If I lift the front of my bike by the stem, I can feel a bit of slack, maybe only 1mm, in the forks before the lowers and wheel lift up. This isnt like the effect of too much negative pressure sucking the forks down, more like a bit of play before they top out.

The bolts on the lowers are tight, so could this be down to slightly too little oil in the bladder. They are this year’s RCT3 Pikes (160mm – not dual position).

Or is it normal and the top out bumper is just a bit harsh? They perform ok, but there is a noticeable noise when riding.

Theres a huge Pike thread on mtbr where a few people reported similar on the early models – have a read.

Normal on a lot of Rock Shox according to TF. It is apparently to make the bushings supple so they don’t bind and shouldn’t be noticeable once riding.

The top out is a bit harsh but the Pikes have a different rebound to most and require more clicks than you would think.

My first pair developed a creaking noise under compression and had excess bonding material at the top of the stanchions. I think they had some kind of de-bonding issue, but Rock Shox UK replaced them no questions asked.

So to answer your questions, small play normal, noise not normal.

Always had this on my Sektors and thought it was just because they’re a cheaper fork, kind of reassuring to hear it’s a common “feature” with rockshox forks!

Thanks, I’ll try playing with the rebound, but it feels more like play rather than a damping issue. not sure the bushings can be to blame.

Mine have a really harsh topout knock. Its driving me mad, great fork but I think I would rather have had a dual air setup like the 2011ish rev’s, rebas etc.

OK, so read that mtbr thread and it seems to be a Rockshox “feature” so long as it is longitudinal and not back and forwards (if that makes sense?!).

Annoying, but harmless it seems.

If there is no play when they are sagged it is normal. Give TF Tuned a call and they will reassure you.

EXACTLY the same as my forks. However, I only notice it when I pick the front end up by the stem.

The solution that works for me is that I no longer pick the bike up by the stem.

Sorted. The forks work absolutely brilliantly otherwise.

Stripped mine down, the charger damper was full of a considerable amount of air. I’ve just stripped it and am waiting for s full seal kit to arrive for it.

exactly the same on mine (see thread from few weeks ago in my history)

mine only is noticeable when lifting the front end up as per lowey – the forks are fine and dandy in operation, no knocking/klunking etc when riding

ive just had the lowers off on mine after 2.5 monhs of hard use, and the seals are still white and the oil is clear and still the right amount! impressed!

also as someone said above, if you put the rebound to fully slowest the play disappears completely (even lifting by stem), rebound fully fast it appears at its worse….

i thought mine were buggered as i was getting terrible performance (which in hindsight was the headset bearings 😳 )

so yeah pretty normal from what i can tell and not noticeable riding for me

Just did the lowers on mine yesterday. 2-3 months riding, oil was clear & only needed the slightest smear of grease as most of it was still in place.

Plus it a doddle of a job 🙂

Thanks all, seems pretty normal then. I’d take the things apart having read the manual, but still a bit confused about whether I need a syringe adaptor to bleed the bladder properly.

Pikes have a different rebound to most and require more clicks than you would think.

I don’t think they actually do need more clicks though, how are you checking your rebound setting?
What I have noticed is that the rapid recovery rebound system does make the rebound appear to be very fast if you normally check by compressing the fork and then trying to lift the wheel off the ground. In this situation it does exactly what it says on the tin and tries to get the fork back to full extension as fast as possible which can make you think it’s set too fast. If you set it by rolling around on the bike and actually bouncing your weight into the travel and seeing how it recovers you’ll get a better idea of how it’s set.
The very rapid rebound with the weight off the wheel is exactly why it sits up in the travel so nicely through repeated big hits / rock gardens /rooty sections etc.

I don’t think they actually do need more clicks though, how are you checking your rebound setting?
What I have noticed is that the rapid recovery rebound system does make the rebound appear to be very fast if you normally check by compressing the fork and then trying to lift the wheel off the ground. In this situation it does exactly what it says on the tin and tries to get the fork back to full extension as fast as possible which can make you think it’s set too fast. If you set it by rolling around on the bike and actually bouncing your weight into the travel and seeing how it recovers you’ll get a better idea of how it’s set.
The very rapid rebound with the weight off the wheel is exactly why it sits up in the travel so nicely through repeated big hits / rock gardens /rooty sections etc.

I set mine by roughly setting it during the car park test. Then I do repeat runs of the same descent in the same conditions and after each run change just one thing by 1 click until I am happy. I tend to pick a descent that has a bit of everything to get a good average.

Then I set it and rarely touch it again.

What I found with the Pike is there is a sweet spot where it doesn’t rebound too quickly but still has great support. That setting was a bit more than I have run in the past, that’s why I think they need more clicks.

Still, that’s just me and everyone’s personal preference will be different.

On the rebound for Pikes, they often need to be slightly faster than you think they should. I set mine up as I would any other fork and the suspension guru that is Tim Flooks told me to speed them up, when he got hold of mine for a routine lower leg and air spring service. Also, 2 bottomless tokens, was another of his tips.

getonyourbike, 2 bottomless tokens for which Pike, and what weight of rider?

Duir – This poor bonding what does it look like?

Ive noticed on mine the join between the crown and the stanchions is not the best, seems to be a slight lip that accumulates crap as if the stanchions should be a mm or 2 further into the crown.

Definitely doesn’t look as clean a bond as on my 2012 Revs where there is no discernible obvious join

Doesn’t affect performance but curious now you mention it.

Duir – This poor bonding what does it look like?

Ive noticed on mine the join between the crown and the stanchions is not the best, seems to be a slight lip that accumulates crap as if the stanchions should be a mm or 2 further into the crown.

Definitely doesn’t look as clean a bond as on my 2012 Revs where there is no discernible obvious join

Doesn’t affect performance but curious now you mention it.

The best way to describe it was it looked like dried clear glue where the stanchion meets the crown steerer. Not much of it but it appeared to be a quality control issue with the bonding agent.

On the rebound for Pikes, they often need to be slightly faster than you think they should. I set mine up as I would any other fork and the suspension guru that is Tim Flooks told me to speed them up, when he got hold of mine for a routine lower leg and air spring service. Also, 2 bottomless tokens, was another of his tips.

Just out of interest, how many clicks do run on your Pikes, 150/160, what bike, how much do you weigh and what type of riding do you do?

Seems there are differing opinions on how to get the best from Pikes. Could be some good tips available to help us all get a better ride that people haven’t heard yet.

Always had it on my 120 Reba soloAir.

Persistent after a lowers service/ seal replacement.

Doesn’t affect performance fir me, not too worried.

Just out of interest, how many clicks do run on your Pikes, 150/160, what bike, how much do you weigh and what type of riding do you do?

This is a 150mm 27.5″ on a Whyte G150, so also for 160mm 26″. I’m 11 stone, so 70Kg. I race Enduro and play around on big jumps, but the bike isn’t set up for jumping, so you can discard the last bit.

I’ll have a look at number of clicks later. But I know that I’m on 4 clicks of low speed compression, 2 tokens and 75 psi.

Interesting mine seem to be fine maybe a tiny amount of play

I’m 80kg and find the tokens make a big difference

I’ve just checked, and I’m running 8 clicks from fully open.

I’ve just checked, and I’m running 8 clicks from fully open

Just checked mine, that’s exactly how I have mine set! (Which is a few
clicks more than my last few Rock Shox).

I’ve been running my 26in 150mm RC pikes fully open and about 4 clicks back from the quickest rebound setting.

Be aware on the rebound set up, that it is almost completely dependant on your weight, and thus air spring pressure. So if you’re lighter and rum less air, then you will need less clicks of rebound.

This thread has been well and grisly hijacked!

I rebuilt my fork fully, air spring and damper with all new seals and oil and its now working as I wanted with no harsh topout clunk. Seems I got a monday morning pike.

I cured mine by not lifting bike up by the stem 😉

Mine was terrible from the moment I got it. It had a harsh top out knock and then shat all its damper oil put.