing tho.

Chances are many, many people on this forum are riding Maxway-built frames. They build for Kogswell, Rivendell (their new Bleriot), Surly, I think SOMA, and many others.

Chances are many, many people on this forum are riding Maxway-built frames. They build for Kogswell, Rivendell (their new Bleriot), Surly, I think SOMA, and many others.

You can add IRO to that list.

And delete SOMA (there are LOTS of TIG shops in Taiwan).

That Maxway frame and the Langster aren't even close.

You can add IRO to that list.

And delete SOMA (there are LOTS of TIG shops in Taiwan).

That Maxway frame and the Langster aren't even close.

thanks for confirming. that definitely makes sense.

personally if i could get unbadged or maxway badged frames for cheaper than their identical counterparts, i'd be all over them.

thanks for confirming. that definitely makes sense.

personally if i could get unbadged or maxway badged frames for cheaper than their identical counterparts, i'd be all over them.


We put brands on frames as a form of advertising.

Using that logic, we should charge more for an unbranded frame.

In practice we don't put a brand on our frames, but we make it easy to do if you want to.

What you're paying for when you buy a Maxway frame from IRO, Surly, Rivendell, etc is partly the design of the frame. If you left that up to Maxway.... that's too funny to even consider.

All those Maxway photos are of frames that we produced for a brand/label.

They want them to look 'stock', but others designed them.

Hey Gravity, what happened with the frame? Did you get it built up yet? Is it an S-Works frame? Dying to know.

now things are becoming clear. thanks kogs!

gravity! what's the word?