OK...Product tester here!!
I've had my Paketa Rocket for 2 months and have 500 miles on it. Granted, that's not exactly a long time, but I can say that so far, I am impressed with this bike and Paketa has been great to deal with.
Paketa has changed over the past couple of years. Their initial frames were made in Russia. As of last year, all frames are made in Boulder, CO. The tube sets are extruded Mg that are made to their specs by a manufacturer in Denver. The frames are tig welded in house. As a race car hobbyist, I do a bit of welding. Mostly mild steel and some aluminum. I am impressed with the welds on this frame. According to Paketa, the welded frames are 'pickled' in an anti-corrosive solution. All frames are powder coated for added protection. I can attest that the powder coating is tuff. Yesterday, while I was propping the bike up in the garage, one of my old skis fell onto the top tube, not a mark was left.
Isn't metal fatigue a major issue with magnesium?
One of the major benefits of Mg is it's excellent fatigue resistance. Vibration damping is another of it's strengths. If you hit a pothole or pavement crack, etc of course you still receive a sharp jolt as you would on any other bike, But I can say that after hours in the saddle (4.5 hours yesterday), my back is less sore and my hands aren't vibrating like they were on my early 90's Cannondale.
There will always be those that scoff at new ideas. Remember, Carbon Fiber an Ti were both once new materials for bicycle frames. Time will tell, but as of right now, I'm pleased.
jbhowat...you can PM me if you need more details.