I’m building up a new bike & hear everybody raving about Pikes but what does the 409, 426, 454 mean?
It’s a rugged XC/light FR bike & I’m 15 stone.
Whats the recommended model for best bang per buck?

Copypasta:

409 – Steel Steerer and solid crown, coil sprung, no external floodgate adjustment (Still adjustable with an allen key)
426 – Same as 409 with external floodgate adjustment
454 – Aluminium Steerer and hollow crown saving quite a bit of weight

Air U-Turn = Air Sprung with U-Turn function to allow travel adjustment
Coil U-Turn = Coil Sprung with U-Turn function to allow travel adjustment
Dual Air = Air Sprung with no travel adjustment (Saving weight by leaving out U-Turn gubbins inside)

The Air versions have been replaced by the Revelation forks for 09 so Pikes are a coil only fork now.

I’d be looking for 454 Air U-turn if you can find them, I like mine a lot…

TFTuning say “if your over 100kg, you’d be better off considering an air fork as the x-firm spring won’t be suitable for extreme riding”

Ref: http://www.tftunedshox.com/faq/cat/pike-/-reba-/-revelation/97.html

And they’re right about that you know. Fantastic forks for the larger rider but but the 454 coils just didn’t work for me (just sold them on here) without quite a bit of fiddle. At 15stone I reckon you’d be ok on Xfirm though.

They don’t pay tax!

Oh the fork…very nice long travel fork.

Cheers fingerbike, I was wondering what those numbers refered to

I’m 16.5 stone without kit and use teh 426 pikes on my hardtail with the x firm spring. They’re great forks and I’ve had no probs. I guess I’m just not extreme enough!

I’ve got 426 on my Soul and 454 on my Hemlock. About 14 stone with all kit on and standard spring is fine. Great forks.

What spring did you have before the xfirm?

I’ve got 426 on my Soul and 454 on my Hemlock. About 14 stone with all kit on and standard spring is fine. Great forks.

You must be a light 14 stone then! I’m currently 13.5 and running the x-firm which I find about right. The med and the firm are far too soft (ok when seated but most of the travel is used as sag when standing)

16st here on 454 Coils w/ X-Firm Spring.
Buttery smooth, fantastic forks.

You need to play with compression / rebound settings. Thats what they’re there for. Too many people fit, forget & then moan.
They’re designed to bottom out once in a while, it wont hurt them. And the sag settings are just a guide. Mine sag about 30% which can feel very soft at first, but once riding they are great. Best forks I’ve ever ridden on.

I fail to see how an air fork is better for a larger rider. The amount of stiction induced through upping the pressure just makes it worse.

I fail to see how an air fork is better for a larger rider. The amount of stiction induced through upping the pressure just makes it worse.

Because you can set a stiffer spring rate than the X-firm spring
Stiction will not increase because the -ve air chamber cancels most of it out just as for lower pressures and stiction will be less of a problem for a heavier rider anyway as his weight will overcome it more easily.
Similarly, lighter riders are better with coil forks due to their lower stiction