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Following this thread about my fork https://singletrackmag.com/forum/bike-forum/my-ohlins-rxf-36-m-2-is-a-bit-harsh/
I am coil curious and wonder if now is the time?!
So who’s got one and do you like it?
Does a coil work OK on steep (for me) tech or will I miss the ramp up of an air fork? I think the advantage of the Vorsprung is the HBO which should stop it diving too much when my weight is over the front and on the brakes?
I said it on that thread too, for me the coil spring is awesome inside an rxf36. I’ve not had issues with diving and have taken it down some very steep sustained steeps in Morzine.
I say do it but do investigate whether an ohlins coil kit will fit inside. I’d be so surprised if they changed something about the fork to make it not and the ohlins kit only adds about 200g to the weight. If you’re anywhere near Buckinghamshire you’re welcome to take a look at mine and even offer the coil kit up to your fork.
Got them on both my bikes and it's the best upgrade I've ever done ....been using the v2 for 5 months and it's been a revelation ...hbo works brilliantly ....I just got my second one delivered today from tf tuned then read the awful news they had been burgled so my heart goes out to them .shit news
I said it on that thread too, for me the coil spring is awesome inside an rxf36. I’ve not had issues with diving and have taken it down some very steep sustained steeps in Morzine.
I say do it but do investigate whether an ohlins coil kit will fit inside. I’d be so surprised if they changed something about the fork to make it not and the ohlins kit only adds about 200g to the weight. If you’re anywhere near Buckinghamshire you’re welcome to take a look at mine and even offer the coil kit up to your fork.
Unfortunately I’m nowhere near, but thanks for the offer.
I am swaying towards fitting one, I can’t find a bad review anywhere once the spring weight is correct.
The lower weight of the Ohlins kit sounds better but then you don’t get the HBO. I’ve been trying to find out why it won’t fit and the only thing I’ve found is a mention that they used different tube for the stanchions?
My advice would be to get the damper retuned first.
I say this as I had a Fox 36 that always felt harsh.
I fitted a Smashpot which helped but ultimately didn't cure the problem.
I then had a custom tune with a different piston head fitted in the damper and finally got what I was looking for.
The damper work give a much bigger difference than the Smashpot.
Just remember that if you go Smashpot I don’t think you can switch it back due to the coil scratching the tubes (I could be wrong).
I’d personally get it custom tuned first by someone like JTech or TFTuned before adding a Smashpot as I know a few people who don’t think it made their assorted forks any better (not worse, but not better).
The damper work give a much bigger difference than the Smashpot.
That’s interesting cheers. Tbh I assumed the coil would make more of a difference. The re-tune is a much cheaper thing to try first 👍
Just remember that if you go Smashpot I don’t think you can switch it back due to the coil scratching the tubes (I could be wrong).
You can with the Ohlins as the air spring is a complete cartridge that doesn’t use the inside of the stanchions to seal.
The re-tune is a much cheaper thing to try first
I also had an aftermarket Andreani piston fitted so more costly than a re shuffle of shims but still cheaper than the Smashpot.
Though the Smashpot is really easy to fit your self so no aditional costs there.
My advice would be to get the damper retuned first.
I say this as I had a Fox 36 that always felt harsh.
I fitted a Smashpot which helped but ultimately didn't cure the problem.
I then had a custom tune with a different piston head fitted in the damper and finally got what I was looking for.
The damper work give a much bigger difference than the Smashpot.
This.
the only thing I’ve found is a mention that they used different tube for the stanchions?
That's right. The later ones had no threads in the bottom of the stanchions to take the coil kit apparently. Luckily mine did so I fitted a coil kit for same reasons as yourself. Getting hold of a coil kit was hard enough, I couldn't find anyone in UK who had stock so ended up getting one from a shop in Austria.
Easy enough to open yours up and see if the threads are there.
I've found mine to be fully supportive with no diving issues.
I read that Ohlins could no longer source the threaded stanchions which I found strange as I assumed they manufactured them in house.
My advice would be to get the damper retuned first.
I say this as I had a Fox 36 that always felt harsh.
I fitted a Smashpot which helped but ultimately didn't cure the problem.
I then had a custom tune with a different piston head fitted in the damper and finally got what I was looking for.
The damper work give a much bigger difference than the Smashpot.
My advice is to work out if its the spring or the damper you're trying to fix. A Smashpot will/should help the former, but isn't going to do anything for the latter
I recently asked JTech which fork I should keep, my pre buttercup Lyrik or Mk1 Coil Helm, and if they could improve the Helm for my weight, as I'm not heavy enough for the damping. Their answer was to just Smashpot the Lyrik, no mention of tuning.
My advice is to work out if its the spring or the damper you're trying to fix.
That's the thing though they interact/affect each other in a way that it can sometimes be difficult to tell what's going on that you don't like and what's causing it to behave like that.
I think the advantage of the Vorsprung is the HBO which should stop it diving too much when my weight is over the front and on the brakes?
I have not ridden one, but HBO relates to the end of the stroke so shouldn't have any effect on diving.
A coil fork with the correct spring rate (not always easy) is totally fine on steep stuff though.
I recently asked JTech which fork I should keep, my pre buttercup Lyrik or Mk1 Coil Helm, and if they could improve the Helm for my weight, as I'm not heavy enough for the damping.
Just curious what you weigh? I'm nudging 80kg and my mk1 coil Helm is spot on, but definitely sportier than most coil forks I've ridden.
That's the thing though they interact/affect each other in a way that it can sometimes be difficult to tell what's going on that you don't like and what's causing it to behave like that.
A bit of experimenting with the available adjustments should help narrow it down though, and is certainly worth doing before dropping £400 (or whatever it is now) on a change that might not end up helping
A bit of experimenting with the available adjustments should help narrow it down though
I'd kind of assumed that the OP was already past that point from previous posts.
But yes you can narrow things down quite a lot but the spring and the damper are so interconnected in how they work together it can be difficult to tell exactly what it is you don't like.
Often changing one will also lead to changes being needed in the other too.
My original post was just pointing out that the bigger and better change for me was from the damper, and more importantly it was also the cheaper change so may be the best to try first if you don't know what's causing your issues.
I’ve just bought a Smashpot from @sazmtb. Fitting this week.
had damper tuned but air spring was never quite right.