So rather than clutter up the WW 062, CS-057 and other threads with questions about each bike, I figured I should make my own thread chronicling my first Chinese Hardtail build.

Last week I found a crack in my 2009 Gary Fisher X-Cal 29er, a bike I thoroughly enjoyed riding. The only other bike available for me is a 1993 17" Rockhopper, which is fun but doesn't fit and is not a 29er. So I'm without bike until I can get this done. Eventually (next tax check), I plan on buying or building a new bike, either a full suspension fat bike or full sus plus bike. Depending on how this goes, I may sell this replacement frame bike to fund that purchase or keep both. As this is a budget build, I'm trying to transfer as many components from my old bike to the new frame as possible. This includes my Fox F80RL fork with G2 offset. I've read here that these G2 forks should be on 69 or slacker bikes (thanks to all I discussed this with on the WW 062 thread). As an aside, I ride in and around Tucson so trail types tend to vary from XC to DH. I ride mostly Honeybee/Rail X which is typical XC, but would prefer an All Mountain build with modern geometry if I can make it work.

I'd like to get the CS-057 from XMCarbonspeed which has the relatively short 440mm chainstays and 69 degree head angle, but it's at the top of my budget and almost priced out of it. So that leaves me with a few contenders from FlyXII and Workswell, who have had good and bad reviews on this site, but it seems generally good. These are:

-The FR202. Has very similar geometry to my 2009 GF. A head tube angle of 69, chainstays of 445mm (same as my Fisher) and 135mm QR dropouts. The dropouts are not changeable, it seems. This bike is the cheapest of the three, has the head tube angle/geo that I like, looks great (from the builds I've seen). I just wish I had the option of changing the dropouts. I have 135mm wheels, but would like the option of getting 142mm wheels on down the line.

-The FR216. Has a head tube angle of 70.5 and chainstays of 440mm. Option for either 142mm or 135mm dropouts, which I like. A little worse angle than the FR202, but shorter chainstays. Not many builds on ChinerTown that I've seen, so it's kind of an unknown. More expensive by $50USD.

-The Workswell 062. Has a head tube angle of 71 (steepest of three) and chainstays of 430mm (shortest of three). Option for 142mm or 135mm dropouts, which I like. A little more expensive than the other two, but the 062 thread here on Chinertown is extensive and it seems like a popular frame. It appears to have the most chainstay clearance of the three for possibly going to 27+ tires later on, which I'd like to do if I keep the bike.

So any thoughts on which way to go? Does short chainstay trump a slack-ish head tube angle? Does having the option of 142mm dropouts enhance the possibility of future sale/upgradeability (even though Boost is "it"), trumping Geometry? Does 1 to 2 degrees of head tube angle really make that much of a difference?

Thanks to all those that have posted their builds/threads. Without the likes of BXCc, Sportingoods and Activ3, I doubt that I would be considering this as an option to replacing my frame. And thanks to whomever made this site, it's been a Godsend for information.

I look forward to hearing any constructive comments/criticisms the hive mind may have.  Thanks!