landberg

@blackforest: I'd say it's a mix between things I didn't think of at the time of buying and things that happened over time. Bang for buck the Propain configurations are pretty good value and that's one of the reasons I went with it at the time. The below stuff is for a Propain Tyee 2019: Good stuff: * The configuration utility was awesome, got me most of the components I wanted. * Good value when it comes to component selection * The Newmen wheelset I got with it has been really good, it's stood up perfectly to my abuse. I'll likely be a returning customer on those. * Propain support has been friendly and helpful! Stuff that's good to be aware of: * The raw finish really is raw aluminium, no coat of any sort. Beautiful but somewhat difficult to keep clean. Silicone polish has done wonders to keep the bike more easy to clean. * Frame shape can be tricky to hang on some car holders (for trailer hitch mount that is), not a problem if you put bikes on the roof. As for the actual things I've bumped into and annoyed me: * Leverage on the rear and me being a ~100kg rider (distributed over 186 cm/6"1 feet) has resulted in shock pressures at ~21-22 bar (305-320 psi) which is above your standard shock pump (max pressure for the DPX2 is 350psi/24.1bar). The old-style propain frames are pretty space limited, so shock options are limited if I want to switch to a higher-volume shock. * Bearings, all of them turned into bushings within one year (not that strange). The replacement set I got from wasn't exactly the same as was delivered with the frame. Also had to make tools to fit the rather non-flat surfaces around the bearings, so I could extract them. * Axles for the linkage required *a lot* of percussive persuasion to get out, more than I would think reasonable. * Shock position has me turning the bike upside down when adjusting pressure so that I don't fill my shock pump with oil. * Limited technical archive information, it's basically a exploded view and a generic users manual. * The bottom bracket cavity actually turned into a dirt collector somehow, which I found out when replacing my failed bottom bracket (failed seal, probably not related). So, returning to the frame, I think it's a case of one getting what one pays for. There has to be a reason that the Propain aluminium framesets hoover around ~1000€ whereas for example a RAAW Madonna or Transition Patrol alu frameset clocks in at ~2200€. That and all people being slightly different, I believe there will be just as many experiences as there are people. Had I been 20kgs lighter, I'd likely thought less about the shock pressures for example. So in the end, it's been ups and downs. I see my Tyee continuing to be my main for the time to come, just upgrading it part by part. Frame might be upgraded at some point too but it's not that urgent. The new Propain frames look pretty good too. Probably forgot something, but that's my two cents.

Upside-down damper, excellent way to fill your shock pump with shock oil. One of my main learnings from my 2019 Tyee, wish I'd paid more for a different/better frame instead.