You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
I'm toying with the idea of going to a coil shock on my Trek but I'm not sure if I should go for a coil conversion on the forks as well. Has anyone got a TF Tuned conversion on RS Yari forks?
My mate has the Pike kit - feels amazing.
I'd go coil rear first then see what it feels like. I've never felt the urge to change to a coil at the front.
Coil springs generally are so plush compared to even the best air forks and shocks. Much heavier though and less tunable.
I'd always go coil front first. Would much rather have a bike where the front end tracks and feels better than the rear
I've got the TF turned coil conversion on Pikes. A noticeable and worthwhile upgrade for sure. Though I didn't do a weigh-in before and after the on paper weight increase is 300g......so what! Performance trumps weight any day and they easily perform better and worth the weight increase. They are noticeably heavier off the bike, but on the bike the additional weight doesn't hamper the bike at all. My rider weight varies more than 300g from ride to ride depending on how much water I decide to carry, if I decide to carry any additional clothing or some food, so really not noticeable over and above the usual ride to ride weight variability.
I'm now saving for a coil rear shock and the Helm coil...I'm assuming a fork designed to be a coil fork from the ground up is going to be even better than a converted air fork.
Can't believe raybanwomble isn't all over this thread.
In my uneducated opinion front and rear suspension work so differently (telescopic front forks, linkages and leverage ratios all over the rear) that I wouldn't get hung up about having different systems front and rear. Change the one that you think needs improving most.
...then change the other end when you find out how good proper springs are 🙂
I was underwhelmed by the coil conversion in my pikes. The damping was really harsh even on fully open compression and although the mid stroke was well supported, it spiked over fast hits. It's now getting the fast suspension damper in the hope I can turn the damping down a little....
The spring conversion itself was grand, I just think the pikes air curve was so poor they had to put lots of damping on to stop you blowing through the travel. Hopefully new damper will sort that.
I'm definitely on board with coil front and rear, it's the way forward!
I was underwhelmed by the coil conversion in my pikes. The damping was really harsh even on fully open compression and although the mid stroke was well supported, it spiked over fast hits. It’s now getting the fast suspension damper in the hope I can turn the damping down a little….
that was the problem with my Pikes on air...and it still didn't work, blew through it's travel too quickly, then like hitting a brick wall at the top of the stroke. The situation is much improved with the TF Tuned coil conversion in that I get a lot more support through the first 3/4 of the travel without being too harsh, so still supple, and in the top 1/3 of the travel it is no loner like hitting a brick wall. And of course the small bump sensitivity is far superior. Not perfect, hence my comment on saving for some proper coil forks rather than running converted air forks...I suspect they will be much more refined. I did consider updating the damper...but then it gets into a bit of a Triggers broom situation if you're not careful and not necessarily the most cost effective way to achieve what you want and it'll never be as good as a proper coil fork that has been designed as a coil fork from the ground up.
Don't get a coil fork to 'match' your new coil shock, it doesn't need to match.
Crucial thing to remember with messing about with your suspension is that you've got to understand specifically what the problem is in the first place, and what the changes you're proposing are going to do to fix it. Otherwise you end up spending hundreds of pounds and end up with something that's not necessarily any better.
What shock is currently on your bike?
What's wrong with it?
Why do you want a coil shock?
I've put the Vengeance HLR coils back on my Switchback and they're lush. They're obviously waaaaay too much for the XC mincing and bits of local DH I do but they work really well and I don't really notice the extra half a kilo* over the air forks I took off.
* which sounds loads heavier than 500g 😆