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First Chiner build - Airwolf YFM026 experiences? What an amazing forum - so much info on here!

I have been wanting to buy a frame direct from China since the late 1990s (!) and am now almost ready to pull the trigger. After a lot of looking I think I have a decision for my light-ish XC hardtail build - an Airwolf YFM026. The geometry, material and price all seem right but I would like to hear people's real world experiences after reading a couple of horror stories. Specifically:

- How are Airwolf with aftersales if you do have a problem?
- I saw the post on here about poorly finished dropouts resulting in the rear wheel being out of line. Is this common?
- I'll be on a large / 19" frame. Will the BOOST 2018 SID RL that I have for this frame hit the downtube?
- I am building this bike for my easier rides but I know every now and then it will end up getting hammered on BC's tougher trails. Anyone got +ve or -ve stories on this frame holding up (or not!) on the rough stuff?

For the geeks out there I have a spreadsheet showing geometry and pricing for this frame and many of the competitors. Let me know if there is interest in sharing.
June 30, 2021, 11:14:17 AM 		1
Re: Airwolf / YFM026 boost / santa cruz highball Very nice. I just got notification that mine is due to be delivered tomorrow. Can't wait!
August 05, 2021, 11:47:01 AM 		1
Airwolf YFM-026 - 1 month in I learned so much from this forum, time to repay my dues! My 1 month in review of my favourite new steed - an Airwolf YFM-026[/size]
    • Frame: Airwolf YFM-026 with headset and BB included. 29er, BOOST. Custom painted by Airwolf. I printed my own stickers and wrapped in 3M paint protection film
    • Bar/stem: Airwolf ‘Newest one-shaped MTB bike handlebar carbon Handlebars with 2° degree stem’. 40mm stem and 800mm width bar
    • Seatpost: Airwolf carbon post
    • Fork: NOS 2018 Rockshox SID RL Charger, 100mm travel, BOOST
    • Brakes: Magura MT Sport w/ Storm rotors. 180mm front, 160mm rear
    • Wheels: Syncros (Formula) BOOST hubs and Syncros (Alex) 30mm rims from a 2019 Scott Genius
    • Gears: Shimano XT 12sp shifter and Deore derailleur. SRAM GX cassette and X01 chain
    • Crank / Chainring: ZRACE HARDROCK - DUB 1 x 10 11 12 Speed Boost Crankset Eagle Tooth, 175mm
    • Pedals: Shimano PD-M785
    • Tires: Vittoria Barzo 2.35
    • Seat: Specialized Toupe
    • Grips: Wolftooth silicone
What I’m aiming for
I have been eyeing up unbranded frames from China for about 20 years. I really missed a 2013 Kona Hei Hei XC bike that I had sold and liked the idea of a hardtail to replace it. I wanted something light but capable, understanding that a 100mm fork that I found on sale sets something of a limit. I wanted to build it on a budget with a focus on function and value rather than bling and ultra-light weight.

I live on Vancouver’s North Shore which has a reputation for pretty gnarly trails, but wanted something that would be a blast on the less extreme trails that often get forgotten. That said, I know this bike will end up on some of the harder trails from time to time (see below!).

The frame, bar and seatpost were bought through the Airwolf store on Aliexpress. Their communication was excellent. It took about 6 weeks to arrive, but would have been quicker if I hadn’t had it painted. This is one of the few frames I could find with modern XC geo – notably reach, head and seat angles and BOOST. It was extremely well packaged with no damage. The only fault I could find in the finish is some rough edges in the head tube. I did not see any of the issues that some have reported about poor dropouts or fork crown hitting downtube (this is a large frame).

The crank was ordered from Zrace on Aliexpress. Their communication is OK, and I'm really pleased with them so far.

Other parts I either already owned, bought second hand or found on Ebay. The build went very smoothly. Any issues I had were definitely my error, not with the frame. The internal routing for the rear brake was a lot of work, but no harder than it would be on any other frame and it looks good once done! One thing to note: the other ports on this frame are designed to run inner cable only in the frame, as opposed to a full length of outer. This means I’ll need to do some fiddling if I want to fit a dropper post.

Initial impressions
This thing is light! The frame comes in at about 1150g with hanger, thru-axle and seat collar. Built up, the bike is 19.6lbs without crank or pedals, so I’m expecting 22-23lbs once the new crank arrives. I’m really pleased with how it looks with matte black components and a bright colour on the frame. No-one really seems to notice my little stickers, which is fine by me. I know what they mean (UK riders may be familiar with the Mint Sauce font and quotes!).

Even with the 40mm stem, it’s quite long (size large and I am 178cm tall). The steering is really quick. The brakes didn’t work (not bed in). The whole thing feels ‘tight’.

First ride
I was in a rush. I needed to get up the mountain by 6pm and I didn’t get home from work until 5.15. I stuffed my backpack with shakedown test musts like a shock pump and multitool and sped out the door.
Coming from a big-ish trail bike the Airwolf immediately felt weird, with lightning quick steering and very fast acceleration. The beginning of the ride was mostly on road to get up the mountain as fast as possible, but the little sections of singletrack gave me an inkling of how this was going to be: playful and fast (and too long).

You’ll be pleased to know I made it to the trail head on time. Everyone was interested in the new bike (most of them knew it was in the works), and there were plenty of jokes about me emerging from the forest with shards of carbon fibre up my arse. I had promised myself that I would not go straight into the gnar with this bike, but the group was heading up to a black-rated trail (7th Secret). I figured I’d give it a go and tweak the bike as I went / walk if necessary.

The ride to the top confirmed what I’d found on that initial climb: a bike that is quick to accelerate and encourages you to fast.

The beginning of the ride down was a different matter. The top of 7th Secret is quite steep, rocky and rooty. It was also greasy that day. I had not had a chance to bed the brakes in and I am used to a 160/150mm bike with a 65 degree head angle so I was pleased that I managed to drop in to the trail without snapping me or the bike. After about 2 minutes I put the seat post in my bag because I couldn’t drop the seat enough. If I’m going to keep riding trails like this, I’d need a dropper. As the brakes started to bed in, I started to appreciate the quick steering on the tight switchbacks.

As 7th Secret merges into the lower trails, things start to mellow out. This is where I realized the bike is exactly what I was hoping for. This is no 90s alloy hardtail throwback – there is quite a bit of flex in the frame and it’s pretty comfortable for a hardtail. That quick acceleration is addictive coming out of corners! I’m sure the fastish rolling tires helped here, and it’ll be interesting to experiment with North Shore go-to Maxxis DHF and DHRs at some point.

From the first ride I learned a few things. First, I really like this bike. It makes the ‘easy’ trails a hell of a lot of fun, which is just what I was hoping for. I would far rather have this than a gravel bike, and it’s probably not much slower on dirt road.
 
Secondly, a little faith in the established Chinese manufacturers is probably warranted. I really hope this frame lasts and becomes great value. I don’t think it will take long for me to trust it.
Thirdly… rushing out for a ride down ‘big’ trails on a bike that isn’t really set up yet is probably not a great idea. Go and bed the brakes in, tighten any loose bolts and realize you need a dropper before you go out in public.

One month in
I would highly recommend anyone looking at this frame to be careful on sizing. It's long. I have got the seat nearly all the way forward and it's fine now. Just after I got the YFM026 working a friend of mine bought a gravel bike and we went for a long but gentle ride. I loved it - fast, comfortable and light but much more capable than a gravel bike.

I have some fast singletrack trails close to my house and I absolutely love this bike there. So much fun!

A couple of tweaks to come! The bars are too wide. I'll cut them down to about 760mm. I have a seatpost shim on the way so I can install a dropper. A clip for one of the cable port covers has snapped and I also want some more to run full length inner cables for the gears and dropper. Airwolf have been really helpful and, after a bit of a language barrier, I think are sending some.

Pics
Lastly… pics! No post would be complete without pics of the bella machina.

[/list]
September 17, 2021, 11:12:33 PM 		14
Re: Airwolf YFM-026 - 1 month in
Quote from: jungian on October 27, 2021, 02:55:12 PM
Currently building one of these up and have run into a strange issue where the rear axle wont align and fit through the frame into the hub. I've  started lightly using a Dremel to remove some of the excess paint from the rear dropouts and wondering if I should keep going? Anyone else had/heard of this issue?

Update: after using a bit more of the Dremel it fit. Guessing the excess paint was the issue.

Side note: The rear axle cap was either stripped or doesn't fit a normal metric or imperial hex wrench. Was able to get the axle out using pliers to hold the cap.

Just noticed your edit about the axle cap. I thought the same about mine. It's a 2.5mm hex / Allen but I agree the sizing may be a bit sketchy. Of my two 2.5mm wrenches, 1 fits and 1 is loose. I have exactly the same issue with the 2mm grub screws on Fox products, so maybe it's my wrenches that are the issue!
November 05, 2021, 06:12:35 PM 		1
Re: Carbon HT owners, have you tried beating on it decently? & how has it held up? Been riding mine on the North Shore in Vancouver for about 6 months and no problems yet. Airwolf YFM026*. When you're shopping around think about what fork length the geometry is calculated with. My bike currently has a 120mm loaner fork on that takes the head angle to 67 degrees. The slacker seat angle is made up for by seat being moved forward a little.

* It's possible I'm lucky or have an impending failure. Some others have been having trouble with the frame / the manufacturer. For me, both have been excellent.
January 21, 2022, 06:03:53 PM 		1
Re: Airwolf YFM-026 - 1 month in
Quote from: Boybiskit on December 21, 2021, 12:55:48 PM
Quick update on this. I have been really enjoying this frame through the fall and early winter. Currently considering 2 changes.

First - a longer dropper. The 100mm Giant Contact I currently have just doesn't go low enough and I have room in the frame to go to 150 or even 170mm.

Secondly, I am going to try a better and longer fork. The 2018 RockShox Sid RL (100mm travel, 51mm offset, Solo Air, spring Charger 2 damper) is way out of its depth on a lot of trails. I made the change from a similar fork to a 120mm 44mm offset Fox 34 on my last XC bike and it transformed it. Interested to hear if anyone is running a 120mm fork on their YFM026. I can borrow a fork from a friend to try it out, so will report back here.



A small update on this post...
I can confirm that my X-Fusion Manic 150mm dropper does fit in the frame. I have about 50mm of post not inserted and it won't go much lower.

I am currently running a borrowed Fox 34 Performance Elite set to 120mm. This has slackened everything and reduced reach a little.

These 2 changes have transformed the bike. My nether regions like the dropper. The fork is more capable and stiffer. The slacker bike feels much more stable without affecting climbing too much (I was 30 seconds of my PR on a 30 minute climb). The only downside appears to me I am now thinking about 4 piston brakes and bigger tires, which defeat the point of a bike that started as a lightweight XC bike!

I had my first proper crash on the bike last night - enough of an impact to knock the stem around 90 degrees on fork and to send my lights flying into the bushes. The frame has not snapped or cracked. The "cheap and nasty" Airwolf carbon bar/stem combo seem fine.
January 27, 2022, 10:49:02 PM 		1
Re: Airwolf / YFM026 boost / santa cruz highball
Quote from: Bass on March 07, 2022, 06:24:26 AM
Thanks! I just paid It!

You can see my experience here: http://chinertown.com/index.php/topic,3409.msg33499.html#msg33499
I'm very happy with mine. I have been wondering if the fork / downtube issue may be down to forks with different rake to mine? I have not had any problems with the RS Sid or Fox 34.
March 09, 2022, 02:08:19 PM 		1
Re: Looking for the perfect XC Carbon frame I have an Airwolf YFM026 hardtail. I have had it since last summer and have had no significant issues with it. Customer service has been excellent (better than my past experience with euro and north american brands). If you search my past posts you'll see my '1 month in' thread. From my experience riding the bike quite hard, I would recommend it.

Some people have had issues with the fork hitting the downtube. This was not an issues for me on a large frame with a 51mm offset fork.

Some people seem to have had issues with the rear axle alignment. I think as long you're careful when you build the bike it's OK. I can see how you might get it wrong, but mine was fine.

I started with a 100mm travel fork (RS SID) and it was good but... I then fitted a 120mm Fox 34, which has transformed the bike! 

The axle, BB and headset that came with mine were fine. The driveside BB bearing died last week. I'm OK with that - it survived a nasty winter!

I also ordered a carbon seatpost and bar/stem combo with mine. I didn't use the seatpost for long (added a dropper) but the bar/stem is still there and performing well!
May 02, 2022, 05:23:53 PM 		1
Trusted 150mm 29er suggestions My son is growing fast, so time to expand my positive Airwolf YFM-026 Chiner hardtail experience and build him a new bike!

He is nearly 15, 168cm tall and riding mostly on the North Shore in Vancouver, CA. For reference, he currently rides a 2007 Heckler with 150mm rear travel, 150mm fork and slacked geo (offset shock bushings).

I am finding I care more about his safety than my own: I was quite happy to go with anything for my own bike, but for my son I would hate him to hurt himself on a problem frame. He's also not as fastidious with maintenance as me! My research led me to Carlton Reid's interesting book (if you haven't read it: https://bikebiz.com/cream-competent-or-cowboy-which-factories-are-faking-it/) and putting suppliers into 'Cream, Component, Cowboy' categories.

I don't want a 'Cowboy' frame for my son. Component or Cream would be fine. I suspect this will mean dealing with a manufacturer directly rather than through AliExpress. Anyone's thoughts on who the Component manufacturers are - and how to contact them - appreciated.

The frame: we are looking for a ~150mm travel 29er. I do not want flex stays. Would prefer a simple 4 bar / Horst design to anything funky. I have a pathological hatred for anything with bearings in the line of fire from the back wheel. Modern-ish geo, so <67 head angle and >73 seat angle. Although I am posting this in the carbon forum, we would be happy with alloy if you know of options.

Your suggestions and personal experiences (always love pics!) appreciated.
May 03, 2022, 02:25:38 PM 		1
Re: Trusted 150mm 29er suggestions
Quote from: veeTee1Pah on May 03, 2022, 08:21:38 PM
The most modern candidates seem to have some concessions compared to mainstream-branded frames. Do these issues give anyone else reservations?

FM1002 Quirks.
  • The bottom bracket drop is 20m if I'm reading the geo chart correctlty. This is pretty high for a 29er. Maybe appropriate for a mullet?
  • FM1002 kinematics are not progressive. Leverage curve is pretty flat (<10% progression) with a regressive section at bottom out. It seems like most mainstream brands have moved to a smoother, more progressive leverage curve.

AM831 Quirks.
Another recent frame that seemed promising, but has been plagued by design problems.
  • The fork hit the frame in some sizes, so a spacer was needed under the fork.
  • The first generation rear triangle was badly designed. If flexed badly, and bearing retention was an issue.
  • A new rear triangle was released for the AM831 that may have solved problems with the v1 design, but more feedback from actual owners is needed to verify

I, too, would consider an aluminum frame, but it seems modern geometry aluminum frames just aren't lucrative enough to offer to the public. Carbon frames are the default mountain bike frames available. I've also seen a video about a bad injury sustained when a Chinese frame snapped under a rider. I guess the reputation of a frame matters.


With some careful research, you can figure out who the reputable manufacturers are that are often also making frames for others. In the case of Carbonda and the 1001/1002 this includes KHS, Sherpa and NS Bikes. My son and I have a spreadsheet running. So far, without diving into the geo detail, we are down to Dengfu, Ican, Carbonda / Flybike and TanTan / Seraph. More research is required so any knowledge of trusted manufacturers over resellers from here is greatly appreciated.
May 04, 2022, 09:59:17 AM 		1