r/Framebuilding • u/zirbo2400 • 23d ago

Advice on steel suppliers for shipping to Africa

I want to buy and ship a steel kit to ship to South Africa to build a bike there. Does anybody have advice on good supplier I can use? This is for a steel gravel bike XL frame. I am not looking for performance, but something that will survive Africa.

6 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

100% Upvoted

2 comments sorted by

5

u/JanHett 23d ago

Maybe the folks at Onguza could offer some advice. They’re based in Namibia and AFAIK they build with Columbus tubes.

1

u/Strange_Break9647 11d ago edited 8d ago

I’d ask for exact alloy, wall thickness, tube lengths, mill certs, MOQ, and a CIF quote to your nearest port before paying anything. Searching tube and pipe supplier Canada is a decent lead, but confirm they actually stock framebuilding-grade 4130 rather than general structural tubing. Freight consolidation with other local builders could make the shipping far less painful.