Pikes over damped.on compression and under damped on rebound?

If you aren’t sure if something new to you is working right, it’s not that easy to be sure you’ve fixed it when you service it – that’s where experience counts. I totally agree that for 90%+ of riders the stock Pike’s damping is excellent.

You could, of course, compare to a known, working example of the component, if you know someone else who runs one. Anyway, just generally, nothing on a pushbike is exactly rocket science and, at least if you do the work yourself, you know it’s been done properly assuming you’re reasonably practical. And if you hit something you’re not sure of and can’t diagnose or fix, you’ve spent relatively little and can always send it off to the experts anyway.

Anyway, there’s no ‘right answer’, just alternative solutions. 🙂

Doesnt a full service kit cost about 40 quid to begin with?

Where abouts in the UK are you?.

Sounds like the damper is probably low on fluid or has ingested a load of air into it. Pretty common on a Pike before the changes for the current model year. It will also benefit from a new seal head on the air side as this solves the issues with air escaping past the negative seal head into the lower leg high then pressurises the lower leg.

……the revised seal head is on the damper side. Is there a new one on the air side as well?

……the revised seal head is on the damper side. Is there a new one on the air side as well?

There is a revised seal head for both sides, both came out at the same time.

Tom_W1987

Im not sure that spending 70 to 120 extra quid on a 700 quid fork and likely 2.5 grand bike is “spending big”. People spend more on tires – doesnt matter if youre fast enough to warrant it – a properly tuned fork will make beginners more comfortable as well.

That right there has just made my mind up to get my pikes sent off (unfortunately it’ll be 2 sets lol), I’d never thought of it that way but it makes sense.

Tom, sorry to jump on someones thread but would you rate the FAST revalve or the FAST Revalve + High Speed and Low Speed adjuster over the Ohlins piston and shim kit?

Thanks

Derek

That right there has just made my mind up to get my pikes sent off (unfortunately it’ll be 2 sets lol), I’d never thought of it that way but it makes sense.

Seriously, there’s nothing about a standard Pike in good condition that’s going to hold beginners back at all. Spend the money if you want, but honestly, it’s a really good fork in stock trim as long as it’s working properly.

Sorry if that sounds negative, but it doesn’t make much sense to me. I’m just a but bemused by it all.

Yep a standard pike is very good as long as it’s working properly and the rider isn’t way outside the weight range on the fork. A beginner is going to get very little out of buying bling damping cartridges

BadlyWiredDog, I agree, but both are due a service (one pair I’ve had since new and the other I bought 2nd hand), so it makes sense to get any upgrades done while they’re in for a service.

BadlyWiredDog, I agree, but both are due a service (one pair I’ve had since new and the other I bought 2nd hand), so it makes sense to get any upgrades done while they’re in for a service.

Just have the 2016 upgrades fitted with a full service. Pick who services them carefully as some will just fit the new damper seal head and then just replace o-rings with original sized o-rings and not always upgrade the negative seal head. This can still lead to problems with the air spring side bleeding air into the lower leg leading to harshness.

Love the fact I’m being referred to as a beginner.

Agree with the comments about getting it working properly but, by the time I’ve paid someone to do it I’m considering including the upgrade too at the same time.

I’d like to do it myself but as has been pointed out its £40 for new seals etc first and it’s finding the time. I’m currently typing whilst entertaining my 6mnth old daughter plus am back at work Monday.

I wouldn’t bother if you are a beginner unless you are either A) >200lb B) <140lb – it’s a lot to spend. If you are getting serviced and decide you want it for whatever reason, again, as a beginner just get the revalve. The high speed adjustment is icing on the cake – for me, I find that it mostly effects how of the high speed stuff you feel through your hands. Really subtle fine tuning, but at the extreme ends of either closed or open it would either feel way to harsh or felt like it was collapsing in rock gardens – adjustments around the base setting that is roughly correct for you are much finer.

I will reiterate though – that as a more experienced rider it has given me a margin of safety in terms of the trade off between feel and traction that I’ve never had before. But I’m sensitive to fork set up, on the other hand my brother is a much faster rider than me and sets his bikes up awfully with dead slow rebound for hucking off big drops and can somehow ride them without being thrown off. Sometimes a better rider can ride round these things – I can’t ride his settings at all and was nearly bucked over the front by a packing down rear shock on the chicksands dual. My point being, we are all different, some people no matter their skill are more sensitive to these things than others and if there is something specific you have an issue with then a revalve can sort it.

The OP is a faster more experienced rider, if it wasn’t for the fact that the fork was potentially borked then I’d thoroughly recommend it to him. As it is, I think that it is a toss up for the OP.

There, balanced enough? Think about what you want from your fork and make an informed decision.

Rick Draper, I’m Nottinghamshire. Why do you ask?

Derek, I can’t comment on the Ohlins piston kit – it seems harder to get hold of though.

My first point of call if they aren’t right on the first ride would be to contact the seller to try and sort something out

A regular 40 quid service sounds an awful lot like a simple bleed and lower oil change….im not sure that a technician being suprised by a blown charger damper would instill confidence in me

Pretty much i guess. The guy who fixed them is a top guy and really knows his stuff. He’s done plenty of Pikes but the Charge damper wasn’t blown like you think – all internals were blew apart and fell out in bits. Like i say he’s not come across that before. I seem to have a history of doing weird things to suspension. When i sent my old coil shock off to TF they reported back that i’d somehow managed to bend the shaft and i’d need a new one – they’d never saw that before either (and i think they know their stuff too).

Well, if you know a guy who can do a good service for 40 quid then give the OP his details!

God knows how you did that though Euro, did you lawn dart the front of a double?

Rick Draper, I’m Nottinghamshire. Why do you ask?

Drop me a email. Email is in my profile.

Love the fact I’m being referred to as a beginner.

It’s because in your earlier post where you said you’d had your mind made up, line you high-lighted as being decisive was: – ‘a properly tuned fork will make beginners more comfortable as well’

Which makes it sound as if you’re a beginner, no? Anyway, glad it’s brightened up your day 🙂

Not me who hilghted anything of the sort matey. If you want to see what standard I am look at the Avalanche Cup Oz En Oisons round from 2006 😉

Just had a look back through and can’t find what you are on about. Anyway, far from a beginner but as I said earlier I’m no Gees Atherton either. Probably don’t need the upgrade but whilst I’m paying £90 for a service it’s worth considering on top.

I love a man who talks a good game

Honestly, you’ve bought a second hand set of Pikes, they don’t seem to be working properly and no-one has suggested going after the seller with pitchforks and flaming torches?

Standards are slipping.

I’ve emailed the seller saying do you have the receipt so I can maybe try warranty?

Prepare to wait 4-5 weeks for them to come back from Fishers – and they won’t put the updated internals in so they’ll blow again a few months down the line.

Yeh I was thinking that, seller has already agreed to send them off for warranty in the last couole of minutes but I reckon Tom should be on commission for Fast Suspension as I’m really fancying this upgrade now anyway

Your choice Chilled, they could come back in 2 weeks but my experience with them was atrocious to say the least! If you don’t mind having time off riding for a bit or have a second bike – do the warranty job and then decide on the upgrade. I mean it’s free! Nothing to lose, except riding time and sweet sweet escape from the baby! 😛

I don’t have a second bike and it’s hard enough getting rides in these days as it is….

….I was thinking of setting up my own website to compete with the idiots over at dirt though. 😆

http://forums.mtbr.com/shocks-suspension/avalanche-vs-fast-suspension-pike-1024960.html

Huh, a lot of the guys on here ended up with pretty similar settings to me 🙂

10 from fully open clicks of low speed, 4 clicks from fully open of high speed compression. So I’m not a bat shit insane crazy scientist type like some of my mates think I am, others have independantly found the same sweet spot 🙂

In regards to the latter two posters – it looks like you might want to make sure they specify the updated seals in the air side as well though. I haven’t had any issues from TF tuned on the airside, at all. One of them also thinks that burping the fork screwed up the damping, that is impossible due to the sealed cartridge design. With Pikes it’s kind of a a design flaw anyway, moto forks have bleed valves to accomplish the same thing…as does the Mattoc.

Not me who hilghted anything of the sort matey. If you want to see what standard I am look at the Avalanche Cup Oz En Oisons round from 2006

Sorry, I confused you with someone else. Or you confused my comments about someone else as being about you maybe? Or someone else? Or there were sticks with wrong ends. I don’t think it matters very much. I’m guessing from some googling that you’re actually Rachel Atherton, in which case I apologise if anyone here mistook you for a beginner.

Oh yeah and if you really want to go full tart, if you hate airsprings or have had reliability issues on the airspring side – CRConception do a spring mod.

It’s coming for Christmas – reviews will be posted my friends.

I’m guessing from some googling that you’re actually Rachel Atherton

I must be using a different version of google!

chilled76

😉

Chilled76

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/looking-for-that-magic-suspension-setting#post-8051080

Looks like this is the reaons why Rick is probably selling his FAST Lyriks – anyway, he won’t find anything better and his idea of what the fork should feel like is wrong. Last inch of travel should be used only for potential over the bar incidents or landings to flat.

He’ll get a shock if he moves to Fox’s which are even less forgiving.

Nar I got them where I wanted in the end but have had a 36 on my Patrol since I bought it a few months back and the Lyrik has just been sat in its box ever since.

Booked in for the full FAST upgrade at tf-tumed. Thanks everyone for input, Tom especially for your detailed responses.

Cheers

First outing on the FAST upgraded ones today and I can honestly say they are the best forks I have ever ridden. Thanks again for the input Tom, really impressed with how supple they are but the damping manages to stop them diving.

Really controlled and confidence inspiring.