Welcome to Chinertown - Introduce Yourself!

[Squashman]

Hey everyone.  Greetings from Green Bay, WI.

Just joined to get some information on full suspension frames.  My son's friend is looking to build up a full suspension bike and I have a few parts I am going to donate to him.  Specifically a Fox CTD shock which is 184 x 44 (7.25 x 1.75).  Are any of the Chinese full suspension frames designed around a 7.25" shock length?

[Pack66]

Go Pack Go! (Born in Janesville many moons ago...)

[Midwest-MTBer]

Hey everyone.  Greetings from Green Bay, WI.

Just joined to get some information on full suspension frames.  My son's friend is looking to build up a full suspension bike and I have a few parts I am going to donate to him.  Specifically a Fox CTD shock which is 184 x 44 (7.25 x 1.75).  Are any of the Chinese full suspension frames designed around a 7.25" shock length?

Eau Claire, WI here 

Hope you decide to do a Chiner build. I just finished my 036 yesterday and have really been enjoying it. The 036 frame fits a 6.5 shock, so it wouldn't work with yours. Do some searching for the 098 frame. It's a bit more of an enduro styled frame, but I can't remember if it takes a 7.25 or 7.5. It's sold by multiple vendors, and there was a build on here from awhile ago.. I think if you search IP-098 you'll find it. If you're interested, Peter at xmcarbonspeed.com has them, just not on his website. Just shoot him an email asking about the shock size requirements. He sells it as the CS-098.

[Alvaro Federico]

Hi everybody !

Greetings from Montevideo, Uruguay.
Just start chinese components fever about a couple months ago with a rigid fork for my MTB and a 56mm wheelset for my road bike, both from ican-bicycle.

I actually own a 2013 710 Scott Scale (650B), now with ican rigid fork and converted to 1x11 (original XT cranks + raceface 38T rings)

Im in a XC Marathon races (40, 60 up to 100km some) and a 29er is a must, so want to swap from 27.5 to 29er.
I will post my question about it in the correct section.

Here pictures of both bikes:

[boneshaker]

Ok Got to start somewhere!

Pretty much newbie at building bikes (but I have built cars...and maintained bikes) I have had a 20 year old haro for FAAAR too long and its time to put it out to pasture. As I'm sure many of you are on here too - I m looking at a budget but also fun way of building my next bike. Whenever I hit the trails here in the UK I tend to hire a full suss and these usualy are scot scales / genius etc and I really like them. I am also going to take the challenge of doing the C2C (coast to coast trail) next year and so the goal is to build and complete the bike over winter ready for the spring.

I am torn and I know this is a usual thing.

Do I build full suss or go proven hard tail?

Looking at both the 036 full suss frame :  http://www.xmiplay.com/ProductDetails1579


and the hardtail 057 http://www.hongfu-bikes.com/html_products/2013-29ER-Axle-MTB-Frame-HF-FM057-284.html

I now I have listed two different companies. it seems like xmi have good customer service from what I have read on here so I guess I'm leaning towards them 9Any reason other places might be better for either of these frames)

NOW - I'd love the prospect of full suss but I guess the only thing that scares me from a build point of view is it is another thing to get wrong AND  i'd need the expense of buying a rear shock.

As both of these frames are 29ers (which I have not really ever ridden) I'm also a little scared by this too. (I need to try one)

I have a donor bike given to me with some pretty good (but old) components on it (frame is awful though) I will make a list of these components in a new thread. but as the bike is a 26 I'd need to ditch the forks and wheels anyway.

Anything else that might not fit that I'd need to replace?

I am very excited about building this over the next few months. Not taken the plunge on the frame ordering util I have a plan. so thanks for the resource and future help. I am sure there will be lot's of asking!

[Carbon_Dude]

I've built both a -057 and an -036.  Both were very nice bikes, lightweight, and very reliable.  I've since sold both of them and gone to a plus tire.  Since you can't decide to go HT or FS, why not consider a 29+ bike?  Checkout the xmcarbonspeed.com CS-496 or similar frame.  With 29+ tires you will get a much smoother ride without the complexity of a FS frame.

BTW, I will have a set of 29+ boost wheels from my Trek Stache available for sale soon, if your interested.

[boneshaker]

HI Carbon Dude,

thanks for the reply. I think (mainly from reading your posts about your daughters bikes) That ill pretty much go with a carbon speed frame. it seems you like their service (plus others too) Ive counted my pennies and I think a full suss is just out of my pricerange at the moment  so it will be hardtail. I am not used to a 29er let a lone anything 29+?!  so Im even unsure about that! might go 650b ... arghh so many decisions..

I was looking at these two frames:

Yes I know this one is a 650
http://www.xmcarbonspeed.com/Productinfo.asp?f=1283

Im confused by the numbers? (for 135mm QR/142*12mm) What does this relate to?

Any also this 29er..

http://www.xmcarbonspeed.com/Productinfo.asp?f=1296

Again thanks for all your help in this. I am very scared!!

[Carbon_Dude]

HI Carbon Dude,

thanks for the reply. I think (mainly from reading your posts about your daughters bikes) That ill pretty much go with a carbon speed frame. it seems you like their service (plus others too) Ive counted my pennies and I think a full suss is just out of my pricerange at the moment  so it will be hardtail. I am not used to a 29er let a lone anything 29+?!  so Im even unsure about that! might go 650b ... arghh so many decisions..

I was looking at these two frames:

Yes I know this one is a 650
http://www.xmcarbonspeed.com/Productinfo.asp?f=1283

Im confused by the numbers? (for 135mm QR/142*12mm) What does this relate to?

Any also this 29er..

http://www.xmcarbonspeed.com/Productinfo.asp?f=1296

Again thanks for all your help in this. I am very scared!!

135QR is the older quick release standard.  Good if you have an existing wheelset with quick release skewers.  142x12 is the newer through axle standard.  You can read about the differences here on Sheldon Brown's page:  http://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html.

If not 29+ then think about 650b+ (27.5+), very similar feel to a 29" wheels but with a bit more traction.  If you went with the CS-527 you could then choose to go with 29", 27.5", 29+ or 27.5+ and not be limited by clearance of your frame.  Of course you would need to match up a compatible fork that can do all those wheel sizes but the new Fox forks that are Boost compatible have enough clearance for any of those tire sizes.

[boneshaker]

Thanks again for the info. Seems like most of the standard sizes are making their way on these frames. I should have read the spec and then worked out the sizing related to the skewers. (15mm is pretty standard on the front huh?)

again. there will be a lot of head scratching and debate before I press the button and build. It's also going to be a long build due to cash flow.

[multispoke]

Hello all, another new guy here from Arizona.

I'm primarily a roadie, but getting into endurance/marathon MTB races and interested in building a light 29er HT for that purpose. I currently ride a 2010 Rocky Mountain Vertex 29er, which seems strong and reliable, but is a bit too heavy at 26.5lbs...and that's after putting it on a mild diet of of 1x10 drivetrain and some lighter cockpit. Of course, the 6lbs or so that it has on a nice carbon build is only about 3% of the rider/bike system, but the weight weenie in me is not easily persuaded by that kind of math

Hoping to use the accumulated knowledge in this forum to pick out a frame and wheels for the build. I'd love to end up in the vicinity of 20lbs in size XL with a suspension fork and a carbon wheelset, but understand that may be a bit of a stretch. I'm currently looking at all the usual suspects - 057, 041 and 062 as frame candidates.

[JohnnyNT]

Sub 20 lbs in xl is absolutely manageable My built ended sub 18.5 lbs with L frame, around 3000 Euro from scratch (you can probably go even lighter and a tad cheaper here and there): http://chinertown.com/index.php/topic,781.msg8546.html#msg8546  , you can also look at frankR build http://chinertown.com/index.php/topic,382.0.html

[Carbon_Dude]

My -057 build was 19.5 lbs with a RS Reba fork, full XX1 drivetrain, carbon wheels, carbon bars & seat post, XT brakes.  If you go 1x then you should be able build an XL at around 20 lbs. 

[cmh]

My -057 build was 19.5 lbs with a RS Reba fork, full XX1 drivetrain, carbon wheels, carbon bars & seat post, XT brakes.  If you go 1x then you should be able build an XL at around 20 lbs.

Based on that build, with the new Fox 32 SC (step cast) fork instead of the Reba, (around a half pound lighter) you could probably step down from XX1 to X01 or X1 and still hit the 20lb target, as well. Also don't forget that carbon wheels aren't your only option, the Stan's NoTubes Crest Mk3 are listed in the 360g range, which is the same listed weight as the lightest Chiner carbon rims and quite a bit less.

[JohnnyNT]

If carbon rims are not a must then beside Crest (being obvious option) there are more nice and light rims like Ryda Trace XC, BOR XMD 333/366 or DT Swiss offerings.

[multispoke]

My -057 build was 19.5 lbs with a RS Reba fork, full XX1 drivetrain, carbon wheels, carbon bars & seat post, XT brakes.  If you go 1x then you should be able build an XL at around 20 lbs.

Based on that build, with the new Fox 32 SC (step cast) fork instead of the Reba, (around a half pound lighter) you could probably step down from XX1 to X01 or X1 and still hit the 20lb target, as well. Also don't forget that carbon wheels aren't your only option, the Stan's NoTubes Crest Mk3 are listed in the 360g range, which is the same listed weight as the lightest Chiner carbon rims and quite a bit less.

Thanks for the Crest suggestion. I was thinking going carbon for stiffness/weight, but if I can achieve the same with alloy rims for less $, that's even better - more money for light cranks! I've never ridden either the old Crests or the new MK3 ones, but the old ones had a reputation for being flexy. Stans claim the new rims have an improved stiffness, but is it enough? I can't find any ride reviews on them yet. I'm 158lbs, so not super heavy, but I suck at picking lines and often ride over larger rocks than I should Still, Crest MK3s built on the lighter Novatec hubs should make for a ~1400g wheelset, which would indeed rival the lightest Chinese options from Farsports and LB for a couple hundred $ less.