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  • S-works Epic Futureshock Brain
  • sniggletrack
    Free Member

    So here’s the issue.

    Bike: ’07 S-works Epic Carbon with Brain Futureshock.

    As I understand it with the rear shock set to ‘hardtail firm’, the back end of the bike should ride rigid with no movement in the shock and rear triangle.

    Is this correct?

    Reason being I ride 10 minutes from home to work on the road, covering maybe a few drain covers and general cracks as found on most road surfaces.

    I get to work and find there’s between 50 and 75% travel used. I’ve set the air pressure to just 10% sag to see if this helps.

    The only thing I can noticeably feel is a sort of ‘dropping away’ of the rear end over some cracks – is there a blowout valve that might then be letting the shock move? Riding off the kerb from the driveway there appears to be no travel, so I don’t know what to think.

    can anyone shed any light on what I’m doing wrong/understanding it wrong?

    Thanks.

    sslowpace
    Free Member

    The brain has a brass inertia weight in the shock. When the impact overcomes the preload on the weight (spring adjuster) then the shock will operate, hence your travel. IIRC there is no lockout for the brain. Perhaps increase the shock pressure?

    sniggletrack
    Free Member

    That’s just how I thought it works, having looked at the Spesh website too. My wife’s epic comp has no travel for the same 10 minute route. She can see mine working and I can see hers not moving at all!

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    njee20
    Free Member

    Have you serviced the shock? Sounds like that’s all it needs. Send it to Mojo, it’s £129.

    PlumzRichard
    Free Member

    spec shocks go to spec i do believe but its around the £100 mark

    sniggletrack
    Free Member

    Yep, serviced the shock at Specialized and they said nothing was wrong with it.

    I suppose it comes down to am I expecting the rear shock to do something it’s not meant to i.e. be fully rigid when set to ‘hardtail firm’ as quoted from the manual?

    njee20
    Free Member

    I could’ve sworn you originally put 2006 in which case it would have been Fox, did you edit your post!?

    Well either there’s a problem with it, and Specialized are wrong, or there isn’t, and you are. Different shocks do do slightly different things with regards to how firm they go, and all of them have a blow off valve, so even when set to it’s absolute firmest they will always still move if you hit something hard enough.

    Perhaps comparing it to your wife’s isn’t fair, being lighter she’s less likely to utilise the blow off valve, she’ll need more force to make it move.

    bigyinn
    Free Member

    Early Epics were criticised that the lockout wasn’t variable enough, although I think this was before your bike.

    martin1501
    Free Member

    I have got an 08 Epic which i think has the same shock, Before that i had a 07 Epic with the fox brain, The two are totally different in the way you set them up and the way they react to bumps, I have just had mine set up by TF Tuned and for a twelve stone bloke they have advised running the shock on full firm setting 140psi and setting the rebound to suit when fitted. My 07 Epic fox shock would lock out on max and seem to have no movement even on big bumps.

    Stuuey
    Full Member

    The brain never locks the shock, it reduces the travel (to very little) the firm to soft setting will set how much travel you get when the brain kicks in. It kicks in when you are peddling, as soon as you coast or take a big hit it will release. The firm setting gives the min travel when peddling, when you have lots of air in the shock this wont be much.
    It’s the air pressure in the shock that has the biggest effect on the ride.
    With the recommended pressure in mine the firm setting gives me hardly any travel and the soft about 20%, while peddaling of course.

    sniggletrack
    Free Member

    Cheers for all the replies. Just managed to track down the Spesh contact number and had a good long chat with them.
    Bigyinn, they said the same as you on the earlier shocks.
    Stuuey, likewise, it’ll never be totally rigid.
    I guess I need to either:
    – Lose more weight
    – ride slower
    – avoid more bumps
    – forget all about it and enjoy the soft ride offroad (which actually makes more sense seeing as it’s only a 10 minute commute as opposed to hours of twisty fast singletrack!)

Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)

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