Just wondered if anyone had ever used one of these linkages

on one of these

I am going out to spain from the looks of it in september with switchbacks and worried that 4.5″ on rear might not be enough. Looking to extend my sektors from the current 130mm to 150mm and upgrade the rear travel using the betd linkage.

Obviously this will raise the bb which shouldnt be too much of a problem as its currently only 12.1″ and will go up to just over 13″ which should be ok for the more rocky landscape, but would like some real world advice as to how it might ride as a 6″ trail bike. I currently run a 550lb spring but I have a 650lb spring to swap for to account for the change in leverage ratio on the shock.

Thanks
Rich

oh and yes my car needed a clean when pic taken but I no longer have the car and the garden you can see is my neighbours so I am not going to mow their lawn.

Seen a few old SX’s running old 150mm zocchi Bombers up front with out issue.

The frame is pretty beefy and up for some abuse.
Just thinking out loud know, no offence intended, is it worth trying to add a bit more travel, would that not increase the leverage ratio on the shock and make it work harder ? it’s an old frame, trying to upgrade it, or maybe time to look at a new longer travel bike.
Cost of linkage ?
Cost of custom tuned & serviced rear shock ?
I would go for your lower AC height fork at 150mm over the AC of old 150mm bombers, and have the shock tuned up, run a burly rear wheel and DH tyre 🙂

Do the switchback guides run Alpine hardtails or is that another company.
In short i would tune up what i have, over trying to add a bit more travel, well sorted shock is worth looking into.
I would race your SX down Fort William 🙂 be nice and nimble and lively ride.

I only just built the bike. Used to have one and sold it. Its like an old love affair and as is in the uk is perfect for me. Im really happy with geometry as is.

I know it will up the leverage ratio but ill stil be riding the same stuff so dont see it can be working that much harder. The shock will need a service anyway and ill never sell the frame now ive got such a nice example. Shock is a funny size. 171 x 44 so no real options other than tuning except custom built. Stendec quoting 300ish for a marz custom shock with remote res.

My thought was if I up the travel front and rear that it would keep the angles the same and just raise bb slightly. Im tall and going longer at front without rear will rake out the seat angle even more and make climbing worse.

Linkage is 120 and shock service and tune 100. Ive already got harder spring.

Ill be going for a dual ply tyres but dunno what yet.

My mate had the BETD linkage on his SX with Zocchi Z1FRs on the front at 150mm – he set it up like that for the alps. I rode it a few times and it made a zippy springy bike into something a bit more pliable and relaxed but still retained some of it’s awesome character. I bloody love the old proper SX and wish I’d got one. Still a great bike 10 years on. Do it. You can always put it back to how it was…

If anyone reading this has the linkage about they want to sell……..

I’ll ask him as he was offloading lots of his bike stuff but I think it went a while back.

Brakes that would be awesome. ..

Oh yeah ive also had the goldtech rear hub modded to 10mm through axle with superstar 10mm qr to stiffen the back end since this pic and xx1 cranks so pretty committed to keeping her.

Ohh thats not a bad price, thought the linkage would be more than that, would be tempted to just go for it myself now 🙂

I got a 04 stumpjumper FSR as the SX was a hard to get frame only option back then.
In 07 i got the SX trail, hardly used it in 07, over biked myself, but never sold it, couple of times people have tried to buy it from me as they knew it’s low use history. Now the wrong side of 40 🙂 so glad i kept it, burly allrounder.
Have looked at the 4x racers with 100-120mm travel, beefy short travel bikes are more fun, but then i am used to racing hardtails.
If i had sold the SX Trail i would struggle to replace it nowdays 🙁

If you take the plunge and get the linkage, would love to see updates on that.

You won’t be to too badly off with the tracks at Switchbacks on that bike as it is; only a few of the descents are properly bumpy and you get enough recovery time.

One of those frames came up on ebay a couple of weeks ago (& failed to sell) – I was sorely tempted to buy it, but I’ve got a similar kinda bike already that’s a but more modern so it probly would have just ended up an ornament.

Mate says he thinks he’s still got it. Will let you know.

Legend.

havinalaff
I only just built the bike. Used to have one and sold it. Its like an old love affair and as is in the uk is perfect for me. Im really happy with geometry as is.

If you can get a lend of the linkage for your holiday, all good. Personally, I feel like those SX’s are getting to borderline classic status. i’d not want to be adjusting/modifying/molesting it…just keep it as stock and as original as possible.

Mine coped with the WC track at Fort William.

Cased a double at triscombe and snapped the chainstay on it about three months later.

Would love another as a mini DH bike.

getting to borderline classic status

bicycle hall of fame for me.

Always fancied one of these. Almost bought one twice, but will never have one now.

I will prob run the 5.25 setting not the 6 inch as shock has no pedal platform. Its a true classic in my eyes and I love the poppy nature to it. It will be nice to be able to swap too and from if I want to.

I plan on keeping it nice and original im not downhilling on it and dont go big so hopefully will last. I have the receipt from new and all accessories.

Ive built it with all new components as a treat to myself and it weighs in at 28.5lbs with reverb.

Brakes if he has still got it can you find out what colour and how much he wants please.
Thanks
Rich

Use to love mine, only ran it with the normal linkage and Shermans

I am going out to spain from the looks of it in september with switchbacks and worried that 4.5″ on rear might not be enough

Might not be enough for what exactly? I’m assuming you’re just going there to ride the trails, not race. So 4.5″ will be fine. The SX is a perfect frame as it is. Don’t spoil it!

he hasn’t got back to me yet. I’ll give him a prod.
as far as I remember it was black.

Just fancy a bit more compliancy for covering miles of rough trails to save my back a bit.

Just fancy a bit more compliancy for covering miles of rough trails to save my back a bit.

If you stand up on the rough stuff then it’ll help your back and your riding!

Thanks for advice regarding standing up but due to me not being hugely fit I shall need to be sitting some times too I know that 7 days riding will likely batter my back.

Brakes, did you get anywhere with that price from your mate?

thanks
Rich

Does anyone have brakes email? I would like to get in touch about this linkage.
Thanks
Rich

Havinalaff at Hotmail dot com

sorry chief, missed your last post.
I’ll drop him a note again and ask him to email you.

Thanks fella

I wouldn’t!

Those BETD links were never a good idea for any of Specialized’s older FSRs

But even worse for these old SXs as these frames have a silly high leverage ratio already and are prone to blowing through their travel far too easily so sticking on a linkage to give more travel from the same short stroke shock is just going to feel horendous.
I can’t believe you’ve not experienced the drawbacks of such an overworked/underdamped small volume shock already, What do you weigh? I’m guessing you’re either a really light or maybe you just don’t ride anywhere with long (2min+) rough descents or rarely ride agressively.
Having your shock “tuned” is going to do next to nothing, there are only 4 shims controlling both rebound and compression damping inside your OEM vanilla. If you really want it to perform better the best money you can spend would be on a PUSH tune where your internals will be replaced for a far greater number of shims which can be tuned to your preference but even after that It will still lose performance from overheating when ridden down rough trails for extended periods of time.

One good thing about the super low BB height on these old SX frames is that they will still ride well if you chopper out the front with a longer (than intended) fork without leaving you with a sky high BB height and an unstable ride. the only downside of this is that the seat tube angle (which is already too slack) becomes almost un-useable if you are a taller rider so I’d go with a fork you can adjust back down on the fly to 100-120mm for extended climbing.

if you plan on fitting a 150mm fork, For reference: a 140mm Pike/Rev will give you around a 12.7mm BB height and 65deg head angle in the low setting (a degree steeper and slightly higher BB in the high setting you’re using at present) so slacken off those angles about another half a degree again for a 150mm fork

One other point, knowing what these frames are capable of and how rough some of the trails out in Spain will be with Switchbacks your component choice (and overall bike weight) seems rather confused, stans Arch rims and lightweight tyres on an 8.5lb frame? seems like the older normal 01-05 enduro would be more the sort of bike you actually want, but if not, do yourself a favour and fit some stronger/stiffer rims (Flows if you really must keep the weight down) and a set of tougher tyres.

Jam bo? Out of interest, what sort of times were you getting down Ft William in on yours? I’m assuming it’d have been the old shorter track? (the one that started from further down off the walkers path to the cairn, you weren’t meant to ride).