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Should I PUSH tune rear shock????

cameronecamerone Posts: 1,232
edited August 2010 in MTB workshop & tech
I am sending my shock off to get serviced, is it worth PUSH tuning?
i run a fox RP23 on 2008 Heckler, i am told that PUSHing it will make the mid stroke of the shock compression far 'meatier', make the early stroke of compression much more supple, and make transition from platform to active less noticable.

anyone have any experience?? i have to say i do notice the suspension blows through the mid travel quickly, and its not active on small slow bumps, the question is will it be better PUSHed or is it just what happens with my bike design and shock?

any thoughts welcomed..

Posts

  • benpinnickbenpinnick Posts: 4,148
    Just sent my RP2 for push tuning, should have back in time to ride next weekend. I'll let you know what I think if you can wait a week.
    A Flock of Birds
    + some other bikes.
  • cameronecamerone Posts: 1,232
    yes i would be interested to hear. are you using the well known boffins with a Bath Postcode?
  • supersonicsupersonic Posts: 82,708 Lives Here
    What they do dependson the bike and you. It is not the same for every shock.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • cameronecamerone Posts: 1,232
    supersonic wrote:
    What they do dependson the bike and you. It is not the same for every shock.

    i have talked through on phone with them, and he mentioned the issues i have ie harsh small bump and blowing through midstroke before i said them, gave me comfort it will help. also said that it smoothes transition from platform to active which was another issue i have noticed.

    have you ridden the heckler RP23 combo if so whats your thoughts?
  • shieldsy94shieldsy94 Posts: 342
    June mbuk rated it 4 star, it says "small bump sensitivity was noticably increased over the pre-push'd shock." "comes recomended"

    Hope this helps
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    TFTuned know what they're doing, so as long as you give them accurate information, they can make the requireird changes. BUT, that bike will always have a particular suspension characteristics, which you will never fully eliminate.
  • benpinnickbenpinnick Posts: 4,148
    camerone wrote:
    yes i would be interested to hear. are you using the well known boffins with a Bath Postcode?

    Yes, Tf now have my shock.... I shall let you know.
    A Flock of Birds
    + some other bikes.
  • cameronecamerone Posts: 1,232
    yeehaamcgee wrote:
    TFTuned know what they're doing, so as long as you give them accurate information, they can make the requireird changes. BUT, that bike will always have a particular suspension characteristics, which you will never fully eliminate.

    i think i will give it a go and see what the result is. its cheaper than spunking £2.5k on Blur Ltc which is my ideal solution......
    i will be pleased with an improvement in rear shock performance, i am not expecting them to turn a dog poo into gold...
  • supersonicsupersonic Posts: 82,708 Lives Here
    Have you tried the blur though?
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • cameronecamerone Posts: 1,232
    supersonic wrote:
    Have you tried the blur though?

    tried the alloy one, and i used to have a first generation blur when they first came out with 115mm travel. i find the vvp sticks the wheel to the ground much better over 'rough seated pedally' stuff( not the greatest phrase but hope you know what i mean)

    whats your thoughts on the blur?
  • supersonicsupersonic Posts: 82,708 Lives Here
    I don't think you are going to get a shock that mimics the blur. There is a lot of hype in the VVP, it doesn't always do what it says it does. It uses a lot of chain extension to keep it pedalling smooth, and a lot of damping which stifles it a little.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    I found the blur to be great when set up as a 4X bike, with a very stiff rear end. Not tried one set up for trail riding.
  • cameronecamerone Posts: 1,232
    supersonic wrote:
    I don't think you are going to get a shock that mimics the blur. There is a lot of hype in the VVP, it doesn't always do what it says it does. It uses a lot of chain extension to keep it pedalling smooth, and a lot of damping which stifles it a little.

    i am pretty damn confident i would feel abit silly having outlayed big cash on a new Blur LTC over my Heckler, i dont think i would feel its £2k better than mine. this is what got me looking at PUSHing the shock, to improve the existing set up. There are positives to my Heckler.

    i think alot of my gripes on the Heckler are not down to the frame design its the set up of the shock, i dont feel the rebound is very well controlled, the small bump is not great and it does blow throught he mid travel. I hope these can be improved by PUSHing I am not expecting the bike to fundamentally change in character.. do you reckon i am right in this or barking up the wrong tree??
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    If you can afford it, go for it, for sure.
    There will always be things like square edged hits that the Heckler will be weaker with, but if you get TFTuned to tune the shock for you and the bike, it's not going to make anything worse!
  • Dick ScruttockDick Scruttock Posts: 2,533
    I went from a 09 Heckler to a Blur LTa and then a Blur LTc (all on RP23's). I have to say at times i wish i had kept the Heckler. There was just something about that frame, the Blur is great and i much prefer the carbon one (went from a medium to a large) but the Heckler just did certain things better than the Blur. I am thinking of sending my RP23 off for a push tune as well. It feels like its either too full of air or lacking in air and i cannot seem to get the balance how i want. I either blow through the travel or add only a little more air and loose the sensitivity over small bumps.
  • cameronecamerone Posts: 1,232
    Rick Draper wrote:
    I went from a 09 Heckler to a Blur LTa and then a Blur LTc (all on RP23's). I have to say at times i wish i had kept the Heckler. There was just something about that frame, the Blur is great and i much prefer the carbon one (went from a medium to a large) but the Heckler just did certain things better than the Blur. I am thinking of sending my RP23 off for a push tune as well. It feels like its either too full of air or lacking in air and i cannot seem to get the balance how i want. I either blow through the travel or add only a little more air and loose the sensitivity over small bumps.

    the tf tuned chap on the phone mentioned the heckler has a big shock, and its more difficult as a stock item to set up correctly.. i assume you are describing the shock on your Blur, if thats the case my issues are shock not design based, and can be improved upon.
    out of interest what do you reckon the heckler did better than the blur?
  • Dick ScruttockDick Scruttock Posts: 2,533
    Heckler shock is the same as the blurs, its exactly the same dimension wise.

    The Heckler descended better than the blur i feel, it did not accelerate or climb as well though. Also when i went from a heckler to the blur i went for the same size, on the blur it made the front end very light and meant i should have gone for the larger one and move the seat forward.
  • cameronecamerone Posts: 1,232
    Rick Draper wrote:
    Heckler shock is the same as the blurs, its exactly the same dimension wise.

    The Heckler descended better than the blur i feel, it did not accelerate or climb as well though. Also when i went from a heckler to the blur i went for the same size, on the blur it made the front end very light and meant i should have gone for the larger one and move the seat forward.

    the one think i remember about my original short travel Blur was the climbing ability, esp finding traction, and also how well the back wheel seemed to stick to the ground like glue over rough ground..
    i am surprised about the light front end, the blur has a half degree steeper seat tube and shorter headtube, otherwise pretty much identical geometry..
    also surprised about your comment on the descending, cant be just the loss of 10mm travel can it?

    i am going to see what PUSHING achieves, if no improvement might need to scratch the itch
  • Dick ScruttockDick Scruttock Posts: 2,533
    On the Heckler running the seat quite far back did not seem to make the bike light at the front like it did on the blur. The Blur always seemed to be very light at the front, everyone who rode it said the same. Now i am on a Large blur with the seat further forward it feels a lot better and far more balanced. Still incredible traction when climbing but also a lot more solid front end when seated. I can again only put this down to the way the different suspension designs actually work and the blur not liking having weight over the rear wheel when seated.
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    Have you at all considered that maybe the Blur is not the one and only solution for you?
  • Dick ScruttockDick Scruttock Posts: 2,533
    yeehaamcgee wrote:
    Have you at all considered that maybe the Blur is not the one and only solution for you?

    Who me or the OP?
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    Camerone. I just get the impression he's put the blur on a plinth.
  • cameronecamerone Posts: 1,232
    yeehaamcgee wrote:
    Camerone. I just get the impression he's put the blur on a plinth.

    I am open to other thoughts, i am fond of SantaCruz, but would certainly consider others. from the reviews and my ride on alloy LT Blur it seems to fit the bill, i like to climb, but also then like to blat the downs. needs to climb well as my riding friends all ride lighter and are not sluggish up! was also considering yeti 575.. ultimately i dont think i have seen anything that makes my wallet open all by itself with me powerless to do anything about it.

    mind you just reading about Scott Genius Lt - 185mm rear, lyric fork, their travel adjust jobbie and 28/29lbs. hmm
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    I think the Scott Genius is the bike a lot of people came back from Bikeradar Live thinking "What a pile of shite"!
  • cavegiantcavegiant Posts: 1,546
    In answer to the OP, yes get it tuned for your riding style and weight.

    Whether the push adds extra, I would assume it helps, but not as much as the tuning.

    Do not rule out Mojo for the service/tune (they cannot push though).


    My 6" wallowy, divey bottom out friendly AM bike now pedals as efficiently as my old XC race bike. It rides like a hardtail, but on a smoother path than I am riding (hard to explain).

    The difference is so significant, I can now stand and hammer without losing power.
    Why would I care about 150g of bike weight, I just ate 400g of cookies while reading this?
  • cameronecamerone Posts: 1,232
    yeehaamcgee wrote:
    I think the Scott Genius is the bike a lot of people came back from Bikeradar Live thinking "What a pile of shite"!

    really.whats the problem? i havent ever ridden one, never fancied the Genius until nosing in this months WMB (i think) and the 2011 LT version looks promising
  • cameronecamerone Posts: 1,232
    cavegiant wrote:
    In answer to the OP, yes get it tuned for your riding style and weight.

    Whether the push adds extra, I would assume it helps, but not as much as the tuning.

    Do not rule out Mojo for the service/tune (they cannot push though).


    My 6" wallowy, divey bottom out friendly AM bike now pedals as efficiently as my old XC race bike. It rides like a hardtail, but on a smoother path than I am riding (hard to explain).

    The difference is so significant, I can now stand and hammer without losing power.

    definately going to get TF to service and set up, probably PUSH it too. may stop me looking at new bikes for 10 minutes or so....
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    I don't know, I haven't tried one myself, but I'm almost certain the Genius was the bike people were moaning about on here.
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