I'm building up a Sin, and want to make sure i have the correct length of shock, as well as type of shock for my riding "style"... which is really more cross-country with some very short drops.. I live in Dallas, so there's not much big stuff to go off of.

I am 6ft, and about 240... most of the bike is going to be as tough as I can get it, just because I don't want to break it or myself....

So air or spring? Preferred mfg and model?


I'll probably post up more questions as I get further into the build, but I'm in the process of cleaning and prepping the frame, and researching parts.

thanks,

Scott

I'm building up a Sin, and want to make sure i have the correct length of shock, as well as type of shock for my riding "style"... which is really more cross-country with some very short drops.. I live in Dallas, so there's not much big stuff to go off of.

I am 6ft, and about 240... most of the bike is going to be as tough as I can get it, just because I don't want to break it or myself....

So air or spring? Preferred mfg and model?


I'll probably post up more questions as I get further into the build, but I'm in the process of cleaning and prepping the frame, and researching parts.

thanks,



Scott

What shock came on your frame and what is it about that shock do you not like?
You can use either a 7-7/8"x2.25" or a 7-1/2 shock and you'll need 22mm x 6mm mounting hardware. The frame should have came with a 7-7/8" shock.
A 7-1/2" shock will slacken the head angle if needed, such as if you are running a 5" fork or your frame does not have the newer style relaxed rear shock cleat.

As far as what brand or model to get, you can't go wrong with anything from Fox. But really anything that is newer and in good shape should work fine. A shock that is very active to smooth out the trails the best, will likely cause the rear to bob when pedalled, and vice versa.

Hi Twisted,

I picked up the frame used, without shock.
So I'm really doing it from scratch. :-)

On the dimensions, is that length and width you are using?
Or length and stroke?

Also, how do I find the year of manufacture?

Thanks again,

Scott

Hi Twisted,

I picked up the frame used, without shock.
So I'm really doing it from scratch. :-)

On the dimensions, is that length and width you are using?
Or length and stroke?

Also, how do I find the year of manufacture?

Thanks again,

Scott

Shocks are measured by eye to eye legth and secondly stroke.
All year's of Sin frames from 2004-2006 are the same.

For the best deal on a shock, look at www.ridemonkey.com in their classifieds section. I find it better than the one on mtbr. A Fox DHX coil or Manitou Swinger coil would be a good choice. Although there are other brands and models, these shocks are very popular with easily found replacement parts and service.

Mine came with a 7.875 x 2.25 Progressive 5th element with 550 lbs spring with 1 turn on the preload collar that gave 32% sag on a 215 lbs rider. Mine also has the newer relaxed shock cleat which somehow decreased the travel from 7.5 to 6.7 inches. Since the leverage ratio dropped from 3.3:1 to 3:1 I was able to utilize the 550 lbs spring that came with the bike. The relaxed shock cleat lowered my bottom bracket from 14.8 to 14.2 inches as well as slacking the HA which I guestimate at 67 deg. My build scaled to a heavy for AM 38 lbs.

The rear shock that I plan to install once the 5th goes south would me a Marzocchi Roco Coil TST-R. No air for me due to my hefty weight. I guess I would need a 650 lbs spring to go with the Roco to achieve roughly the same sag that I have with the 5th. I've tried the Roco on my friends ride and it's really plush when the compression is fully opened. For climbing you can turn the TST knob on lock-out mode that prevents the shock from bobbing too much while climbing.

err,
2 questions Mr twisted, Sir.

1) What are the appropriate shock absorber sizes (eye-to-eye) that this frame (the SIN) can accept?
and,
2) In an other thread you mentioned a leverage ration (on SIN again) of 1:2,25. Having in mind that most shops are advertising this frame as a 7,5 inch rear travel one, i can easily assume that this can happen only with a 9inch+ shock (eye-toeye).
Is that true?

john

err,
2 questions Mr twisted, Sir.

1) What are the appropriate shock absorber sizes (eye-to-eye) that this frame (the SIN) can accept?
and,
2) In an other thread you mentioned a leverage ration (on SIN again) of 1:2,25. Having in mind that most shops are advertising this frame as a 7,5 inch rear travel one, i can easily assume that this can happen only with a 9inch+ shock (eye-toeye).
Is that true?

john

Originally the Sin was sold with a rear shock mount cleat that was the same as on the Fury and San Andreas. With this set-up th Sin gets 7.5" rear travel, BUT rides like crap with far too steep of head angle and too high BB. I think my bike was close to 69 degrees, which when the fork bottoms out on steep sections turned into some "over-the-bars" situations. :eekster:

With the updated shock cleat that lowers the BB and slackens the head angle, a lower leverage ratio is used and the frame gets 170mm rear travel.

Now I do know that there are quite a few people who want tons of travel, mostly for bragging rights, etc, but for actual riding, the bike just works much better with the shock cleat that has the elevated mount. Many of us test riders swapped out the 7.875" shocks on our test bikes and used 7.5" shocks to get comparable results before the new shock cleat was made.

Hope this helps. I guess you can still tell people the Sin gets up to 7.5" rear travel. Hey, my Shockwave 9.5 only gets 8.7", but..........


Tim

Ok,
So there were 2 different (or more) of shock cleats for this frame?
Mine (the one that i am building now) has a cleat with a shock mount a bit higher than the same part on my San Andreas frame.

So,
I assume that the cleat that is, let's us say, flat, offers a higher leverage ratio than the clet with the raised shock mount.

John

I am planning to fit on that frame a Marz 66 with 180mm travel (that's what i have right now.

Ok,
So there were 2 different (or more) of shock cleats for this frame?
Mine (the one that i am building now) has a cleat with a shock mount a bit higher than the same part on my San Andreas frame.

So,
I assume that the cleat that is, let's us say, flat, offers a higher leverage ratio than the clet with the raised shock mount.

John

I am planning to fit on that frame a Marz 66 with 180mm travel (that's what i have right now.

Yes, you are correct. The first year of Sins were sold with the same shock cleat as the one on your San Andreas. If you put the cleat from your SA on to the Sin you will have 7-1/2" travel,.....and a poor handling bike. If you are curious and you have time, go ahead and switch them between bikes. You can swap the shocks too, just to see how they ride. Sometimes just doing things and seeing for yourself is better than reading about what others have tried.

I used to switch things around and try all kinds of different thing just because I am curious.

Tim

Sooo,
If i machine a cleat that is pushing the shock eyelet 20mm higher & 30mm rearward i'll be able to fit my Roco without messing the bike's caster.....
Yep, i use to do that (trying out things. Having a first hand experience is the best thing after the theory approaches...

John

Sooo,
If i machine a cleat that is pushing the shock eyelet 20mm higher & 30mm rearward i'll be able to fit my Roco without messing the bike's caster.....
Yep, i use to do that (trying out things. Having a first hand experience is the best thing after the theory approaches...

John

Wait,
Which bike, what size shock, and.....umm, why?

Did you mean to make a newer, more relaxed shock cleat for the Sin? Sounds like a major undertaking. You could also just put the san Andreas size 7.5"x2" shock on the Sin.

For fun, just try bolting up different parts that you have now, but be careful and check for bottomed out clearances, etc before you head out to huck some gnar drops.

That Rocco must be huge if he needs to move the mount 20mm up and 30mm back !
That just doesn't sound right.

I guess the Roco won't fit the Sin then. Guess I'd just have to settle for the 5th Element then. I dialed it in and it's pretty good. The bike now climbs efficiently and can plow down 75% speed of the Shockwave at not so hard trails that I intend to use it. I'd just have to save for something else.

Wait,
Which bike, what size shock, and.....umm, why?

Did you mean to make a newer, more relaxed shock cleat for the Sin? Sounds like a major undertaking. You could also just put the san Andreas size 7.5"x2" shock on the Sin.

For fun, just try bolting up different parts that you have now, but be careful and check for bottomed out clearances, etc before you head out to huck some gnar drops.

Eerrr,
The SINfull frame came with an Manitou S-type SLR shock, which i assume that it will be.. crap.
I just happen to have a Roco TST R shock around, but it is... 241mm long eye-to-eye!

I guess that i'll have to settle down with the Manitou while searching the market for a Roco in the appropriate size than trying to fit me 241mm Roco by machining a new shock cleat, eh?

John

Eerrr,
The SINfull frame came with an Manitou S-type SLR shock, which i assume that it will be.. crap.
I just happen to have a Roco TST R shock around, but it is... 241mm long eye-to-eye!

I guess that i'll have to settle down with the Manitou while searching the market for a Roco in the appropriate size than trying to fit me 241mm Roco by machining a new shock cleat, eh?

John

That Roco is the size for a Shockwave 9.5. It shouldn't be too hard to find someone who wants to trade. Hmmm, actually, if I end up getting a new updated style linkage for my SW 9.5 I'll need a nice new shock and might be willing to trade a nice DHX 5.0 coil 7.875"

That Manitou is probably OK. Todays worst stuff is better than the top stuff from 5 years ago. Just ride it and keep an eye out for a replacement.

I went and looked up that S type SRL shock. Its a real nice one made for elite and marathon cross country racing. It's available with lockout or Platform Plus. I have Platform Plus on my 06 minute and like it better than SPV because you can change it without an air pump.
The only thing that makes me wonder, is if its the right eye to eye length for the Sin. They only list it as a XC shock and those usually are a maximum of 6.5" eye to eye.
It weighs a scant 200 grams.

Later, Eric.

Add on; I went and looked up another source and found out those things are available up to 7.8 X 2", so it probably is the right size for a Sin. :D