The Shiny New AM831 Group Buy (A) Thread!

[FlaMtnBkr]

Got the frame today. I have to go out so will go over it better later but it looks good so far. It's a large painted frame and with just the der hanger it weighs 2435g.

I stuck the rear shock in since I pulled the shipping rod to weigh it, and with the 22.2mm rear mounting hardware I was able to put one 0.5mm shim in and it was a pretty tight fit and I can't feel any "slop" or play even before tightening the bolt.

I also slid the Suntour Auron fork in with the bearings just to get an idea on clearance, and one side misses and the other side with dampening knobs just barely hits. A couple 2 or 3 mm will probably be all it needs. But I imagine it will depend on the fork and some will clear a large frame.

I will work on it later and add any thoughts or issues I come across

Edit: spelling

[JJJ]

I also slid the Suntour Auron fork in with the bearings just to get an idea on clearance, and one side misses and the other side with dampening knows just barely hits. A couple 2 or 3 mm will probably be all it needs. But I imagine it will depend on the fork and some will clear a large frame.

Can someone post the exact specs for a crown race spacer that worked for them?

[xtinction]

Can someone post the exact specs for a crown race spacer that worked for them?

For the M sized frame, a rockshox lyrik ultimate just barely scratches the downtube

[cybrsrce]

Can someone post the exact specs for a crown race spacer that worked for them?

Currently available options that will work without a special bearing:
3mm race
https://canecreek.com/product/3mm-52-40mm-alloy-crown-race-baa0855k/
6mm race
https://canecreek.com/product/6mm-52-40mm-alloy-crown-race-baa1078k/
10mm -0.5 degree race
https://reverse-components.com/en/products/05%C2%B0-angle-spacer-tapered-forks

Alternatively, use a downtube protector as a bump stop :
https://www.ridewrap.ca/products/shuttle-armor/

Specialized used to make a tall race for stumpjumpers and I think Hope and Chris King had some sort of race spacer available.  Not sure if any of those wold work right without a specific headset lower to match.  Anyway, don't have the frame yet but just throwing out the available offerings.  There are probably others available on Ali or Amazon but for under $20 USD I picked up the 3mm Cane Creek to match the headset.  I'll just add the downtube protector if it still hits, I'm not planning on doing bar spins and I move the back end on tight turns and switchbacks.   

[Confused]

Cybrsrce - what size frame do you have ordered?

[cybrsrce]

Cybrsrce - what size frame do you have ordered?

Medium

[slo]

I just test fit a Lyrik Ultimate on a Large size frame and the adjuster knob has basically no clearance at the down tube when using the included headset and bearings. That is just holding the headset in place. I ordered the +3mm crown race mentioned above, which should be enough to clear.

Also, the seat tube appears quite long on the large frame. Looks like all the difference is made up by extending the part above the top tube. No problem inserting a dropper 9” into the frame.

[BSAM]

I also got the nomad 5 chainstay protector since they didn't have the hightower one in stock. It actually fits pretty well. The last bit just doesn't go completely around the chainstay but you can't really see that unless you look under the frame and it's still very tightly attached to the bike. I wonder if the actual hightower part might actually fit better still.

Hello Snacks,

I had a hard time to squeeze the chainstay protector in there. I was just wondering if you had any trick to make it going in easier.   

Thank you.

[Snacks]

Hello Snacks,

I had a hard time to squeeze the chainstay protector in there. I was just wondering if you had any trick to make it going in easier.   

Thank you.

I hooked the top part on first and then rotated it around until the bottom part snapped onto the chainstay

[Jotegr]

Received my frame today. Quite a bit of shipping damage on the box but the frame seems unscathed.

I ended up purchasing the frame from Topfire, not Haidelai like most of you. I thought they'd be a bit faster after talking to someone else on another forum and their own statements - I was wrong.

Furthermore, they shipped the frame without anything in the way of spacers where the shock was meant to be - the frame was free to slam in to itself over and over on the way here - fortunately doesn't show.

They also sent literally no hardware other than what I requested (and was charged for) specifically - a rear axle and hanger. I guess I'll need to source everything else from a SC dealer and hope it fits?  The other two full sus bikes I've purchased (from different Chinese manufacturers) at least had like... some hardware...

I also asked for a RAW frame, unpainted - which they agreed initially.  They informed me when it was ready to ship (like 9 months later) that they weren't going to do that - it was coming matte black whether I like it or not.

Between this and their poor organization (they sent a message saying I had to pay more for shipping if I wanted a rush shipment and no duties, and then realized they were looking at the wrong country) I'd HIGHLY recommend avoiding them and going with Haideli. I know I should have. I sure hope that I never have any further issues with this, I think I'd be completely on my own.

Edit: Can someone else measure the thread pitch and length of the included axle? I didn't actually get one despite paying for one. Stick with Eddie guys =/

[Thrill21]

Earlier in this posting (I think) discussion was around the geometry and being slightly different then the actual HT. I'm wondering if all the issues around top of fork not clearing the down tube makes me wonder that had they stretched where the down tube and top tube connect by the head tube, they're is a real possible this would be the area where the geo would come back in alignment.

[FlaMtnBkr]

It's not an exact copy and I would be surprised if they had an actual frame and just went by the numbers and pictures and the rest was their take on how to fill in the gaps. Just a guess but I wouldn't expect anything from the HT to fit very well if at all. Anyways...

On my frame I found one of the most forward bearings on the rear triangle (the one that takes an 8mm hex), the recessed hole for the bolt head is recessed a little too much so that when the bolt bottoms out on the metal link, the bolt head hasn't tightened down on the rear triangle, so the triangle can flex in and out on the bolt. I know that's an awkward description but hopefully makes sense. So basically the bolt needs a washer under the head to fill in space so the bolt can tighten down on the carbon. However the bolt is very wide and the head is just slightly bigger so won't be a standard size.

I cut a plastic bottle open and used heavy scissors to cut out a washer mainly to see if it was thick enough and if it would work before taking the time to make a nicer one. It worked fine and all the side to side play is gone. Just something others might want to look for and wasn't immediately obvious.

[FlaMtnBkr]

The axle is 12mm x 172mm long and the thread is M12 x 1.5 x 16mm long

[Jotegr]

What do you guys think I should do for decals when I paint the bike? I don't really like the one colour/no writing look, but obviously there's no "proper" way to do them. I kinda broke down the following options:

1. Just do Santa Cruz decals - I don't really like this. It's a bit too on the nose, but just a little off, ya know?
2. Do some chinese brand's decals - I don't mind "831" for the model, but all their names are kinda... eh?
3. Some random "cool" word as a brand
4. Just do the name of an already existing open mold importing brand
5. Decals from a brand that currently uses VPP but does not use the low-slung version (yet) - think DMR, Diamondback, maybe even Intense! lol.

I'm kind of leaning to number 5 (not intense though), It would be kinda silly while at the same time not too far-fetched to become reality. Who's to say Diamondback doesn't have the v3 of the release planned up as a lower link bike if you see this thing ride by at a trail network?

[xtinction]

What do you guys think I should do for decals when I paint the bike? I don't really like the one colour/no writing look, but obviously there's no "proper" way to do them. I kinda broke down the following options:

1. Just do Santa Cruz decals - I don't really like this. It's a bit too on the nose, but just a little off, ya know?
2. Do some chinese brand's decals - I don't mind "831" for the model, but all their names are kinda... eh?
3. Some random "cool" word as a brand
4. Just do the name of an already existing open mold importing brand
5. Decals from a brand that currently uses VPP but does not use the low-slung version (yet) - think DMR, Diamondback, maybe even Intense! lol.

I'm kind of leaning to number 5 (not intense though), It would be kinda silly while at the same time not too far-fetched to become reality. Who's to say Diamondback doesn't have the v3 of the release planned up as a lower link bike if you see this thing ride by at a trail network?

i had the same idea i settled on modifying santa cruz stickers for the font to get ' santa clauz'