Coil Conversion for the Pike

It alludes to it in the pictures – but I’m not so sure – it has something to do with that ring at the bottom of the lowers that is left in the Pike – it’s the standard bottom out bumper I think. Maybe someone should ask Richard.

Although it wouldn’t be hard to put an elastomer in there, like coil shocks have.

I’m looking forward to seeing this one, which I recon is the one TF are talking about:

Has anyone on here got a crconception kit to hand? I’d like to get the pike kit measurements, (spring length and also the lower leg rod length too) if it’s not too much trouble.
Just want to compare with my lyrik kit.

Cheers

are those ear plugs?

I put on a bit of weight last year, didn’t bike much for various reasons, so I’m a fair bit heavier than I have been when I’m fit. I also often ride my bike with no rucksack and sometimes with a heavy rucksack for a big day out. So there’s quite a variation in my riding possible weight…

I reckon that the lightest I’d be ready to ride is 80kg and the heaviest is 94kg.

Am i right in saying a 17.5% increase in riding weight = a 17.5% increase in sag (in mm)? So 20% (32mm) sag at 80kg = 23.5% (37.6mm) at 94kg??

Not unless you ride a unicycle 🙂

Though I suppose it will still be proportional so you could be about right

I’m tempted to try a DIY coil conversion using coil Lyrik parts. Have read on mtbr that it works, only sticking point would be getting the right length and rate of spring.

In my head I need a Lyrik 160mm spring shaft (cut down and threaded to give the right travel) 11.4015.421.020 (or a 170 cut down more), a Lyrik top out spring 11.4015.458.010, Lyrik spring sleeve to protect the inner stanchion 11.4015.205.000 and finally the difficult bit, an appropriate length, diameter and rate spring. I guess I’d have to fit the other bits then measure the spring length required? All the above parts excluding spring would be ~£60 then i’d hope I can get away with a cheap off the shelf spring

I would say that going from 20 to 23 percent sag is pretty unnoticable. 20 is still going to feel more sensitive than 23 with air and I reckon 23 with coil will still feel more supportive than 20 percent sag with air. I dont think that is enough of a margin of variation to outweigh the performance differences of coil vs air.

That’s kind of the conclusion I’ve come to. I wouldn’t want less than 20% sag or more than 25%. So the coil looks a goer now rather than in 6 months after I’ve lost a bit of weight.

No need to rush – lose some weight if you want and have the coil as a prize for doing so. Or if you do lose it and you find yourself wanting a new spring, I would say it would be quite useful to have two spring rates. One for racing or jumping and one for all day riding, seeing as the springs are so easy to drop in once the lower assembly is installed.

In my head I need a Lyrik 160mm spring shaft (cut down and threaded to give the right travel) 11.4015.421.020 (or a 170 cut down more), a Lyrik top out spring 11.4015.458.010, Lyrik spring sleeve to protect the inner stanchion 11.4015.205.000 and finally the difficult bit, an appropriate length, diameter and rate spring. I guess I’d have to fit the other bits then measure the spring length required? All the above parts excluding spring would be ~£60 then i’d hope I can get away with a cheap off the shelf spring

That’s going to end up close to 100 quid isn’t it. For not much more, you can choose out of 10 spring rates instead of 5.

I could probably save £20 and skip the lyrik top out spring and use the rubber one out of the Pike? Or, go full DIY and turn down the pike air spring piston diameter .5mm or so, bolt something through the top of the piston to make it a top hat shape to retain a spring and just find a spring and some acetate?

Joined the coil revolution today when I picked up a mint X-Fusion Vengeance….at 170mm travel I can’t decide whether to run it on my HT to make a brute of a thing or stick it on the front of my Trance giving me an Enduro-tastic 170mm front and 156mm rear…..decisions decisions.
Also arrived today was a saddle weighing less than 100gms….gonna weigh the Trance later with its air suspension and see what I get, I’ll be disappointed if it’s over 30lbs.

Just by way of some proper feedback on the coil conversion.

Installation is fairly straightforward, so I won’t dwell on that, relatively easy to do, just take your time and make sure everything is very clean etc.

Today was my first real ride in anger.
Rebound was a tad slower than I have had in the past, just felt a little better like that for me.

Sag is at about 25%, my Pikes have been altered to 140mm.
Played around with the low speed compression damping , couple of clicks out, about 5 from fully closed.

Impressed, much firmer feel without being harsh, doesn’t go through the travel as easy, although I almost achieved full travel at 135mm.

The biggest thing for me is how much more in control and firmer the fork now feels.

Anyone sitting on the fence should really consider this mod.

I have another bike with a dual travel Pike on it. Will be doing this mod for the Pike, don’t use the travel reduction thing anyway.

Any tips or feedback on the ordering process? The website looks a little light on info irrespective of the language barrier.

I emailed Richard directly, he was very helpful in pointing me in the right direction.

Just include the details of what you want in the email.

Cheers.

website looks a little light on info

Ask for whatever info you’d like and I’d expect someone can help, there are a few of us have the kits now.

Edit: have you got the order spreadsheet? It covers all the detail about weight etc

So I went on another ride, this time with 0 tokens and 120PSI, it gave about 11% sag. Mid stroke was improved on anything I had when running tokens, and small bump wasn’t as bad as I was expecting. I certainly could live with what I’ve got, and my Lyrik is better than a friend’s Pike, but I still think I’m on a compromise, and since there’s a mod out there that will give me even more sensitivity with the support I’m after, and it’s not super expensive, I think it’s a no-brainer, so I’ll be sending off an order form sometime this afternoon

Also when the install instructions say add 10 ml of oil, does it matter what weight oil is used? I have a bottle of Fox 10W Green and Fox Float Fluid hanging around in the garage

I’d use standard weight rock shox oil….

I stuck with the same rock shox oil I’d always use for a lower leg service

Given that the spring leg becomes one large volume, I guess the 10ml isn’t that critical. I might be tempted to add a little more.

ordered the spring kit for my pikes today – hope its as good as you lot say – I may be back for advice when it arrives and I need to install it

This took off more than I thought it would!

I too sent off an email this afternoon, waiting on a reply though

Tom_W1987 – Member 
This took off more than I thought it would!

Nine pages and it’s a thread about bikes, something of a rarity around here 🙂 I haven’t counted up how many orders you’ve generated

Ok late to this but, I’ve got a pair of 27.5/160mm pikes with a few scratches on the stantions and the damper has a bulge near the bottom of the rubber bellows bit.
Could these be used for a coil conversion or not???
Was planning to e bay as Spaire or repair but fancy try as coil if this is a possibility.

Don’t see why not. The rubber bladder part of the Charger damper is available as a service item AFAIK.

I hope all the coil upgrades worked out well for you lot this weekend.

Hows the rattle issue legend?

I’ve just been comparing two FAST equipped forks, my coil equipped Pike and an MRP Ramp Control equipped air 170mm Lyrik. The difference in grip and feel is a little bit nuts actually – it’s more noticeable when you go back to air. The longer legged Lyrik, has only what I can describe as a more rounded feel to the information that is coming through the bars – yet it doesn’t grip as well on the wet hardpack on the steel city DH at Greno. The coil gives a bit more feedback (but not the kind of harsh feedback that causes hand fatigue) – and more grip, it’s hard to say how much – but it is there and pretty obvious to boot. The coil seems to be better at keeping the front wheel tracking the terrain, whilst the air can feel a little softer until you ride through repeated hits where the fork doesn’t react to the terrain as well.

The more I’m riding it, the happier I am.

I’m hamstrung by the lack of top cap at the moment, Richard can’t source one, but ended an email with “stay tuned” whether that means he’s got a plan to make custom machined top caps himself I don’t know. I’m seeing if my LBS can get their hands on one.

Unfortunately I think it means I’ll be riding BPW next weekend with air.

After running 0 tokens and 120 PSI to get mid stroke support this weekend, my hands were blown up and I was feeling the front wheel skipping instead of tracking. Might have to revert back to wallow-y tokens just for a bit of traction next weekend.

Coil can’t come soon enough

Tom_W1987 – Member
Hows the rattle issue legend?

No rattle, just a gentle occasional squeak. Have had the spring out, extra grease, flipped upside down, re-seated, etc, etc and it’s still there. It’s a non-issue tbh, think I only ever actually hear it on climbs. Also cant make it do it with the spring out, so 99% it’s just flexing off the inner wall of the stanchion.

Errr….Icantride….literally my first google hit.

https://www.bike-components.de/en/RockShox/Air-Top-Cap-Solo-Air-fuer-Pike-Modell-2014-2016-p37285/

Let me know if Richard decides to make his own topcap though, I wouldn’t mind one anodized purple to match my FAST damper…because…I’m a tart.

Tom, the lyrik uses a different thread pitch to a 2014-16 Pike.

Ahhh, forgot he had a Lyrik.

In that case

https://www.bike-components.de/en/RockShox/Air-Top-Cap-Solo-Air-fuer-Lyrik-Modell-2010-2016-p50986/

😆 😛

Not sure that’s the right one though, googling the part number brings up images of a much older design.

http://www.artscyclery.com/Rock_Shox_Solo_Air_Top_Cap_Pike_Lyrik_Yari_Boost_Forks/descpage-RSPTBFB.html

😛

Googling “Yari Top Cap” brings up a few results. Again, I’m not sure that’s right as it says it’s compatible with non boost Pike forks as well. 🙁

Based on this http://www.mountainbikes.net/mtbikes/ersatzteile.cfm?gnr=228

my last link looks like to be the right part number?

LBS say that the UK distributor for Rockshox don’t have the part. A lot of the links posted are also out of stock or the wrong cap. By the looks of it ordering off ebay from america seems to be the only place to source them

Has anyone else experienced a loss in available travel upon installing their coil kit?

Got mine today, the kit comprising a spring, shaft with top hat, white spacer, sheet of acetate and spring clip. Installed with the white spacer at the base of the shaft at the base of the leg. When it was all bolted together again I seem to be sitting at the 10% sag marker on my 160mm pikes giving less than 150mm travel with no weight (not even the bike) on the forks. I can pull the fork out to show the full 160mm but they suck back.

Has everyone else got the amount of travel expected from their fork?

the white spacer is actually the pre-load “spacer” and it goes on top of the spring not at the bottom.