DCB XCE29 Santa Cruz Highball Style Endurance Carbon MTB Frame 29er

I have brought a few frames from Ty at DIY Carbon bikes now and raced them and put fun miles on them here in the UK. The frame is great, has a level of compliance to it which makes it super comfy to ride while still being quick up and down hill.. even on the bumpy and technical stuff. already considering buying a new one for me as I can't have my wife on the shinny one!

Amazing frame and the paint is excellent. I have purchased 4 frames total, and only one had an issue (it was labeled boost but was not). We use these bikes for racing, they get plenty of abuse and are just as good as the bikes we have from Santa Cruz and Specialized.

So far I’ve happy with this bike, especially considering the pricepoint. Cable routing is a bit questionable and the BB surfaces had some glue out something on them and needed face. That all said the bike rides well and for the pricing I’m happy with IT at this point. Only have a couple rides on it so still waiting to see how it holds up over time

I needed a bike for the Leadville Trail 100 this past August and this frame fit my budget. I needed a carbon hardtail frame that would fit a 12 speed drivetrain and i didnt feel like borrowing another bike like i did last year. This frame is replacing my 2015 Niner Air9 aluminum frame which i rode since 2015. I was skeptical at first because the frame was so light. I put it through the ringer a couple weeks after i built the bike up in a 24hr team race. After that race i had some confindence that it would be able to handle my day in Leadville. This bike didnt disappoint on race day. I finished in 10:39 almost an hour faster than last year on a borrowed bike. So far i couldnt be any more happier on how this bike build turned out. Now we'll see how long it lasts.

I built up a single speed parts bike for around town using the Highball Frame. Couldn't be happier, bike is light and quiet, great product and incredible value!

I really enjoyed building this up and am having fun with this bike. I swapped all the good components from my alloy hardtail that I'd been upgrading for a couple years, so a frame was the last big step I needed to take for a great XC race bike. This build comes in under 24 pounds without pedals. It's a medium/17 size, with a Suntour Axon Elite fork and Pub carbon wheels. Total build cost me about $2,500. I'd say it's comparable in weight and spec to a Canyon Exceed CF 7 (at $3,200), or between a Scott Scale 925 ($3k) and the Scale RC Team ($3,600). I'll be racing it all summer 2023, follow @cesardoesbikes on Instagram for updates. It feels fast and light as hell compared to my alloy frame. I was instantly setting PRs on trails I'd ridden many times before. I had to adjust my riding style to keep the rear planted as I went over chunk — the lightness made the rear more likely to get air. It's nimble and chuckable. I can see some flex in the frame when I hold the brake and press on the pedal, more than my alloy bike, but that's not surprising. It's probably a good thing. I don't have other experience with carbon bikes, so I can't say if the flexy rear stays do anything or not.

Everything went together perfectly and I'm overall really happy with the experience so far. This has been a fun build and the bike is pretty damn quick. Feels way more precise than my slack trail bike. Set a couple PRs today - Alan - Disbelief0@gmail.com

I built and rode a lot of MTBs in the late 90s and have been on road bikes and recumbents the last 20 years. This frame and the resulting build marked my return to XC, and what a joy it has been. I bought a seatpost and handlebar as well...the handlebar will receive its own good review, but the vertically compact frame and long, exposed post combination are a dream. By far the most comfortable hardtail I have ridden on road or off in the last >30 years.

I'll start with the buying process. Buying Process: It is super easy, and I liked the fact that the shipping was free, and the price you see on the item is your end price. Shipping: This part is where I got a little worried. The site says 15-30 days and also provides tracking. Well, let me just say, in case you don't already know, that shipping from China, your item will change hands A LOT!! So, "they"(the company that DIY bikes orders from, The country of China, whoever, who knows, etc.) can't keep up with it. With that being said, I was not really able to track my shipment, but my frame was delivered at my house in 60 something days. My wheels and handlebars did actually arrive in about 16 days. I stayed in contact with Ty, the owner, through out. I believe he is completely trust worthy and would reimburse me, or re-order again if something were to happen. He would usually respond with-in 24 hours. Frame: Very light, and almost exactly the weight advertised. The frame came with a rear through axle, a really clunky seat post clamp, and headset bearings. Also note, the frame is slightly different than a highball at the chainstays. The real highball has "bent" chainstays at the ends, and this one has straight ones. I did go through a couple of quirks with the frame, but nothing that couldn't be resolved for the mechanically inclined, which most people coming to this site are, I'm guessing. The paint is not great. It doesn't look bad at all, just not very durable. I chipped the paint taking one of the internal routing grommets off, and I was really trying to be careful, but it was like the paint was stuck to it. I touched it up with a paint marker. I also had to drill out the internal routing grommets for hydraulic brake lines, easy fix though. I also ran into some issues getting the rear derailleur housing through the chain stay, even though it comes with internal wiring guides, its like "they" didn't quite mold the route big enough, so I just worked it in reverse for a long time until I felt it go through. Don't give up! Ha ha. All in all, I think it is a great value for the money, especially if you are looking for a race bike to beat up for a few years, or just have enough parts to build a bike and just need something to hang them on.

My first frame was damaged by the shipping company, but DIY made it right and had a new frame sent to me quickly. The replacement frame arrived safe and sound. Overall quality is good, exactly as described. It even came with a spare derailleur hanger, axle, and seat post clamp. The build was very straightforward and I am really looking forward to outting some serious miles on it! - kitfam@yahoo.com

I live in France so getting a new carbon frame during this pandemic no matter who I checked in with, was going to be a wait. Finding this site was just what I needed. Because of Brexit the bike had to be delivered to England and brought to me here but it arrived at my brother's house in 2 weeks from the order date. Which I thought was pretty good going! I want my bike for bike packing around Europe, so going light was my mission! My bike with all its kit weighs in at just 10.7 kg a the moment. It will be sub 10 by the time I have bought a CF seat post and some lighter handlebar grips. I like the understated look of the matte black, useful for not attracting attention in the more unruly cities! Feel free to email me and ask if you want any more info. - 4krs4t@gmail.com

Had fun taking all my spare parts and making a second bike. - snowmtn1@gmail.com