Methodology
How prices, frameset estimates, specifications, and evidence are handled.
Dataset and freshness
The generated catalog dataset was last updated ; the catalog-wide review date is . Neither date claims that every price is current: each price keeps its own observation date, market, status, and conditions.
The structured dataset is available under CC BY 4.0. Product images and linked third-party material retain their separate rights and provenance.
What is compared
The main list combines complete bikes and frameset-based builds where total cost can be compared honestly. Products are identified by exact category, model, generation, and configuration.
Frameset price estimate
Each published frameset receives the selected total build allowance, with ¥6,000 retained as the reviewed default. The compact homepage selector is a quick planning estimate, not a shopping cart or guaranteed package price.
Exact build configurator
The separate Build page selects a frameset and every required component slot. A package is counted once, and any explicitly included brake or drivetrain parts suppress duplicate rows. Price and weight remain known subtotals while one or more exact inputs are missing. Compatibility warnings cover only recorded standards and never replace seller or mechanic confirmation.
Price details
Choose a shipping destination and an independent display currency. The main price prioritizes a documented delivered total or seller-supported delivery estimate. Otherwise it shows a domestic China price converted into the selected currency, with yuan underneath. Without domestic evidence, the catalog amount is labelled Reference estimate; frameset planning totals are labelled China build estimate or Build reference. These references exclude shipping and import charges and do not enter delivered-price budgets or sorting. The percentage compares the same complete build against its delivered total. Dates, conditions and native quotes remain in the price details.
Store links
Some model pages and component rows link to an online store that pays us a commission on purchases made through those links. Each link is marked where it appears. A link is added only where the store's own page offers that exact model and build, or the exact model for a research profile that covers several builds. It shows the store's price in its own currency with the date we checked it; that is not a China price or a delivered total.
Store links do not change which bikes are listed, their order, catalog prices, verdicts or buying checks. Source citations stay separate from store links.
Category-specific facts
Gravel products expose tire clearance when the evidence supports it. MTB products use suspension travel, e-road products use motor and battery facts, folding products use fold or wheel data, and triathlon products use time-trial fit and storage facts. Unverified fields stay visibly unknown.
Video context
Selected model videos help buyers see a platform and hear build or ride context. They are secondary editorial material, not authority for a current price, exact BOM, specification, or recommendation. Commercial and product-supply relationships are labelled.
Owner and reviewer opinions
Model pages may list brief paraphrases of substantive exact-model opinions from owners, reviewers and test riders on ride, fit, build, weight, compatibility, faults and support. Each links its public source and keeps the configuration, date and any supplied-product or affiliate relationship. Brand and seller material can appear but is never counted. One person or publication counts once per model; repeat comments and syndicated copies are marked and counted once. Each opinion's overall stance is classified as positive, mixed or negative from what its author wrote; no star ratings are invented.
With at least 21 independent opinions on one exact model, the page shows an opinion sentiment summary: the share of positive opinions with mixed ones counted as half, on a 0–100 scale, with its 95% Wilson interval and the number of opinions behind it. It describes sentiment about that model only. It is not a quality score, recommendation or cross-model ranking, and it never feeds sorting, filters or structured data. Below 21 opinions the collection is shown without a summary.
Materials and manufacturing
For carbon products, fiber labels such as T700, T800, or T1000 are not quality scores. Lay-up, compaction, curing, alignment, testing, traceability, and support matter more. Missing evidence increases uncertainty; it does not automatically mean a product is poor.
Corrections
Each change should identify the exact model or generation and include a source. Submit a correction or price sighting on GitHub.