Unbranded Frame
 

Hi all, So I am looking to buy a used bike at my LBS and found one with no branding on the frame. The previous owner must have bought the frame and then speced the way they wanted. Ultegra front and rear, FSA crank and headset, Mavic wheelset. Frame is carbon and there is what I am assuming is a serial number sticker on the BB. I tried to figure out what frame it is by that number but no luck. Best I can guess by looking at pics online is that it is a Fuji Altamira or SL. Price is $800. Any thoughts on how I might find out what kind of frame it is and thoughts on the Bike its self and the price? TY!
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The tacky gold tape will be the first thing to go!

$800 is at the upper end IMO, but Asian carbon frames are effectively commodities at this point - the only thing driving the price is the brand sticker. So, it could well be a Fuji, but does it really matter as long as it’s in good shape and there are no cracks, dings or divots? The components are decent - if it fits and everything works, why not?

I kind of like the no branding. Just curious. I want to make decals of my own brand name and model. The Nomad Windrunner.

Seems a lot of money to me for a frame of unknown provenance and not too spiffy components as best I can tell from the pics.

Just consider it for what it is, not what you think or want it to be. It's a bike.

Can you tell if it's unbranded from the factory or a repaint? You can't just remove the graphics if they are under the usual clear coat. At best it's generic Chinese $200 pig in a poke. At worst it's been repainted to conceal damage. I think you can do better.

Hmmmm maybe I've been away too long, I thought Ultegra FSA and Mavic were pretty good.

They are good companies. But they make both high end stuff and low end stuff. Perhaps FSA's high end stuff doesn't quite reach to the heights of others.

Are the brakes Ultegra? 11 speed? They didn't look like it to me in the pics and I couldn't tell about the RD. The bars have a lot of drop for a bike that already looks like it has a low stack height.

But the asking price might be about what the person that put it together paid for it. How old are they claiming it to be?

I dont think its a repaint because the sticker on the BB. Wouldnt they have just painted over it as well or taken it off? idk

Can you explain more please about paint covering damage? I looked over it and cant find any cracks or dents and stuff. Can paint cover cracks?

If it's got a sticker on it and no branding, just assume its a no brand frame that someone bought from AliExpress or other. Even if it was made in the same factory in the same molds as a brand name bike, there is no guaranty they used the same materials and layup.

Though I'd think the brand name bike companies would have some contractual agreements that the molds not be used by others.

idk about the age of it. The brakes just say Shimano, nothing else.

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somehow reminds me the scott cr1... probably the fork is the first detail.

Pull the hoods up and there should be a part number embossed on the plastic body somewhere. ST-Rnnnn or something similar. Knowing that you can look at the release dates to guess what age the components might be. PN will also be on the back of the parallelogram of the RD. That'll tell you what it is so you can make sure it'll handle any gearing change that you might want to make to the rear cassette. As well ensure the guy that built it out didn't go outside spec and is selling it because it never performed well for him.

Since it appears that you are local to the bike, you should ask for the saddle to be set to the correct height for you. Then judge what the saddle to bar drop is. If you need higher bars than what it is on that bike, then you are looking at the wrong bike. You can get a ballpark for the saddle height by putting your heel on the pedal and extending your leg almost straight.

We did a guesstamate saddle height and I took it for a ride. It was comfy. Maybe a longer stem or a seatpost with an offset. I like to stretch a bit more than I should. Shifted and braked well.

Just realize you can get a brand new Trek Domane for $999. Though it'd be Claris 8 speed on the rear. Or for 1400 bucks a new Domane with Sora 9 speed. Albeit it'll be the aluminum frame version, but still new. And it won't have those old style drops on them. Newer thoughts on drop bars are short reach and shallow drop. I tend to like them better. It means I stay more aero when on the tops and don't waste as much energy for the long rides by not being as aero.

But if that's the bike you want, get it. Though I do think it's too high a price. But you do have to consider if you'll find anything else you like for the price. Just don't expect it to be a hidden brand name bike of great pedigree. <grin>

I think it is the bike Cancellara won the 2010 Tour of Flanders on.

Oh, a e-bike!

Lol!

Seriously: how could anyone on here tell you anything significant? It's a blue frame.
You say it is at a (local) bike shop. What do they say about it; any hard information? Surely they must know something about its provenance. If they don't, I'd run away if it were me looking at this bike.

A guy at the shop said it belonged to his dad and he cant ride anymore. He said he didn't know where he got it from.

There is no way I would put $800 into a totally unknown bike. I would consider the frame to be more or less worthless, maybe $100 at most. Ultegra of that vintage isn't worth a great deal either. Not to me anyway! I would pass and look for a known quantity at that price, especially with carbon.

Sounds dodgy to me: vague. I'm with PeteHski ... look elsewhere.

You can get a Giant Contend for as little as $800, with discs and modern frame spacing and gearing. For a few hundred more there is a version with carbon fork and clearance for 38mm tires.

No idea what it is. Tube shapes/profiles seem kind of modern (compared to my carbon bikes from the late 2000s - early 2010s), but external cable guides means it's probably older than 2015. Components are ok - certainly rideable. I like rim brake bikes from this era but I'm not sure I'd throw down $800 for this one. I'm not saying $800 isn't a fair price, just not worth it to me given the unknown frame and parts spec.

Not sure of the used bike prices in your neck of the woods, but Facebook and Craigslist have some good prices on brand name bikes for less than your bike would cost. Lots of great used bikes are coming into the market since covid. I paid $1,100 last year for a 2016 Spec Roubaix with Di2. It was like new. Also, a no brand used bike would be hard to resell if you wanted to move up.

Thank you all for your advice, comments and opinions. I agree with those of you who said "beware". I decided paying $850 for a frame of unknown origin would just be foolish. I have decided on a carbon Scattante. Ultegra/105, FSA crank and headset, Shimano R500 wheelset, Tektro brakes. All very basic stuff but given that I am 58 and returning after 6 years of no riding I think it will suit me well. At $465 it is much less of a risk. Thanks again!