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Re: Lexon 258 Full-Suspension XC i have the hong fu and ver sattisfied about it,





April 08, 2021, 08:01:27 AM
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Softail titanium MTB 29/27.5+ (all mountain - bikepacking) Hello,


Who I am :
Just over 30 yo MTB rider, 177cm tall, 65 kg, I live in the French Alps.
I practiced XC, trial and dirt as a kid. I did practice pure enduro around 25 yo, but now I don't want to ride that hard anymore  :o
I mostly ride all mountain and bikepacking MTB trips. I want to climb hard, enjoy views/landscapes, have fun while downhill  8)

Few weeks ago, I had a Specialized Enduro + Orbea Alma + NS Bikes Eccentric + road bike + pumptrack bike + a titanium custom hardtail MTB with Pinion gearbox (commute / travel).


The project
Sell all my bikes except the Pinion bike, and build a new all mountain / bikepacking MTB.
I wanted :
  • light bike
  • pretty "cheap"
  • a bit of rear travel but not as much as the Specialized Enduro
  • careless suspension
  • aggressive / modern geometry
  • enough room to mount DIY bikepacking gears, espacially a framebag

I thought that a "down country" bike would be a solution. Carbonda FM936.  :-*
Then i changed my mind for a pure all mountain FM1001.
Then I hesitated for a 160mm FS947.
Then an AM831 (SC hightower like).
Every of them have pros and cons and the cons won every time...

Then I thought a custom titanium hartdail with 180mm front fork (based on Chromag Doctahawk), would probably be amazing.
But still no rear travel...

I finally make a decision and decided to order a custom softail titanium bike.
Asked walty, xacd and titan products. Titan is the one I chose.


Geometry
Here is the geometry.
160mm fork, 80mm rear travel.
Massive 505mm reach and 77° STA 63° HTA 430 chainstay (63° seems crazy but it is almost a hardtail, HTA should be around 64,5 once sagged).
20mm stem (integrated bar)
Compatible max 29x2.5 and 27.5x3.0.




Parts
Here is the detail bike check (almost everything is already at home)
Goal : 11,5 kg maximum. Fingers crossed...




Frame pictures
The frame just left the factory for shipping.






Next steps : wait, mount and test-ride  8) ;D

April 22, 2021, 07:46:35 AM
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Re: Softail titanium MTB 29/27.5+ (all mountain - bikepacking) Weight : it is an estimation. Expected weight, around 2 and 2.3 kg. Not weighed yet, we'll see.
The rear suspension : the titanium plate flex is the pivot. The seat stays are flattened ton flex as well.
Cable routing : rear derailleur and dropper post = internal. Rear brake = external (easier maintenance etc.)

Other bikes with this "technology" :
Funk Cycles - La Ruta (2.2 kg frame)


Leon - Semita (10,5kg) or Montem (12,5 kg)



My bike is something between a hardcore hardtail and a trail bike. I hope i will enjoy it :-)

April 26, 2021, 02:23:47 AM
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Re: FM1002 / FM1166 - 150mm frame
Can you share the deal details? (price, shipping etc.)

$780 + $150 shipping to Kazakhstan (yes, today we have a problem with cheap shipping).

+ I've ordered custom paint (blue-purple chameleon) for $120

July 02, 2021, 10:50:38 PM
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Carbonda FM 1003 / Flybike FM 1266 180mm "Super Enduro" So, after the FM 1266 has been on the Flybike website for a while (and changed from a Santa Cruz clone to something more original), Carbonda has now announced the same frame called "FM 1003" for end of 2021.

For geo and render pic, see link below
http://www.carbonda.com/news/136.html

It uses a four bar design with a large one-piece rear triangle, making it look more like a single pivot. I've done a quick analysis with Linkage X3 and the results are promising. Very nice linear progression thoughout the travel and 100 per cent anti squat at sag (32t).

Anti rise seems a bit high though. In theory, this means that the rear end won't extend under braking, keeping it low (which is a good thing). But also the suspension may get stiffer and lose traction when braking over a bumby surface.

Can't say if this is a copy of another bike. If not, then this is an impressive new development.

July 19, 2021, 12:58:37 AM
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Re: ICAN P9 & Rockshox Super Deluxe Coil RCT (Bushings) Frame looks amazing, love the paint scheme, recently finished my build and the shock bushings caused me a bit of trouble as everything I had read told me in needed 22x8mm top and bottom, this worked with the included (with Ican hardware) bushing spacers but I had a small it of lateral play.

I then bought 30mm x 8mm top and 25.4mm x 8mm bottom to install without the spacers and it's been perfect so far. I bought my bushings from https://www.offsetbushings.com/ with a 1 degree offset to slacken the bike a bit. Been riding it for around 3 weeks now and everything is going good. Best of luck with the build.

July 27, 2021, 08:16:08 AM
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Re: FM1002 / FM1166 - 150mm frame

My 1002 build

more photos here: https://1drv.ms/u/s!AtHxZr8ACjmhg7kATvILytfKYfG8bw?e=ulsS3q

August 12, 2021, 10:49:12 PM
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Re: Chinese Carbon 29er Pic Thread. Current state of my ICAN P9 build. More things to come soon-ish :D

What components I've used so far:

Hope EVO Cranks 170mm
Hope BSA68/73 30mm Bottom Bracket
Hope Seatpost Clamp
Hope Direct Mount Spiderless Retainer Ring Narrow-Wide
OneUp Components Bashguard
RockShox Lyrik Ultimate RC2 29" 170mm 42mm Offset
RockShox Super Ultimate Deluxe Coil RCT
Crankbrothers Highline 7
Reverse Components Lead Bar
Reverse Components Spacer
Sixpack Vertic Ø 31.8mm Stem
Offset Bushings 25.4mm x 8mm Bottom
Offset Bushings 30mm x 8mm Top




September 03, 2021, 09:29:21 AM
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Re: New Enduro Frame FS830 I'm blown away by how well it rides. slightly naughty paint job.
It climbs as well as my sonder transmitter hardtail and descends a whole lot faster.
I've bashed it through Scotland and down some big drop offs without any concens. Its not has a few stone chips and not looking quite so pretty.

Chainring was slightly awkward as I had to run zero offset to get everything inline, good excuse to buy a nice oval cnc one.


I'm still waiting for a new one up dropper post but everyone seems out of stock. Also if anyone can recommend any good carbon wheels  (30 -35mm internal width)

September 08, 2021, 03:57:40 AM
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Airwolf YFM-026 - 1 month in I learned so much from this forum, time to repay my dues! My 1 month in review of my favourite new steed - an Airwolf YFM-026[/size]
    • Frame: Airwolf YFM-026 with headset and BB included. 29er, BOOST. Custom painted by Airwolf. I printed my own stickers and wrapped in 3M paint protection film
    • Bar/stem: Airwolf ‘Newest one-shaped MTB bike handlebar carbon Handlebars with 2° degree stem’. 40mm stem and 800mm width bar
    • Seatpost: Airwolf carbon post
    • Fork: NOS 2018 Rockshox SID RL Charger, 100mm travel, BOOST
    • Brakes: Magura MT Sport w/ Storm rotors. 180mm front, 160mm rear
    • Wheels: Syncros (Formula) BOOST hubs and Syncros (Alex) 30mm rims from a 2019 Scott Genius
    • Gears: Shimano XT 12sp shifter and Deore derailleur. SRAM GX cassette and X01 chain
    • Crank / Chainring: ZRACE HARDROCK - DUB 1 x 10 11 12 Speed Boost Crankset Eagle Tooth, 175mm
    • Pedals: Shimano PD-M785
    • Tires: Vittoria Barzo 2.35
    • Seat: Specialized Toupe
    • Grips: Wolftooth silicone
What I’m aiming for
I have been eyeing up unbranded frames from China for about 20 years. I really missed a 2013 Kona Hei Hei XC bike that I had sold and liked the idea of a hardtail to replace it. I wanted something light but capable, understanding that a 100mm fork that I found on sale sets something of a limit. I wanted to build it on a budget with a focus on function and value rather than bling and ultra-light weight.

I live on Vancouver’s North Shore which has a reputation for pretty gnarly trails, but wanted something that would be a blast on the less extreme trails that often get forgotten. That said, I know this bike will end up on some of the harder trails from time to time (see below!).

The frame, bar and seatpost were bought through the Airwolf store on Aliexpress. Their communication was excellent. It took about 6 weeks to arrive, but would have been quicker if I hadn’t had it painted. This is one of the few frames I could find with modern XC geo – notably reach, head and seat angles and BOOST. It was extremely well packaged with no damage. The only fault I could find in the finish is some rough edges in the head tube. I did not see any of the issues that some have reported about poor dropouts or fork crown hitting downtube (this is a large frame).

The crank was ordered from Zrace on Aliexpress. Their communication is OK, and I'm really pleased with them so far.

Other parts I either already owned, bought second hand or found on Ebay. The build went very smoothly. Any issues I had were definitely my error, not with the frame. The internal routing for the rear brake was a lot of work, but no harder than it would be on any other frame and it looks good once done! One thing to note: the other ports on this frame are designed to run inner cable only in the frame, as opposed to a full length of outer. This means I’ll need to do some fiddling if I want to fit a dropper post.

Initial impressions
This thing is light! The frame comes in at about 1150g with hanger, thru-axle and seat collar. Built up, the bike is 19.6lbs without crank or pedals, so I’m expecting 22-23lbs once the new crank arrives. I’m really pleased with how it looks with matte black components and a bright colour on the frame. No-one really seems to notice my little stickers, which is fine by me. I know what they mean (UK riders may be familiar with the Mint Sauce font and quotes!).

Even with the 40mm stem, it’s quite long (size large and I am 178cm tall). The steering is really quick. The brakes didn’t work (not bed in). The whole thing feels ‘tight’.

First ride
I was in a rush. I needed to get up the mountain by 6pm and I didn’t get home from work until 5.15. I stuffed my backpack with shakedown test musts like a shock pump and multitool and sped out the door.
Coming from a big-ish trail bike the Airwolf immediately felt weird, with lightning quick steering and very fast acceleration. The beginning of the ride was mostly on road to get up the mountain as fast as possible, but the little sections of singletrack gave me an inkling of how this was going to be: playful and fast (and too long).

You’ll be pleased to know I made it to the trail head on time. Everyone was interested in the new bike (most of them knew it was in the works), and there were plenty of jokes about me emerging from the forest with shards of carbon fibre up my arse. I had promised myself that I would not go straight into the gnar with this bike, but the group was heading up to a black-rated trail (7th Secret). I figured I’d give it a go and tweak the bike as I went / walk if necessary.

The ride to the top confirmed what I’d found on that initial climb: a bike that is quick to accelerate and encourages you to fast.

The beginning of the ride down was a different matter. The top of 7th Secret is quite steep, rocky and rooty. It was also greasy that day. I had not had a chance to bed the brakes in and I am used to a 160/150mm bike with a 65 degree head angle so I was pleased that I managed to drop in to the trail without snapping me or the bike. After about 2 minutes I put the seat post in my bag because I couldn’t drop the seat enough. If I’m going to keep riding trails like this, I’d need a dropper. As the brakes started to bed in, I started to appreciate the quick steering on the tight switchbacks.

As 7th Secret merges into the lower trails, things start to mellow out. This is where I realized the bike is exactly what I was hoping for. This is no 90s alloy hardtail throwback – there is quite a bit of flex in the frame and it’s pretty comfortable for a hardtail. That quick acceleration is addictive coming out of corners! I’m sure the fastish rolling tires helped here, and it’ll be interesting to experiment with North Shore go-to Maxxis DHF and DHRs at some point.

From the first ride I learned a few things. First, I really like this bike. It makes the ‘easy’ trails a hell of a lot of fun, which is just what I was hoping for. I would far rather have this than a gravel bike, and it’s probably not much slower on dirt road.
 
Secondly, a little faith in the established Chinese manufacturers is probably warranted. I really hope this frame lasts and becomes great value. I don’t think it will take long for me to trust it.
Thirdly… rushing out for a ride down ‘big’ trails on a bike that isn’t really set up yet is probably not a great idea. Go and bed the brakes in, tighten any loose bolts and realize you need a dropper before you go out in public.

One month in
I would highly recommend anyone looking at this frame to be careful on sizing. It's long. I have got the seat nearly all the way forward and it's fine now. Just after I got the YFM026 working a friend of mine bought a gravel bike and we went for a long but gentle ride. I loved it - fast, comfortable and light but much more capable than a gravel bike.

I have some fast singletrack trails close to my house and I absolutely love this bike there. So much fun!

A couple of tweaks to come! The bars are too wide. I'll cut them down to about 760mm. I have a seatpost shim on the way so I can install a dropper. A clip for one of the cable port covers has snapped and I also want some more to run full length inner cables for the gears and dropper. Airwolf have been really helpful and, after a bit of a language barrier, I think are sending some.

Pics
Lastly… pics! No post would be complete without pics of the bella machina.

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September 17, 2021, 11:12:33 PM
1