RockShox Pike Settings

mark~p

I have been messing about with a RockShox Pike 2014 and for the file of cannot figure out if it is faulty or I do not know what I am doing.

1: It does not appear to lock out or change when the blue knob is clicked round.
2: The locked, pedal, unlocked, Charge knob clicks around in a positive way but I do not know which way the settings are because of 1.

The red knob at the base does appear to have an effect as well as the small knob on top of the lockout. I am using about 110lbs of air to achieve 20% to 25% sag.

The manual is useless and the various links on how to set the fork up, all assume that you understand this basic issue.

Sorry in advance if this is a stupid question.......

Having said this on the limited rides so far (nothing really rocky, just rough bridleways and mud!) the ride is great. It climbs well without diving all over the place as you pedal. Rear shock is a RockShox Monarch RT3 Debon Air Mid Reb / Mid Comp 200 x 57mm , this I do understand as it is clear what the control lever does from the diagram and the response.

The Rookie

The red knob changes rebound, unless you have it a long way off and over roughish ground it won't feel much different, it's just a case of changing it a click or so at a time to see what feels right, the best way I find to set it up is to ride off a kerb, get someone to watch you, the fork should extend fast enough to minimise the drop off while not going out of control.

Not familiar with that compression damper, but it doesn't lock out as you , it just increases the compression damping significantly, this should be obvious unless you have the compression damping adjuster wound to the maximum, have you read the manual? Can be found online at http://www.sram.com

rockmonkeysc

Sag should be closer to 30% on a bigger fork.
The red knob controls the speed that the fork springs back, it should be quick but controlled.
The blue knob controls the rate at which the fork compresses and stops it just bottoming and diving.
It won't completely lock.
Always set air/sag first.
A fork like the Pike is not a good thing to have if you don't know how to set it up. It can be set to work brilliantly or terribly.

Dick Scruttock

Could very easily have a damper issue, they are pretty common with the charger damper. You should feel a clear difference between the closed position and the other two.

mac-cos

110psi for 20~25% sag sounds a lot but it depends on how heavy you are . I'm around 80psi for 20% 14st . The pike is purported to ride better at around 20% sag (check out the lengthy thread on mtbr). it may benefit from adding a bottomless token if your on the heavier side and its working ok - they are often found with very little grease/oil in them even from new so it may need a quick air spring seal /grease service (mine did as it wasn't giving the right sag after a few rides- just a greased a few of the seals as per SRAM manual and it was back to normal)

mark~p

All sorted, I was expecting a much more obvious lockout in they way my Revelation had. The blue compression damping was set low and this combined with the fact that it did not actually lock out was hiding the settings. The large damper setting knob, locked, unlocked & charge operated in the opposite direction to what I was expecting. This minor but critical detail is not covered in the manual. I have increased the sag as suggested and that has improved it hugely. I have also swapped to the RockShox pump and there is at least a 10lb difference (lower on the RS) in the reading from my old SKF. This now makes sense with Mac-cos' comments, I am 11st.

All the advice on tuning the fork focuses on the two small damping controls, but there appears to be a basic assumption that we all know how the actual control knob works. I just need to get out onto some decent trails now and do some fine tuning.

Thanks for all the help.

mark~p

All sorted, I was expecting a much more obvious lockout in they way my Revelation had. The blue compression damping was set low and this combined with the fact that it did not actually lock out was hiding the settings. The large damper setting knob, locked, unlocked & charge operated in the opposite direction to what I was expecting. This minor but critical detail is not covered in the manual. I have increased the sag as suggested and that has improved it hugely. I have also swapped to the RockShox pump and there is at least a 10lb difference (lower on the RS) in the reading from my old SKF. This now makes sense with Mac-cos' comments, I am 11st.

All the advice on tuning the fork focuses on the two small damping controls, but there appears to be a basic assumption that we all know how the actual control knob works. I just need to get out onto some decent trails now and do some fine tuning.

Thanks for all the help.

The Rookie

You set the sag and that gives a pressure for you to record for reference, not the other way round! In that way differences between pumps aren't relevant as long as you use the same one.

poah

Mac-cos wrote:

The pike is purported to ride better at around 20% sag (check out the lengthy thread on mtbr).

you got a link to that thread, sounds utter bollox. I'd never get close to bottoming out at 20%

The Rookie

I searched MTBR and the only one that suggested that low a sag was referring to a 2004 Pike in a 2006 post....probably not that representative any more!

Dick Scruttock

http://forums.mtbr.com/shocks-suspensio ... 03-58.html

poah

Rick Draper wrote:

http://forums.mtbr.com/shocks-suspension/pike-2014-a-861503-58.html

its nonsense - there are far too many factors involved

Dick Scruttock

POAH wrote:

Rick Draper wrote:

http://forums.mtbr.com/shocks-suspension/pike-2014-a-861503-58.html

its nonsense - there are far too many factors involved

I don't think you can discredit it as nonsense, what works for one might not work for all. Also its dependant on more than just the sag people run.

poah

Rick Draper wrote:

POAH wrote:

Rick Draper wrote:

http://forums.mtbr.com/shocks-suspension/pike-2014-a-861503-58.html

its nonsense - there are far too many factors involved

I don't think you can discredit it as nonsense, what works for one might not work for all. Also its dependant on more than just the sag people run.

you just proved my point lol

rockmonkeysc

20% sag would make sense for the old Pike, mostly because it had the worst, most unreliable air spring i have ever had the misfortune of owning. Dual air was a crap system.

bennett_346

The old solo air Pike was a good one though.

mark~p

I tried the other pump in response to the comment that the pressure was high, I agree that the sag & end result is more important than an absolute pressure. It just needs to be repeatable, whatever it is.

Unless the weather is hideous I should be able to get to some proper trails this weekend. It will be much easier to tweak the settings then and try them in the real world.

rockmonkeysc

Recommended sag setting are just a starting point to experiment from until you find the ideal setting.

Dick Scruttock

POAH wrote:

Rick Draper wrote:

POAH wrote:

Rick Draper wrote:

http://forums.mtbr.com/shocks-suspension/pike-2014-a-861503-58.html

its nonsense - there are far too many factors involved

I don't think you can discredit it as nonsense, what works for one might not work for all. Also its dependant on more than just the sag people run.

you just proved my point lol

No you stated it was nonsense. Its not nonsense, its perfectly valid, just as anyones opinion is.

The Rookie

I agree with him, you r own comment proves it's nonsense as it depends on so many factors that what may work for one rider on one bike with one riding style in one riding area may not work for another, so you can't set hard and fast rules.

Dick Scruttock

The Rookie wrote:

I agree with him, you r own comment proves it's nonsense as it depends on so many factors that what may work for one rider on one bike with one riding style in one riding area may not work for another, so you can't set hard and fast rules.

Its just another way of setting it up so it is far from nonsense.

What is nonsense is discrediting others pike setup as you all know best when the reality can be far from it.

poah

Rick Draper wrote:

The Rookie wrote:

I agree with him, you r own comment proves it's nonsense as it depends on so many factors that what may work for one rider on one bike with one riding style in one riding area may not work for another, so you can't set hard and fast rules.

Its just another way of setting it up so it is far from nonsense.

What is nonsense is discrediting others pike setup as you all know best when the reality can be far from it.

You are really not understanding this at all are you

The thread on MTBR suggests running the pike at 20% sag with fast rebound is best well it isn't for me and countless other people. The Bike, riding style, the trail and rider weight are all factors involved in setting up the fork.

The Rookie

So you set it up stiffer and with less rebound damping, which probably means its under damped and rebounds past its final position, that is far from ideal at almost any level and very few people would find it works for them.

Dick Scruttock

The Rookie wrote:

So you set it up stiffer and with less rebound damping, which probably means its under damped and rebounds past its final position, that is far from ideal at almost any level and very few people would find it works for them.

Define less rebound damping? Compared to what? Oh I have 3 clicks on my fox 32 so put 3 on your recon :shock:

Token spacers have far more effect on the dynamics of the fork than most on here will understand.

The Rookie

Defined by that linked to MTBR thread, don't shoot the messenger who's commenting on it!

rockmonkeysc

Rick Draper wrote:

The Rookie wrote:

So you set it up stiffer and with less rebound damping, which probably means its under damped and rebounds past its final position, that is far from ideal at almost any level and very few people would find it works for them.

Define less rebound damping? Compared to what? Oh I have 3 clicks on my fox 32 so put 3 on your recon :shock:

Token spacers have far more effect on the dynamics of the fork than most on here will understand.

Spacers do make a good difference but only to make it ramp up more at the end of the stroke. They only effect the damping by changing the dynamics of the spring that the dampers are trying to control.

mark~p

Successful weekend and I now have a setup that is starting to work:
80 to 85 lbs of pressure giving me approx 30% sag.
Main damper on "Charger"
Low speed compression 3 click from open
Rebound 5 clicks of rebound

Unbelievable travel on this, you can hit all sort of roots rocks and steps, it just eats them. No sign of it bottoming out. It can possibile run a bit softer still. I need to spend a bit more time on the back now as well to get a nice balance. Rear is Rockshox Monarch RT3 DebonAir