For me, the recommended pressures are way off. I'm 190lbs ready to ride and only have 65psi in to get 30% sag. In my case it's both compression's I'm running almost wide open. The rebounds were not too far off. I adjusted those so the bike would not jump off the ground when I let go from being compressed.
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Mountain Biking 2020
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HSC = high speed compression
LSC = low speed compression
If you don’t have the grip2 it’s open/closed for compression.
I generally use Fox forks with compression damping wide open always. Even the rear shocks IIRC. The extra damping is only really needed for big drops which I never do
I am about 195 lb with minimal gear.
So I'm glad it's not just me that finds fox forks like to be really open.
To help with bigger hits without having to dial in more compression, a couple months ago I decided to try the MRP ramp control. I can say for me I like it. There is this drop off on my ride that I used as a test. Going off it with the MRP fully open, I have about 1/2" travel left. I tried the same drop with the MRP fully in and had about 2" of travel left. With the MRP fully in and riding over the usually chatter, I did not notice a lack of compliance. Some folks think the ramp control is gimmicky, for me, it seems to work as advertised.
To help with bigger hits without having to dial in more compression, a couple months ago I decided to try the MRP ramp control. I can say for me I like it. There is this drop off on my ride that I used as a test. Going off it with the MRP fully open, I have about 1/2" travel left. I tried the same drop with the MRP fully in and had about 2" of travel left. With the MRP fully in and riding over the usually chatter, I did not notice a lack of compliance. Some folks think the ramp control is gimmicky, for me, it seems to work as advertised.
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It's all on the damper side, unless you're running an excessive number of volume reducers. OTOH, if you're running no VRs, you could add one and reduce your initial pressure.
The Zeb is reportedly a bit softer off the top, than the current Fox 36. Cheapest option for you might be to have the new VVC cartridge installed. I'm doing that in the off season. Really, it's not THAT much more money than a full rebuild, which Fox darn near throws in for free when swapping dampers.
Compression damping, both high (HSC) and low (LSC). Just open them up at your weight. For rebound, most people run it too slow. Just leave the protective cap off for a ride or two and twiddle the rebound knob back and forth 4 clicks at a time to really illustrate how it impacts the ride.
Finally, FWIW, I run even further below Fox's recommendations on air pressure.
Thanks for this. I haven’t messed around with the rebound settings from initial setup. Sigh. I know better given 20+ years in 4x4 suspension tuning that rebound is the master actor.
I backed off (slow) 3 clicks of the low speed and it made a huge difference. The woosh sound is gone, too. So those settings were obviously way off, and maybe never really set in the first place. A reason I like to do all of my work myself.
I’ve had in my head that I’d get everything dialed and then play with rebound if needed. With that kind of thinking I might join a flat earth group while I’m at it.
So you can get the new Grip2 compression VVC without replacing the entire damper, or have they upgraded the rebound VVC, too?
This was riding with my son before making the adjustments, guess we’re still having fun taking less than optimal lines on my part. He’s on the smoothest line. Aim for the lily pad.
This pretty little thing showed up. 600 lb/in to go with the cascade link.
Also my rebound dialing session. This trail is fun @ Mt Herman - this is an old burn scar and you get desert hardpack that is sun relentlessly sun bakeD and dry. The white ribbon is the flow down.
Keeps getting chunkier as erosion exposes more rock.
Also my rebound dialing session. This trail is fun @ Mt Herman - this is an old burn scar and you get desert hardpack that is sun relentlessly sun bakeD and dry. The white ribbon is the flow down.
Keeps getting chunkier as erosion exposes more rock.
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You need/want a 170mm fork for that stuff
I know. My son’s Transition Patrol is 170/165 and it’s a lot smoother as a plow bike. I’m going to start with extending to 160 since Specialized specs that as upper limit and I probably don’t want to void my frame warranty. If for some reason I decide to go nuts, then shock goes to 210x55 taking the rear to 167 with the Cascade link and fork goes to 170 with one of the new 38mm options. Bike goes from 150/150 to 170/167 and full enduro.
That would take my head angle to 63° with flip chip in high position
.I installed the new 600 in/lb SLS (super light steel) coil yesterday - this is what is spec’s for my weight with the Cascade link. It’s really not super light, there’s plenty written about durability issues with the SLS coils early on and I wonder if they didn’t beef them back up a bit. This is compared to the 600 in/lb standard coil. Not much savings for an extra $100 (I bought both because I initially couldn’t find the SLS and the standard is only $30). The 550 in/lb is 399g.
It’s a very different wind (fewer coils), and will perform differently than the standard coil. Way more support than the 550 it replaces just out on the driveway.
My most recent ride was pretty wet. I was out of town all weekend and went for a quick ride when we got back, turns out it must have rained way more than I thought while I was gone. Bike needed a serious bath when I got home and the ride itself was slippy and wet. Bontrager XR3 tires are definitely not a wet weather type of tire, had a couple very entertaining slide outs but thankfully no full on crashes. I started wearing knee pads a couple weeks back and I think I'm going to fully commit and wear the elbow pads I have full time now too. The worst near crash happened during one of the climbing sections and it involved having to bail off the bike as it slipped out going up a steep rooty section that's tough even when dry.
Pretty much every turn or slight low section had a puddle or mud in it. Fall riding conditions for us in Alaska, got somewhere between 4-6 weeks before the Fat Bike gets dusted off and the snow starts to accumulate.
Pretty much every turn or slight low section had a puddle or mud in it. Fall riding conditions for us in Alaska, got somewhere between 4-6 weeks before the Fat Bike gets dusted off and the snow starts to accumulate.
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I was going to suggest wet weather tires for the fall but the fat bike should take care of that.
Nice trail and birch trees
My friends are working their way through the CT in 2 and 3 day efforts due to work and knees. Yesterday they were going to finish Segment 8 (Copper to Cooper) after a departure on Saturday. I offered to stage their car from Copper to Cooper. Rather than take two vehicles requiring another shuttle driver to do the shuttle, I took my bike and rode the CT segment 'backwards' from the way most people would ride it.
https://www.strava.com/activities/4027444130/embed/9437a51befabab83e75f7d109c7d8a9883747d15
www.mtbproject.com
Of course I started with a wrong turn right out of the trailhead and started south on Segment 9 until I realized it wasn't the railroad grade that I had anticipated. I back tracked and started out on Segment 8. The railroad bed was really pleasant and I had my mojo going until the trail ended in some swampy muck and I knew I must have missed a turn. So back again, fortunately on railroad grade. I found the missed turn and took it.
The first few miles were downhill and level until they weren't. Lovely single track.
The fall colors are beginning. Also the AQI was on its way to 185. The day before it didn't exceed 30. What a difference a day makes.
I met my friends at Camp Hale and gave them the key to their car.
Camp Hale
Then the trail started to climb.
This waterfall had a nice bridge to cross the stream and a nice vantage point for the photo.
Up...
and up...
and up...
then up some more...
to the height of land, which I believe was the highest point attained at 12,289. I took frequent stops and walked a lot of the up. It was loose gravelly terrain that even if it had been tacky single track would have taxed me riding the whole thing. As I walked past a pair of couples a guy quipped 'I thought you were supposed to be riding that.' A few moments too late I realized the perfect retort of 'Sometimes you have to put down the hammer and pick up the screwdriver.'
A snack break at the height of land.
I got up to ride and looked around only to see this lone horse down in the high alpine meadow. I have no clue why he was up there.
I heard the bleating of sheep, which I had been told were on Searle Pass long before I could see them through the haze.
They are hard to make out in this image, but they are in the distant meadow.
Poor exposure, but a zoom shot of the sheep. They look like rocks until you click into the picture for a larger image.
The trail down and Janet's Cabin.
Beautiful scenery on the way down.
I had been following a trail of horse manure from Janet's on down. I finally met the beasts when I reached Copper. There was a team of about 6 horses and riders, with a couple or three pack mules. They were a bow-hunting (presumably guided) group. From 100 feet away I got their attention and asked to pass at a place that was convenient to them. The ambled on a bit and pulled over. I got off my bike to walk past them and one horse shifted just as I reached his hind end. I got a boost of adrenaline from that that got me back to my truck just that much quicker.
I used almost 140 ounces of water, 4 clementines, half a baggie of cashews, a quarter baggie of dried mango and a RxBar to make it up and over Kokomo and Searle passes.
To give you an idea of what AQI 185 looks like (above). Normal (below)
https://www.strava.com/activities/4027444130/embed/9437a51befabab83e75f7d109c7d8a9883747d15
CT - Segment 8: Copper Mountain to Tennessee Pass Mountain Bike Trail, Copper Mountain, Colorado
An awesome, unique high alpine ride to over 12,000 ft but a steep and loose finish. Near Copper Mountain, Colorado.
www.mtbproject.com
Of course I started with a wrong turn right out of the trailhead and started south on Segment 9 until I realized it wasn't the railroad grade that I had anticipated. I back tracked and started out on Segment 8. The railroad bed was really pleasant and I had my mojo going until the trail ended in some swampy muck and I knew I must have missed a turn. So back again, fortunately on railroad grade. I found the missed turn and took it.
The first few miles were downhill and level until they weren't. Lovely single track.
The fall colors are beginning. Also the AQI was on its way to 185. The day before it didn't exceed 30. What a difference a day makes.
I met my friends at Camp Hale and gave them the key to their car.
Camp Hale
Then the trail started to climb.
This waterfall had a nice bridge to cross the stream and a nice vantage point for the photo.
Up...
and up...
and up...
then up some more...
to the height of land, which I believe was the highest point attained at 12,289. I took frequent stops and walked a lot of the up. It was loose gravelly terrain that even if it had been tacky single track would have taxed me riding the whole thing. As I walked past a pair of couples a guy quipped 'I thought you were supposed to be riding that.' A few moments too late I realized the perfect retort of 'Sometimes you have to put down the hammer and pick up the screwdriver.'
A snack break at the height of land.
I got up to ride and looked around only to see this lone horse down in the high alpine meadow. I have no clue why he was up there.
I heard the bleating of sheep, which I had been told were on Searle Pass long before I could see them through the haze.
They are hard to make out in this image, but they are in the distant meadow.
Poor exposure, but a zoom shot of the sheep. They look like rocks until you click into the picture for a larger image.
The trail down and Janet's Cabin.
Beautiful scenery on the way down.
I had been following a trail of horse manure from Janet's on down. I finally met the beasts when I reached Copper. There was a team of about 6 horses and riders, with a couple or three pack mules. They were a bow-hunting (presumably guided) group. From 100 feet away I got their attention and asked to pass at a place that was convenient to them. The ambled on a bit and pulled over. I got off my bike to walk past them and one horse shifted just as I reached his hind end. I got a boost of adrenaline from that that got me back to my truck just that much quicker.
I used almost 140 ounces of water, 4 clementines, half a baggie of cashews, a quarter baggie of dried mango and a RxBar to make it up and over Kokomo and Searle passes.
To give you an idea of what AQI 185 looks like (above). Normal (below)
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Geez @Doug Briggs, that's quite the ride! In very poor air quality to boot!
I rode Targhee over the weekend, all of 22ish miles total in poor air quality, and my sinuses are on FIRE as a result. (No pun intended.) Back home in UT, the entire state is blowing away with this storm moving in.
Stay safe and healthy, everyone.
I rode Targhee over the weekend, all of 22ish miles total in poor air quality, and my sinuses are on FIRE as a result. (No pun intended.) Back home in UT, the entire state is blowing away with this storm moving in.
Stay safe and healthy, everyone.
It’s actually pretty dangerous to exercise at higher levels of small particulate. I’ll do short rides if it’s just a bit smoke hazy, but I won’t ride like it was yesterday.
trailrunnermag.com
Should You Run in Smoky Air? Probably Not.
On Tuesday, November 13, the North Face Endurance Challenge 50 Miler outside San Francisco, California was cancelled due to smoke from the devastating wildfires ravaging the state. The race organizers donated the $30,000 in prize money to charities for those affected by the fires, among other...
trailrunnermag.com
Thanks. My throat is complaining right now. I think I'll gargle to see if that helps.
It’s actually pretty dangerous to exercise at higher levels of small particulate. I’ll do short rides if it’s just a bit smoke hazy, but I won’t ride like it was yesterday.
Should You Run in Smoky Air? Probably Not.
On Tuesday, November 13, the North Face Endurance Challenge 50 Miler outside San Francisco, California was cancelled due to smoke from the devastating wildfires ravaging the state. The race organizers donated the $30,000 in prize money to charities for those affected by the fires, among other...
Riding the AQI of 185 wan't my plan or intent. It got worse as I went, unfortunately. The day before it had been sub-30. :-(
Thats gonna make for some hero dirt for daaayys.
Yes, it is. We still haven't gotten precip in Breck, though.
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