Dual Suspension Chinese Carbon 29er

[Loonytik]

The frame weighs 2040g.....Here are some photos:

The layup looks good on the last pic. Build her up!

[nbwallace]

Normally this wouldn't take too long, but the lack of shock hardware has me stymied. We could drop $62 on RWC needle bearings I guess.

[customfab]

Seat stays at the pivot look suspect IMHO, would like to see a bit more material there.

Did you run the FEA based of the photo?

[two-one]

The frame arrived yesterday shipped last Tuesday. The finish is top notch it is beautiful. Sadly it arrived without any shock mount hardware. I think I can get some somewhere, the upper and lower are 8mm with 22mm spacing. I suspect I should email janice to see if we were supposed to get hardware.

The frame weighs 2040g and none of the pivots were greased out of the box.
Here are some photos:

Do you have a close-up of the front derailleur mount?

[vizsladog]

frame looks nice. cant wait for a build pic and ride report

[car_nut]

Normally this wouldn't take too long, but the lack of shock hardware has me stymied. We could drop $62 on RWC needle bearings I guess.

The mounting hardware is supplied by SRAM and sold separately from the shock since it has to be sized to the frame. Do a search for "rockshox monarch hardware kit" and you should find what you need. Below is the link to BTI's page. Your LBS should be able to order what you need. Universal also sells these if you prefer that route. You'll need to source a high grade bolt too, as I believe these kits are just the spacers.

BTI | Forks & Rear Shocks from Rock Shox (page 10)

[Shmandy]

Will a monarch shock fit this frame? Thanks!

[Dirty $anchez]

Did you run the FEA based of the photo?

Did they?

[car_nut]

Depends which Monarch. If it's the correctly sized Monarch, then it will fit. I'm pretty sure the shock dimensions are earlier in the thread.

[Shmandy]

Thanks car nut. I'll check it out.

[floydlippencott]

Did you run the FEA based of the photo?

Let me guess, you did.

[nbwallace]

In the end we ordered two need bearing kits from RWC. Probably spent $25 more than we needed to. As far as the bolts go. I have been running a regular M8 in the linkage of my spider for a while with no problems. I may just run to home depot and get some 40mm m8 bolts and lock nuts. I guess I could call my local fastenal and get SS m8x50 bolts.

I think at some point I will put together a shopping list for those wishing to build up this frame.

Also there is no front derailleur mount. We'll be using an e-type. From the tubing profile I think that is the only solution. I'll know more when I get the crank on. There might be a place for a high mount clamp. it looks like bottom pull is required as well.

This frame is not exactly a good practice run for first time builders.

[Dirty $anchez]

In the end we ordered two need bearing kits from RWC. Probably spent $25 more than we needed to. As far as the bolts go. I have been running a regular M8 in the linkage of my spider for a while with no problems. I may just run to home depot and get some 40mm m8 bolts and lock nuts. I guess I could call my local fastenal and get SS m8x50 bolts.

I think at some point I will put together a shopping list for those wishing to build up this frame.

Also there is no front derailleur mount. We'll be using an e-type. From the tubing profile I think that is the only solution. I'll know more when I get the crank on. There might be a place for a high mount clamp. it looks like bottom pull is required as well.

This frame is not exactly a good practice run for first time builders.

Awesome idea to help out with build ups.

[car_nut]

In the end we ordered two need bearing kits from RWC. Probably spent $25 more than we needed to. As far as the bolts go. I have been running a regular M8 in the linkage of my spider for a while with no problems. I may just run to home depot and get some 40mm m8 bolts and lock nuts. I guess I could call my local fastenal and get SS m8x50 bolts.

Needle bearings, eh? Going all fancy like!

I suppose it doesn't matter for a XC bike what kind of bolt you use. I just have a general disdain for Home Depot grade bolts as they're soft as clay. It doesn't need to be stainless, just something that's harder than butter.

I think I (and others) assumed the gold metal piece above the BB was a hard mount for an E-type derailleur. It looks like it has some threaded bosses on it, but it's' hard to say. I think that's the area they were requesting better photos of.

[irishpitbull]

Also interested in seeing a shopping list.

[customfab]

Let me guess, you did.

Nope, don't know how either. It just seamed odd to me that a member that usually posts level headed advice made an assumption about the structural integrity based off a picture.

[gridtalker]

Wow, that looks a lot like the new Scott spark 29er frame. I mean a lot. If it is under 1K, may be worth a purchase and build up.

I agree it does

[Dirty $anchez]

Nope, don't know how either. It just seamed odd to me that a member that usually posts level headed advice made an assumption about the structural integrity based off a picture.

I'm going to take that as a compliment, in a friendly beat down kinda way. You are absolutely correct, it was a huge assumption.

[customfab]

I'm going to take that as a compliment, in a friendly beat down kinda way. You are absolutely correct, it was a huge assumption.

correctly taken. That comment was about is well placed as when you suggested somebody read threads about saddle preferences.

[LoAl]

......
Also there is no front derailleur mount. We'll be using an e-type. From the tubing profile I think that is the only solution. I'll know more when I get the crank on. There might be a place for a high mount clamp. it looks like bottom pull is required as well.

This frame is not exactly a good practice run for first time builders.

First impression: AWESOME!
I can't wait arriving to me..

About front derailleur I think it fits a mech direct mount bottom pull. Pay attention to the gap between the centres of the two mounting holes.

[two-one]

First impression: AWESOME!
I can't wait arriving to me..

About front derailleur I think it fits a mech direct mount bottom pull. Pay attention to the gap between the centres of the two mounting holes.

I would also figure it can be mounted like this, thats why i asked for a close-up:

[nbwallace]

We have an e-type for the build it will be nice to just bolt it on. My question is how long will they keep making e-type derailleurs.

We're gonna start building tomorrow night. I'll try to document as much as I can. I think that we might be able to get pretty far without another trip to the bike shop. But my guess is that the lower shock mount is going to need a shock bolt kit from another frame. I will try to post a photo of what I'm talking about, but let's put it this way there's no room for a lock nut to hold the M8 bolt, we're gonna need some special kind of M8 nut on the end of a 50-60mm M8 bolt.

[nbwallace]

The frame arrived without shock as expected we also needed shock hardware and
bolts as well, you'll also need an e-type front derailleur (more on that later)

Shopping list:

Shock - Rockshox RT3 high tune 6.5"

Mounting hardware - Rockshox sells a 22.2mm by 8mm bolt setup. You'll need two
Or you can go to RWC and get needle bearing kits for 22.2mm spacing

Shock bolts m8x40mm with a lock nut and and m8x50mm (some kind of specialty nut) I'm MacGivering
somthing up out of brass

E-type front derailleur we used XT

If you want to use a non-tapered shock you'll need a baseplate from cane creek


You'll need to take apart all the pivots and grease them. There are bearings in the lower
and upper main pivots. Everything else has bolts that act as bushings. I fear for
the longevity of the pivots. When it came out of the box you could not cycle the suspension with
your hands.

The bike went together without too much hassle the internal cables allow the cable outers to
route through the frame. Everything routes under the bottom bracket including the rear brake line.
See the photos.

The rally killer is the front der. There is no access to the cable bolt in the
inner ring position. So you need to do some serious trial and error to get cable
tension right. The largest issue was the alignment. Without some shims the
front derailleur sits with the rear toed out. The solution is to put two washers
under the derauilleur mounting plate (see photo below) once that was addressed the
front shifted like butter.

The assembled bike:

1) it's light. Built up with X9/XT an old Reba Race an XTR-M960 crank and Stan's
Arches on 3.30 hubs it came in at 26.4 LBS that includes a rather heavy carbon
wrapped seatpost from ICAN. For reference that's a bit lighter
than my Spider 29 with a lefty and X0.

2) The suspension feels quite nice with the RT-3 at 30% sag. It wa a nice balaced ride with the
Reba. I'm waiting for Eric to ride and give me the full report. He was overjoyed
with how the bike came out.

I'll conclude by saying the finish of the bike is really nice. Now that I've built
one up I think I could go start to finish in a few hours. Cabling this bike is
pretty easy once you understand the whole front derailleur issue. With having to buy
a shock and hardware, it's hardly a super cheap build. It really is in the
neighborhood of a spearfish and a decent build puts it in Giant Anthem territory.
But none of those bikes will build this light. I am favorably inclined towards this
frame. I expect the price to come down and with some opportunistic shopping one could
put together a very light build for about $2K.

[emu26]

.
But none of those bikes will build this light. I am favorably inclined towards this
frame. I expect the price to come down and with some opportunistic shopping one could
put together a very light build for about $2K.

Damn that bike is so light it's gravity defying. Pity I can't link your last attached pic before you put it the right way up

[nathanbal]

great write up!