I’ve a set up 2012 29er 140mm dual air revs and I struggle to get them feeling ‘just right’. Please excuse the lack of technical jargon, I’m a numpty.

I weigh about 90-95kg with kit on and find about 90-100psi in both bottom/top is about the correct pressure however, they are either too soft or too hard. Can’t find the ‘sweet spot’.

At the lower end of the psi scale they are very supple and perfect for the small stuff but, the big hits just blow through the travel. I also find at the end of the travel it just stops, now cushioning/slowing down.

At the higher end of the psi scale a little firmer, worse on the smaller bumps but better at the big stuff but, still the sudden stop at the top of the travel.

So, is it a case of either/or, what the hell do you expect from old forks? Is there something I can do? Stick more oil in the lowers, rub a mildly agitated shrew on the crown?

I know they can be ace as sometimes they just feel right. Really ‘plush’ and at the end of the travel a nice cushioning/spring that makes me smile.

I know I should play with the rebound but always forget and a little comfuddled which way to dial when I have more/less pressure in them.

Balls, I’ve no idea what I’m asking here.

2012 isnt really old…

Anyway.

Compression is quite important in dual airs I find. Getting the right amount for your weight dialled in provides that platform feel and gets rid of the “blow through all travel on a 6″ drop” thing you get.

So, play with compression. You havnt mentioned anything about your compression above but I assume it has some…!

Is that the dial with the turtle/rabbit?

No that’s your rebound – that controls how fast the forks extend back to full length after getting compressed. The compression should be the blue dial on top of the right fork leg. Wind it fully clockwise and it gives you a lockout of sorts. Unwind fully anti-clockwise for no additional compression damping. Have a play with it, I’ve ended up with mine halfway between open and closed unless I want it locked.

Try running higher negative pressure than positive pressure. To fill:

Empty Neg chamber
Fill Pos chamber to desired pressure (should feel quite hard as there is no neg pressure)
Fill Neg chamber until the forks start pull themselves down a little bit

With higher positive pressure than you have been running they should bottom out less, but the increased negative pressure balance will help keep the small bump sensitivity.

Red turtle/rabbit is rebound setting. Turtle slower, rabbit faster. If you stand off the bike and push the handlebars down and back up fairly quickly, the forks should rebound in a way that does not force the handlebars back up quicker than you can lift but also keeps the front wheel in contact with the ground. They shouldn’t feel to ‘springy’ (too fast) or sluggish (too slow).

Drain air out of both chambers
Fill + air until you get the right sag run less sag if you want the fork to be less divey
Put air in – chamber until it’s about 5psi less than the + side
Set rebound

Play with the compression I have mine on about half.

You can’t really have ultra plush forks and not have them dive a bit (im sure the really good ones do but not revs) the cure is more + pressure/less sag

Ive got the same issue with my shock. Im sending it off to have the compression revalved to give more support.
Fwiw I have some rev 426s, and always struggled with them. I sent them off to jtech for a full service and they came back insanely good. If they are getting a bit long on the tooth, but are still functional, a full service would work wonders.

Im guessing, but I imagine if you wanted to do it yourself, base compression (fully open rate) could be varied by increasing the damping oil viscocity…

I’m sure the Revs in questions must be a base model as I don’t think I’ve got a dial on the right crown. Am using my terrible memory. Will have a look/play tonight if I do.

Will play with different levels of pressure in the +/- chambers to see how that gets on and failing that, I’ll play with the oil viscosity.

If still no joy will see if LoCo can put a compression thing in.

Cheers all, you’ve given me stuff to think about/play with.

I struggle with mine too, so I’m no expert, but I find that running faster rebound makes my Rev’s feel much more plush over fast, small bumps, even with higher pressures.

You have just come across the real problem with these forks; mine only ever gave me proper support when they were half full of water(!) After they were serviced I got chucked right over the bars on a drop to the flat. Closing the lockout dial a bit will of course make them less plush. More -ve pressure won’t affect the fork further into the travel.

I have a pair of RLT Ti Black Box Revs and have never really understood them!

Mine have the pop-loc fitted and the gold coloured knob but I dont really know what it does or how to adjust compression or even if I can adjust it on my model. I just leave it halfway and I never use pop-loc to lock the forks, even during climbing.

As for the air pressure, I run them much lower than the recommended levels usually 100/90 and with the rebound at halfway.

I do find I have to adjust them a lot depending on the trail, which is local natural stuff along with red/black stuff at nearby centres.

😳 Well the blue knob that I thought just locked the forks out has ‘Compression control’ on it also, whoops.

Have noticed a big difference playing with the pressure/rebound/compression. Think a few more rides and I’ll have them feeling as good as they should.

Cheers all.