Fox ctd remote-ISSUE

[thomasshawn]

OK
Just an FYI for those with the fox CTD remote.

so my bike came equipped with the CTD remote and I was skeptical but I have learned to enjoy it. I use it a lot more than I anticipated. Mainly I switch between Climb and Descend and rarely use Trail.

was pulling the bike down the other day to show a buddy how it worked and...it didn't. the switch flipped but nothing happened it was as if I had an extra centimeter or two of play in the cable. At first I thought I broke a cable. after finally getting frustrated I took apart the splitter that splits the lever into front and rear cables and found this.



this is the part of the splitter closest to the lever. the piece that is broken off is a solid section that keeps the housing from advancing further into the splitter. Basically, every time you press the lever it pushes on that section of plastic and when it meets resistance that resistance is transmitted down the cable and causes the levers on the front/rear to move. so once that piece is broken, you're SOL.

Blue arrow is the cable housing after it has pushed through and no longer able to transmit the pressure through the cable. seems like a lot of importance is placed on that tiny piece of plastic. design flaw?

I called FOX and they were very helpful and are sending me a whole new splitter assembly. I'm glad they were so helpful but this is the 2nd splitter I know that has split within 2 months of having the bike.

[thomasshawn]

I got a response back from Trek Support

I believe Fox has a repair solution to prevent your splitter from breaking in the same fashion again. You will want to contact them directly and ask about this particular repair. I believe it is simply sending out a revised part to work with your current lockout splitter.

I have a part that is supposed to arrive today. if it is any different from stock I will post pics. if not, I will call Fox and inquire about the "repair solution"

I'll post back more when I know someting

[thomasshawn]

got the new part in and it LOOKS identical.

I called Fox and was told that they found a manufacturing issue in the plastics used to make the splitter. they changed the process and all new splitters and end caps are now made in the new manner.

So, I'm holding my breath and installing the new one tonight

[hoolie]

Thanks for sharing, and posting pics.

[BOSERO]

Had the same experience a couple of weeks ago. The splitter split! Hahahaha! That plastic part is a weak point. Maybe they should've used aluminum?

[thomasshawn]

Had the same experience a couple of weeks ago. The splitter split! Hahahaha! That plastic part is a weak point. Maybe they should've used aluminum?

I agree, suggested the same thing and was told it was extensively tested before release but something changed in manufacturing process to make them bad on mass production. assured the plastic will be fine.

Also as a side note, I was looking for another end cap for the cables after I installed the new splitter assembly, and came across a ziplock bag that had been given to me when I picked up the new bike. inside that bag was a mixture of small rubber items and the brake bleeding block. But also inside that bag was another small bag that had two new splitter end-caps!!!

I'm guessing Trek included them on bikes that had already been partially assembled by the time they discovered the issue. I figure LBS just thought they were EXTRA and didn't replace them.

well, now I have extras if this one should break too!!

[justrob440]

Same issue here. Ride #3 and snap. No questions asked FOX replaced and made sure I got in time for Southern Utah trip. Nice to see a company that follows through on a warranty without donating your first born. Thank you for putting this out here saved me tons of time!!

[thomasshawn]

Gladly. Nice to be able to give back to such an awesome community.

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[mtb_beginner]

I guess the CTD remote is intended for FS setup, right?

The CTD dial on the fork is very reachable while in riding position, which makes the benefit of a CTD remote insignificant on a hardtail setup.

[thomasshawn]

For a HT I wouldn't see much benefit although, I almost never changed my shock setting on my front prior to the remote. If I knew I had a big climb or a long descent coming AND I was for some reason stopped, I would change the setting, but I rarely had the time (or the control) to reach over the bars and fiddle with a lever.
It is possible and I managed to do it, once or twice just to see if I could, but I often felt the effort outweighed the benefit. So for me, I typically left the shock in trail front/rear and just dealt with it. Now, I switch 1-2x per ride on average, or more if trail or my fitness dictates.

That's just me. I personally thought it was silly but now I really like it. it's a tool that compensates for my lack or desire or skill to change the settings on the fly. so now I use the shock to its full designed potential.

[LIV2RYD]

Thanks for posting this info. While I haven't broken mine yet, I prefer to keep spares handy during race season to avoid any potential delays. So I called up Fox and explained my situation and they said no problem, we will send one out right away. Great service!

[20.100 FR]

what is the weight added by this handlebar control ?

[thomasshawn]

Well through all my trials and tribulations I actually have an almost complete set sitting on my workbench so I can try and give you an approximation, it's two cables, the housing, the remote switch, and the splitter box. I have everything in duplicate except the remote switch. So I can give you a rough approximation but it'll be later this afternoon. The front and rear shock are slightly different as well so some of the added weight may be offset by not having levers and adjustments on the shock.
Again when I first got it I thought it was kind of silly but I have really come to like it and I'll tell you on technical climbs especially very tough climbing switchbacks it is worth whatever small weight penalty it carries.

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[thomasshawn]

Including the actual remote switch I'm guessing ~100g or less

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