[Closed] Pike set-up advice please

I've got the RC in 150mm 29er form.

Started with it fully open, was mostly fine but a bit divey on steep, gnarly stuff.

Took advice on here to dial on 4 clicks of compression and it's spot-on now.

No need for tokens yet - not even checked if any fitted from new.

Air pressure I went 5 or 10 psi under recommendation, might drop the same again though.

Not sure about pressures etc that you need to run, but I can comment on the rebound adjuster. The red rebound adjuster on my 160mm RC's have about 20 clicks, 4 or 5 doesn't sound right at all

Different versions might vary, I reckon on the 26, 160s which I have, the starting point should be 2 tokens. The air guide is actually not a bad starting point, for once. I've got the HSC rolled off all the way, and a couple of clicks of LSC, which I am not delighted with but seems the best compromise.

Rebound... I made an arse of mine, trying to set it up to feel like my other forks. Mine now feel really slow if you carpark test them but when they're working the rapid return thing kicks in. So for me it's a set up by experiment, but don't rely on past experience as much as usual.

wl - Member
Is it safe to completely ignore the guide pressures on the fork leg

Absolutely!

It's a very rough guide and nothing more. Pump to what it says to start off and then measure sag properly (wearing your normal riding gear). Make sure you read off the sag measure for the 150 travel not 160 as they mark both on the stanchion.

That said I set mine to my normal sag I have had on all other forks (about 25% as a starting point), and found they were diving a bit on step downs. The pressure for 25% was a bit lower than what I have in my Lyriks for the same sag but they are different forks. Pumped up by 5psi and no more diving. Though sag is now closer to 20% which would normally be a bit firm for me. Didn't seem too bad though.

Though might be the compression setting can also affect the diving but I understood the Pikes weren't so affected. On my Lyriks I find too much high speed and they dive a lot.

As for the rebound adjuster. Not sure about taking it off. The new design I think has a grub screw that keeps it in place? So shouldn't fall off on the trail like the old design. I remove the ones on older forks, though crud gets in through the hole where it fits then and not sure if that crud works its way up the piston tube.

Cheers for these. I'm hoping to run mine with enough sag to keep the front end lowish but without compromising performance. Any other tips welcome. Ta.

Mine are 150mm 25" solos. I've installed 2 tokens and running quite a bit less pressure than recommended by RS. RS recommend 85psi but im running 50-55psi. The rebound and LSC are set roughly half way at the moment which seem fine for general stuff but I will tweak them plus or minus couple of clicks if I think it's worth it for a particular trail

Im 90 kilo with kit. Run 50 psi. Fully open low speed compression. 7 clicks from the turtle (there are 20) no tokens. These are 150 rc solo air.

The above gives 20% sag which for air is spot on and they ride supple and plush.

13st 7 here, 27.5 160 RCT3. Run 55psi, 9 clicks from fast rebound, no LSC, fully open HSC

Luvverly.

90kg
2 tokens
60psi- 20% sag
3 clicks compression
about halfway on rebound

love em

70kg here

not sure on tokens as not touched them from day 1

55psi - 20% sag (although frame suggests 25%)
4 clicks compression
about half way rebound too

great when are quiet 😉

I may drop to 50psi just to see if they feel even plusher

Ta again. Is the rebound adjuster stiff? Mine seemed to give only a few easy clicks, but I didn't exactly try that hard to turn it more.

I'm 69kg but more like 75 with all my gear on, and got them at 60psi.

They were between 50 and 55 for 25% sag and were diving. 60psi and it's 20% and no dive and feels plush. Though it's on hard tail and not been doing a great deal of fast blasts down gnarly stuff. The stuff I've tried is harsh because of the back end though any steps & drops if the front takes the impact then it feels lovely. Drop to flat and it's nasty 😀

No tokens as yet. Compression been playing around between 6 to 8 clicks from locked. Less and they're too hard. 26" 150 Pikes RC.

My Lyriks run at 60psi and that makes it about 25% sag and plush. Less sag and it's too hard.

I've just installed two tokens into 150mm 640 solo airs. Looks like I should run circa 65psi for my 95kg's now?

Before the tokens (not had a chance to ride yet post-install) I set the forks at 85psi and the fork was mega-firm 😯

Is there a breaking-in period?

make sure you get the compression set right

ime 0 clicks = divey, all over the place in the roughstuff,
3 clicks and i get loads more confidence and control

worth sessioning some descents to get it set right

I've just installed two tokens into 150mm 640 solo airs. Looks like I should run circa 65psi for my 95kg's now?

Before the tokens (not had a chance to ride yet post-install) I set the forks at 85psi and the fork was mega-firm

Is there a breaking-in period?

There's no way you can work out what you need in the way of tokens without riding the things.

- Set psi for 25% sag, rebound in middle-ish, 3 or 4 clicks of LSC
- [b]Go ride the things[/b]
- Play around with psi, LSC, rebound to get them feeling nice in terms of small bump compliance, non-diveness.
- When you got that right, [b]THEN[/b] consider, at the psi you've settled on, whether on the big stuff you are using too much or not enough of available travel. If not using enough remove token, if using too much, too easily then add token to ramp up progression towards end of stroke.

One thing- On the first ride on Sunday I couldn't get the last inch of stanchion and this was on arse on rear-tyre descent stuff. Normal?

Thats no tokens etc.

depends where youve got the compression set

FWD/diviest-setting Or do you mean the LSC?

aahh mines the rc model, only has lsc and rebound

id say less air, more compression though, may need a bit of bedding in

One thing- On the first ride on Sunday I couldn't get the last inch of stanchion and this was on arse on rear-tyre descent stuff. Normal?

Thats no tokens etc.

If you aren't using as much travel as you want (with the sag correct) then you want to be taking out those two tokens you've already randomly put in.

Though to me, "arse on rear-tyre descent stuff", sound slows and tech-ey (when you wouldn't expect to use full travel). As usual your writing and actions are as clear as mud.

sound slows and tech-ey (when you wouldn't expect to use full travel)

I'm still testing, but thought I'd put some findings out there.

[i](FWIW I'm a lighter rider, 72kg/154lbs using a 27.5 solo air with no tokens installed from factory)[/i]

Initially, I went close to recommended air pressure (65psi) and then 60psi. With numerous combo testing of rebound/LSC I found it wasn't what I would call plush and I never felt it handled repetitive hits well and somewhat poppy off medium rocks etc. It did however resist wallowing well, so it always felt 'safe'.

More recently, I added a single token primarily in order to be able to reduce the air pressure. I am fairly confident that 50psi is fairly close to correct with a single token and where I ride. The fork is visibly 'highly' active in the first two 2 inches and it's screaming for LSC to keep it higher in the travel. With little mucking around is very plush, and it seems I need at least 4 clicks of LSC and I'm still testing up to 6/7. The main curiosity I have is the rebound, and specifically with the pike. I seem to be finding that slower rebound match these settings better. I suspect that a setting (from turtle) 5 clicks to halfway is probably optimal. I think this overall setup tricks the pike in floating over rubble well. I would be keen to hear what others think about this. I haven't testing repetitive hits with this setup, but will post back when I do.

Finally, I do find it strange those people using low air pressures and no LSC. Unless the trails are very flat, this sounds scary to me.

I get mine back from South Coast this week, can't comment on pre service as they were a bit tired when I bought them.

So this thread is very helpful, I just had a look for a thread that was put up a few days back which asked what set up people are running. I can't find it, if anyone has it as a favourite could you link to it here.

Thanks

95 kgs here, 60 psi, 3 tokens..

Found it far too harsh with the recommende . Psi.

It's also been discussed [url= http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/pike-fork-problems-light-rider ]here[/url]

I notice two people refering th HSC settings in this thread. I have two set of Pikes that are the RCT solo air versions and have not seen a HSC dial to play with. Am i missing something or is that an internal adjust.