I bought a set of the new Pikes about 2 months ago.

The very first day I fitted them, they had that very small, almost imperceptible bit of movement or top-out when you lift the wheel that has been reported on many reviews and forums.

I went on a 3-week Euro biking trip middle of July, and almost immediately the rebound damping completely failed and I was basically riding a pogo stick.

Upon returning, I sent them off for warranty and the damper cartridge was changed. Got them back the other day, rode them for one day. They did have rebound damping and felt like they were working pretty well but, they still had a clunk at the return stroke, and seemingly a bigger clunk than I recall them first having. It was most noticable on steep climbs where each effort on the pedals would end with a clunk. Very disconcerting.

I sent them back to the shop again. This time, the shop didn’t send them back to Fishers, but to their own suspension people, who rang me to say the following.

The slight movement is to do with the Solo air assembly and the negative air wotsit thingy and it was completely normal on air forks. They suggested quite rightly that if you adjust the rebound to its slowest setting, that the clunk doesn’t happen.
This is very true, it doesn’t. I suppose I tend to run my rebound fairly swift, not all the way out but fairly quick, and so it does happen with mine.

It definitely feels to me though that the clunk/movement is excessive and I’m worried I’ve got a duff pair.

If anyone can be bothered to go and test theirs with the rebound set to fastest, slowest, and then somewhere nearer the faster end and report back, I’d be very grateful for some comparisons. 🙂

Mine are the same, my thinking was it is movement in the wavy washer but movement around the air gap bit could also do it. My solo air revs did it too.

and yes slow rebound stops it

Ive just had mine changed to 160mm by Loco so will check mine tonight. Not used them yet at 160mm but didnt have an issue at 150mm.

Mines used to do the same when I first got them but some how they have stopped and they feel very smooth now, I contacted TF when it was happening to mines as I was like yourself worried that I had a dud set, they advised no this is perfectly normal from forks from the factory and is ok to run them like that.

It might be normal and ok to use but in my opinion it’s not acceptable. If they were a £100 set of Suntours then maybe but not when they’re nearly 800 quid.

My 150mm pikes do the same, I run my rebound quite quick as well. It doesn’t do it on the slower settings.

bikeneil – Member

It might be normal and ok to use but in my opinion it’s not acceptable.

Why not? Mine have a slight topout clunk, but it’s not a problem- I put it down to the design being stripped and honed for weight and performance elsewhere, a seamless topout is irrelevant for performance, it’s just an aesthetic thing.

Aesthetics are about the appearance. The top out clunk on mine is irritating. They’ve just come back from Fishers and all that seems different is that the rebound speed has been slowed. As soon as I speeded it up the clunk was back. Not acceptable in my opinion.

I’ve now got some X-Fusion Traces and they are miles better.

I agree. They are expensive forks.
I find when I’m climbing, every time I unweight the front, done momentarily while pedalling, they clunk.
Really annoying and unnerving.
Not happy. I’ve never bought new forks before and expected them to be brilliant, but I’ve had problems since day one unfortunately.
Got several mates with them who’ve had no such issues though… 😕

Got several mates with them who’ve had no such issues though… 

That’s what makes me think that there must be an issue. Maybe a bad batch or something. So to me, it’s not right to say “that’s just how they are”.

bikeneil – Member

Aesthetics are about the appearance.

Nope- aesthetics are about art and taste- and this is a matter of taste not performance.

Well, I haven’t tasted them, but they sound like a sack of chisels 🙂

Just for balance. Had mine for 9 months now, they are fantastic.

think mine do something similar.

not a problem
as I am only bothered how they work when being pushed hard. delicate top out on climbs is a non-issue.

If you want to sell them I know loads of people who will take them off your hands. (as long as they are 650b)

a wierd one but try turning the rebound all the way to soft compress a few time then return back to correct setting. clicking should go. i do have a theory on this but its lengthy.

my theory is that the rebound adjuster has a bit of slop on the rod it sits on. turning to slow reconnects the two hence no click . just my theory,

I’ll try when I get them back again but to be fair I’ve tried the rebound at both extreme ends and then back to where I’d have it. Still had a harsh top out, or at least a definite top out, more so than when I first had them.

Nobeerinthefridge, do yours clunk if you turn the rebound to fastest?

Dunno, never had the rebound set at fastest.

Hence why I was asking the favour in my Op… 😉

Tiny bit of top out, cant say ive noticed it when im smashing down the trails anyway. Im a few clicks from slowest.

And if you do notice it when you’re riding you’re either riding too slow or theyre ****.

As I say, I don’t notice it downhill. Just really on very steep uphill climbs where I tend to pull on the bars a little with each pedal stroke.

Kayak, I’ll have a look, they’re due a lower leg service so I’ll try it and report back.

Must admit if I had some and they topped out with a clunk I’d be cheesed off. For the money they cost I’d expect that sort of issue to have been resolved.

My old DT’s did it and it really got on my nerves. Turned out the damper was stuffed but it got fixed on warrenty.

Yeah, I am cheesed off. Shouldn’t happen on any forks. I’m getting them back this week so will see how I get on with them… 😐

140mm 29er version here and they do it, doesn’t seem right to me, never had any other forks like it, can be annoying at times.

Hmmm. I had initially thought it just happened on the 160s…
Cheers.