Hello All!
It's another "I fancy a bit more travel" question. Basically, I've found some faster people to ride with and a bit more boing may help on the bigger trails. Mainly Peaks and Lakes natural trails.
Current rig is a Flare Max (Gen 3), 120/140 setup. Cane Creek providing all of the bounce.
There's a couple of options I like:
a) Re-stroke the shock to 63.5mm and get 133mm of travel and bump the fork up to 150 with more sag (discussed with Cy and all ok).
b) Get a Jeht or Rocket Max and swap all the parts.
c) Get a 146mm Pipedreams TFM and run a Cane Creek Air Shock.
The TFM is my own preference without any knowledge, just as I've done Cotic for 5 (excellent) years now. Outside choices would be a Starling or Stanton.
Thoughts?
Option 1 is cheap but geometry is the biggest part of a mote capable bike and you don't really get that here.
I've heard nothing bad about Pipedream but I wouldn't buy any brand's first attempt at a full suspension frame.
Loved my Stanton full suss, mine was the 27.5 version with 140mm and it felt like it had much more.
Retired and hanging in the shed now as my default bike has a motor now.
offset bushings and/or slackset if you feel it necessary. more likely you just need to get to know the trails you're riding a bit better?
I’ve gone from a 120/140 FlareMAX to a 140/150 Jeht and they are definitely different bikes. I’ve (mostly) ridden Cairngorms so probably relatively similar duties. I’m happy with my set up (CC both ends). To me the Jeht is what I wanted the FlareMAX to be. Plus you can order a pink one for august 😍 (which is what I’d be doing…)
I demoed the FlareMAX and RocketMAX at Laggan (red) and came away thinking the Rocket was too much bike for my requirements. If you can demo both I’d recommend that.
I was going to say that the FlareMAX was only rated for 140mm forks and that Cotic (usually) say that go above the max travel and you will invalidate the warranty (and that the failure resulting from same is blindingly obvious) but I see you’ve spoken with Cy about it already. From the above I’d not (personally) go down this route but that is me.
No experience of the rest so will not comment.
Are you in a position to have two bikes? Or is it one in one out?
Saw a Rå at the SDA last weekend, it looked bloody lovely.
Had a rocket myself, it was pretty good in some ways but I couldn't shake the feeling that it should be better. On a deviate highlander now, it's a significant improvement overall.
the recent changes to the starling bikes make them even easier to live with. bearings are now housed in the swing arm and held in with pinch bolts.
they are also doing deals on the stainless frames.
no idea if they are available in the uk, but chromag have just released there long(er) travel suspension bike. saw one up close recently. it’s a looker.
Those stainless frames are very pretty
I’m a very analytical sort of person so it would come down to the geometry and kinematics, plus how easily parts swap across. I wouldn’t get a Stanton full-sus, the v tall BB height and ultra progressive linkage puts me off. The current Starlings look great. Current Cotics are a bit higher of BB but more progressive linkage (Starlings are linear). Pipedream splits the difference.
Your fork goes to 160mm max so I’d be planning the frame about that. I don’t know if your shock would fit all the options.
This is interesting to me, I too have a 120/140 CC both ends FlareMax ... I've been considering the re-stroke for a while on and off, but knowing I could also up the travel on the front another 10mm might seal the deal...
If I remember correctly the extra travel at the back is from the shock being allowed to compress further, whereas upping the Helm travel will raise the crown by 10mm ish and slacken the bike very slightly as a result ..
The longer forks might have been personal advice, knowing something about the rider… rather than advice for anyone/everyone.
Fair point Kelvin, though I'm usually quite light on my equipment, I'll check first rather than assuming it's a blanket green light 😀
Always worth a chat anyway.
Longer stroke shock + angleset for a geom change is another possible combination on a FlareMAX.
I went with Option B (although I swapped some bits from my hardtail too, so I ended up with a slightly different combination of parts on the Jeht but only the Frame & Shock were new). Haven't had a "proper" test yet due to the grim weather but super happy so far, and with the remote reservoir shock but everything else the same it's only a 200grams heavier frameset of which 150g is the shock itself so there's no penalty for the extra capability of the bike. Plus it looks dreamy...
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Plenty to digest in the responses.
The Fork would be at the same Axle to Crown when sagged, but have a more linear stroke until the end, increasing bump sensitivity. Basically a softer fork by increasing the volume.
The shock will indeed be just having a longer stroke, the CC 60 and 67 are the same shock with a spacer. However 67 will cause the Tyre to hit the seat tube.
I do wish the Jeht existed before I got the Flare Max, as the Rocket always seemed "too much".
