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I bought this frame with the BSA BB and 135mm dropouts on the rear. I've built it up with components from my Trek frame (deore crank/brakes, slx shifters/FD, XT rear derailleur) with some raceface accents. Here are a few pros and cons of buying this frame: PROS: Looks undeniably great, especially in 3k glossy so you can see the CF weave. Tapered headtube provides choice of if you want a straight fork or tapered - only need a $10 adapter for a straight fork. BB shell feels solid; I half expected it to creak and crack but none of that so far. Rear triangle is very stiff (could be pro or con). I never realized how much aluminum soaks up bumps until riding this over potholed streets. Comes with seat clamp and headset - it's nice to not have to worry about finding a compatible one elsewhere. Internal routing - looks cool and frame comes with guides so threading through is a breeze. As is the point with carbon fiber, it is significantly lighter than aluminum, and you can feel it. CONS: You're constantly afraid to really throw it at a tough section of road/trail because the manufacturer has no public image or reputation like trek/giant/specialized etc. The BB shell does not come as it looks in the pictures. The silver of the shell is right on the outside of the frame and is not painted black - this just looks a little sloppy; they could have spared the 2 cents to paint over it. While technically it can support a front derailleur, it cannot be mounted low enough due to frame shape. In my 24t ring, if I'm in a rear sprocket smaller than ~20t, the chain will rub on the bottom of the derailleur, meaning it isn't low enough. The rear brake mount is slightly canted. Meaning if you use a manufacturer-recommended 160mm rotor, you'll probably be fine, but if you throw a 180mm rotor on it with an adapter, the cant of the mount means the screws/adapter are RIGHT up against the rotor - if it isn't dead straight, you will have rubbing. Internal routing: shifter routes are on the wrong sides. Front goes in left and rear goes in right. This means the cable housing has to bend too much. The first con leads to a sort of freedom with styling - you don't feel bad about putting electrical tape on it, like I have on the chainstay, as well as on the downtube to protect against flying grit (much cheaper than $35 All Mountain Style protector). All in all I think buying a frame like this is worth it if you have a backup frame. Like I said, you never know when (or if) this frame will crack or break, and having a backup is a must. That said, it was great fun to build it up, it looks really really awesome (pardon the kitchen in my background), it's an excuse to get a new chain so your drivetrain sounds good, and it's only a couple hundred bucks. If you're on EBT then this is probably not a good investment but if you have a tax refund or birthday money, this really is a great way of spending it.Read full review
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New