[wydopen]

So reading various bicycle publications over the last year has left me increasingly confused over proper setup for the Pike..

Most tests of the fork/bikes with the fork talk about running 25% sag with only a few clicks of LSC and minimal rebound damping..

Ive found myself running between 10-15% sag max with 6clicks LSC and 14clicks of rebound damping on a dual position 160mm..

I do not understand how you can run 25% sag on a singlecrown fork with 160mm travel..The lowest recommended psi for my weight leaves me around 15% sag and Ive found increasing the pressure leaves me with a more responsive front end in the turns with a solid feeling in the rough and under hard braking..im 193lbs and am running at the lowest 108psi...

When I drop the pressure down to achieve 20%ish sag I can pretty much bottom the thing out when pushing on the front end while riding on flat ground..I dont see how you can attack rock sections with such a soft front end?? It also feels like it looses its ability to stay high in the travel when under hard braking..

Am I missing out on the forks touted plush ride by running it that stiff? Should I be running less PSI and add volume reducers? Are the magazine testers kooks who ride on buffed out singletrack more reminiscent of a sunday stroll through the park than full attack mode on rough downhill tracks??

I dig the fork..its a step up from my old fox 36 for sure but I cant say its as plush as I expected which Im thinking is due to my setup

So maybe it would be helpful if there was a list of peoples different setups..weight/psi/lsc/rebound/ability/trail type

Im: 193lbs, 160mm dual position
108-120psi
6clicks LSC
14clicks rebound
expert level rider on rough, rocky loose trails suitable for a full dh bike

 

[mtg]

I've always wondered about the 25% sag number as well on a fork. Seated on the saddle of a bike used for climbing, seat post in climbing position, hands on bars and naturally weighted, I set sag to 15% on the fork.

 

[Sandwich]

not a lot of time on mine yet, but I agree, the 25% sag makes the fork easy to move through travel. I nosed over a small drop and used almost full travel. Going to switch to 15-20% and see how that works. I may just keep it soft and add progression nachos, to keep it from going quite so deep.

I'm running a lot of LSC. I'll have to count the clicks but I'm finding that I like a lot of lsc (as long as it transitions well to HSC). I'm only a few clicks from fully closed, I would guess.

 

[OGRipper]

My experience is with the solo air version only, but that sounds like way too much PSI and too much compression damping. So yes, try less pressure and more volume spacers.

I'm around 185 lbs. Running a pretty common set up of 80 psi, two volume spacers, only 1 or 2 clicks on the compression dial, and rebound to taste. With that set up it's nice and plush off the top, but stays up in its travel and resists diving and bottoming.

The volume spacers make a big difference, give 'em a try.

 

[wydopen]

My experience is with the solo air version only, but that sounds like way too much PSI and too much compression damping. So yes, try less pressure and more volume spacers.

I'm around 185 lbs. Running a pretty common set up of 80 psi, two volume spacers, only 1 or 2 clicks on the compression dial, and rebound to taste. With that set up it's nice and plush off the top, but stays up in its travel and resists diving and bottoming.

The volume spacers make a big difference, give 'em a try.

that was another thing..not sure if the springrates are different between dual position and solo air..

 

[daisycutter]

Have you installed a bottomless token? They increase the ramp up.

 

[kidwoo]

that was another thing..not sure if the springrates are different between dual position and solo air..

They are very, very, very different. Not even close to comparable.

 

[tacubaya]

Have you installed a bottomless token? They increase the ramp up.

No bottomless tokens on DPA.

 

[SuboptimusPrime]

My experience is with the solo air version only, but that sounds like way too much PSI and too much compression damping. So yes, try less pressure and more volume spacers.

I'm around 185 lbs. Running a pretty common set up of 80 psi, two volume spacers, only 1 or 2 clicks on the compression dial, and rebound to taste. With that set up it's nice and plush off the top, but stays up in its travel and resists diving and bottoming.

The volume spacers make a big difference, give 'em a try.

I second all of this. I'm around 25% sag but that is with me standing in a neutral riding position, not sitting on the seat. I've given up on PSI recommendations since all my shock pumps are different from one another so I set things by sag instead. The bottomless tokens are the way forward IMO as you can have a nice plush fork that eats chatter, but is never divey.

 

[Acadian]

I second all of this. I'm around 25% sag but that is with me standing in a neutral riding position, not sitting on the seat. I've given up on PSI recommendations since all my shock pumps are different from one another so I set things by sag instead. The bottomless tokens are the way forward IMO as you can have a nice plush fork that eats chatter, but is never divey.

25% sag (while in the attack position) is also my sweet spot for my Pikes.

 

[no skid marks]

Has anyone tried running them in the middle trail position? I was wondering if that'd help. Or do they spike. I'm talking for aggressive riding/DHish stuff.
I have similar issues, but am 70kg.
I don't think I have any tokens installed, but did cut my piston rod down to only have 150mm travel to match my Nicolais rear.
I'm running 8 low speed clicks and 9 rebound. Not sure if my forks will break in more though.

 

[wydopen]

No bottomless tokens on DPA.

whoops..

I bought mine new from a ebay store..when it didnt have the bottomless tokens in the box I sent the guy a nasty email and he sent me a few along with about 4 sets of fork seals..I feel bad now haha

 

[Nick]

They are very, very, very different. Not even close to comparable.

So having ridden both, what are the pros/cons/ characteristics of each?
(other than the travel adjustment, of course)

 

[sundaydoug]

I'm 160lbs and riding the 150mm 650b solo-air Pike. 60lbs in the fork with 1 bottomless token (roughly 20% sag I think), rebound 7 clicks in from full open, LSC 4 clicks in from full open.

 

[slyfink]

whoops..

I bought mine new from a ebay store..when it didnt have the bottomless tokens in the box I sent the guy a nasty email and he sent me a few along with about 4 sets of fork seals..I feel bad now haha

you could always send them back...

as for my setup. I have the solo air version. I run about 20% sag when seated. as little LSC as I can tolerate (I think 3 clicks from fully open), and I have the rebound quite fast. No tokens installed, but I need to do that. Riding season is still a few weeks away, so I have time.

 

[Dogboy]

you could always send them back...

as for my setup. I have the solo air version. I run about 20% sag when seated. as little LSC as I can tolerate (I think 3 clicks from fully open), and I have the rebound quite fast. No tokens installed, but I need to do that. Riding season is still a few weeks away, so I have time.

This sounds very much like my setup. Now that I've been riding it for a while and it is broken in I'm thinking I want to add a token as well.

 

[Cant Climb]

No bottomless tokens on DPA.

Maverick Suspension is selling aftermarket Tokens for the DPA.

 

[wydopen]

you could always send them back...

as for my setup. I have the solo air version. I run about 20% sag when seated. as little LSC as I can tolerate (I think 3 clicks from fully open), and I have the rebound quite fast. No tokens installed, but I need to do that. Riding season is still a few weeks away, so I have time.

I dont feel that bad haha..


to get 20% sag while seated are you running way less than the recommended psi printed on fork leg? the lowest recommended psi for my weight yields 15%

what kinda trails are you guys riding?? Im using nearly all my travel every ride..think I would be bottoming allot with less psi if I cant run the tokens..

 

[tacubaya]

Maverick Suspension is selling aftermarket Tokens for the DPA.

Yes I know, Ethan spoke about them when we met at SRAM Colorado.

What I mean is that OEM bottomless tokens from Rock Shox are only for Solo Air systems because they thread into the topcap. On a DPA, the topcap has the check valves and the air transfer tube so there are no threads for the tokens.

 

[Cant Climb]

Yes I know, Ethan spoke about them when we met at SRAM Colorado.

What I mean is that OEM bottomless tokens from Rock Shox are only for Solo Air systems because they thread into the topcap. On a DPA, the topcap has the check valves and the air transfer tube so there are no threads for the tokens.

I understand.

Was just putting the info out there...

 

[slyfink]

to get 20% sag while seated are you running way less than the recommended psi printed on fork leg? the lowest recommended psi for my weight yields 15%

what kinda trails are you guys riding?? Im using nearly all my travel every ride..think I would be bottoming allot with less psi if I cant run the tokens..

I don't know how much pressure I have in there because, as mentionned previously by others, the gauges from my various shock pumps aren't particularly consistent. I just put enough in to have 20% sag.

I weigh 220 right now (hangs his head in shame) and I ride fairly aggressively on the east coast. Your typical mix of rocks n' roots on tight, natural trails. Last summer I had no problems with the aforementionned setup. In fact, I was blown away by it, having come from a 2009 36 Talas that had no small bump compliance (that's what wrists are for isn't it?), and rode fairly deep in its travel most of the time. The only time I've had issues with the Pike and that setup is in the cold. I blew out the damping cartridge late last fall when it was cold out (close to freezing), and have bottomed out a couple of times on small hits in the winter (well below freezing). I'm going to pop a token in there this spring to see how I like it, but for normal riding temperatures I found my setup quite good.

I'll also say that the one race I did last year was the ESC finals at Killington. The first stage was a 10 to 15 minute long run down some of the gnarlier rocky trails the mountain has to offer. The Pike was not overwhelmed there at all. It was seriously impressive.

 

[Tomasz]

Set it up so it feels good.

 

[kidwoo]

So having ridden both, what are the pros/cons/ characteristics of each?
(other than the travel adjustment, of course)

....workin on it


Keep an eye on blister

Pike reviews have been done to death and are pretty universal. I'm doing a writeup that compares the two. But they're very different systems with almost no correlation in air spring pressures between them.

 

[werkinit]

Have you installed a bottomless token? They increase the ramp up.

I have older Pikes. Do these bottomless token work for the older versions? If not I heard of oil being put in the air chamber or something to get the same results. Can this be done with Pikes and if so, how much oil will be needed to say, replicate one bottomless token volume spacer?