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Cheap Carbon DH frame

Lelandjt

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2008
2,508
822
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
Anyone see this catalog carbon DH frame? It's the same as KHS's frame which is well reviewed but a little porky so carbon will be a welcome upgrade. I wonder if KHS will have this in their 2013 line or how a US rider could get a cheap Astro badged version.
 

frango

Turbo Monkey
Jun 13, 2007
1,454
5
Yes, we've all seen it on pics from Eurobike ;>
Some companies will certainly rebrand it... but, as, apparently, none, besides Astro, has shown it during Eurobike with different name, we will probably not see it in 2013 range...
We have to wait for Interbike, though.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
As much as I understand companies not wanting to go too light with their first carbon frame if the weight differance not noticeable why should we even care?
 

Dogboy

Turbo Monkey
Apr 12, 2004
3,208
581
Durham, NC
That Astro was shown at the Tapei bike show back in March. Looks good up close, surprised no one has picked it up/re-badged it yet.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
Indeed. If these weights are legit the weight difference between the carbon and the aluminium version of the demo is negligible: http://www.bikerumor.com/2012/07/16/2013-specialized-mountain-bikes-complete-overview-actual-weights/

I think their motive is also to come out with a step by step carbonized rear-triangle so that they still sell frames.
To be honest I really hope I will be able to test the antidote for the bike mag i work for since the weight is really nice and supposedly the frame is very durable. Though I'm yet to meet someone using the carbon one without a bro deal but I had a ****ty season so I've met few riders anyway.
 

tabletop84

Monkey
Nov 12, 2011
891
15
I'm currently thinking about selling my tues ltd. and picking up the carbon one since my season is over due to a shoulder injury. But I need to get a pic of a proto or something because in that render-image the frame looks rather ugly compared to the aluminium-version.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
I'm currently thinking about selling my tues ltd. and picking up the carbon one since my season is over due to a shoulder injury. But I need to get a pic of a proto or something because in that render-image the frame looks rather ugly compared to the aluminium-version.
No problems with how the LTD feels with the CCDB? 2 locals have theirs and they complain. They aren't the shapest tools though.
 

supercow

Monkey
Feb 18, 2009
969
128
No problems with how the LTD feels with the CCDB? 2 locals have theirs and they complain. They aren't the shapest tools though.
That's most likely just down to not being able to understand what the CCDB does.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
That's most likely just down to not being able to understand what the CCDB does.
They didn't try the frame with anything else. My guess is they like very little damping but I'm curious what other people think about it.
 

tabletop84

Monkey
Nov 12, 2011
891
15
Well I have no comparison to other shocks on the frame too but I'm not having problems.

the philosophy of cc is to ride a soft spring with much damping. I made the 88 a bit more linear and added about two to 3 clicks more lowspeed rebound to the damper, les hsc (all from the basic setup) since I'm a light rider and I'm definately faster than on my old rig.

Buddies with demos and propain rage with simliar specs were impressed of the tues.

The bike ploughs really well but doesn't feel dead. I rode a few other bikes back-to-back namely a demo 1 and a propain rage with a simliar spec and (probably due to ergonomic reasons) felt most at home on the tues. The demo is really good but I didn't like the boxxer at all. Felt like a wooden stick.

Your buddies should focus on Lowspeed-rebound damping and maybe add another springrate and experiment with that a bit. Lsr has the biggest influence on how the bike feels. Or they can pick up a cheap vivid or kage since with that shock the bike gets all the rave reviews but I doubt that the ccedb is the problem here since everyone else seems happy with it.
 
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Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,920
borcester rhymes
twas'nt there some issue with importing them due to patent infringement on the dw-link? That's why the KHS rebrand is only sold in canadia, and not the US.