Hi,

I’ve just bought my son a used Norco b line 24 for the alps. It is a 2007 model, but has only seen a few days use. The rear shock is a Fox Vanilla R with a pring that reads 450 x 2.39 . It seems a little stiff for my son who weighs only 4.5 stone. What spring would I need if I change it?

Any advice much appreciated!

Thanks
Simone

http://www.tftunedshox.com/info/spring_calculator.aspx

Have a look at the following link 😀

had a look, still not quite clear really…..

Ok there is a bit of a help file on there but these are the basics

What is the rear travel of the bike?
What is the stroke of the shock (basically the bit of piston showing out of the shock body)

Enter these numbers and the answer should be there, failing that give the guys a call and he will put you straight every tine

Travel is listed as 125-144mm travel on the norco site. The stroke is a little hard to measure with the spring in place, but i’d say about 2 inches?

Does this make any sense at all? Also was wondering if this would fit as an upgrade?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fox-Racing-Shox-Float-RP3-190mm-rear-shock-bargain-/370505300890?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item5643d63b9a

Sorry bout all the questions!

Cheers
Simone

At a quick look I reckon he might be off the bottom of the spring rate chart, for rider weight you need to include ride kit etc. If he’s still light (Lightest spring I have seen was 250, this is coming out at 120!!) Air is the way to go, give TF a call in the morning and see what they say, very friendly guys who wont mess you round.

As above, for a light kid like that you need an air shock and probably an air fork.

Thanks guys, was afraid you may say that, will ring them tomorrow.

And yes, even with kit he won’t weigh over 35 kg max, I know I need to feed him more!!

Just haven’t really got the funds for a new chock, but I suppose I could sell the old one. Still looking for decent priced air fork for the front, although did get suggestion of taking one spring out of the dirt jumpers? Not sure bout this…….

the internals of the dj forks would probably be swappable with a similair aged mxcomp air fork….

moniex – Member
Still looking for decent priced air fork for the front, although did get suggestion of taking one spring out of the dirt jumpers? Not sure bout this…….

I’ve done that previously with no problems on a pair of basic elastomer sprung DJ Comps – worked fine. What’s the eye to eye measurement of the shock? I’ve just swapped to coil so have a 165mm i2i Manitou Swinger 3 way air shock spare (taken from my 100mm travel Tazer) – holds air fine but needs a service as the rebound adjustment barely works resulting in harsh top-out (may not be too much of a problem with a superlight rider). Happy to let it go for £20 if you’re interested.

I have an 8.5″ x 2.5″ Fox Float R (2 rides old going begging for a decent price)
email in profile

I managed to find a 150 (might be a 175, not sure – it’s out in the Alps) spring for the same shock on the same bike, which works a treat. Think it cost about £20, so a lot cheaper than a new shock.

Nickf, that sounds perfect, where did you find this spring?

I have looked, but no luck so far…. Aslo I did measure the i2i and stroke at 19cm and 5cm, but I am new to this, so is that correct? (presume you must know as you bought a replacement spring for yours). So what spring size would I need?

Also presume the above offers are no good (wrong size)?

Thanks
Simone

hmm i have a 190mm /50mm marz roco air shock (looks new, used for about 20 hrs riding) I might be prepared to swap fort he fox van r, what kind of condition is it in? Piccies?

have emailed you toys19, and will try and ring tf tuned tomorrow when I get a chance. the LBS had a 300×2.25 spring, would this fit (it’s not a fox)…

crc have some manitou 190/50 air shocks for around £50 (but get the marzocchi if you can!). go with air if possible as the lad will get heavier and you will be forever on the lookout for weird coils until he’s about 10st.

moniex, I have a 300lbs x 2″ stroke ti spring for a 5th element shock, it will also fit the dhx range and manitou, not sure if it will fit your shock as I dont know what age it is.

If you’re interested give me a shout via my email that’s in my profile.

Ohh yes there are a few
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=59744
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=34443

They don’t come with any mount hardware so you will need to buy and fit some mounts which is £20 is from tft.

As I say, my son’s bike is out in Morzine, or I’d go and look at the shock right now. I believe, however, that it’s a 190mm eye-to-eye, with a 50mm/2″ stroke. The rear wheel travel is 140mm/5.5″. I’m pretty sure my memory’s playing tricks with me on the spring weights I mentioned above, so ignore the 150-175 I suggested. The more I think asbout it, the more convinced I am that I got a 250 spring.

To business then: if your son is 35kg, then running this through the TF Tuned calculator, and allowing for the fact that it’s a 4-bar Horst linkage bike, you should be buying something around a 210-230 weight spring, which no-one sells. The Mojo calculator suggests 250-275 as a proper weight spring but I trust the TF one more.

TF have a 250 Manitou as a minimum (total £20) but this should be fine for your lad, if a tiny bit firm – just don’t run any preload. It takes about five minutes to fit so long as you have some Allen keys and a spanner or two. You don’t need any other hardware.

Note that a 250 x 2.00 Manitou is the same physical size as a 250 x 2.25 Fox and is a lot cheaper – Fox springs are more than double the price.

Hope this helps.

NICKF……..

just phoned tf tuned and they say only a fox spring will fit this shock? My bike is a 2007 b line with original fox vanilla r shock and 450×2.39 spring… Is yours the same? They said the other springs have a bigger diameter? So how did this work out with your manitou spring?

Thaks again, and sorry bout all the questions!

Simone, not sure whether I can help much more. I bought the bike secondhand so I don’t know whether the shock was original (think it was though – it’s certainly a Fox Vanilla of some type). In any case, on all other bikes I’ve been able to swap springs no problem, and certainly I didn’t have an issue doing it with the Norco.

Hope you can get it sorted out – my lad loves his, and it’s absolutely perfect for his needs

thanks very much, will get the LBS to have a look at it tomorrow!
Simone

Fited a 225lb fox spring from tf tuned to my 9 year old sons Norco b line, he weighs 5 st. Went through TF Tuned to get it but think they went to Fox. Works fine, got Rockshox Tora 318 forks on too, adjustable from 90mm to 130mm that match the rear travel better and are lighter than the Dirt Jumpers. He’s doing Red routes in Scotland on it so nothing really serious. Prefers his Specialized Hotrock FS hardtail though that has the dj forks and Hayes Sole brake on the front now.

Thanks, Now have a used 300 spring on the way, little better than the 450. Did phone tf tuned bout the 225 spring, but they want about £50, which is quite a bit (we only paid 270 for the bike, 2007 hardly used). Now got some floats to go on, I think these are 140, should I have the travel reduced?

Good idea to put the dj on the hardrock (his little brother rides one), but they do weigh about 3kg! ….So does that work?

I am building him a 26″ wheel 14″ frame ht now for my 10 year old, he is ok on 26″ wheels for xc (he is 137cm), but just not dh on a full susser… He has got his eye on my cove hustler and stiffee though!

thanks
Simone

Good to hear you’re getting it sorted.

I’d not change the travel on the Floats, otherwise you’ll end up with a serious front/rear mismatch. The rear is 140mm(ish) travel, I recall. I’ve got Nixons on my son’s bike, run at full travel.

I bet he does have his eye on your cove hustler! Yeah, the hotrock does seem to work ok with the dj on, it does feel heavier though The original forks were very stiff, we managed to get a new set from a Scott 24″ wheeled bike through the bike shop in Aviemore that were alot softer, brilliant for XC but got me worried when he started doing drop offs because they were a bit spindly. Bet the floats will be brilliant on the B line.

i am running a Marz Drop off with ine spring removed and it’s fine.