What's the 'best' 120/120 XC/Downcountry going? And how does it compare?

[conradhughes]

Hello!
I have a Velobuild gravel bike and a friend has a Tideace NOAH. Both are pretty comparable to a similar mainstream bike and offer really similar benefits and a much reduced cost and, if I'm being honest, a small compromise on ride quality (very small compromise).
I've been riding a Titan Racing hardtail with a 120mm fork now for about 6 months and I'm starting to get an itch to build up a Chinertown special full sus MTB. I would like something basically similar to the Epic 8, a 120/120 bike that could take a 130 fork, but that is extremely efficient for XCM racing.
So my questions are basically:

1. Is the Chinese MTB space as developed as the Chinese road and gravel space? How close can I get to the quality of a top-notch 120/120 frame from a major manufacturer?

2. What frame and components would people suggest getting direct from Chinese manufacturers? I see there's a lot of frames and also a lot of reports of cracking, etc.

So far the new https://chinertown.com/index.php/topic,5095.0.html SPcycle M868 looks ideal, I like the look and reviews of the Orbea Oiz. Is buying a copy worth the 50%-ish discount from buying the 'real deal'?
I realize a lot of these questions are philosophical in nature, but this is a discussion board and I'm really interested to see what people think.

Thank you!
Conrad

[Zeus]

Hi

Check out Carbondas 909, I'm very happy with mine. It has 106mm in the rear (165*42,5) and a 120 Pike fork
Rides so well! I also have the 1306 hardtail :-)
https://www.carbonda.com/mtb/cfm-909.html

[basy]

I am more or less at the same point as you.

I‘m also searching for a downcountry frame and will chise between the spcycle and the lightcarbon. LCFS980
https://www.lightcarbon.com/lightcarbon-29er-light-xc-full-suspension-carbon-frame-internal-cable-routing_p242.html
which has only a rear travel of 90 mm. But lightcarbon has a better reputation than spcycle i think. The Spcycle frame is lighter, but there are reports of broken frames.

So if there is some help to clarify this here, i would be also happy to buy my next XC frame.

[federic000]

The LCFS980 is also an original oem design, while the spcycle 868 is an orbea oiz copy and paste. I would also consider the hongfu fm358 but this is also a copycat of canyon lux trail.
Fm909 and fm936 are both 120/120 original oem designs.

[conradhughes]

I'm also heading towards LightCarbon, a factory owner here recommended them as being good quality. LightCarbon are telling me that the LCFS980 is available with 120mm frame travel, which, well that sounds ideal. I've asked them for more info - they also tell me the LCFS918 can be had with 120mm frame travel, too. Will update this thread!

I am more or less at the same point as you.

I‘m also searching for a downcountry frame and will chise between the spcycle and the lightcarbon. LCFS980
https://www.lightcarbon.com/lightcarbon-29er-light-xc-full-suspension-carbon-frame-internal-cable-routing_p242.html
which has only a rear travel of 90 mm. But lightcarbon has a better reputation than spcycle i think. The Spcycle frame is lighter, but there are reports of broken frames.

So if there is some help to clarify this here, i would be also happy to buy my next XC frame.

[SunnyShore]

The LCFS980 design is also "race-tested" since it's basically the same bike used by the Trinx Factory team in the XC WC races. I have no idea which one came first though (or if one is just rebranding the other).