Enduro/gravity bike suspension and geo

[Headshot]

My Rapide 38mm rise bar just arrived. Hoping to fit it for a test later today.

I fitted the new bar  - its the same width - 780 but only marginally higher. I was under the impression my old bars were 25mm rise, but I suspect they were 30. even so, the difference seems minimal. That said, I love the bars - very comfy and the small increase in bar height seems noticable when pulling up and a bit more comfy on long flat rides from a hand comfort point of view. Does make me wonder what a 50mm  rise would be like though...

 

Tokai is such fun at the moment a bit of speed and bit of rough in equal measures.

[Bos]

My Enduro has 50mm with 489 reach ( XL)

 

My HT has a 75mm with 450 reach (L)

 

Both work for me without back pain or any significant issues, although the HT is more of a handful on the downs

 

Maybe play around with your seat position. If you can get comfy with the seat as far forward as possible then stick to a shorter stem. You also need to shift your body weight forward on climbs with a shorter stem, to keep the wheel on the ground.

Call me a puzzler.. I swear I could feel my fork was to soft with the longer stem, which does make sense.. More weight over the front when things get steep. Definately better climbing position. Might just buy a cheepie 60mm stem and check. 

[Bos]

Anyone ever used Formula Neopos ? 

 

I have been looking for some, to try alter my forks spring rate. In doing so I started looking for rubber products that could possibly work and seemed to have the same shaw hardness. I found some! Its used for die making, they are high quality, very hard wearing, yet not to hard, and most importantly closed cell.

 

I can now get away with less compression damping which leaves the fork feeling very supple and active while soft enough to give OK small bump sensitivity, but in the 30%-75% of the travel range its very usable. Will get more to distribute if anyone is keen.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Anyone ever used Formula Neopos ? 

 

I have been looking for some, to try alter my forks spring rate. In doing so I started looking for rubber products that could possibly work and seemed to have the same shaw hardness. I found some! Its used for die making, they are high quality, very hard wearing, yet not to hard, and most importantly closed cell.

 

I can now get away with less compression damping which leaves the fork feeling very supple and active while soft enough to give OK small bump sensitivity, but in the 30%-75% of the travel range its very usable. Will get more to distribute if anyone is keen.

I'd be interested in trying that out, and one of my mates (v18 here) would as well. 

[Hairy]

Rapide is exceptionally well priced if you want to experiment with various stem lengths.

 

Call me a puzzler.. I swear I could feel my fork was to soft with the longer stem, which does make sense.. More weight over the front when things get steep. Definately better climbing position. Might just buy a cheepie 60mm stem and check. 

[Headshot]

https://enduro-mtb.com/en/the-right-mtb-handlebar-rise/

[Headshot]

The set up game is quite a head spinner. I have noticed an improvement in cornering control and grip on my Enduro at Tokai. I could put it down to the Aggressor but I suspect that it also has a lot to do with the reduced sag I am now running - the back is more supportive keeping more weight up front. Front steers better and the grip feels more secure, so much so I have actually let the  brakes go completely on some corners where before I was feathering the rear just before. No wonder the DH teams spend so much time setting up the suspension...

[Bos]

The set up game is quite a head spinner. I have noticed an improvement in cornering control and grip on my Enduro at Tokai. I could put it down to the Aggressor but I suspect that it also has a lot to do with the reduced sag I am now running - the back is more supportive keeping more weight up front. Front steers better and the grip feels more secure, so much so I have actually let the  brakes go completely on some corners where before I was feathering the rear just before. No wonder the DH teams spend so much time setting up the suspension...

 

Hey man.. I am a big suspension puzzler. I get a sett up I like, but then my fingers just itch to much and I end up doing something to it again.. 

 

My latest changes has been the Formula NEOPOS like soft volume spacers that I am running in my fork. Because I'm relatively light but do lots of aggressive riding I had the conundrum, that to give proper mid-stroke support I had to up the pressure or Compression damping which wasn't very comfortable, and vice versa, With the addition of 3 of these soft volume spacers I now have much better mid-stroke support and can back off the compression which is making the fork feel buttery smooth, coil like. I suspect the debonair forks might be much better at this.

 

Also I removed the volume spaced in my rear shock just to see If I could feel the difference. I couldn't really, but recently thought I might have to get my rear shock serviced since It wasn't feeling as buttery as before. I had to put 240psi in there to not sag more than 30% and I'm 70kg's. So yesterday, I had the kids and couldn't go ride, so I opened up my rear shock, put the volume spacer back in and pumped it back up. 150PSI and I was sitting on 28% sag, on top of that I noticed it felt much smoother. Obviously the excessive pressure was causing more friction in the internals. So volume spacers do much more than ramp the progression curve up.

[Bos]

The set up game is quite a head spinner. I have noticed an improvement in cornering control and grip on my Enduro at Tokai. I could put it down to the Aggressor but I suspect that it also has a lot to do with the reduced sag I am now running - the back is more supportive keeping more weight up front. Front steers better and the grip feels more secure, so much so I have actually let the  brakes go completely on some corners where before I was feathering the rear just before. No wonder the DH teams spend so much time setting up the suspension...

@Headshot

 

You seem pretty sold on the 2.5'' Aggressor? I need a new front tyre and theres one of those in the classifieds.. If I may ask what are you comparing it to? I am still on a 2.25'' Ibex, which I trust wholeheartedly, and feel the pointy knobs with sharp edges cuts through the crap pretty well. I'd probably be looking at a DHF or Ibex 2.4'' as alternatives. DHR II might be slightly "to much" as rolling resistance is a consideration and Im not worried about the wet to much. Maybe I should just buy and see. If I don't like it use it on the rear.

 

When comparing It really does look like the main differences are, slightly smaller tighter packed center knobs, slightly toned down tighter packed cornering knobs. 

[BaGearA]

Spez eliminator , don't know how many of you have tried it but I will be hard pressed to put something else on my front wheel again 

[Hairy]

Ja, just ask Frana

Spez eliminator , don't know how many of you have tried it but I will be hard pressed to put something else on my front wheel again 

[Headshot]

@Headshot

 

You seem pretty sold on the 2.5'' Aggressor? I need a new front tyre and theres one of those in the classifieds.. If I may ask what are you comparing it to? I am still on a 2.25'' Ibex, which I trust wholeheartedly, and feel the pointy knobs with sharp edges cuts through the crap pretty well. I'd probably be looking at a DHF or Ibex 2.4'' as alternatives. DHR II might be slightly "to much" as rolling resistance is a consideration and Im not worried about the wet to much. Maybe I should just buy and see. If I don't like it use it on the rear.

 

When comparing It really does look like the main differences are, slightly smaller tighter packed center knobs, slightly toned down tighter packed cornering knobs. 

The previous tyre I had was the Butcher Grid 2.6. On my previous bike I had a Magic Mary 2.3. I think the Aggressor works better than the Butcher up front and rolls faster than both the Butcher and MM. Its probably not as good as an MM in overall all terrain grip, but in SA do you need an almost mud spike like the MM? 

 

Of course there are other factors involved and some suspension changes have also happened which may contribute to the improved grip. So far I have ridden it on steep and mellow trials, rocks and sandy to hard and damp clay/sandy hardpack and roots. It has been fine on all surfaces. Nothing as weird as the Butcher - a small slide or two early on, but none of late. Its been absolutely perfect at Tokai. I am going to get another for the rear. Funnily enough, the remaining Butcher has been working well out back but is showing signs it wont be with me for much longer...

[Headshot]

Ja, just ask Frana

 

Is this guy paid by Spaz :-) 

 

edit - the tread pattern does look a lot better than the Butcher. The other factor is price. You can get an Aggressor 2.5 for under R650.00. How much is the Spaz - R800? 

Edited May 13, 2019 by Headshot

[BaGearA]

Is this guy paid by Spaz :-) 

 

edit - the tread pattern does look a lot better than the Butcher. The other factor is price. You can get an Aggressor 2.5 for under R650.00. How much is the Spaz - R800?

 

If I was I wouldn't be riding a Santa I thi k I paid about 750, where do you find maxxis for 650?

[Headshot]

If I was I wouldn't be riding a Santa I thi k I paid about 750, where do you find maxxis for 650?

Stoke suspension in Woodstock is our Maxxis value supplier :-) 

[Chip]

Is this guy paid by Spaz :-) 

 

edit - the tread pattern does look a lot better than the Butcher. The other factor is price. You can get an Aggressor 2.5 for under R650.00. How much is the Spaz - R800? 

 

 

Stoke suspension in Woodstock is our Maxxis value supplier :-) 

 

Good to know, thanks for sharing!!