I actually haven't ridden my 456 Summer Season as much as I'd liked due to baby, but I've noticed something that is not so fun when I do ride. I have an 18 inch frame, I'm 5'll, and have my Pikes mostly set to 120. It's comfortable for long rides on the flat, and fun going downhill and over stuff ( when I have the chance), but I keep getting caught out trying to jump it
Specifically on small jumps and bunny hops. For example I see a bump in the road, like a root and when I try to get air off it the front end kind of washes out to one side and I'm all over the front end completly out of control. I'm used to rigid forks and bmx jumping, so maybe the suspension is throwing me off, or could it be the Summer Season slack head angle. I think it's probably technique. Knocking my confidence to try bigger and faster stuff (although actually I'm ok on jumps where I don't have to bunny hop at all) Hope I'm making some sense.
You'll have to adjust your preload timing a little earlier to allow the suspension time to compress before the 'face' of whatever your jumping off otherwise the fork will just soak it up.
what length stem have you got on it?
they are quite long in the top tube (on ones in general) i find you have to put quite alot of effort in to get a decent size jump out of them. It's the same with drops, i find you have to almost exaggerate the technique otherwise they seem quite nose heavy.
50mm stem. Yes, that's exactly the feeling I'm getting, that the forks are soaking up too much. I'll look at the preload.