2014 Model Astuto pre-order campaign

[EricinIkebukuro]

2014 Model Astuto pre-order campaign

From now until the end of December, receive a 10,000 yen discount when you pre-order any 2014 Model year Wheel sets or Carbon Frame set. The following are discount inclusive prices:

Continental Series Wheel Set
59,000円！

Performance Series Wheel Set
38mm/50mm 105,600円！

Elite Series Wheel Set
38mm/50mm 176,221円！

Super Elite Wheel Set
33mm 229,278円！

Aero Road Frame Set
48cm〜58cm 90,000円！

Climber Road Frame Set
48cm〜58cm 120,000円！


Happy Holidays!

 

[GrantT]

Have been looking into Chinese carbon for a while. Just wondered what's the difference between this aero road frame, this road frame and the ones being sold above.

ps, edited my post to be less sarky

 

[GSAstuto]

Same bakery , different recipe. Does that answer your question? That and we actually carry product liability insurance and directly warranty the items in Japan. The actual factory for both of those framesets is neither Miracle nor Hong Fu, by the way. They are simply trading companies with the factory. I take the relationship a few steps deeper by actually specifying different materials and layup and finally different finish and QC. Still based on more or less an 'open mold', which saves ALOT of money -- but I'm working against a different set of specifications which ultimately costs a little bit more, but result is tangible, IMO.

 

[EricinIkebukuro]

Good question Grant. In fact we get asked this kind of question all the time, especially with these Chinese trading companies flooding the market with cheap carbon frames. But when comparing carbon frames these days there is little between them. Our frames are like any other open mold carbon frame except for a few things. Just like Tim has said in a little more detail:

First of is quality. We have a long relationship with the factory, and with that relationship comes benefits. We get the best quality frame that comes of their production line because we have been there personally and explicitly told them how we want our frames to be. Like mentioned above, we have our own "recipe" in the way the carbon is laid up to produce a higher quality bike. Ordering through any of the trading company sites will just get you a random pick from the line that may have quality issues.

Second is service. We stand behind all products with the Astuto brand on it, so if you were to have any trouble with the frame we would be there to fix it. When you buy off a trading site you are buying blind with very little guarantee that you will get any type of warranty service. We have helped some of our customers who have broken their frames in accidents and had them back on the road within days. Good luck trying to get that from a trading company. On another service issue, how do you know you are getting the right size frame? We have frames here in our shop with you can try out and see if it is the right size for you. From there we can make sure you get a frame that will fit you properly. That would be another blind buy.

Third is simple. The sites you linked above require a minimum order of 5 frames. Buying 5 frames where you know nothing about who is building it or what the intentions of the guy is on the other side are, is dangerous. Buying from us or like all LBS in that matter gets you the assurance that what you are buying is actually what you will get.

To sum up, there may not be much in terms of visible difference, but there is a large difference under the surface.

I hope this clears it up a little bit and if you have any more questions about our products, please feel free to ask.

 

[GrantT]

So if I understand correctly, both the frame sets I linked to and the Astuto frame sets above are built in the same factory.

I did contact a Hong Fu representative and it seems the FM066 frame set I linked to is available individually. I assume they would give me an accurate geometry before it arrives as well. They claim 2 years warranty, while you claim they are unlikely to honor that. There are other first-hand opinions written about buying from Chinese suppliers online, so personally I do not see it as a blind buy. The price is also significantly different, not simply a little.

 

[EricinIkebukuro]

Hi Grant,

Of course it is a free market and you are free to buy wherever you like.

The point of this thread is to highlight the products we are selling in our 2014 line up, not to give you advice on buying carbon frames from a Chinese trading company .

If you would like that kind of information, I kindly ask you to please start a new thread.

Our products are priced very reasonably with the after service and support that go along with it.

Cheers