RS Pike advice

GT Destroyer
GT Destroyer Posts: 1,719
edited December 2007 in MTB workshop & tech
I've had a good look on the forum and investigated this a little bit by phoning a couple of places, I thought I'd ask the question here.

Pike - Coil version The hardest spring is designed for 16stones in weight, (101kg) I am 18.5 stones in weight, (117kg). I have been advised that the forks will sag too much as I will be putting too much weight on them, they will be more prone to bottoming out and the lockout and travel adjustment features just won't work as they should.

Pike - Air version The bloke said that he would recommend air for me due to my weight, I can set up the air shock specifically for me and it will cope with the extra weight and pressure I put on it.

The riding we do is Dalby, Wharncliffe etc.. not DH but is aggressive all mountain style, hence the need for a Pike with 140mm travel. Its not just idling along a country path, but its not all-out rape-pig in yer face downhill.

Does anyone else here use the Pike (Air or Coil) who is a similar weight to me? How do you manage and get on with your fork?
500 Miles in 5 days

Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    get air. A bit less than you 100kg and have air revalations and rebas. no probs.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • GT Destroyer
    GT Destroyer Posts: 1,719
    Are they dead easy to set-up the air ones? I'm not one for faffing around with stuff, I like to set it up then leave it.

    When its set-up to my weight, can I still adjust the travel on the fly with the travel adjustment, you don't have to keep on letting air in and out for going up then down the other side of a mighty hill? I kind of know the answer to that but I just want to triple-check.

    Next - Does anyone know of anywhere thats got some bargain Air Pikes, I'd take the 07 ones.
    500 Miles in 5 days
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    set before ride and use as you would a coil one.

    only thing is that the spring stiffens a touch as the travel in reduced. (not a bad thing).
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • GT Destroyer
    GT Destroyer Posts: 1,719
    I guess if travel is reduced its for climbing, so a stiffer spring probably wouldn't be a bad idea.
    Also, I have got 2007 XT brakes, with the special centre lock thing in them, this has nothing to do with the forks right? They will all fit together?
    Its an Orange Crush frame, with the aformentioned brakes and forks.
    The discs are 160mm, how much is an adapter to get 185mm or 203mm on there?

    Oh and I missed the all important thanks for the advice, thanks! :D :P !!
    500 Miles in 5 days
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    Do you want the travel adjust ones?

    http://activesportskit.co.uk/product_in ... ts_id=2082

    sub £400 for air u-turn, but they don't have the air non-u-turn ones.
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    well the travel adjust can be used for anything i run a set at 100mm as that is wat the frame likes.

    adaptors look on CRC and the disc mount has no bearing.

    you do need to consider the caliper mounting on the fork and the caliper before deciding what to get.

    Year pike?
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • The Big Cheese
    The Big Cheese Posts: 8,650
    Do they have to be 454s - I bought a set of 426 dual airs from winstanleys (07) for £299.99 - bargain. Retail about £370.00 - with poploc too! :wink:
  • GT Destroyer
    GT Destroyer Posts: 1,719
    nicklouse wrote:
    well the travel adjust can be used for anything i run a set at 100mm as that is wat the frame likes.

    adaptors look on CRC and the disc mount has no bearing.

    you do need to consider the caliper mounting on the fork and the caliper before deciding what to get.

    Year pike?

    I want to get 2008 if I can find them at a reasonable price, which I think I can.
    Cheesey wrote:
    Do they have to be 454s - I bought a set of 426 dual airs from winstanleys (07) for £299.99 - bargain. Retail about £370.00 - with poploc too!

    Well I'm not sure really.
    The 454 has an aluminium steerer and hollow crown upgrade over the 426 which from what I can tell is just weight saving, which is only like 0.4lb difference, and am I going to really notice that?

    The 426 has an external floodgate upgrade over the 409, now from earlier posts on the matter I seem to recall that this is a useful thing to have.

    I have seen the 454 Single air, with the travel adjust, at a couple of places for about £380, which I think is a right bargain!

    Do I really need the 454 over the 426? Who knows, but if you can afford it I guess you'd want to buy the top end stuff?
    500 Miles in 5 days
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    External fooldgate is nothing special. and can foul some frames. All it means is that it is easier to adjust the blow of for the flood gate. which tends to be a set and forget thing.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Splasher
    Splasher Posts: 1,528
    You've asked about the compatibility of your brakes and mention centre-lock. What is your current fork/hub? Is it 20mm or QR?
    "Internet Forums - an amazing world where outright falsehoods become cyber-facts with a few witty key taps and a carefully placed emoticon."
  • joed05
    joed05 Posts: 794
    ^^^
    good point if your QR at the front you will probably need a new front hub unless yours is interchangable
    Best quote ever (pinkbike): "i've heard that Hill pees, deffecates, vomits and masturbates before each race to keep the weight down"
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    point being if it is a QR with centerlock you WILL need a new hub. the 20mm XT center lock is a different size (as is saint).
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • dave_s
    dave_s Posts: 4,362
    Pikes are generally very good forks but if you go for coil ones it sounds like you'll need a heavier gauge spring being 18.5st.

    I've just got some Pike 454s for £299 from CRC and the stock spring is spot on for me but I'm about 13st. Can't fault the forks though, very impressive straight away unlike some 409s I've got which seemed to take a bit of bedding in.

    Sounds like a new hub for you as Nick says given the daft centre lock rotor with the XT disc braks you have. I had those on a 29er I had but I had probs with them and ended up going back to Hope Pro2s with bolt on rotors instead.
    Dave S
  • Splasher
    Splasher Posts: 1,528
    dave_s wrote:
    Sounds like a new hub for you as Nick says

    Eh? I point it out, Nick gets the credit - goodbye cruel world :cry::wink:
    "Internet Forums - an amazing world where outright falsehoods become cyber-facts with a few witty key taps and a carefully placed emoticon."
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    Splasher wrote:
    dave_s wrote:
    Sounds like a new hub for you as Nick says

    Eh? I point it out, Nick gets the credit - goodbye cruel world :cry::wink:

    so true,

    but i actually presumed he had the correct hub as he has 2007 XT but we will see.

    one should never presume. :oops:
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown

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