Inexa C1

[rdk]

Does anyone have an opinion on the Inexa C1. They seem to have gone "factory direct" and are no longer sold in shops (according to the kid there today). Anyway, this makes a seemingly great value bike (<$3,000 full Ultegra, good looking C frame), but does anyone know what the bikes are like?

$3,000 seems to be the carbon price point for Oz-only brands (Azzurri, Gitane, Inexa) with Ultegra, and for some others with 105-mix (Scott, Trek 5000, Spesh Roubaix). The Azzurri got a reasonable write-up in one of the mags, but I can't find a word on Inexa.

 

[MikeyOz]

Does anyone have an opinion on the Inexa C1. They seem to have gone "factory direct" and are no longer sold in shops (according to the kid there today). Anyway, this makes a seemingly great value bike (<$3,000 full Ultegra, good looking C frame), but does anyone know what the bikes are like?

$3,000 seems to be the carbon price point for Oz-only brands (Azzurri, Gitane, Inexa) with Ultegra, and for some others with 105-mix (Scott, Trek 5000, Spesh Roubaix). The Azzurri got a reasonable write-up in one of the mags, but I can't find a word on Inexa.

I tried an Inexa carbon frame when I was looking at bikes, a long time ago now, unfortunately it was after I had test ridden the bike I ended up buying, so it did not compare as far as I was concerned in terms of ride and handling. Having said that if I was on a certain budget as you mentioned and was looking again, was great value for the money. I tried mine down at Chelthenham cycles. But i have noticed their factory sales and even promotional girls down along Beach Road handing out lollies Cannot give a comparison to the Azzuri etc....

 

[Bleve]

On Mar 24, 7:42 pm, rdk <[email protected]>
wrote:
> Does anyone have an opinion on the Inexa C1. They seem to have gone
> "factory direct" and are no longer sold in shops (according to the kid
> there today). Anyway, this makes a seemingly great value bike (<$3,000
> full Ultegra, good looking C frame), but does anyone know what the
> bikes are like?
>
> $3,000 seems to be the carbon price point for Oz-only brands (Azzurri,
> Gitane, Inexa) with Ultegra, and for some others with 105-mix (Scott,
> Trek 5000, Spesh Roubaix). The Azzurri got a reasonable write-up in one
> of the mags, but I can't find a word on Inexa.

Someone else's opinion is close to worthless, testride them...
testride them all.

 

[rdk]

... testride them...testride them all.

That's the plan, but I wonder (with my ability) what I'll be able to tell after the ride. The Scott dealer offered an all-day test, but for the others? Sure I'll be able to judge that one fells comfortable, or fits well, but not whether the bike is twitchy on a fast downhill, or comfortable after 4 hours. Then again, when you read about "stiff bottom brackets" and so on, I wonder if it matters to my type of riding ie not racing.

 

[ProfTournesol]

That's the plan, but I wonder (with my ability) what I'll be able to tell after the ride. The Scott dealer offered an all-day test, but for the others? Sure I'll be able to judge that one fells comfortable, or fits well, but not whether the bike is twitchy on a fast downhill, or comfortable after 4 hours. Then again, when you read about "stiff bottom brackets" and so on, I wonder if it matters to my type of riding ie not racing.

well, if you can't tell any difference, then buy the cheapest one! When you can tell the difference, it's time for another upgrade

 

[rdk]

well, if you can't tell any difference, then buy the cheapest one! When you can tell the difference, it's time for another upgrade

I agree in theory, but the bank manager and bill payer has made it clear that this will be the last bike for some time. I plan to be able to tell.

The more I think about it the more I think Bleves comment "Someone else's opinion is close to worthless" is quite wrong. Who'd drop $3,000 without any info except from a salesman, which in Inexa's case was some 17 year old kid on Saturday who didn't really know anything?

Anyway, any info welcome!

 

[Brendo]

On Mar 25, 5:53 pm, rdk <[email protected]>
wrote:
> ProfTournesol Wrote:> well, if you can't tell any difference, then buy the cheapest one! When
> > you can tell the difference, it's time for another upgradeI agree in theory, but the bank manager and bill payer has made it clear
>
> that this will be the last bike for some time. I plan to be able to
> tell.
>
> The more I think about it the more I think Bleves comment "Someone
> else's opinion is close to worthless" is quite wrong. Who'd drop $3,000
> without any info except from a salesman, which in Inexa's case was some
> 17 year old kid on Saturday who didn't really know anything?
>
> Anyway, any info welcome!
>
> --
> rdk

I believe his comment was more in line with 'if YOU like it, then is
is right for you'. I could tell you that the bike I own is a fantastic
bike, but when you ride it you find the angles are wrong, or the ride
is to harsh, or the bars seem too far in front.

Bleve's ride them all advice is well worth taking. I didn't test ride,
or ask suitable questions, and now have a bike that is around 5cm too
small. Now looking at a custom job to get it oversized, which could
have been avoided if I had done the right thing first time and not
gone 'Wow, all those components for only $1600!!'

Brendo

Make the right choice first time,

 

[rdk]

Make the right choice first time

That's the plan

Someone might tell me Aluminium Industries bought a boat-load of frames made in 2001 that were rejected by almost everyone else, labelled them Inexa and are still selling them.

On the other hand, maybe Colnago commissioned their first Chinese frames, made to exacting standards, but changed their marketing strategy so sold the frames to Aluminium Industries, who labelled them Inexa etc

Anyway, I couldn't tell that by riding the thing. Some people on here could, but not me.

Anyway, any info still welcome. I was passed by a bunch on Beach Road today with the lead rider on an Inexa. At least I know they work

 

[Brendo]

> Someone might tell me Aluminium Industries bought a boat-load of frames
> made in 2001 that were rejected by almost everyone else, labelled them
> Inexa and are still selling them.
>
> On the other hand, maybe Colnago commissioned their first Chinese
> frames, made to exacting standards, but changed their marketing
> strategy so sold the frames to Aluminium Industries, who labelled them
> Inexa etc
>
> Anyway, I couldn't tell that by riding the thing. Some people on here
> could, but not me.
>
Couldn't tell what? Who made them? It's irrelavant. What you need to
be able to tell is that it is comfortable and suits you. I could spend
$7000 on a frame, and it is quite possible it could feel like ****,
unless I had tried it first and found it to be comfortable and suited
my style.

Who makes it? Who cares. As long as you like riding it.

> Anyway, any info still welcome. I was passed by a bunch on Beach Road
> today with the lead rider on an Inexa. At least I know they work

For that rider.


Brendo

 

[rdk]

Who made them? It's irrelavant. What you need to be able to tell is that it is comfortable and suits you.

So last time you bought a bike you had no interest in whether it was a well made frame, if the warranty support was OK, if the maunfacturer skimped in design or testing, or if the bike had a reputation for quality or for falling apart after 12 months. Get real.

I'm not asking for anyone to tell me which bike to buy, but for info on one particular bike where I can't find info anywhere else.

 

[Brendo]

> So last time you bought a bike you had no interest in whether it was a
> well made frame, if the warranty support was OK, if the maunfacturer
> skimped in design or testing, or if the bike had a reputation for
> quality or for falling apart after 12 months. Get real.

Actually, the statement on my post that said 'Look what components I
get for $1600' was pretty accurate. I figured all the frames in the
price I was looking were from the same factory in Taiwan (or
thereabouts) and there were not a great number of retailers selling
this model anyway. But, as you said in your reply, I have determined
to Get Real in the future. That being said, I think I got a good bike
for the price, except for the fit. Which I guess means I got a dud
bike.

> I'm not asking for anyone to tell me which bike to buy, but for info on
> one particular bike where I can't find info anywhere else.

That being the case, I have no experience with Inexa's, except that I
saw one in a store once.

Brendo

 

[Bleve]

On Mar 26, 9:23 am, rdk <[email protected]>
wrote:
> Brendo Wrote:
>
> > Who made them? It's irrelavant. What you need to be able to tell is
> > that it is comfortable and suits you.
>
> So last time you bought a bike you had no interest in whether it was a
> well made frame, if the warranty support was OK, if the maunfacturer
> skimped in design or testing, or if the bike had a reputation for
> quality or for falling apart after 12 months. Get real.

You won't get that information here, you'll get the warranty info from
the LBS you're looking at, and the Inexa frame is a generic Taiwanese
job. No-one here that I'm aware of would have experience with enough
Inexas to know if it was good or junk layup of the carbon. Their
sample size is too small and I'd bet they haven't cut open the BB
shell to have a look at the quality of it. I know a few people riding
them and they seem happy with them, but I've ridden one and I hated
it. What's my opinion worth? Nothing .... I just didn't like the way
it rode and I have my own personal desires from a carbon frame that
the Inexa doesn't meet.

If you like the ride, and the warranty is one that you're happy with,
it's a good bike. Unless there's been a serious test of them (and
there almost definatly hasn't) where they've been cut up after a few
random sales and the frames tested for delamination etc, then
everything else is conjecture.

 

[rdk]

Well, thanks. I didn't mean to come across so snarky, but of course the bikes on my list are all going to be ridden, and the best one chosen. But "best" contains a lot of variables: comfort/handling/materials/components/reputation/price/dealer location + others. I'm not going to get the perfect bike for 3K so I'll have to compromise on some things.
Even statements such as there has been no serious test on an Inexa is more info than I had previously, maybe even justifying a thread to get.

 

[Bleve]

On Mar 26, 9:34 pm, rdk <[email protected]>
wrote:
> Well, thanks. I didn't mean to come across so snarky, but of course the
> bikes on my list are all going to be ridden, and the best one chosen.
> But "best" contains a lot of variables:
> comfort/handling/materials/components/reputation/price/dealer location
> + others. I'm not going to get the perfect bike for 3K so I'll have to
> compromise on some things.

You might get the perfect bike for you for $3k, it depends on your
criteria.