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Bluto Tuning Thread

187K views 699 replies 165 participants last post by  nstelemark 
#1 ·
I know this is a more limited group, but for any/ all Bluto adopters, where are you running your fork? I am having to drop my pressure way below recommended to get any good action out of the fork and get full travel. Even at 75psi, I get 15% sag and the fork feels super stiction-ey. Dropped it down to 65 to try later today. I'm 165- 170 all kitted up, so should be 100+ psi.
 
#20 ·
Did my first real ride on my fatboy with the Bluto tonight. On the continuum of incremental to revolution change, it's somewhere in the middle. It was great to charge through rock gardens without worry. Catching air was awesome. Overall I'm very happy, it will take a few more rides to get it dialed. The best part is it didn't mess with the feel if the bike at all, I really didn't notice the weight or anything weird with the geometry.
 
#24 ·
I ride often at my local trail system, its five minutes from my house and I can get 10 miles of riding in when I don't have time to drive further.

I run Strava, I have a few KOMs out there, mostly because of the number of times I have ridden everything, sometimes the stars align. There's a nice switchback climb out there that I have been gunning for - today with the Fatboy and the Bluto I got the KOM back.

Its weird because I really didn't feel like I was going that hard. Is it all because of the Bluto? No way, but at a minimum it didn't hurt my time either. I rode it with my Niner a week ago gunning for the KOM, I felt like I rode way harder than today and I didn't get it.

All this to say that the Bluto is a good addition to this bike, happy to have it (and all this could be because my phone/Strava glitched too).
 
#50 ·
I ride often at my local trail system, its five minutes from my house and I can get 10 miles of riding in when I don't have time to drive further.

I run Strava, I have a few KOMs out there, mostly because of the number of times I have ridden everything, sometimes the stars align. There's a nice switchback climb out there that I have been gunning for - today with the Fatboy and the Bluto I got the KOM back.

Its weird because I really didn't feel like I was going that hard. Is it all because of the Bluto? No way, but at a minimum it didn't hurt my time either. I rode it with my Niner a week ago gunning for the KOM, I felt like I rode way harder than today and I didn't get it.

All this to say that the Bluto is a good addition to this bike, happy to have it (and all this could be because my phone/Strava glitched too).
Switchback climbs/descents are notorious for false start/finish point readings on Strava. It's usually because different levels of the track come too close to each other.
 
#29 ·
Advice needed, I recentley installed the Bluto fork and after a couple of rides the fork has started loosing air pressure during the ride. It will go from 80 psi to 50 psi and feels very unresponsive. If I air it up it will hold pressure for a while into the ride but then it drops pressure at some point in the ride. Any clue as how to go about fixing this issue? Thanks for any help.
 
#30 ·
I think RS has been known for this problem (I think) Do a search but I remember someone recommended letting all the air out and cycling the fork a few times then pumping it up again. I could be completely wrong and pulling this out of my a$$ but it's worth a shot. Remember when you search that the Bluto is about the same as a Reba so what applies for one might apply to the other.
 
#31 ·
I pick up my fatboy with an 80mm bluto installed by the LBS, who will tune it for my riding style, however, this is hard in a parking lot. Based on the length of the Bluto 80mm, I suspect I should go for minimum sag and probably should have gone 100mm. Regardless, any input is appreciated before I pick it up.
Thank you,
FGO
 
#37 ·
i have the i9 front hub with their adapter kit. my gf has the salsa 150mm hub which doesn't require an adapter but i wanted to keep things matchy so i just got the adapter.

overall the fork is great. a definite game changer imo. could it feel better...? yeah, i think it could but being the first mass produced fat bike fork i'm pretty stoked on it. i've since sold my niner sir 9 and haven't touched my full susp bikes and now i want a dropper post...
 
#36 ·
I know all the prices, but my LBS who has sold me my Camber and my Roubaix was willing to sharpen their pencil, buy all the bits, install them and then fit me when the install was done. It was a very fair price and they warranty this just like the bike. I really cant complain, I will be riding a fitted, warrantied Bluto for ~$900. Cheaper if I did it myself, but my LBS is two blocks from my house and have exemplary service.... No brainer for me.
Cheers,
FGO
 
#41 ·
I just install a 120mm Bluto on my Fatboy and it is amazing! Glad I didnt go shorter. I need to find a token though, i think it would help. Ive tired a few different pressures and you can blow thru travel easy. I added a token to my Pike and it was a big help so Im hoping 1 or two in the Bluto will do the same.
 
#44 ·
Picked up my fatboy with the 80mm bluto, my LBS first install. The manual just addresses install in 50 languages. It is springy, seems limited in both compression and rebound damping and no info provided on what the doodads do. Is their a tuning manual that addresses the Bluto specifically, my LBS did not have one, and I see I am only getting ~2 inches of travel, and it is overly springy. Any suggestions on setup are appreciated, I don't blame my LBS, this is their first install. Thanks for any input.
Cheers,
FGO
 
#45 ·
Red compression knob on the bottom of the fork controls how fast the fork rebounds, if its overly springy, turn the knob 3 or 4 clicks slower - there is a LOT of difference between full slow and full fast. If you're not getting full compression - then try letting a little air out, I'm running about 90PSI, I weigh about 170 with my gear on, I get full travel on big hits (though I don't feel the fork bottoming out).

Those two things interact - so if your rebound is overly slow then you will not get full compression - I had that problem at first until I sped up the rebound.
 
#47 ·
Couple things to consider. Most fat bike where not designed with a suspension fork in mind. Therefore the head angle could be off and preventing the fork from actually using all the travel.

I am going to go way back and talk about when suspension forks first came out and people where saying the same thing that you are saying now.

I have a trek farley and when the designed the bike they designed it with a suspension fork in mind so for me the fork has worked perfect your of the box.

In the old days we only had 65mm travel forks which worked but when they finally offered 80mm forks it changed the head angle enough to actually make the fork work.

Ps I could be totally wrong here but some fat bikes just don't have the right head tube angle to allow the fork to work correctly.
 
#48 ·
Couple things to consider. Most fat bike where not designed with a suspension fork in mind. Therefore the head angle could be off and preventing the fork from actually using all the travel.
....

Ps I could be totally wrong here but some fat bikes just don't have the right head tube angle to allow the fork to work correctly.
What is the "right" head tube angle then?
 
#49 ·
Not sure but the Farley has a 70 degree angle and if you read about the bike they built the entire geometry around a suspension fork.

I was told buy the guys at Trek that they just copied the Geometry off of one of there current 29'r and just widened the rear triangle to make the 3.8 fit and the 4.0 barely fits with a 2x10 drivetrain.

The Farley has the shortest rear chain stays out of any of the fat bikes which make it support short in its overall length which works great in the tight twisty single track trails.

With the bluto on my bike it has now become the only bike i ride.

Today I was forced to take a line I would have never I repeat never considered or even saw as a line but because I was riding faster them I have ever ridden and came up on a jogger it was either hit him or swerve to the right and hope for the best. Which I did and the bluto performed like magic and I didn't even notice all of the tree roots, wash outs and drops going down the hill all I did was aim between the two trees and smile.

Ps my buddy's 9 Zero 7 works incredible with the 100mm fork even thought specs say it should be an 80
 
#53 ·
The Bluto can use the black 32mm bottomless tokens, but the fork didnt come with any and I'm not sure they are available for sale yet.

I know on my Pike the Bottomless tokens made a huge difference and I'd love to get 1 or two for the Bluto.
 
#54 ·
Hmmm, there 2014 rockshox spare parts catalog only lists bottomless tokens for the Pike.
https://sram-cdn-pull-zone-gsdesign.../files/techdocs/2014_rockshox_spc_rev_a_0.pdf

But it seems if a token existed for a 32mm stanchion fork, it should work. This article makes it sound like such a token should exist and would work at least for the RS-1, reba, SID and revelation.
RockShox Officially Introduces The 29er specific RS1 Inverted XC Fork

I'll contact rockshox and see what they have to say. Edit: Looks like I won't be contacting them since SRAM appears to not want any direct contact with customers. In my opinion, that's a shitty way to run a company.
 
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