[Closed] Pike Select 2021 setup help!

Have you checked to see if there's any tokens in there from new?

Doesn't the new debonair spring mean it rides higher in its travel? At the expense of the small bump compliance? Sounds like you might just need lower pressure and another token.

Not looked at tokens yet.

the solution - or at least improvement - lies within tokens and air pressure somehow

Only once youve got that right can you fully get the rebound sorted. Its odd that you are at the end of the dial when you are pretty much the average adult male though.

On other forks I tend to set them to approx 30% but when I tried that on the Pike it blew through it’s travel way too fast.

you can't use sag to tune suspension. Put air in and ride it. Is it too hard or too soft - adjust air pressure for small to medium hits. Then adjust tokens for ramp if that is how your fork works. Then you can adjust any compressions settings. Spend some time setting it up.

That doesn't sound right. Not sure how much difference there is between the Select and Select+ but my Wiggle specials are the plushest forks I've ever owned.

I'm about 80kg in my kit and the rockshox trailhead setup calculator suggested 90psi and 9 clicks from fast which seems spot on to me.

Agreed - something doesn’t sound quite right. I’ve got effectively the same fork - Revelation with the C1 spring and the Charger RC damper. Mine are running at 140mm and at 75kg I see 20% sag at 83psi. Rebound is 11 clicks from fast. I recently dropped from two tokens to one and they’re super-plush over everything right now.

I think my first port of call would be a lower leg and air spring service.

Transfer port blocked so no air in the negative chamber? That could be why it feels like a pogo stick. Dump all the air out and repressurise incrementally, cycling the fork as you go. You'll feel the chambers balance.

It does seem like it should be a Lyrik on a bike like the Dave.

I had a Pike ultimate that was like that. After much mucking about, I couldn't get it to be what I wanted.

I sought advice from TFtuned whom advised that the pike was a trail fork and was optimised toward 'efficiency' rather more than the Lyrik, and I ahould try that.

I already had a Fox 36 that I used for 'trail', so I guess I was kind of spoiled. I ended up with another 36...

Cheers for the insight. I'll check out the tokens and then take it from there.

Sounds odd - that’s the hybrid damper that’s not motion control but also not a sealed charger damper. So quite like the Grip in the more basic Fox forks.

I’d let all the air out and cycle the fork up and down. Then up it to about 40 psi and do the same again. Then up to full pressure and same again. If it’s a B1 spring this is necessary, it it’s a C1 then I don’t think it is as the transfer port is on a different place relative or the air spring to make it ride higher in its travel.

No way would I have thought at your weight you’d need full rebound damping on a Rockshox fork and it still be too quick.

Sounds odd. Did you pump the fork up following the manual or just wham a load of air into it? You need to follow the procedure.

I'm about 75kg fully kitted out and have Pike Select+ and the RCT2 on my bikes and if you wind the rebound full on it is REALLY slow.

I'm not be ing a d**k but you are turning the adjuster the right way and have checked it hasn't slipped on the spindle or something weird like that?

interesting you should say that, i had some confusion with my charger 2 when i got my directions wrong, i thought id sped up the rebound speed, got it arse about face and put full damping on it.
This also seemed to add a load of compression damping, which made me think my spring rate was off...
i basically ended up with too little spring rate, too much compression and rebound damping.. was horrible.. i was pinging off every root and stone and still apparently too soft

The damper may have a bit more compression set than you'd ideally like.

Worth faffing with tokens, as mentioned above - might allow a softer initial touch with more progression further in the stroke.

I've ordered some tokens and rockshox tool, I'll follow a full new fork setup once I have them, cheers for the insight in the mechanical internals of the forks.

Just to answer a few queries from up a above:
- I rode the fork from new which I felt had too much air in it so after doing test rides around the block (riding into and off some kerbs). Playing with the controls after each test. I then had a look at air pressures and had a play with those with testing of the fork after each adjustment.
- Adjustments I tried:
1. 20 psi above and below my recommended weight (based on the fork leg table) in 5psi increments.
2. Rebound dial all the way to the left, right, centre and a couple of clicks either side of left, right and centre.
3. Trying the compression adjuster at the top of the fork whilst going through points 1. & 2.

So, in my opinion I tried pretty much all I can do.

I had a similar experience with my Fox 34, it also rode a little too high in it's travel and lacked small bump sensitivity. I went down to one token on these and they rode much better after. No issues with rebound on these though.

Tokens next. I'll report on how I get on.

Have you tried just emptying the fork entirely of air and moving all the adjusters back to full anti clockwise (I think that’s open on both adjusters - although the rebound is clearly marked with tortoise / hare logos usually)?

I’d start by doing that - then unscrew the air top cap and see how many tokens are already in there. I’d imagine a 150mm pike will have a few in there - I think at 140mm travel I had 2 or 3 in my pike (older one with a charger 1 damper). I think the longer travel the less tokens usually.

I’d then add some air progressively and cycle the fork up and down between each increase. I usually aim for between 25-30% sag as a start point.

Once you’ve got to that point I then look to set the rebound (leaving compression full open). If at your weight and that sag you can’t get the fork slow enough rebound then there’s something wrong with your damper imo.

Update....

Bottomless tokens and Rockshox socket arrived today.

I depressurised the fork and unscrewed the top cap, and.... I found no tokens fitted at all.

Next after much deliberation, I fitted all 3 of the new tokens to see how that feels.

Then turned the compression dial all the way to minimum, along with the rebound all the way to the hare symbol.

Pumped the fork up to 40 psi, cycled the fork up and down a few times, pumped it up to 50, 60 & 70. Cycling it up and down each time.

Went for a spin around the block. Needs a few more psi and slower rebound. Settled on about mid way on the rebound dial and 80psi air pressure. Feels much better on my - not very scientific - kerb test.

Sag is about 25%

Now needs to be ridden. This'll need to wait until next week sometime, work this weekend. 😓

Could also be air trapped in the lowers

Put your details into the Rockshox Trailhead website, that'll give you a good starting point for the pressure and rebound/compression settings then fine tune as you like.

How many tokens were installed from the factory?

I believe current logic with newer Rockshox forks is they need less tokens and more air then before to give good small bump, supportive mid stroke and some ramp up.

Put your details into the Rockshox Trailhead website, that’ll give you a good starting point for the pressure and rebound/compression settings then fine tune as you like.

This.

Then turned the compression dial all the way to minimum, along with the rebound all the way to the hare symbol.

I find this staggering, either you're really heavy (and therefore running loads of pressure), have really odd preferences or there's something wrong. I never use more than about 5 clicks (/16?) of rebound.

He said he put it in the middle after a quick ride.

Sounds like the tokens might have done the trick anyway OP, but do pop back and give us closure when you've tested it properly.

You missed the bit where they then readjusted it.

You missed the bit where they then readjusted it.

I also missed the bit where the hare is, in fact, not a tortoise. Ignore me.

Zero tokens fitted from new.

I have a Dave with the same fork, i finally got it feeling ok with a luftkappe which i bought from the classifieds already fitted to a 160mm air shaft (which took the head angle to an even more mental 61.5 deg). I put 2 tokens in, then 3 before opting for the luftkappe which made it a bit more sensitive off the top with a bit more mid stroke support. For my 90kg's and riding style i do still feel like the damper needs more high speed compression, i would try a charger 2.1 damper if it was a cheaper upgrade but will probably change out the fork eventually as i definitely think the Dave warrants a Lyrik or even a Zeb, especially for dh duties.
I have a 160mm Zeb with smashpot going on my Sentinel, i might put that on the Dave at some point temporarily just to see how a big fork changes things.

The Pike is the most hardcore and longest fork I've ever had on a bike, so not sure I'd be able to handle a Lyrik 😳

There's a couple of nice steep albeit short descents that I'll be trying out tomorrow whilst the boy is at football training. I'll let you know how I get on. 👍

Keen to hear how you get on @didnthurt

We have the same bike and fork in the family fleet. Static sag is a pointless measure on a 62degree head angle, so more about choosing an approx pressure then go ride stuff and fettle.

I find a static bounce test the easiest way to sort rebound to about the right place - i set it so the tire just bounces a wee bit back of the floor. Too slow and it’ll pack down and feel awful, prefer it set quite fast. I get plenty range of adjustment on rebound damping from way too slow to pogo stick.

@oikeith - that has been my experience, definitely for a heavier bloke anyway. I am 115kg, and ride with no tokens, no compression damping, and 92psi. Get full travel when needed, very good mid-stroke support (not as good on my mezzer on the big bike, but pretty good), and reasonable small bump. If I use tokens everything goes to hell - either way to stiff right from the top of the travel, or it blows through with no support except an abrupt ramp up.

Note on the Hello Dave, ride style really needs to change. If you ride with your weight back, pootling (like what i usually do!) then the geo, and the forks, simply don’t work. Get your weight over the front, really ride the forks, and everything clicks beautifully. Takes a lot of bravery for me on the techy steeps to stay over the front, but worth the rewards.

Couldn't agree more with you on the riding style, the Dave definitely rewards an aggressive riding position, riding the fork and keeping your weight on that front wheel, especially in the turns. For a hardtail, the bike is an absolute monster truck if you ride the fork, stay off the brakes and go for it, i love mine, especially on steeper dh tracks. The original wheelset didn't last all that long on mine (and the original tyres never even saw dirt) even with an insert in the rear but the hope fortus replacement has taken an absolute pasting without flinching. Heavy old beast though!

My Pike select wasn't great out of the box. I wanted to increase the travel from 130 t0 140 so bought the new updated damper. My bike mechanic put it in, but he said Rockshox use a very thick grease. He used a high quality but thinner grease and quality oil.
Fork feels so much better.

Update time.....

Apologies it's been a while but work and other stuff got in the way of riding.

So....

Fitted 3 tokens (fork came with none fitted) and pumped them up to the rock shox recommended 80psi (based on my 80kg) and went for a ride.

I didn't really like the way the fork rode so high in its travel and ramped up under compression.

Checked the Rockshox website again using the forks serial number and I see that the fork is meant to come with one token fitted as standard where's mine had none fitted.

Easy, remove 2 tokens leaving just the one in. Pumped up to the recommended 80psi and still find it a bit hard. Reduce to 75psi and have a play with the rebound. Bingo! Fork feels much better, time for some off-road riding to properly see how it is.

Rode my local trails over the weekend and it is riding so much better. Not super plush but also not ike a pogo stick and not blowing through its travel and not riding too high in its travel. I think we have progress but I need to try them on more challenging terrain.

Day off today so head to the Hermitage near Dunkeld. Never been before but I've heard it's pretty steep and technical which is what I bought my Hello Dave specifically for.

Conclusion.....

I'm leaving the fork in its current setup as it is pretty good at steppy, chunky downhill trails. The fork almost became invisible and allowed me to concentrate on the trail obstacles, with growing faith in the fork, tyres and bike.

Can't wait to get back to Dunkeld as I only scratched the surface of trails there and my Hello Dave is looking to be a good riding partner to ride them on. Well I say ride, my riding style is more 'just! Hold! On!'