Topic: 2016 Biking Thread

[THE EDJ]

Now you're pushing the forfront of suspension technology...

[darthekai]

I could start a new thread but i dont really feel it's worth it.
I have a cane creed db air 7.785"x2.25 stroke shock and its uckfayed. Cane creek I no longer like. I tried to get an adjustment tool (yeah you need a special tool) and they 'don't make them anymore" whaaaatever. Shock also felt different almost every other ride and looking at their manual, it requires a rebuild at least TWICE A SEASON and they don't let lbs' do it. I looked into rebuilding yourself (o rings and quad rings are cheap) and it looks like it's been built with absolutely no respects for ease of service. Which is crazy considering their own schedule.
Anyways, enough rant.
I want to get a fox float x or x2 but they're crazy expensive. What do you guys think? If I spend the $200 on a cc service, can I sell the shock for 400 and put that $200 towards a $550 good shock? Or is the market not there because everyone is selling a CC cuz they suck and the sizing is too specific?
Any recommendations for a good air shock that's not cc? Maybe a float ctd with no piggyback that I can get a volume expansion and get it PUSHed?
Any interest in buying a CC here?
P.s. I ride what I would consider the absolute top end of DH for my bike, which is a knolly Chilcoltin. I don't give two rat itshays about pedal efficiency or weight.

[THE EDJ]

I'd stay away from a Fox CTD shock for heavy DH use, especially if you don't care about pedalling efficiency, and you can't really do a custom Push setup on those, best they can do is tune it through by our weight and riding style.

If you want to stick with air, go with the latest and greatest from either Rock Shox or Fox. Might be worth touching base with the guys at SuspensionWerx.

[darthekai]

=( the latest and greatest is usually also out of my price range... I'd settle for pretty late and pretty great if it means I can afford it.
Durability is pretty much #1.

[Unholysavage]

be careful with the float X2, Fox recalled a bunch of them for being grenades. I have a couple friends riding DHX2s, and the coil version is awesome. it's essentially a CCDB that feels even better, and has a better company backing it. I've ridden CCDBs exclusively on my DH bikes for the last 7-8 years (multiple coil and airs) with zero failures of any form, but my next shock will be a DHX2. CC's customer service is rubbish.
another option that hasn't been mentioned is finding a good used DHX air (should be cheap as dirt), and having Craig at Avalanche put his speed sensitive goodies inside. his customer service is second to none, and I'm pretty sure the shock can be tuned however you like.

[darthekai]

be careful with the float X2, Fox recalled a bunch of them for being grenades. I have a couple friends riding DHX2s, and the coil version is awesome. it's essentially a CCDB that feels even better, and has a better company backing it. I've ridden CCDBs exclusively on my DH bikes for the last 7-8 years (multiple coil and airs) with zero failures of any form, but my next shock will be a DHX2. CC's customer service is rubbish.
another option that hasn't been mentioned is finding a good used DHX air (should be cheap as dirt), and having Craig at Avalanche put his speed sensitive goodies inside. his customer service is second to none, and I'm pretty sure the shock can be tuned however you like.

I've decided I hate the CCDB.
does the DHX air version matter? who is this 'Craig' character? what does he replace? valving and... Avalanche over SuspensionWerx?

[Unholysavage]

Craig is the owner of Avalanche Racing. Don't think the version matters, looks like he does his magic to Floats, and 3.0/4.0/5.0 airs (and a pile of other forks/shocks).
he pulls all the ittshay internals of the 5.0 Air and puts magic back in.

his home page, with links to all the different forks/shocks he converts to his internals:
http://www.avalanchedownhillracing.com/AVA%20ADV%20Products.htm

here's the web page for what he does to the DHX air.
http://www.avalanchedownhillracing.com/Fox%20DHX/Fox%20DHX%20Air%20Speed%20Sensitive%20Adjuster%20Kit.htm

I was the very first person to put one of his Avy cartridges in a second gen 888. tried installing it on a Sunday but the adapters weren't quite right, so I emailed him to see if I was doing something wrong. he called within 5 minutes, and after trying a few things realized that Marzocchi had slightly changed the top caps (thread pitch IIRC) between generations. after hanging up with me he called up a friend who owned a 2nd gen 888, borrowed it to machine me a new set, and couriered them to me on his dime. I had them in my hand two days later (Tuesday). Craig even called me back a couple more times after I had gotten some ride time to be sure I had it dialed in the way I wanted.

[coop3422]

I've heard nothing but wonderful things regarding Avalanche Racing.

[RockThePylon]

I feel like I am limited by the size of my balls, not my shock valving.

So I'd love to feel a "set up" bike. Just to know.

[darthekai]

With proper valving, you won't get kickback or harsh bottoms which will make your balls hit your seat much less often.
Since my bikes tiny travel anyways, I would like to get a shock with good high-speed dampening. Xc biased shocks (and forks) are often set up for low sag low Bob low speed dampening only (cushioning roots while going up and wheelie drops while doing down).
Some people are huge snobs and are always fiddling with this and that. I would much rather have a consistent shock than a perfect shock. The cc seriously sucks. Some rides it would be a bouncy Pos. Some rides it would be sloppy and gushy some rides it would suck a whole jump up and keep my rear tire on the ground against my wishes and some days it would rocket my pre air preload right back up my assay and dump me over the bars.

[RockThePylon]

Baby, I know how shocks work. But I want to feel it.

[darthekai]

Well I'll let you touch mine next year.

Maybe even bounce up and down on it a few times.

[Unholysavage]

Man,  you really got a dud.  Neither of my DB airs have ever misbehaved. Doesn't matter if it's a top of the world run at Whistler,  or 20 days in of riding,  they were never inconsistent. My only complaint was how progressive air shows are on my Aurum and Darkside (both had the bigger XV canister). Which is why I'm going back to rear coil for next season. I still have a spare DB coil on the shelf that will fit my Aurum, but I really want the X2

[darthekai]

Man,  you really got a dud.  Neither of my DB airs have ever misbehaved. Doesn't matter if it's a top of the world run at Whistler,  or 20 days in of riding,  they were never inconsistent. My only complaint was how progressive air shows are on my Aurum and Darkside (both had the bigger XV canister). Which is why I'm going back to rear coil for next season. I still have a spare DB coil on the shelf that will fit my Aurum, but I really want the X2

ugh linear is so last decade.

haha actually, I have complained about this before to my riding buddy, and he told me he had the exact same problem. he would get like one or two rides maximum where it felt "nice" then it was just a steady decline into garbage. He actually phoned them up also to ask about the tool.
"were out of stock at the moment"
"well when do you expect to get more"
"oh... we actually dont make those any more"
"well how do you expect me to adjust my shock?"
"a crescent wrench?"