Freda,

I have the frame and I think it pedals VERY well. This is my second full-suspension bike (the first being a 2017 Diamondback Release) and the two frames are night and day, with the Carbonda FM1003 being the much superior climber (and descender). I believe there is one other forum member (Zooky, I believe) who rides this frame but as I recall, he thought it climbed as well as his hardtail. I'm pretty darn happy with it. Also, someone had paint issues with their frame in the past. Mine is holding up quite nicely and the CFR707 frame is too. Cheers!

Katie from Carbonda told me that the frame comes with a two-year warranty. Basically, the only fit issue I have had relates to using a two-piece TRP rotor on the rear. It was a little snug and the rivets actually rubbed a bit on the brake mount. As for handling, once I got used to the slacker head angle, I found that I am way faster on the FM 1003 than I ever was on my 2017 Diamondback Release. I really like this bike. If I get the 29-inch wheels together before the snow flies, I'll post an update.

I got out again briefly last night. I climbed out of the valley on the main paved road that I've taken on my Diamondback many times. The idea was to compare climb times and effort expended on Strava. Mind you, my legs weren't fresh and I'm pushing 2.6" tires (instead of the Diamondback's 2.35" Hans Dampfs). Despite the differences, the climb times are almost identical. The real shocker was the descent. It actually felt like I was moving much slower than normal. I was losing daylight and not pushing hard because I couldn't see well enough to make out spacing for some of the jumps, so it was kind of a lackluster run. BUT when I checked Strava, I'd PR'd all of the downhill sections. I thought it might be harder to steer in switchbacks, but it was actually pretty composed and effortless. I get the feeling that when I figure out what input it needs from me, the FM 1003 is going to be very fast. I'm still fiddling with the rear shock settings and could really just use an entire day to get to know the bike. I really like the Rockshox Superdeluxe Ultimate and was pleased that the frame takes such a modern suspension component. Speaking of, the derailleur hanger appears to be Carbonda's version of the SRAM universal derailleur hanger system--except at a fraction of the cost. It's robust, I can't complain a bit about it, and htere should be replacements readily available anywhere. 

Draz: I'll try and get a picture of the rear suspension at full travel this weekend and post it for you. From my experience with the bike so far, it is a super-efficient linkage system. When I lock out the shock, it actually stays locked out and puts power to the ground. You can definitely tell you're pushing a steeper head-tube angle up hill but the suspension seems to make up for it. I may try some lighter trail tires on it at some point for a comparison--probably not this year yet though.

Casual_build: Agreed on the mullet build. I think I may actually be able to sneak a 29" wheel in the existing fork. My plan is to build up some 29" wheels this winter and see how it rides in spring. For now I'm just trying to be more mindful of my pedaling (and sharp cornering while pedaling on pavement). As for paint, I was hoping the gloss might make cleaning easier. It's only had two short rides so there's plenty of time to be let down. I should have it out again this weekend, weather permitting.

Long time lurker, second time poster. I just received paint proofs from Katie at Carbonda. Ordered with an FM 1003 frame to save on shipping. Looking forward to putting it all together in the coming weeks. Will be running GRX 800 (x2) with 11-34 cassette, DT Swiss 350 hubs and DT Swiss TK 540s (wish I would have bought Spank Wing 22s but already had the TK 540s for another build that never came to fruition). I went with the full internal cable routing. Also, I borrowed the paint scheme (but not the colors) from one of you on the forum so thanks and my apologies. Remember: imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I was going for the 1968 Ford GT 40 color scheme. Close enough for me.