Enduro/gravity bike suspension and geo

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Thanks for the offers guys, really appreciate the sense of community around here. The shock is a Spesh proprietary unit 216x57. The shaft is 10mm thick and needs to be the right length. I think there are other differences between the various models too. 

 

I got in touch with Robbie Powell and he thinks he may have either the part or a fresh unit off another bike he has swapped out with an Ohlins for a customer. Will find out tomorrow. 

 

I've attached a pic of the shock with the air can off. The internals are pristine...The damper shaft is the silver/gray bit. Its threaded where it screws into the top of the shock. The teeny tiny crack is a few mils in from the top of the shaft and visible on the inside.

 

Meh. Hoped it was the older 200x57 version. Good luck dude.

[Matchstix]

Butcher vs Eliminator vs Hillbilly (another one I wanna try, which is sorta a copy of the Mary)

 

vs Mary

 

 

You can see the difference quite easily. Butcher = Death Gap® - others have transition knobs, which remove the vagueness you're getting on the Butcher. It doesn't look like much, but it makes a MASSIVE diff.

 

Also - DHR2 is a great option. Savage loves his, and it also has good tranny knobs. Better (well, wider) tranny knobs than the DHF, imo.

 

 

Sorta copy or looks like?

[Headshot]

I get a happy feeling when I see a MM tread. Going to stick mine on the front of my HT again since its a bit rough and damp out there at the moment...

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I get a happy feeling when I see a MM tread. Going to stick mine on the front of my HT again since its a bit rough and damp out there at the moment...

Yup. Assguy lives up to the same levels and maybe has the edge in some situations (saves me more in some places, still not sure on roots)

[Jewbacca]

Yup. Assguy lives up to the same levels and maybe has the edge in some situations (saves me more in some places, still not sure on roots)

Roots are a moot point in the Western Cape these days.... Ine hardly has to deal with any off camber roots anywhere anymore.

 

I can think of some in Higgovale/Deere Park and that's pretty much it.

 

One quick question..... Is running a 70mm stem on a trail bike going to get me laughed at and ridiculed in the car park? 

[MORNE]

snip

 

One quick question..... Is running a 70mm stem on a trail bike going to get me laughed at and ridiculed in the car park? 

no more than say riding a tour on a bmx...

 

...and i mean who cares what other people think anyway?

[Hairy]

Roots are a moot point in the Western Cape these days.... Ine hardly has to deal with any off camber roots anywhere anymore.

 

I can think of some in Higgovale/Deere Park and that's pretty much it.

 

One quick question..... Is running a 70mm stem on a trail bike going to get me laughed at and ridiculed in the car park? 

As long as you are wearing flannel no one will notice.

[Headshot]

Roots are a moot point in the Western Cape these days.... Ine hardly has to deal with any off camber roots anywhere anymore.

 

I can think of some in Higgovale/Deere Park and that's pretty much it.

 

One quick question..... Is running a 70mm stem on a trail bike going to get me laughed at and ridiculed in the car park? 

I have something like that on my HT  because the frame's a bit small. So I'd be fine with it but Myles might not be...

[PhilipV]

Roots are a moot point in the Western Cape these days.... Ine hardly has to deal with any off camber roots anywhere anymore.

 

I can think of some in Higgovale/Deere Park and that's pretty much it.

 

One quick question..... Is running a 70mm stem on a trail bike going to get me laughed at and ridiculed in the car park?

When you see a member of the Duro police with a ruler just give him a lekker backhand slap. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

[Thermophage]

Roots are a moot point in the Western Cape these days.... Ine hardly has to deal with any off camber roots anywhere anymore.

 

I can think of some in Higgovale/Deere Park and that's pretty much it.

 

One quick question..... Is running a 70mm stem on a trail bike going to get me laughed at and ridiculed in the car park? 

Don't forget the root masses on the sneaky RH line of the Glen...I mean the sign says to ride in groups, so must be a go

[Heinrich Hattingh]

Is this off an enduro? If so I have one somewhere in a box. Ciao 

Thanks for the offers guys, really appreciate the sense of community around here. The shock is a Spesh proprietary unit 216x57. The shaft is 10mm thick and needs to be the right length. I think there are other differences between the various models too. 

 

I got in touch with Robbie Powell and he thinks he may have either the part or a fresh unit off another bike he has swapped out with an Ohlins for a customer. Will find out tomorrow. 

 

I've attached a pic of the shock with the air can off. The internals are pristine...The damper shaft is the silver/gray bit. Its threaded where it screws into the top of the shock. The teeny tiny crack is a few mils in from the top of the shaft and visible on the inside. 

[Headshot]

Is this off an enduro? If so I have one somewhere in a box. Ciao 

Thanks, I have managed to find a replacement shock - Ohlins, but I would not mind repairing the old one as a back up. How much do you want for your Monarch?

[Hairy]

[Headshot]

Well its been an interesting few weeks of involvement with the cycle industry, the good, the bad and the ugly. 

 

I'm used to stuff lasting well, not just failing for no good reason. Shocks in particular. As you know my Monarch Plus failed and after two attempts to get it to work after servicing it at Stoke,  I discovered that no parts were available despite the failure being relatively common and seemingly caused by a manufacturing defect or bad design/application. Big fail SRAM and RS.

 

So,  I threw myself at the mercy of the local bike agents. My enquiries and follow ups led to offers of second had shocks both at significant cost and/or a downgrade in performance. The local RS agents seemed disinterested.  Spesh said I could buy a Monarch for R6k or an Ohlins for R16k. I laughed and put down the phone.

 

So, I went further afield and seemed to be onto a good thing with an appropriate Ohlins replacement. So began  a too and fro worthy of a Monty Python skit. Shock arrives and looks great although the bushing needed reduction in width to fit my frame. I fit it and find it is in now way usable. Airspring is toast. I send it back. 3 days later it is returned to me. I look at it more closely and notice it looks a little short. A tape measure confirms its 10mm too short eye to eye and 7mm too little in stroke. My 170mm bike suddenly became a 150mm bike with a 63.3 degree HTA. The next day its lost air from the air spring all on its own.

 

I send pics and messages to the supplier. They initially think I'm bonkers but eventually admit that its actually not the correct shock for my bike. Back it goes and I get a refund, all but the initial courier fees. I lost R110 on the deal but didn't kick up a fuss. Still trying to work out if this was an attempted heist or a genuine error inexplicably made by an experienced industry person.

 

Enter Hairy and his shark like nose for a deal in the Bikehub classifieds. The right shock, in perfect condition says the owner who put a coil on her bike. It has a warranty/service sticker from Specialized on it and apparently the agents provided it as a warranty replacement. Its way less than the first Ohlins and is actually the correct shock for my bike Risky? By now I'm desperate so I pay and pray. 

 

It arrived yesterday and was indeed as advertised - good condition and fully functional. After doing some more bushing reduction, this time in my home "workshop" I get it fitted and nervously pump it up with my shock pump. I sit on the bike and twiddle some knobs. Yay, it works.

 

I check the sag manually - no autosag for me, and take it for a short test ride on some of the fastest sections of the Greenbelt. It feels good. Supportive but plush. Maybe even better than the Monarch. The Ohlins approach of offering limited adjustment in a range designed to actually be usable put me off initially but it seems to work. I matched my fastest time on one segment without putting in a big effort and noticed the back wheel tracking the corners better than ever at speed. ( First ride rose tinted specs may be at play here)

 

The only thing I'm not sold on is the absence of a really firm pedaling platform but that said, the firmest setting does work and keeps the bike higher in its travel for steep ups.

 

If this thing can stay reliable I'll be very happy with it I think...

[Dexter-morgan]

Quick question to you guys that seem to know bike suspension, I have a Scott Genius with a X-fusion O2 shock in it and a Rock shox Sektor Fork with 140mm Travel(Front and rear), where would I see the most benefit in "upgrading" fork or shock? I was looking at Pike 140mm travel, seems like upgrading the shock(second hand) would cost about the same as a second hand shock, your opinions/advice?

[Eddy Gordo]

Quick question to you guys that seem to know bike suspension, I have a Scott Genius with a X-fusion O2 shock in it and a Rock shox Sektor Fork with 140mm Travel(Front and rear), where would I see the most benefit in "upgrading" fork or shock? I was looking at Pike 140mm travel, seems like upgrading the shock(second hand) would cost about the same as a second hand shock, your opinions/advice?

I reckon with the fork. The sektor has 32mm stanchions where as the pike is 35mm. So the front end wont have as much flex over bumpy stuff