FM1002 / FM1166 - 150mm frame

[Massey]

My setup at the moment, minus the mud tyres! Will upgrade the drive chain for next year as its off my last bike, thinking AXS as less cables is a plus for me.

[endo.alley]

Looking good. I have an FM 1002 to post in a week or so when the last of the parts arrive.

[endo.alley]

I am wondering what shock spacers do I need in order to install a Rock Shox trunnion mount shock on this frame?

[FullCarbonAlchemist]

The shock bolt is 8x40mm, and you need bushings or needle bearings to fit 8x30.

I went with the RWC needle bearing kit since the eyelet end is the one that rotates on the FM1002 and 1001. So far it’s been great.

If you want to run bushings I’d suggest pressing out the metal ring that RS puts in their eyelets (for use with their full metal bushings) and running Fox DU polymer bushings.

[endo.alley]

Thanks. The bearings look like the way to go.

[casual_build]

Any advice on how to make sure these wide mouthed cable grommets between the front triangle and chainstays sit where they’re supposed to and stay there? While running the internal routing they came out of place and it was almost impossible to get them to sit flush for some reason. I assembled the bike with them slightly imperfectly seated but now as I move the suspension to set up the shock (equalize the air chambers), they get yanked out of place.

I thought I had the two cables run more or less correctly, so I’m not sure disassembly and agonizing over the cables themselves would help anything. But I’m having a hell of a time pressing them back into place with any of the tools I have while the shock is disconnected and I have the linkage all the way compressed like this….and I worry that they’ll just come back out once the suspension moves again.

I’ve been struggling with them long enough that the temptation to just rip them out and go without any is very strong, but then I’d be worried about dirt and water ingress….but frankly, even if they were working perfectly I’m not sure how much difference they’ll make anyway since they don’t create a very good seal even when you have the cables exactly straight on either side.

And I think mine are a little twisted in the front frame such that they want to exit through the middle of the opening rather than straight through the sides. That’s not necessarily something I think I can reliably change even if I did my cable routing all over again. What the cables do that deep in the frame isn’t easily visualized or controllable, even with a magnetic routing kit.

My grommets popped out while cable routing. I want the front triangle grommet to work, but everytime the rear traingle moves to the fully compressed position, the cable housing pulls it back out. It's hell, perhaps its because my Magura MT5 brakeline is ~6mm.
I don't care about the rear triangle grommet, since the pivot lets water in anyway.

Edit: I finally got the front triangle grommet to stay, by reseating it a million times. We will see in riding makes it pop out. took out the rear triangle grommet to use a spare if the front one gets lost.

[casual_build]

So I've got my frame and started playing with it. My paint was chipped on arrival but I got refunded for it. At first I thought the carbon work was terrible when I saw these flakes in the frame, but then I realized I could see through it. Adam identified it as a gas bag that should have been removed. The carbon actually seems like it's mostly perfect.
Notes:
- Nothing was torqued to spec.
- Almost completely dry linkage, so I poly lubed everything.
- Do the all cable housing routing before installing the shock, its easiest to get perfect when the triangles are separated. I wish I had done it while lubricating.
- Paint is much thinner than on my FM936 SL frame and it's not sticking to the primer well. Maybe it's the color, but I've already chipped a bunch around the linkage. Although its supposed to be glossy, a few spots don't feel smooth. I was refunded 40$ for the paint, which I think is fair.

Here are some pictures of the carbon, gas bag in the frame, and paint damage I was refunded for.

[FullCarbonAlchemist]

I really should’ve just broken down my 1002 linkage when I got it in January and greased everything.
I didn’t expect to be riding it more than my branded enduro bike!

At this point, over 400 high intensity miles in…I think I probably ought to just replace the whole set at the end of the season (or when they start to give me any real trouble, which hasn’t happened yet). It’s tempting to spend Enduro Max money, but I think anything pivot specific like that will do. The current shells have gotten noticeably rusted — likely superficial, but obviously you don’t like to see it anyway.

And it’s not like I’ve been riding a lot of wet or mud, I just rinse off my bike occasionally and sometimes have to drive home from the mountains in a rain storm with the bike on a hitch rack.

[Swolie74]

At first I thought the carbon work was terrible when I saw these flakes in the frame, but then I realized I could see through it. Adam identified it as a gas bag that should have been removed. The carbon actually seems like it's mostly perfect.

Holy crap, I would have been freaking out.... but thats also why I pay via paypal to cover my ass.

That first pic though the carbon looks amazing. Did you end up digging out the bag or just leaving it in there?

and almost everybody has mentioned the poor assembly, but if you gotta save money somewhere, I'd rather it be dry pivots and untorqued bolts than the layup quality

[casual_build]

Holy crap, I would have been freaking out.... but thats also why I pay via paypal to cover my ass.

That first pic though the carbon looks amazing. Did you end up digging out the bag or just leaving it in there?

and almost everybody has mentioned the poor assembly, but if you gotta save money somewhere, I'd rather it be dry pivots and untorqued bolts than the layup quality

I got it out 
Now that area looks similar to the first pic.
I used a metal rod to push it down until I could rip it out through bottom bracket cup.
Yeah, I am glad the carbon quality seems good and none of the parts are missing.

[bossman302]

So I've got my frame and started playing with it. My paint was chipped on arrival but I got refunded for it. At first I thought the carbon work was terrible when I saw these flakes in the frame, but then I realized I could see through it. Adam identified it as a gas bag that should have been removed. The carbon actually seems like it's mostly perfect.
Notes:
- Nothing was torqued to spec.
- Almost completely dry linkage, so I poly lubed everything.
- Do the all cable housing routing before installing the shock, its easiest to get perfect when the triangles are separated. I wish I had done it while lubricating.
- Paint is much thinner than on my FM936 SL frame and it's not sticking to the primer well. Maybe it's the color, but I've already chipped a bunch around the linkage. Although its supposed to be glossy, a few spots don't feel smooth. I was refunded 40$ for the paint, which I think is fair.

Here are some pictures of the carbon, gas bag in the frame, and paint damage I was refunded for.

Any chance you noted what bearings are being used?

[casual_build]

It was love at first ride.

This is my first enduro frame, all my other bikes have been XC frames spec'd for trial.

I took the newly finished FM1002 on a technical trail with jagged exposed rock gardens, sizeable rock features and lots of ups and downs. This frame is incredibly capable on the down hills. The 170mm lyrik feels supple over rough terrain. The 150mm travel in the back cushions large drops enough to make them feel comfortable. It's only my first ride and already my confidence is growing too much. It climbs like a goat too.  My Assegai/Dissector wheel combo has more rolling resistance than the XC race tires on my FM936 and the bike is about 5 lb heavier, but the higher bottom bracket, large travel, and crazy grip make it a more capable climber than my FM936. I climbed features on my first try that I've never been able to climb on my FM936.  The pedal bob is minimal in the rear and non-existent in the front.

One potential downside is that the increased weight and soft slack fork makes it easier to get stopped by rocks when you don't have momentum, so it can be difficult to continue a climb when starting up in a rock garden.

Bike is about 31.5 lbs (14.3 kg) as shown.

Any chance you noted what bearings are being used?

Sorry, I did not. How would you identify them? Calipers?

[92se-r]

Any tips on doing the internal routing?

[bossman302]

Sorry, I did not. How would you identify them? Calipers?

No worries, thought I would ask. The part number will be on the rubber seal. You will see something like 6801 LLC.

Love the color of your bike! The orange and red look awesome!

[willow79]

Any tips on doing the internal routing?

Remove the rear triangle, and work rear to front