[Nick]

So a buddy picked up a new YT Tues which came with the latest RS Vivid coil, R2C. The shock seemed to lose rebound damping at the very very top of the stroke, like the first 1/4", so it's only noticeable leaving the ground. I'd have thought you can tune that out but unless you slow the rebound down to unrideable speed it's always there.

Tried two brand new shocks and both do the same.

Anyone have time on the new Vivid R2C and experience anything like this?

 

[kidwoo]

So what you're saying is that the recovery is a little too rapid?


Yup.

On a YT demo bike.






And then I remembered that the beginning stroke rebound knob is the one you can't reach on those frames.

 

[Nick]

Yea the knob is really buried in that linkage.
Again though, it can be tuned out but the shock is useless with that much damplification.

so same thing huh? Is that "Rapid Recovery" working it's magic?

 

[kidwoo]

I was an idiot and turned the wrong knob first. Sorry your friend is smarter. That would have been easy.


But yeah, those shocks just kind of do that. Tune for the ride, not the parking lot. What I'm describing isn't a top out though, just a firm stop.

 

[Mo(n)arch]

A friend of mine has the same problem on his 26" Wilson. The shock works flawlessly, but has that top out clunk. It started after the first ride or was always there.
Has someone a solution?

 

[Nick]

Has someone a solution?

No, but at least I can share with my friend that (a) both shocks aren't really bad and (b) he may not be crazy.

 

[Nick]

exproded view time ...

Maybe what we're 'feeling' is the shock rebounding onto the negative spring?

 

[tabletop84]

its because of the missing "Endlagendämpfung" which is now handled by a spring. The old vivid had the orifice solution which was better in my opinion. Bos shocks lack it too:

https://fotos.mtb-news.de/p/1734297?in=set

 

[kidwoo]

See nick?

I told ya you just needed some orifice solution.

 

[MarkDH]

Had a similar problem with the Vivid which came on my Sunday. Turned out it was a lack of preload; rtfm and it needed a minimum of two turns preload, which actually feels quite a lot for a base setting. Still happens every now and then and I just wind some back on.

This is a shock from 5 years ago though, might be something different with yours but worth checking.

 

[Udi]

its because of the missing "Endlagendämpfung" which is now handled by a spring. The old vivid had the orifice solution which was better in my opinion. Bos shocks lack it too:

Yeah it's called hydraulic topout (Endlagendämpfung = end position damping), that's the reason for the teardrop shaped chamfer on the rebound port in case anyone has wondered. The damping is generated by that port being progressively closed off by the sealhead bushing as the shock tops out, giving a heavy position-sensitive increase in LSR.

I agree the Vivid topout spring is unnecessary and possibly even detrimental given that most shocks these days use fairly small shafts (thus minimal air-preload effect) and most DH frames are reasonably progressive (high initial leverage) anyway. I suspect the spring is causing some of the clunk though, because shocks without the hydro topout are still relatively quiet in my experience.

 

[Kanye West]

And, given the common bleed of that port, it also gives a tiny bit of position sensitivity in LSC...which is mostly masked by the usual high initial leverages.

 

[Electric_City]

Fwiw, mine does it too on a Wilson 27.5. I'm interested in putting my old Fox DHX 5.0 that Avalanche rebuilt for my Sunday on this bike. Anyone know what's involved in doing this? Where would I get spacers and bushings to make this work?

 

[kickstand]

vivid air rc2 here, while it works and rides well enough for my skill levels, it has a lot of stiction, top out noises, or what not at the very very initial part of the stroke/compression and final part of rebound/extension. Same on wifes bike (same bike same shock) and every other vivid air on a v-10 I've seen this season.

Loud as fack, but told not a "problem"

 

[wood booger]

Vivid air with same issue.

Top out clunk, and no where near supple off the top of the stroke.
Kinda thinking the "counter measure" spring/crap does more harm than good...

One thing that helped was lowering the IFP pressure. Kinda hard to do with the stoopid threaded SRAM "consumer tool". You end up losing most of the pressure unscrewing it.
If you can do it, put 200 psi in there instead of the 250 they say is required.

Just another reason to go Fox X2!
I have tried air and coil version, they both rock.

 

[Udi]

Fwiw, mine does it too on a Wilson 27.5. I'm interested in putting my old Fox DHX 5.0 that Avalanche rebuilt for my Sunday on this bike. Anyone know what's involved in doing this? Where would I get spacers and bushings to make this work?

The same reducer shafts and spacers from the Vivid should work in the DHX5. You can press them out with a vice and assortment of sockets. They use the same 12.7mm ID bushings so you don't have to replace those unless they're worn.

 

[Electric_City]

Thanks Udi. So the bushings that go in between the vivid and the frame spacing will be interchangeable too? Thanks

 

[Udi]

Thanks Udi. So the bushings that go in between the vivid and the frame spacing will be interchangeable too? Thanks

There's a guide here with the change procedure:
http://www.ridefox.com/help.php?m=bike&id=251#3-piecepinandsleeve

The thing with the red polymer coating on the inside is the bushing, this should be the same between both shocks so you shouldn't need to replace it unless worn. The long shaft is called the reducer, and the 2 parts either side are the spacers. You should be able to swap the reducer and spacers over to the DHX5 - a visual inspection will usually let you know if it's going to work once you have both shocks in hand.

 

[Electric_City]

The reducer is what I was confused with. My other bikes have spacers that get pushed into the bushings. Ie, Trek Remedy I wasn't sure if there's a standard width of shock eyelets or if one would be wider than the other. Thanks

 

[Scrub]

Same issue here with the top out/clunk on my coil RC2 on my Giant Glory. Exactly what Nick says as it's VERY noticeable when the bike leaves the ground as it feels like the back end is dropping out. I also slowed down the rebound to compensate for the clunk but its too damn slow.

Temporary fix for now is a different shock that "works" until this B.S. new technological shock design is remedied. I'm sure no World Cup riders on this shock put up with this kind of performance. Who gave the green light to say this was acceptable performance for a shock to be put on downhill bikes?

 

[wood booger]

Same issue here with the top out/clunk on my coil RC2 on my Giant Glory. Exactly what Nick says as it's VERY noticeable when the bike leaves the ground as it feels like the back end is dropping out. I also slowed down the rebound to compensate for the clunk but its too damn slow.

Temporary fix for now is a different shock that "works" until this B.S. new technological shock design is remedied. I'm sure no World Cup riders on this shock put up with this kind of performance. Who gave the green light to say this was acceptable performance for a shock to be put on downhill bikes?

SRAM top tier suspension typically sucks at the consumer level.
If you have a personal tech to tear down and "massage" your suspension every few weeks then it works great.

If not, and it is a non-user friendly design requiring special tools, well then you are left with a turd and many warranty returns.

On another note; Finally re-valved my DVO Jade shock.
Mostly for kicks, but it was super easy and I can't wait to do it some more.
I am now accepting shim donations! Send me your shims! I was to play with crossover stacks and such! Suspension is fun when you can rebuild it in your garage.

 

[Dirk77]

Had a slight top out with the vivid r2c on a carbon Wilson. It wasn't really noticeable when riding. Just when you pick up the bike and drop it. It started leaking oil from the ending stroke knob after only about 6 weeks of owning. Customer service is great, they are sending a brand new shock. Hopefully the new one doesn't top out.

 

[tom_muzz16]

Hi guys,
Ok, so I've had two vivids, the 2014 and the 2016, so pretty much the same thing. Both were ridden on a 2013 Giant Glory and I must say, on the ground or stationary they have a harsh top out which is annoying if your trying to show it off to a mate. But on the trail, the top out is non-existant, the shock in my opinion is flawless when your riding it. The shocks dampening is too good to trade off for some stationary top out. So my advise is forget about that specific problem, I agree it's very annoying, but for what you get when on the bike, it's sooo worth it.
Happy riding

 

[craigyboy]

They all seem to do it, I have a 2014 on my 2012 Wilson as a warranty replacement for a 2012 vivid that decided to self destruct. The old 2012 vivid didn't do it but the new one does, tbh I only noticed when I'm lifting the bike off the stand or out of the van, on the trail it's not even barely noticable to me, it was when I had the high speed rebound setup a bit too fast and was getting bucked a lot but once I got it tuned to that nice settled but poppy feeling it was grand.