Originally Posted by
rpenmanparker
I think those folks know what they are doing and do it for some big names. They just may need to keep their non-branded stuff a couple of technology generations behind the brand name stuff they build in order to keep peace with their biggest customers.
I think dengfu is actually totally separate from the taiwanese manufacturers, who are the ones who make frames for 90% of the big brands. I'm told by the supplier that the fm098 that I bought is chinese, not taiwanese. so they're probably not the same guys who make trek, specialized, giant, cannondale, etc. it makes me want to question it, but I've also read good reviews on the fm098 to know that it's a good frame.
Originally Posted by
Inpd
Is there anything preventing a Chinese manufacturer from duplicating the exact same frame geometry of an existing product but leaving it generic (i.e. unlabeled)?
Also, is the form of double butting etc patented?
What exactly about a frame can be patented.
A few posts upthread referred to the high R&D costs but I've never seen a bike frame with "patent pending" on them which refers to the geometry.
Originally Posted by
svtmike
Perhaps that is because a patent isn't always the best way to protect one's intellectual property.
not sure if these company patents extend to the international level. in case it doesn't, the molds that are used to make the frames belong to the companies, not the manufacturers. I don't think it's legal for them to use the exact same mold to open up a business on the side in order to sell it at a smaller margin. it's bad business and creates distrust, so I doubt that's how it's done. however, I think they can totally make slightly altered molds and make almost the same products, which I think is what they're doing.