Thanks for the reply cmh. Quite honestly, I'm not looking for weight savings and I'm realistic in what I'm getting. I'm just looking to replace a frame that was broken. The most inexpensive (somewhat) way of doing that, as well as the most intriguing, is to go to a Chinese carbon vendor.  Well, I could go for a cheap nashbar/performance frame, but I don't like any options there really. I've looked at used eBay offerings, but there really hasn't been anything that was of much interest...other than a 2011 Horsethief frame and I think that was a little overpriced. Most likely the cheapest option would be to buy new, but where's the fun in that?

What fork is that on your build? What size? 100mm? 120mm? Has it changed the geometry of the bike compared to your carbon fork? Was the carbon fork 80mm? Sorry for all the questions, but I'm looking at different builds to try and figure which frame might be best for me and the components I already have.

So an update of sorts. I've narrowed my choices down to the the FR202 and the WW 062. I'm a bit concerned by what I've read about Flyxii, but it also seems that some MTBR/CT members have had good luck with them. I like the slacker HT on the FR202 and it mostly mirrors my GF Xcal in geometry. The WW 062 seems to be more popular/polished/better quality, but I don't like the steeper HT. I'm curious if the chainstay (which is phenomenally short on the 062), makes a difference, so I'm going to try and test ride something similar here in town with a short chainstay. The venerable CS-057 has everything I want, but it's just too expensive. For the price of the CS-057, I could purchase the FR202 and have it built by my LBS. I loved dealing with XMCarbonspeed though, and they are definitely on the short list when I do my next build next year...a full suspension fat bike, hopefully.

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!

Have seen this bike in person. Beautiful bike and very expensive in the shop. Fairwheels is a great LBS in Tucson...

Also, for those that have made a switch from 135mm to 142mm, does it make much of a difference? Also, for those that have the 18.5" and 20" frames, what do you recommend for a guy 5'11" (33 inseam)? My GF was a 19" and fit perfect-ish.

Hi All,

Pack66 from Tucson. I recently broke my 2009 Gary Fisher X-Cal frame and in the quest for a new frame, discovered this site and the possibility of carbon. Because I'm on a budget and trying to salvage as many parts as I can from the GF (which I know has older parts like 135mm QR hubs), I'm looking for a HT 29er with the possibility of turning it into a 27.5+ later. If this goes well, I may try and save up for a Fat or 29+/27.5+ full suspension (as the Bucksaw and the Pony Rustler are my grails currently).

Looking forward to many long disussions!