Amflow PL Carbon owners, check your seat tube for cracks!
- Thread starter 5G_vaccinator
- Start date
parkershark
New Member
- Jun 17, 2026
- 1
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Yep, I noticed the OP said, "I've bought mine in Hong Kong. So it's the Chinese version. The seller just doesn't respond to my messages."
It sounds like someone imported a genuine AMflow that was intended for the Chinese/Hong Kong market and resold it internationally. The bike itself is probably authentic, but it wasn't sold through the authorized dealer network in your country. A lot of manufacturers won't honor warranty claims or provide support outside the original sales region. He probably saved some money upfront, but now he's finding out what the tradeoff is. That's one of the biggest reasons I don't buy expensive, hard-use equipment from unauthorized sellers or in gray markets.
No, I have a PL. I just haven't seen this issue mentioned with the PX. But they have a completely different matrix.
I just got the crack on PL at the end of last week and am now waiting for a response from the dealer.
The world is much larger than the Amflow network of dealerships. Why can't you accept this?
Also, why aren't you considering the service option in China with the author of this post? Since he received his bike from China, he could also send it back to China and get a replacement there. As I understand it, the problem isn't with the author's location, but with the manufacturer's policies and the seller's behavior.
I don't have that problem, but I can understand that person.
Also, for some reason, many focused their conversations on the author, although the problem of cracks is much more pressing due to its widespread nature.
TheKaiser
Active member
Yeah, I agree that there is clearly a problem with the seat tube itself, not dropper insertion. I would have figured that the dropper would have sort of reinforced and load shared the area enough to prevent the tube splitting, but it occurred to me that it might actually be shock and link loads that are causing the split to open when you press on the seat. The link pivot is pushing backwards, while the shock mount is pressing forwards, so its trying to splay the top and seat tube junction apart. Typically, the top tube/seat tube junction itself will have a lot of reinforcing layers, and the link mount have a lot of reinforcing layers, but that short stretch of seat tube with the crack is in a sort of no man's land between the 2. You can see in the pics of the frame with no paint how there is a line above and below the area with the crack that clearly have more plies, which terminate leaving the crack area without extra reinforcement.
Not that it really matters from a "getting your bike fixed" standpoint, but if you really wanted to tease out the load that is actually causing the crack you could compress the suspension a similar amount to your "weight on the seat" demonstration, but do it by applying a load through the pedals at the bottom bracket, making sure you compress the shock a similar amount to your "weight on the seat" test, to ensure the splaying forces are similar. It might be best achieved with a heavyset buddy standing on the pedals while you watch the seat tube. Have the buddy stand as upright as possible to concentrate weight on the BB not the handlebars, or even add some weight to a backpack on the buddy if needed.
Another way of achieving the same sort of force isolation test, but from the opposite direction, is to support the bike from the BB shell with some sort of blocking, such that there is no weight on the wheel, and have a buddy hold the handlebars and front wheel down. Then apply weight through the seat as you did in your first test, and see if the crack still opens. This should be a pretty pure test of seat post forces, without the splaying forces that come with loading of the rear suspension linkage. In this scenario, rather than a splaying force, the top/seat tube junction will actually be trying to close the angle between the 2 tubes.
Just pushing on the seat, as you did in your original test, while effective for showing the dynamic nature of the crack, combines the splaying and closing forces coming from the suspension linkage and seat, so there is no way to determine which is the culprit.
Just heard back from the bike shop, they have warrantied a few now all silver all in large. They all had cracks in the paint
but the carbon was okay but Amflow replaced them anyhow, usually takes 2 to 3 weeks to receive a new frame.
Just need to bring my bike in so they can start the warranty process, so all sounds pretty painless and straightforward what
I would've expected had I bought a bike from a legacy brand. Hopefully I can bring it home and keep riding while the new frame
is in transit.
but the carbon was okay but Amflow replaced them anyhow, usually takes 2 to 3 weeks to receive a new frame.
Just need to bring my bike in so they can start the warranty process, so all sounds pretty painless and straightforward what
I would've expected had I bought a bike from a legacy brand. Hopefully I can bring it home and keep riding while the new frame
is in transit.
You saying it's widespread, doesn't make it widespread. What part of "a small batch" do you not understand ? It also appears to be a localised flaw in the manufacturing process, rather than a design flaw.
Not sure what you expect Amflow to do. If they don't have a dealership in the country where the bike was bought from. How do they service this person? Are you expecting Amflow to go out and create an entire relationship with a bike shop in a foreign country, just to service this one person ?
Set up accounts. Check on import issues. Trade relationships and restrictions. etc. etc. There is a reason companies put the "No international sales have warranty" into their business. You don't just click your heals three times and the bike gets fixed. And if they accept it as warranty. It needs to be done properly.
And if there is a dealer network in the country, and a person bought the bike internationally from an unauthorised seller like Alibaba. Are you expecting Amflow to screw over their dealers, and force them to service this guy anyway ? The dealer network is far more important than one person who knowingly bought the bike without Amflow warranty.
Anyway. I'm assuming yours is an Amflow authorised dealer. So please do keep us informed that they do take care of you. As the post above shows. Amflow are repairing properly bought PL's.
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RickBullotta
E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Let's view this issue rationally
1. Who is responsible for the cracks on the frame?
----There have been many similar cases. I believe the responsibility lies with Amflow rather than us for creating the problem.
2. Should amflow (a non-Chinese customer service) be covered by the warranty?
---- It is clearly stated in the policy, it shouldn't be done that way, but I do sincerely hope they will do it this way.
3. Should amflow (the Chinese customer service) provide warranty?
----They are responsible for this, because it was legal to purchase here and then transport it to other countries. The transaction between the Hong Kong distributor and Amflow has already been completed.The warranty should take effect.
So I think the process to solve the problem should be to send the previous triangular part back to the Hong Kong dealer, then wait for the new frame from Amflow, and then have the Hong Kong dealer send it to you. Of course, you have to pay for the postage. This is not a small amount.
1. Who is responsible for the cracks on the frame?
----There have been many similar cases. I believe the responsibility lies with Amflow rather than us for creating the problem.
2. Should amflow (a non-Chinese customer service) be covered by the warranty?
---- It is clearly stated in the policy, it shouldn't be done that way, but I do sincerely hope they will do it this way.
3. Should amflow (the Chinese customer service) provide warranty?
----They are responsible for this, because it was legal to purchase here and then transport it to other countries. The transaction between the Hong Kong distributor and Amflow has already been completed.The warranty should take effect.
So I think the process to solve the problem should be to send the previous triangular part back to the Hong Kong dealer, then wait for the new frame from Amflow, and then have the Hong Kong dealer send it to you. Of course, you have to pay for the postage. This is not a small amount.
The Hong Kong dealer isn’t responding to the guy. You guys are acting like alibaba is some legit website. It’s where you go to get dupe Luis Vuitton bags and Taylormade golf clubs for $10. Not where you go to buy $10k e-bikes for $6k and expecting a warranty to go smoothly.
Gauss Guzzler
Member
Alibaba is a $400B mega-corporation serving a billion customers per year across 200 countries. What's your threshold for defining a website as "legit"?
One that isn’t selling $10 knock off Luis Vuitton's and amflows without a warranty lol.
Listen. I post this as a warning to others. I buy from Aliexpress all the time. But here is an Amflow PL Carbon Pro being sold at less than AUD$7K, that I could buy right now.
But there is zero chance what will turn up, will be an Amflow PL Carbon Pro with full warranty from Amflow. You'd have to screws loose to think it was. You'd be lucky if it was even was an Amflow. It says it's white. The PL doesn't come in white.
Now I don't know where these sites are getting these bikes. But there has to be an ounce of common sense. The internet is not policed worldwide. Anyone can sell anything. And the original manufacturer can't be held responsible, if someone buys their product from whatever source in China, and sells it cheap on the internet.
For all we know, there could be a criminal element where the frames are manufactured. Or a criminal element at the transportation side. Who knows.
Now ...... anyone is welcome to buy this bike. But FFS. Don't come crying on the internet that what the seller offers, is not what turns up. And that includes any warranty. And Amflow saying it won't warranty these international sales. Is Amflows attempt to stop these sellers.
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There are 120 people in our small local community. Seven or eight of them have a crack problem. Yes, it's a "small" batch )))
Stop reading between the lines. I haven't seen anywhere where the author requested service in his own country. And servicing a Chinese frame in China seems normal.
You might not know, but the Amflow PL actually costs that much in China. It's even cheaper – less than 37,000 yuan. And that's the official price.
Oh, have you ever encountered any Amflow fakes? I take it you're the first one ever.
I’m not saying it’s fake, but to put alibaba on the map as this reputable amflow dealer is crazy.
Look this is extremely simple and I’m in disbelief it has been going on for pages now. Amflow isn’t hiding their warranty terms. It’s in the FIRST paragraph. Buy from an authorized dealer. If your area doesn’t have that, then order from one and have them ship it! They have a list of authorized dealers on their site.
The other guy in this thread seems to be taken care of no problem. So stop blaming amflow for a guy who bought his bike off alibaba and can’t even get ahold of the seller. Op was hesitant to even tell us who he bought it from, hmm wonder why.
The triangle is light in weight. What do you see as the problem?You’re kidding, right? “Send it back to China”.
It seems you're already confused. Can you show me where I blamed Amflow for the warranty?
There's 917 in my MTB community and zero have crack issues. And secondly. How about you come clean with where all these bikes were bought. Are you Ron Hack ?
And lastly. Are you trying to claim that 7% of Amflow PL's cracked at the seat tube ? Surely if this was the case, there would be an uproar from the public. And there's no such thing.
Where are they going to send it ? The dealer is uncontactable. Amflow would have no record of the sale to the current owner. You have to at least go through the person who sold you the bike.
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Gentlemen, a gentle reminder.
I don't want to start handing out reply bans.
You've all said your pieces. As requested previously, let's keep the thread for discovering which bikes are at fault, why and any resolutions.
Everything else is academic.
I don't want to start handing out reply bans.
You've all said your pieces. As requested previously, let's keep the thread for discovering which bikes are at fault, why and any resolutions.
Everything else is academic.
yes, if the seat tube was to tolerance and NOT oversize - the post would add to the frame strength
the forces you describe will definitely have an influence on the mode of failure - your tests would give an idea of how much
Right now, it's just a small batch of carbon frames that are cracking; the bike hasn't been on the market that long, and the ravages of time are taking their toll on the others as well. What if there are more and more of them? Then it won't matter where they came from. Amflow could be in for some serious trouble.
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