Did the Charger 2 RCT3 plus Debonair spring upgrade to my Yari a month ago. Small bump sensitivity is much improved and the capacity to manage high speed roots and rocks is night and day. Basically, it’s now a Lyrik.

Differences between EX511 and E532?

Don’t mind to change spokes, only want to keep the DT 350 Boost hubs

Have a Bell Super DH.
I put the chin piece on whenever I’m trying new stuff, doing winch and plummet or shuttle days. Have climbed 1000m a month ago in full face mode, no big deal.

I only remove the chin for commuting, short familiar trails with no big features or for very long days when the open face is useful for eat and drink with the helmet on

People are really playing with the Evo, if you go to MTBR there are lots of people going with 170mm forks. Wonder what Specialized has to say about it

After much contemplation I’ve decided I want to stay with Rockshox products. I really prefer the ease of disassemble, the sag markings, the service intervals and parts availability.

So, down to options
A) Upgrade the Yari with Charger 2 RCT3 damper and Debonair spring

B) get a new Lyrik RC2 with 42mm offset

Option A) means a smaller initial investment. Also, since I’m no setup tinkerer the RCT3 might make sense, as long as t has the same quality damper.

Option B) means I can try the reduced offset. Also, after the sale of the Yari and discounting the damper/spring investment it might even come cheaper in the end

Madeira island seems to be all the rage now, not to mention receiving an EWS round this year.

Most stuff seems to be organised be this guys of Freeride Madeira:

MTB holidays tours rentals Madeira island

If I remember correctly it was something like €700 for 5 days of lodging, shuttle and guiding, but please confirm

For how much should one budget, excluding deslocation?

Would love to do it

For those who done it before, how gnarly is it? Any huge features?

I’m used to long natural trails, but get confusing reports on how hard the mega is

Anyone knows if there are any differences between the Yari and Lyrik besides damper? Seals?

One more option just showed up. A local guy is selling a 2019 MY Fox 36 Factory, Grip2, supposedly 1 week of use, for 650€. Might worth a look?

That’s the Axle to Crown for the 180mm Lyrik! The Yari is the same chassis! If you put an RC2 damper in it, you have yourself a Lyrik!

I’m talking about 29er forks. The 160mm 29 Lyric A2C is indeed 572mm, you can check it

I always loved the old Marzocchi brand, was by far my favorite at the time.
If the standard Grip damper they come with is as good as the Grip I had in my 34 then I see no reason to upgrade to the Grip2

I can knock option A) to about €220 if I go for the RCT3 damper instead of the RC2. Much of a difference?
In my case I really wanted to keep the AC as low as possible, but not a completely blocking point

Snapperdan,

What you say about longer bikes making things easier is true, at least in my personal case. But can’t the same be said about better suspension or brakes? I know stronger brakes are not as much of a compromise as more extreme geometry, but one can draw a comparison.

As a personal note, I prefer a longer bike on rougher natural trails. On smooth flow trails I can’t feel the benefits

Got a DT350/Stans Flow built by them a couple of years ago, can’t really complain about assembly quality

And Poles are actually not that expensive

Howsyourdad1, what’s your source for the “super Sentinel” info?
Any more details?
Thanks

I do a 20mile round trip commute 2 times per week with my 150/150mm enduro 29er, Minions included.
Not the greatest tool for the job, but it’s the most comfortable bike ever and I manage to avoid the roads as much as possible

Had that problem on both knees 2 or so years ago when I was deep into olympic weightlifting. Doing 3 or 4 heavy squat sessions a week can do that to you.

At one point was having enough patella tendon pain to have trouble going up and down stairs and to sleep. Felt like a hero when warm at the gym and like an handicapped everywhere else.

After some time with painkillers and massages, etc, a physiotherapist recommended me this:

How to Do Eccentric Slant Board Squats for Patellar Tendonitis

Started doing so once a day and after a month I was good to go. By all means try it.
Also stretching helps, a contracted muscle pulling an already sore tendon is never good

I would fear by the time I would need a new shock the non metric stuff would be dry. Quite an odd move on their side, likely to save on tooling and jigs.

Not looking to have a nimble single-track rocket, just a bike capable to winch itself up mountains at it’s own pace and then bomb downhill

I’ll try to check the new fork settings today. I’ll also try to run the rebound a little faster, I suspect the form is not recovering fast enough from strikes and keep reading as the pros run rebound quite fast (grain of salt here).

If this doesn’t work, then I might try the reverse, going back to 2 tokens and up pressure to mid 80s. This based on the theory I read sometimes that firmer pressure can keep the fork in the softer travel section and actually make it feel plusher.

If nothing of this works, then a damper upgrade might be on the table. 200 euros, outch…..

Those new Radon Swoops 29 look sweet. The right travel, crazy value and the short seat tubes allow to select size based on reach (would go XL straight away). Quite tempting to get the cheapest model, 2500€ and swap the better bits I have on mine.
But:
– on the slackest setting the BB is crazy low
– no metric shock…
– hard to find any info or feedback on them

Edit: about the possible new Strive, knowing Canyon it’s likely to have quite conservative geo

Added 1 token, now 3 total.
Sag increased to 25%.
Rebound at 12 clicks from fully closed.

Left the rear alone, I’m happy so far with 30% sag and 2 clicks from fully open

Looking forward to try this next Thursday or in the weekend

I’m 86kg butt naked, should be 90 or so kg equipped.

Pretty sure my Yari has debonair, it’s a 2019 model and RS database says so when I search the serial number.

So I’ll install an extra token and put sag at 25%.

Still tempted to try a -1,5º angleset.

On the 160mm fork warranty, I agree that the AM9 should had a 150-160 or 150-170 fork approval, would be more in line with the bike’s propose (it has the geometry and rear end to go with it) and I’m sure many people end up not opting for it out of fear of ending “underbiked”. But, big but, let’s not forget each fork length requires extra validation testing and likely at least homologation extension which comes with an hefty price tag for the manufacturer. It’s a matter of liability. Either that, or the AM9 head area can’t actually mechanically tolerate a longer fork up to legal requirements, which I greatly doubt.
I think I’ll start a petition with other AM9 owners for Bird to approve 160/170 forks…

Thanks for all the answers so far.

To the ones mentioning “excuses” and “it’s not the bike”, that’s why I made the disclaimer in the original post. I’m aware of my limitations and, like I said previously, I’m sure lots and lots of riders can out ride me with way smaller bikes, I’m the first to admit that. But I’m also aware I’m not a complete noob. The trails I was riding yesterday will be a EWS Qualifier in 2019 and I can keep up with reasonable riders on DH bikes.

Anyway, my question was simple. If any of the frame alternatives was to be a “bigger” bike downhill, then great, something to consider. If not (which seems to be the case) then I keep working on the AM9.

Fork is a RS Yari RC (boost, debonair, etc). Would a upgrade to a Lyric cartridge make a big difference? I tried to increase pressure but then I got beat up on rocky natural trails, it’s not the most supple fork to begin with. I think I’ll try to add some tokens.

Not many complaints with the rear suspension, I use full travel all the time but don’t feel any harsh bottoming out. Could use some less pedal kickback but that’s it.

I’d love to change the fork air shaft to 160mm, but Bird says that will void the warranty.
However I’m tempted to try a -1,5º angleset to lower the HA to 64º. Might that calm the front a little?

I’m 184 tall riding a L, so 500mm reach which I love.
Running 20% front and 30% rear sags. Rear rebound is 2 clicks from open, front I can’t remember but is according to the RS setup tool.
I could increase fork pressure, but then natural trails would be miserable. I can add some tokens, but I’m not sure if that’s not patching up a symptom and not the cause.

In terms of trails I ride a bit of everything, but tend to ride lots of rocky stuff, generally enduro and some DH tracks. Proper full helmet charging trails

What’s the bike doing? Well imagine to hit a root section or a rock garden at speed and and feeling the suspension, specially the front, repeatedly bottoming out, compromising control

The Moxie’s dropouts have 16mm of adjustment range

Howsyourdad1, sorry if it sounded Aggro, wasn’t the intention.

Anyway, for me the only Moxie problem was the chainstay length. The short position is too short and besides compromising tyre clearance it makes the rear end too nervous and removes weight from the front.
If I was the designer, the longest position would be my short one.

Pipedream reviewed the width on the rims, not the tyres. And keep in mind that’s for the shortest chainstay position.
When I had mine I used to run 2.4 Ardents on Flows EX with dropouts in the rearmost position and had a ton of clearance. Could go easily for a 2.5 tyre.

How’s that for “pipedream Moxie wont take a 29 wheel”??

I’m almost local to them (75km away), have been there without the shuttle doing the International DH track. It’s a proper WC DH track, quite nice.

Anyway, if you’re in the area I’d suggest contacting Pe do Negro Mountain Bike. They’re leading the enduro scene here including a EWS qualifier next year.
Instead of a bike park, they operate kind of like Freeride Madeira, providing guiding and access to a trail network they groom

Josh Beyceland

Have a Fabric Scoop Radius since April or May.

Most comfortable saddle ever for me, this including Brooks B17s and WTB Pures.

No creaks yet, even after some crashes including a failed doorway high huck to flat which I landed no feet, bum crashing into the saddle. If it resisted that then I’m positive about it’s durability

POC VPD Air

Very comfortable, build quality seems to be a step above most competition.

Could use a little more coverage on the upper shin, but otherwise theyret perfect

Ended up ordering a Fox Proframe.

I’m sure the Met is nice but the Fox was the reason I started considering a new helmet in the first place.

Hope I got the size right!

Also, throw the Bell Super DH into the mix.

Can get it a little cheaper than the Fox. How is it climbing with the chin bar on?

Thanks for your input.

I always thought flat pedals demanded slower rebound in order to “calm” the rear end

I’ve an enduro race in two weeks so need to sort this out quickly.

Then I look at the pros being on clipless and think “why bother?”…

I’m talking about charging full speed through rock gardens and other rough sections on proper enduro and DH tracks, not pedaling

Blackmountainsrider, how did the Cotic compared to you AM9?

Climbing?

Thanks!

Just an update on this topic

Since I posted here the last time, I decided to stick with the flat pedals for a while.

The following happened:

– my cornering improved a lot

– I stopped having trouble with feet coming off on jumps and drops. My jump and dropping ability progressed a lot since I lost some stupid habits like fighting and pulling the bike mid-air

– Flow type trails are a blast

– Still having trouble on more natural or rocky trails, specially at speed. I used to be the king of charging through stuff in my group and now everybody noticed I lost a lot of speed. This is a deal breaker for me

I keep forcing myself to drop heels, pedal mid foot (easy) and weight on the pedals. Two problems arise;

1 – It seems no matter how far back I get, not enough weight goes into my feet

2 – I’m forced to get my weight so rearwards that my front end gets too light and I get traction and stability issues

It might be that both this issues might be related to my bike’s geometry. It’s a size L Aeris AM9, 500mm reach.

It seems that the centralized and forward leaning stance this new school (forward geometry?) promotes is not ideal for flat pedals.

May I add that I intend to use POC pads under them.

Would prefer a thigter look a la WC DH, but nothing restrictive as I need to pedal a lot.

Have a pair of older Singletrack II shorts in size Large, get a bit of a diaper look from them after adjusting the velcros