My new prophet mx, comments and rear shock opinions please…

Just thought i'd post up a few pics of my new (to me at least) prophet mx3, been after one for the last 2/3 months even started looking at other bikes because i couldn't find ote decent, until i saw this one.

Its in absoluletly mint condition, hasn't seen much use, came with the dx pedals and original purchase pack thing and receipts etc etc… A bargain me thinks… 😀

I'm going to swap all the bits of my cotic onto it; hope hoops 5.1's, tech x2's, slx cranks, sunline all mountain stem and 745mm bars, should make it into a pretty good allrounder.

Now, whats peoples opinion's on the Pearl 2.1 rear shock, not good i seem to remember? I'm used to riding coil sprung dh bikes and hardtails so haven't really got much to compare it to…
Any comments/opinions appreciated.

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nice, where did you get it from?

ebay.
£660 it went for, not mega mega cheap but pretty good considering how little use its had…

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Good price – got mine (raw finish) for £900 from ebay a while back.

Yes the Pearl shock is a bit cack & its not really serviceable according to Tim Flooks. I went for a PUSHed RP23 for mine from TFT & its been very good though small bump compliance/bottom out resistance is a bit of a compromise. I'm thinking about getting a PUSHed VAN R for trips away where my 224 is overkill but the air shock on the MX would get a bit overwhelmed.

Nice looking bikes, took me around that long to locate the one I bought.
I think any shock that's not Fox gets pretty much slagged (though the Pearl more than most..). I'd just give it a go and swap it to a fox if you feel your not getting on with it…

The main piece of advice about the prophet I'd give is swap your shock position from the XC position to the FR position, a much better ride without loosing that much of any 'pedalling' advantage the XC provides.

The main piece of advice about the prophet I'd give is swap your shock position from the XC position to the FR position, a much better ride without loosing that much of any 'pedalling' advantage the XC provides.

Yep, its definitely getting put into the 65.5 HA position…

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When I was looking at shocks to replace the X Fusion on my Pitch I pretty much decided on getting a RS Monarch 4.2 as it seemed pretty good had good reviews and was cheaper than an RP23 for pretty much the same or maybe more adjustability but the importers had different ideas and couldn't tell me when they might get some in.

I ended up with a RP3 from fleabay and its great.

I ended up with a RP3 from fleabay and its great.

Cool, i've been looking at a few on ebay recently, rp2's rp23's and rp3's, what exactly is the difference in them?

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Nice bike mister! Quite envious, I fancy upgrading to an MX…

The Prophet has a regressive (i.e. falling) spring rate and the factory fitted shocks are valved accordingly. You may find if you put a replacement shock on it that you blow through all your travel very easily. I'm running a DHX Air with the bottom out (volume) wound all the way in for this reason.

As Dusty Lilac says you may well need to tune anything you get from ebay – I'd send it off to TFT & get it PUSHed. Neil there has done a few prophets now so knows how to tune them to deal with the regressive rate. If you do get this done be aware that the shock works much better with the pro-pedal on all the time (not just for climbing). Its in the setup notes that TFT provide but I ignored them & ran the shock with the pro-pedal switched off when descending & found I was blowing through the travel far too easily.

I could be wrong but this is how I think it works. All the shocks have base settings for the rebound (I think) that is specific to the bike they are put on, don't get too worried because there are only 3 standard levels. The RP23 also has pre-set levels for compression too.

They all have little blue leavers to adjust the pro pedal/compression damping.

They all have rebound damping the red dial.

RP2 The blue leaver has two positions on and off.
RP3 The blue leaver has three stops low medium and firm pro pedal (I normally have mine set in medium and it is very good)
RP23 Has a blue leaver and a blue dial. *I think* the leaver has two stops on and off (or low and high) and the dial has three stops low medium and high. You set the general level of the pro pedal required with the dial then fine tune with the leaver.

I'm not sure on the RP23 details but it seems like adjustment just for the sake of it and another thing to break.

RP23: the dial set the amount of pro-pedal (1,2,3) and then the lever is an on/off switch – its not for fine tuning.

nope, the rp23 is 3 propedal positions and an on off switch, so you can find one you like for the day in question then just flick between on and off.

As regards to the different shocks and regressive suspension rate try to go for a low volume air can this should help. This is why dusty has to run his boost valve all the way in there are mods that you can do to the high volume air cans on all fox shocks that make them more progressive. Have a look on the turner forum on MTBR they are very easy to mod and it stops you blowing throu the travel so fast.

Thanks for that andy M.
And yes, if i was to buy secondhand i think i'd get it PUSHed by TFT..

How many people run coils (more specifically van R's) on them? How well do they pedal? And how bad is the weight penalty?

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It makes an Orange 5 look pretty :p

It makes an Orange 5 look pretty :p

hmmm, I wondered how long before someone called it ugly 😆

I love the look of 'em, always have.

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I've not run a coil on my Prophet, but do have a Pushed Van R on my Gemini, would not want to run this shock (DH set-up) on the Prophet. If you want to be able to pedal up climbs without too much bob and without catching pedals all over the shop I would suggest something with pro-pedal (or similar). I have my DHX Air set up with at least 35% sag, which is great for going downhill, cornering, grip etc, but have to use the pro-pedal to make any kind of graceful progress uphill. Maybe a DHX coil?

Is the rear axle a bolt through on? Wkd build, wish I had something more like that.

Nice! I've just put an RP23 onto my 2006 Orange 5 and I'm v impressed, it gives a more progressive action to the travel, it used to blow through the mid range too quickly. I had a Pearl shock on it at one point and did not get on with it, sent it back after only a few (squeaky) rides for a refund.

Hi Jackal

Are you going to flog the BFe frame ?

I think I have ridden with you before at Cwm Carn, I am one of Gary's mates from Portsmouth who knows Tony and Lynsey. I have got the Turbo Busa Westfield and I was talking to you about your car build.

Or you may be someone else 🙂

Bazzer

Maybe a DHX coil?

Hmmm, do they do a dhx short enough…? (200×50 iirc)

Is the rear axle a bolt through

Yep, 12mm bolt thru on the mx's, and additional downtube/headtube gusset.

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Hi Jackal

Are you going to flog the BFe frame ?

I think I have ridden with you before at Cwm Carn, I am one of Gary's mates from Portsmouth who knows Tony and Lynsey. I have got the Turbo Busa Westfield and I was talking to you about your car build.

Or you may be someone else

Bazzer

Hi baz…!

Yep you rode with us at cwn carn, hows tricks? Getting plenty of riding in?

Not sure if i'm selling the cotic or not yet, i'm building the prophet up to use whilst i get some strength back into my back, the hardtail is just a little too 'hard' at the moment 😆 you after getting one then?

Gutted I missed whistler with the boys, i'm sure gary's shown you their helmet cam vids tho 😥

Btw, took the locostR1 for its first proper legal drive the other week, your busa turbo must be immense 😯

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Yep riding a fair bit at the moment, out with the missus and Gary tonight.

Not sure how fit/strong you are at the moment but we are off to Afan next month. I think Stela and Tony have the details of the other cottage if you guys fancy it.

I took the busa for a quick spin on Sunday, just getting it ready to sell as I just dont use it anymore.

Bazzer

Yep riding a fair bit at the moment, out with the missus and Gary tonight.

Not sure how fit/strong you are at the moment but we are off to Afan next month. I think Stela and Tony have the details of the other cottage if you guys fancy it.

Cool, say hello to the missus and gary for me.

Don't think i can make afan next month, spongey mentioned it to me other week. I'd love to go but got to take it proper steady for next 2 or 3 months…

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Do you know if they have booked the other cottage and are going ?

Yep saw the head cam footage of Whistler, it brought it all back to me. I loved riding Crank it Up 🙂

Not sure, spongey said stella wanted to go and he was going to ask wayne and lindsay if they were interested, that was a couple of weeks ago tho..

You see lindsays crash 😆 he's still suffering with his shoulder now…

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Yep that crash looked painful. If he wanted to roll it he needed to be a bit further over a bit 🙂 Impressive !!!

Just got mine a coil – its 2 rides old and feels lovely! really plush and no kickback like i got from my rp23. This is pushed tho so perfect for me and the bike

ROFL, cool, it does work then. I stand corrected.

How much sag? how does it feel on the ups?

judicious use of a file on the front of the swingarm to remove some metal so it swings nicely.
Say is about 30%ish

Up hill is pretty good, got a mate to follow me up hill and he said there was little or no bob, tracked well. Downhill its awesome – no more bucking bronco impressions. Rebound is set quite slow (7 clicks from slowest) and it has a firm bottom out bumper on it.

Where are you – more than happy to let you have a go (bend you mend policy tho 😉 )

ROLF – 200 x 50?

Cheers for the offer ROFL, I'm in Sussex. I've just lashed out on an 09 DHX Air which works great for me, but always interested to see what other people are trying though. As for you bend you mend, here's one I rode earlier 😕

thats a known fault isn't it?

bristol surfer – yes 200*50

thats a known fault isn't it?

Interesting, makes me feel a little better. I push myself and the bike fairly hard, but doubt I'm ever clumsy enough to exert the kind of forces that big ol' lumps of American beefcake do to theirs when they drop 6" to flat.

jackal, it may be worth considering a new Pushed RP23 from TFT. I bought a new Pushed RP23 from TFT last year for £330, When a std. RP23 was £295.

I'm running a PUSHed Roco RC, best shock by far I've tried on the MX.

ROFL.

So, whats your verdict on the van R now then, is it worth the money/extra weight?

What spring weight have you gone for (and erm, 'roughly' how much do you weigh)…?

judicious use of a file on the front of the swingarm to remove some metal so it swings nicely.

How much metal have you had to remove from the swingarm to make it fit?

Sorry for all the Q's but i'm gonna have to upgrade the pearl at some point and totally undecided whether to go rp2/3/23 or coil, hmmmm decisions decisions 😀

Only used it on 2 rides due to the new baby – so limited response sorry.

removed possibly 1.5mm of metal off the top corner of the swing arm shock mount

spring is 400lb i am 85kg (i think)