[Closed] Horsethief shock upgrade

My 'thief has the 2012 factory CTD/kashima/whatever top fox option. I'm nearly 90kg without kit. Mine gets used for "enduro" riding, to use a ****y term de jour, so alpine singletrack, uplift days, DH courses and the like. Occasionally taken out for a local ride but I have XC bikes too.

Works for me, nicer than RP(2)3 bikes I've had in the past, no desire for anything "better".

watching with interest, as my ...2013(?) Horse' feels little better than a hardtail.

never mind 'betterer', i'd be happy with 'less shite'

^^^ That's the kind of feeling i get on long descents. Seems only the big drops you notice some movement.

Just looking at this at the moment after IA's reply;

http://www.mojostore.co.uk/acatalog/190-x-50.html

If I can sell the current Kashima RP23 for £100 ish, it's a descent looking upgrade.

if i had to guess, i'd wave my hands around a bit, and say something like:

'i think the Monarch shock that's currently fitted has too much high-speed compression damping'

and i'd hope that no-one asked if i had the slightest clue what i was on about...

When was the last time you have a shock/bearing/bushing service? The bearings mine came with went crap very quickly, esp the main pivot. Worked much better after replacing. Better bearings lasted longer.

I'm OK enough with the fox ctd. It is pretty active on d. Not super active under braking, but it is not going to be as its the pre split link one. And also considering it's (only?) 120m travel.

For me it's the best bike I've had in years (your mileage may vary)

FWIW I think the CTD is decent, and it works well for a 120mm bike. Other gravity bikes I've had are an Intense Socom, Remec DH pro, titus el guapo... I'm used to big bouncy bikes and this performs up there. It can't touch the socom obviously, but it's good for the travel.

I'd _not_ say I only notice movement on big drops, on the contrary I find it a very grippy bike, which is typical of a single pivot I think, feels pretty supple to me.

2012 frame here. Marzocchi 44s at 140mm on the front and they feel well matched to the shock. And no one ever accused bombers of not being plush.

IMO C and T are basically the only useful settings on a fox shock, the D is basically " i want little damping and the feel of a 10yo shock technology". Feels under damped to me and I only really use it on sloppy steepness when I just want lots of grip. It basically lives in T full time.

From reading more into it, i'm thinking a great deal of my issue could be down to me dragging my back break. Would this have a huge effect on a single pivot rear bouncy bit?

I did spot some immigrants/foreign types the other day, could that be the cause?

sandwicheater - Member

Would this have a huge effect on a single pivot rear bouncy bit?

a bit, yes.

on a single-pivot, wheel-rotation becomes swingarm rotation when the rear brake is applied

or, forces trying to rotate the wheel, end up trying to compress the suspension, when the rear brake is applied.

or, when you use/drag the rear brake, the suspension will compress just fine, but there will be forces resisting extension.

well spotted, that's one for us owners to try - pay attention through brakeless bumpy bit to see if it's betterer than draggy bumpy bits.

there will follow a comment from a smartarse suggesting we just brake less. which sounds simple, but i'm not braking for fun you know!

(my solution is/was to start thinking of ways to pay for a Transition Smuggler...)

could be down to me dragging my back break. Would this have a huge effect on a single pivot rear bouncy bit?

I find it to be a little bit affected by the rear brake, but it's not that noticeable. Similarly feedback through the pedals. The 'thief is better in that regard than other single pivots I've owned/ridden.

So I'm going to say it's probably not your issue, any more than any bike doesn't give a smooth ride if you're on the brakes all the time. Flow like water!

I ran the Fox kashima rp 23 for a while but the bike seemed to sit low in the travel no matter how much air I put in it and this affected it's climbing ability.

I replaced it with a rockshox monarch but that was faulty and replaced under warranty with a monarch debonair with a black stanction and a similar ctd.

This has transformed the bike. It climbs like a hard tail and descends as good as the Fox shock ever did. I don't need the Trail mode it's that good.

I would however consider a shock tune and get it set up as you want it. But for the same price you can maybe buy a rockshox monarch? So it's personal choice. I sold mine and used the money to buy the monarch and had money left over

I was going to sell my bike but now it climbs as good as descends I can see me keeping it for a few more years.