Ican P9 has my vote, 150/150 feels great for long trail days and it climbs very well when compared to my xc bike. The gnarly downhills are handled easily and I had to up my game as this thing wants to go at each section. Its been very forgiving whilst learning to jump and saved my azz in a few otb moments. I've kitted my bike with Fox and SLX equipment which is great. Also 9 yrs on ppl still comment on the frame every time I pull up, probably due to the curvy lines and sorted geometry.

plastidipped

nice bike,

I have the old fm036 the play you refer too in the back end might be what I had this was down to the mounting holes for the shock being slightly larger than needed on the linkage. I eventually cured this by using a new ti nut and bolt, whereby via complete accident the nut was drawn into the linkage recess and wedged there firmly enough to act like the hole was re-bored. Play now cured.!!!

best regards

Heres my FM036 size 15.5 bought from Hongfu November 2013. I have added internal dropper after a quick drill and fishing.

This is my second time plastidipping but this time its a whole frame respray with gloss finish and protection tape added to some of the more vulnerable contact points.

 I'm hoping the plastidip  lasts more than one year in a good condition as the UK winters do this product no favours at all.

Here's a link to my dropper solution-- post#2328

http://forums.mtbr.com/29er-bikes/dual-suspension-chinese-carbon-29er-737952-24.html#post13733558

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Just to clarify

I don't think I described the solution properly. I have bushings in my shock eyelets . For each eyelet you have a 3 pc bush kit. The two bushings that slide over the cyclindrical pivot bar are not wide enough to take up the gap to the left and right of the frame.

To be honest, I used small rubber o-rings I had laying around as I had no metal shims to fit, but the affect will be the same.

I'll try to post pictures, but hopefully everyone will get my drift.

Well hopefully after sourcing correct size shims in metal, this will turn out to be a legit fix.

best regards

PS, I've also put up my DIY stealth dropper mod over on MTBR.

Hi

I broke the chainstay on my FM036 after 4.5 years. I must state that after doing a MtB skills course two years ago I have definitely become more air born in my riding but nothing dramatic, so for example taking off from ramps over small fallen trees and getting air from the local pump track humps, so really only things of  around a two foot height.

Three weeks ago I found a small square concrete platform next to a local play area which measured about 10ft x 10ft and 2ft high. I decided to practice repeated roll offs and jumps,'starting low to high as there was a ramp to the top which made this possible.
 
After spending half hour practicing I noticed after a jump landing some flex in the rear but I thought I had broke the wheel bearings and decided to go home. On closer inspection I had broken the chainstay on the right side all the way round clean through and the left seemed to be cracked only on the outer  layer of carbon.

Well a new stay is $160 plus shipping but I decided to get a carbon repair kit as I've repaired my road bike ok some 9 years ago.

I've now repaired the chainstay ok and basically wrapped cracks on both sides with four layers of carbon and hope this is stronger than before.

The reason i think the chainstay broke is that the landing was not as straight on whilst trying to avoid obstacles after landing and maybe this stressed the one side too much OR I may have simply tested the limit of this xc frame.

Either way I've not changed the way I use the frame and its holding up well!!!