Frequently asked

• How does an order actually work?▾

  Four steps. (1) You spec the bike in the configurator — real weights, prices, and trade-offs update as you go, nothing's committed. (2) Provara reviews your build personally and sends back a final proposal — confirmed fit, all-in price, no surprises. (3) You approve; a deposit gets sourcing underway and we build the bike, with the balance paid in stages as it comes together. (4) Shipped to your door, or final fit in person if you're near Kirkland, WA.
• What does "all-in price" actually include?▾

  Parts, our build labor, sourcing fees, inbound shipping from suppliers to our workshop, customs duties, currency conversion, and final QC + assembly. The number in your proposal is the number you pay for the bike itself — no separate customs bill, no surprise FX line. Outbound shipping to YOU is the one thing not bundled into that number: see the next question.
• Is shipping to me included?▾

  No — outbound shipping is quoted separately, based on where the bike is going. A complete bike crates up large and heavy enough that the freight cost varies a lot by destination, and we don't want to silently average it across customers. Local to Kirkland / Seattle? Pickup is free. Anywhere else in the lower 48? We get a real freight quote (insured, tracked, fully built in a fitted case) and put the actual dollar number on your proposal alongside the all-in. You see it before you approve, never after.
• Can I see where my parts are while you build?▾

  Yes — this is the part people don't expect. When you buy exotic carbon direct from overseas, tracking usually goes dark the moment it leaves the seller, and you're left refreshing a dead link until something shows up at customs weeks later. We do the opposite: the instant a component ships, its tracking number is registered and the live carrier updates — status, location, dates — show up right on your build page, part by part. The finished bike ships fully built and insured with its own tracking too. You always know what's landed in our shop and what's still in transit, without emailing us to ask.
• When am I charged, and how?▾

  A deposit after you accept the proposal, then a balance payment (or two — 30/30/40 on bigger builds) as the bike progresses. Everything goes through Stripe so your normal card protections apply. Nothing is charged before you approve the final build.
• Why are the prices on the configurator just estimates?▾

  Because the parts catalog is AI-sourced from supplier sites and we're not the supplier — list prices drift, currency moves, and the cheapest in-stock SKU at the moment of purchase isn't always the one displayed. Your final proposal carries the last, best price we can actually secure. You should not feel a need to chase cheaper exotic-component prices online during configuration.
• Should I just order a fully-built bike directly from a Chinese D2C site?▾

  Often, yes — complete D2C builds are usually cheaper than what we'd quote for the same parts, and they're a fair option for plenty of riders. The trade-off is you take the spec the brand offers as built (groupset, wheels, cockpit, saddle, finish — all decided for you), so it's harder to make the bike feel like yours. Where we add value is in deliberate spec choice for how you ride, hand assembly to your fit, and folding inbound import / FX / customs into one transparent quote. Ongoing service once the bike's built is your local shop's job — that part doesn't change either way. Both choices are legitimate; pick whichever fits the way you want to buy.
• What if a part is out of stock when you go to source it?▾

  We'll propose a substitution — same tier, same spec, with the math on what changes. You approve the revised proposal before we order anything. This is one of the few times a build slips its timeline.
• What's the typical lead time?▾

  Roughly 4–6 weeks from approved proposal to delivery — sourcing usually takes the longest, then a few days for the build and QC. Tighter slots are sometimes available; halo parts and Campagnolo can push the timeline.
• Do you offer a warranty?▾

  Provara stands behind the build itself — anything that goes wrong because of how WE assembled the bike (mis-torqued bolts, bad cable routing, a wrong spacer), we fix at our cost. That's our piece of the puzzle. Everything else — frame, wheels, groupset, components — carries the MANUFACTURER's warranty, and what's covered, how, and how fast is up to the brand, not us. Where the brand allows it we ask them to register the warranty in your name at order time so the relationship is yours directly. When a claim comes up we'll point you to the right contact and what the brand needs and share what we know — but the claim is yours to run, and we don't handle return shipping, customs, or translation.
• What if I'm not local to Kirkland, WA?▾

  Most builds ship to a door. Outbound freight is quoted separately on your proposal (it varies a lot by destination), so you see the real number before approving. Final-fit adjustments you can make yourself with the included spec sheet, or any decent local shop can dial in for an hour's labor.

• What parts can I spec on a Provara build?▾

  Everything that comes on a complete road or gravel bike, sourced part-by-part: frameset (or module with the cockpit included), wheelset, tires, complete groupset, cockpit (bar + stem or integrated), saddle and seatpost, plus a finishing kit (bar tape, cages, computer, valves, sealant, small hardware). Optional bling: ceramic drivetrain upgrades, lightweight bolts, halo bar tape — surfaced as packages so the price is honest.
• What disciplines do you build?▾

  Road, gravel, aero, endurance, all-rounder, and time trial. Most direct-to-consumer brands make a road and a gravel variant of their flagship platform, and the configurator filters wheel and tire choices so you don't end up with road aero hoops on a gravel build (or vice-versa).
• What kind of brands do you actually source from?▾

  Three families, used together. (1) Established direct-to-consumer carbon makers — Winspace, Yoeleo, Light Bicycle, Farsports, ICAN, Trifox, Quick, Magene, Elitewheels, and similar. These are the real frames and wheels the savings story is built on. (2) Western flagships for the parts where the ecosystem genuinely matters — Shimano, SRAM, Campagnolo groupsets, Continental / Pirelli / Vittoria / Schwalbe tires, Zipp / ENVE / Mavic / DT Swiss / Fulcrum wheels, Fizik saddles. (3) Exotic / value drivetrain brands — L-Twoo, Sensah, Wheeltop — when a customer specifically wants that route, with the trade-offs called out clearly in the proposal.
• How does an item get into the catalog?▾

  Either we add it directly from the brand's site (most direct-to-consumer items), it's a Western mainstream part with a known spec, or it's surfaced through community research (r/chinesebikes, YouTube teardowns, owner reviews) and tagged accordingly. Every URL is re-checked nightly — broken links are hidden, prices are re-estimated. Items Provara hasn't personally vetted carry a "supplier-stated" or "community-sourced" label so you know exactly what you're looking at.
• What do the confidence tiers in the configurator mean?▾

  Four tiers, ordered by how much we trust the spec without re-confirming on order day. "Verified & tested" — established direct-to-consumer brands Provara has ordered from before, or Western mainstream parts. "Boutique direct-to-consumer" — smaller maker, real product, supplier-stated specs that we confirm before ordering. "Western components" — name-brand reliability, no research burden, often a higher price floor. "Halo / bling" — niche upgrades (ceramic bearings, lightweight bolts, premium bar tape). The configurator surfaces the tier on every card so you're never surprised by what you're picking.
• Why is some random Chinese groupset in the picker — and should I trust it?▾

  Because some riders want the value play. L-Twoo, Sensah, and Wheeltop make functional 12-speed groupsets at a fraction of Shimano / SRAM / Campagnolo money. Trade-offs: shorter community-knowledge base, occasional firmware quirks on the electronic versions, harder to source replacement parts locally. The configurator labels these as community-sourced and the proposal spells out the risk in plain language. If you want them, we'll build them; if you don't, the picker leads with mainstream options.
• What aren't you willing to build?▾

  Counterfeit Western brands (Chinarello / fake Pinarello / fake Colnago / fake Cervélo etc.) — the genuine Chinese-branded direct-buy side is where the savings actually live, and Provara won't help launder a counterfeit operation. Discontinued / orphan parts where we can't reasonably guarantee replacement supply for at least a year. Time-trial setups with bar-end / triathlon-specific shifters on a road or gravel build (the components don't pair safely). We'll tell you straight if something on your wishlist falls into one of these.
• How many "different" brands come out of the same factory?▾

  A lot. Three to five large factories produce a disproportionate share of the direct-to-consumer carbon frames in the market. Two "competing" brands often share a mold and differ mainly in paint and decals — and Provara picks the ones whose engineering and finishing actually justify the badge.
• Is the markup vs Western brands really that high?▾

  For pure frame cost, yes — often 3–5x. Western pricing also pays for R&D, marketing, sponsored teams, distribution, dealer margin, and warranty infrastructure. Whether that premium is worth it depends on how much you value those things vs the discount.
• I'm waiting on a group buy — should I just do that instead?▾

  Group buys work well when you're patient, comfortable handling import / customs / banking risk yourself, and willing to wait the typical 2–4 months for the consolidator to hit MOQ, ship the container, clear customs, and distribute. The savings can be real on the frame line item. What you trade for it: long lead time, a pooled order that can't be tweaked once it's in, no personal spec review, and a US handoff that exists only if the consolidator coordinates one. Provara is the opposite trade — we order one bike at a time on your behalf so spec changes are fast, your build leaves Kirkland completely assembled and test-ridden, lead time is weeks not months, and there's a name attached to your build if anything's wrong. We charge for that work; for some riders the group-buy savings beat us, for others the certainty + speed does. Either path is honest — pick the one that fits your patience and your appetite for personal coordination.

• Can I return a completed Provara build?▾

  Yes — within 7 days of delivery, on a like-new, unridden, un-set-up bike in the original packaging. Custom-painted frames and any bike that's been ridden outside are FINAL SALE and not returnable. Return shipping and a 15% restocking fee come off the refund. Open the support thread for an RMA before shipping anything back.
• What's the restocking fee?▾

  15% of the order value, deducted from the refund on any non-custom completed build returned within the 7-day window. The fee covers the time we lose putting the bike back into inventory or back into parts — labor, repackaging, and the inbound freight from you to Kirkland.
• What's final-sale (no returns)?▾

  Custom-painted frames, anything with a personalized finish, and any bike that's left the box for a ride. Components installed and ridden are also final-sale (we can't re-sell a used cassette or chain). Halo / bling items in their original sealed packaging fall under the 15% restocking rule like the rest of the build.
• How do refunds get paid back?▾

  To the original Stripe charge, in the original currency. Refunds usually clear in 5-10 business days depending on your bank.

• What does "Provara brokers the warranty" actually mean?▾

  Two separate things. (1) For anything we did during assembly — torque, bleed, cable routing, dish, alignment — that's on us, and we fix it at our cost for as long as we're the most-recent person to have wrenched on the bike. (2) For component defects — frame cracked, hub blew up, brake lever failed — the coverage is the manufacturer's, not ours. We point you to the right contact and the brand's RMA process and share what we know from ordering through them, but the claim is yours to run. We can't force a brand's hand on outcomes or timing, we don't self-insure components, and we don't handle return shipping, customs, or translation.
• How long does a claim actually take?▾

  Plan on the factory-direct timeline, not the dealer one. Most of the exotic brands we work with carry very little US warehouse stock, so the realistic window — part ships back, claim is reviewed at the factory, replacement ships out, customs in both directions — is what to budget for. Per-brand numbers (best case + realistic case) are on /support/warranty along with which brands we've personally walked a claim through.
• How do I start a claim?▾

  Email support@provara.cc with photos, your order number, what happened, and the date it happened. We'll point you to the right contact and what the brand needs to open the claim, and share what we know from ordering through them. Where the warranty is in your name (most cases) you deal with the brand directly. We help where we genuinely can — but running the claim and any return shipping is yours.
• Is crash damage covered?▾

  It varies a lot by brand. A few brands include limited crash cover in the warranty, several run a discounted crash-replacement program (you pay something, not full retail), and many cover nothing post-crash. Always refer to the manufacturer's published policy before counting on it. Where the brand has a program, contact us with photos within 30 days of the incident and we'll point you to the right contact and what they need. Running the claim and any return shipping is yours.
• Does the broken part have to ship back?▾

  Usually yes. Most brands require the defective part for inspection before they'll authorise a replacement — "warranty without return" is the exception. Arranging the return shipment, label and any customs paperwork is yours — we'll share the address and what the brand needs, but we don't handle return logistics or translation. Freight is typically yours unless the brand reimburses it as part of the claim. Plan on the timing on /support/warranty for the round trip.
• Can I just go to the brand myself instead of using Provara?▾

  If the warranty is registered in your name (we ask for that at order time where the brand allows it), absolutely — it's your direct relationship. Where the warranty is registered to the importer of record, the brand will route you back to us; we can't transfer it after the fact. Either way you're welcome to email the brand directly; we'll fill in any context they ask for.
• What does Provara cover ourselves?▾

  The build itself. If something we did during assembly is wrong, we fix it at no cost — same workshop, same fast turnaround as a normal service visit. That covers torque, cable routing, hose bleeds, dish, alignment, spacer choice, paint touch-up after assembly, anything attributable to the way we put the bike together. Component manufacturing defects are the brand's piece of the puzzle.
• What if the brand declines the claim?▾

  Then it's declined — coverage is the brand's call to make, not ours. We'll relay their reasoning and, if there's grounds for it, push back once on your behalf with whatever supplementary evidence helps (more photos, a service-history note, a fit-context explanation). Beyond that we don't issue replacement parts at our cost; we don't self-insure components and we don't guarantee replacement.

Safety & frame quality

• Is open-mold actually unsafe?▾

  No, not inherently. "Open-mold" just means the factory sells the same mold to multiple buyers. The mold geometry was usually engineered by the factory's R&D team. Safety comes down to the layup schedule and QC — both of which vary wildly between buyers using the same mold. A reputable seller specifying their own layup can produce a frame that rides better than a no-name pulling the cheapest possible spec from the same shape.
• Should I worry about UCI approval?▾

  Only if you actually race UCI-sanctioned events. For everyone else it's a marketing badge. Plenty of non-UCI frames are well-engineered; plenty of UCI frames are heavier than they need to be specifically to pass the rules.
• Is carbon frame fatigue life a real concern?▾

  Carbon doesn't fatigue the way aluminum does — it either holds or it cracks. Catastrophic failures usually trace back to a crash, an over-torqued clamp, or a manufacturing void, not "miles ridden." A well-built frame outlives most riders' interest in keeping it.
• T700 vs T800 vs T1000 vs T1100 — does the grade actually matter?▾

  It matters less than the layup. A smart T700 layup will beat a lazy T1100 layup every time. Higher modulus fibers let designers use less material for the same stiffness, which is how you get sub-800g frames. But "100% T1100" on a spec sheet is almost always marketing — frames are blended.
• Are QC photos worth anything?▾

  They prove the seller looked at your frame before boxing it. That's it. They won't reveal voids, resin pooling, or layup mistakes inside the laminate. Treat them as a baseline, not insurance.

Geometry & fit

• I'm between sizes — go up or down?▾

  Go with the size whose stack/reach matches your current good-fitting bike. Ignore the size label. Going down for the "slammed pro look" is how people end up with neck pain at 60 km.
• Why does every size 54 ride differently across brands?▾

  Because "54" is meaningless. Look at stack, reach, head tube length, and effective top tube. A 54 from one factory can have the same stack as a 56 from another.

Wheels

• Hookless — yes or no?▾

  Yes if you stick to the approved tire list and the recommended pressures. Hookless rims have measurable aero gains and run wider tires nicely, but blow-offs at high pressure with non-compliant tires are real. If you want to run 100+ psi or experiment with tires, get hooked rims.
• What rim depth should I pick?▾

  40–45 mm is the do-everything answer — climbs fine, descends fine, handles crosswinds. 50–60 mm if you do mostly flat / rolling and value aero. Anything 65 mm+ is for racing or vanity. "Mullets" (deeper rear, shallower front) are underrated for crosswind handling.
• Are ceramic bearings worth it?▾

  For racing at the absolute pointy end, marginal. For everyone else, no — you'll save 1–2 watts at best and they need more careful maintenance. Spend the money on tires instead.

Tires

• TPU, latex, or butyl?▾

  TPU: lightest, fast, fragile, packs small as a spare. Latex: lowest rolling resistance, leaks overnight, fragile. Butyl: cheap, durable, slowest. Most riders end up on TPU for spares + tubeless for daily.
• Tan walls — still cool?▾

  Yes, but they get dirty fast and the sidewalls are usually less puncture-resistant. Style tax.
• 28, 30, or 32c?▾

  Trend is clearly toward 30–32c for road, even race. Lower rolling resistance on real-world pavement, more comfort, more grip. The aero penalty disappears once your rim internal width matches the tire properly.

Groupsets

• Wireless electronic, wired electronic, or mechanical?▾

  Wireless: convenient, expensive batteries to manage. Wired: bombproof, no derailleurs to recharge. Mechanical: cheapest, serviceable anywhere, slightly slower shifts. Mechanical is having a quiet renaissance among riders tired of charging things.
• Are replica electronic groupsets safe to buy?▾

  Functionally most work. Ethically debatable. Long-term firmware support and parts replacement are the real risks. If the seller disappears, you've got an expensive paperweight.
• Direct-buy power meters — accurate enough to train with?▾

  Yes, comfortably. The direct-from-manufacturer power meters Provara builds with — Magene, Sigeyi, Wheeltop and the better Chinese spider / crank-arm units — sit around ±1 % to ±1.5 % accuracy, on par with the established names. Temperature compensation has caught up in the last couple of years, so the cold-day drift that gave them a worse reputation than they deserved is largely gone. Train on the numbers, race on the numbers; they hold up.
• Short cranks for everyone now?▾

  For most riders under 180 cm, going from 172.5 to 165 helps hip angle, aero position, and cadence with no measurable power loss. The fad has data behind it.

Aero

• Do aero frames matter below 30 km/h?▾

  Less than rider position, less than clothing, less than tire choice. If you average 25 km/h solo, a skinsuit will save more watts than an aero frame upgrade.
• Is the marginal-gains rabbit hole worth it?▾

  For racers, yes — minutes are made of watts. For everyone else, it's a hobby in itself. Enjoy it for what it is.

Weight

• Real weight vs claimed weight — how big is the gap?▾

  Usually 100–300 g heavier than claimed for frames. Wheels: claimed weights often exclude rim tape, valves, and skewers. Always discount marketing weights by ~10 %.
• Dollars per gram — when do you stop?▾

  When you're spending more than $5/gram on parts you'll replace in three years. Tires, tubes, and bottle cages give better gram-per-dollar than carbon bolts.

Stiffness vs compliance

• Can you actually feel BB stiffness?▾

  At sprinter wattage, yes. At endurance wattage, almost no one can blind-test it. Most "noodly BB" complaints are actually flexy cranks or low tire pressure.
• Does tire pressure outweigh frame compliance?▾

  Dramatically. Dropping 10 psi changes ride feel more than any frame upgrade.

Service & mechanical

• Press-fit or threaded BB?▾

  Threaded if you can choose. Press-fit can be silent for years if installed perfectly, but tolerance stacking in budget frames makes creaks more likely. A well-installed press-fit beats a poorly-installed threaded though.

• Isn't Chinese carbon… you know, second-tier?▾

  No. The same factories that make the household-name frames make a lot of what Provara builds, plus their own brands run by engineers who got tired of selling other people's logos. Winspace's wind-tunnel work, Yoeleo's pro-tour wheels, Light Bicycle's custom-layup carbon, Magene's electronics — this is genuinely good kit, designed by riders, built in the same plants that build the Western flagships. Calling it second-tier is a holdover from 2014.
• Aren't these just knockoffs?▾

  Provara doesn't touch counterfeits — no Chinarellos, no fake Pinarello / Colnago / Cervélo / anything. Every frame and wheelset in the configurator is a real Chinese-branded product designed and engineered by the company whose name is on it. That's the entire point: the people doing the actual engineering wanted to sell directly instead of paying Western brand markup, and Provara is here to make that easy.
• What do I tell my group ride?▾

  Whatever you want. Half will be curious about the frame, half will pretend they aren't, and within a couple of years a few of them will have bought one too. Chinese carbon stopped being a stigma the moment the watts started showing up — these bikes win Strava segments and KOMs and gravel races every weekend. Show off the brand, it's worth being seen on.
• Why does this feel cooler than a Western big-name build?▾

  Because there's a story. You're riding something engineered by people obsessed with the craft, built by a small Seattle crew who actually ride the same frames, and the badge on the head tube is one most riders have to look up — which is half the fun. It's the same energy as a tasteful watch or a small-batch espresso machine: people who know, know.