RS Pike 454 Air U-Turn – set-up & advice

I’m running two sets of Pike’s 454 Air u-turn. Weigh about 14 stone.

One set is standard, about 2-3 years old never been serviced, & work lovely. I’m running about 125psi in both -ve & +ve chambers & while riding on the flat the forks sag to top of the 110 mark on the leg’s so about 35mm sag.

The other set are PUSH’ed. Damping is OK but the forks tend to make a knocking sound when hitting sharp bums fast or when on rough stutter bumps like say a rough bridleway. Its a bit like a loose headset might sound but its not the headset.
Had them serviced a couple of months back but still make the same knocking sound before & after service. TFT recommend 135psi -ve & 125psi +ve, with rebound 1.5 turns back from max. Sag is the same as above at approx 35mm.

What do you run your pressures, sag, set-up etc at, & what do you think could be making the knocking type sound?

Are the second (knocking) forks set to maximum travel? Even so much as one “click” of the U-Turn dial off maximum or minimum can make them “knock”: ’tis necessary play in the travel adjust mechanism. If they’ve been TF’d and they didn’t say anything then all must be well 🙂

I’m about 82kg all up with kit. Run at 125 +ve/130 -ve and rebound about 1/3 off max

Thanks Jimbo I’ll try that. When the bikes unloaded ie when I’m not sat on it the forks are reading about 5-10mm sagged.

Im also 14st and used to run my pushed pikes at 130+ 130-, left the damping as tf recommended and much preferred them, mine never knocked though and i ran them at full travel all the time.

Thanks I’m not very good at explaining what its like, but the noise kind of happens when the impact is very sudden – I guess the fork is spiking but it doesn’t take much of a bump to make it happen if its hit quick – a small pothole in the road causes it.

It says on TF website that all u turn have a knock because of the u turn unit. it says it would be solid otherwise.

thusly

Can’t say I’ve ever noticed any knock from mine, but then I run the pushlock completely off.

There is something wrong of you are showing 5-10mm sag with no weight on the bike. When the forks are new they may not extend fully as they are tight. Make sure that before you check the air pressures you push the fork fully out so that it is showing full travel. Obviously also make sure the travel adjust is fully wound out. It can be very stiff

Sorry to hi-jack thread, but I’ve been looking for a set of Pike 454 Air u-turn, and cant find them anywhere. Do rockshox still do them? Where did you buy yours from?

CRC have them for £479:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=29959

re. the 5mm or so “sag” with no weight on board. If you’re running 10psi more negative air, then the forks will get pulled down that much. ’tis normal.

Theyre the coil ones arent they?

Balls, they are indeed. I was under the impression that the 454s were air only.

But “meh”, anyway. It’s not as if they’re inferior! Go for ’em, I’d say.

Pushed Air 454’s here. 14st too.

As others have said, the knock is from the U-turn Helix and can’t be completely eliminated.

I didn’t like mine at the recommended pressure – I ended up running them at about 110psi. but I do run 1/3 as sag (42mm). Mine knock in between max and min travel, but have been much quieter since they were Pushed about a year ago.

I run my rebound one or two clicks from ‘off’ which is markedly different from the advice TFT have given you. Maybe I ought to try it.

still got them here
http://www.freeborn.co.uk/shop/components/forks/506-rockshox-pike-454-air-u-turn-110-140mm

Pikes are coil only now, revs for the air option.

Ok just checked my forks set them up as above for 135 -ve and 125+ve i’m 14 stone amd they are sitting on the 110 mark with no-one on the bike and feel as soft as shit. Whats the problem here then? the 454 dual airs

problem solved, turned bike upside down when i did -ve pressure, riggt way up it read 165psi not 135psi.

I’m a few lbs short of 12st and run mine at 125+ve/120-ve. Rebound about middle I think. They are on an Orange 5. Does the bike itself, head angle etc, make a difference in fork performance at certain pressures? Also, anybody use the lockout and flood gate system for normal riding rather than just locking out for road/climbs?