How Chinese Carbon Bikes Are Really Made (Winspace Factory Tour)

The video provides an in-depth tour of Winspace's factory in Xiamen, China, hosted by CEO Stephen Cai. It reveals the company's manufacturing processes, quality control, and product lineup, emphasizing their use of Toray carbon fiber, in-house production for high-end frames, and rigorous testing standards.

Key Facts

• Factory located in Xiamen, China, a carbon industry hub.
• Uses Toray carbon fiber from Japan, including T-series (strength) and M-series (stiffness) grades.
• Prepreg carbon fiber stored in temperature-controlled rooms and must be used within 7 days of cutting.
• High-end frames (e.g., M6, G3) produced in-house; T1600 and SLC 5 outsourced to partner factories.
• Hyper handlebar made from over 100 individual carbon pieces, molded as one piece.
• EPS (expanded polystyrene) mandrels used for internal molding, replacing traditional airbags.
• Frames undergo 24-point inspection; forks and handlebars 100% X-ray scanned before shipment.
• Fork stiffness test: 700 N force applied, deformation must be less than 8 mm.
• Head tube impact test: 22.5 kg weight dropped from 200 mm height; frame must not crack.
• Company employs 150-200 people.
• Painting process involves multiple layers, each baked separately (base color ~1 hour, simple colors 20-30 minutes).
• Complete bike assembly line with 10 stations; bikes packed with protective foam for shipping.

Interview Summary

Interview with CEO Stephen Cai. Key insights: Winspace uses Japanese Toray carbon; high-end frames are made in-house while some models are outsourced; the company is investing in new molding technology beyond EPS; training staff takes time but experienced workers are highly efficient; quality control includes 24-point frame checks, X-ray scanning of forks and handlebars, and destructive testing of prototypes.

Brand Highlights

Products Mentioned