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Rear Shock for Blur LT

1K views 8 replies 5 participants last post by  de00304 
#1 ·
Hi,

I'll be ordering a Large BLT frame very soon to use for aggresive XC/trail riding in Michigan.

I'm a heavy kid, weighing about 240 at 6'1" and am having a hard time pciking a shock.

As far as I know, my only options from SC are a 5th Element, a Fox RP3, and a Fox DHX air.

I'm leaning towards either the DHX or the RP3. I like the idea of eventually having the RP3 rebuilt by the push guys to match my weight/riding style, which is currently not an option with the dhx air. My roomate just picked up a nomad with the DHX coil on it... I like it, but don't have much to campare to.

I know that my current weight will cause me to approach fox's 300 psi limit for their air shocks. Should I be concerned about this. I've been running a fox float rlc in the front with no problems for some time now..

Any thoughts or reccomendations as to which shock would perform best for a rider of my weight riding whatever he can find in the midwest?

Thanks.
 
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#2 ·
Pritchett said:
Hi,

I'll be ordering a Large BLT frame very soon to use for aggresive XC/trail riding in Michigan.

I'm a heavy kid, weighing about 240 at 6'1" and am having a hard time pciking a shock.

As far as I know, my only options from SC are a 5th Element, a Fox RP3, and a Fox DHX air.

I'm leaning towards either the DHX or the RP3. I like the idea of eventually having the RP3 rebuilt by the push guys to match my weight/riding style, which is currently not an option with the dhx air. My roomate just picked up a nomad with the DHX coil on it... I like it, but don't have much to campare to.

I know that my current weight will cause me to approach fox's 300 psi limit for their air shocks. Should I be concerned about this. I've been running a fox float rlc in the front with no problems for some time now..

Any thoughts or reccomendations as to which shock would perform best for a rider of my weight riding whatever he can find in the midwest?

Thanks.
I can't really comment until my BLT frame arrives from Santa Cruz, but I test rode a BLT with an RP3 shock on it, and came away unimpressed, so I went ahead and ordered mine with the DHX Air on it.
 
#3 ·
Boogie Man said:
I can't really comment until my BLT frame arrives from Santa Cruz, but I test rode a BLT with an RP3 shock on it, and came away unimpressed, so I went ahead and ordered mine with the DHX Air on it.
unimpressed in what sense? to much platform from the propedal? too stiff? to plush? Are you too a Big dude? If so did it feel as though it would handle a heavy rider?

Thanks
 
#4 · (Edited)
Pritchett said:
unimpressed in what sense? to much platform from the propedal? too stiff? to plush? Are you too a Big dude? If so did it feel as though it would handle a heavy rider?

Thanks
I'm a pretty big guy at 195lbs, and I thought the ride was way too stiff. I also test rode a Nomad with a Float R on it, and I could definitely feel the VPP suspension locking up when I was out of the saddle hammering, so the stiffness of the RP3 on the BLT very well may have been due to the propedal. It also could have had a lot to do with how both of the shocks were setup. The Float R on the Nomad was really plush and active, while the RP3 was really stiff and harsh riding... maybe I should have let some air out of the RP3 on the BLT.
 
#5 ·
I just put in my order for my BLT with a dhx air. I am 240lb when geared up. One of my riding buddies is about 200lb and has the rp3. I railed it down a couple of trails. It really rides like an xc bike with the rp3. I think the additional user tuning options of the dhx are where it is at for this bike and for bigger riders. Basically the dhx air can be tuned to still feel plush where other air shocks are harsh when aired up for a healthy clyde.

I'll let you know in a couple of weeks how it rides. Doesn't seem like many are putting the dhx air on BLT bikes. Most are going Nomad instead. Wasn't what I was looking for. I wanted a trail friendly bike that was also capable of some xc racing in the clyde class. Now I just have to decide if I want to put my Z1 on it or my Pike ;)
 
#6 ·
blt swinger

It may be unavailable now, but I got a Swinger 3 way on my BLT I purchased in December. I love it. I go 220# and have had Float Rs on two other FS bikes this year, and a DT 240 on another. I think that it is pretty essential to have more tunability if you are a bigger guy. I can't help but think the Float R and RP3 are set up for a 185# rider. I bought the swinger because my buddy has loved his on his GF Cake 3DLX. If you can't get that, I'd go for the DHX air over either of the other Fox shocks. I have heard quite a few people remark that they can't really tell much difference between a Float R and the RP3. I considered the fifth element for abit too, but heard too many with maintenance problems and found out that it apprently robs a half inch or more of travel from the BLT.

Don't get me wrong, I love my Float 130 RLC up front, but I really think having an adjustable platform chamber or some other means of tuning the shock to the frame and rider weight is key.
 
#7 ·
Pritchett said:
Hi,

I'll be ordering a Large BLT frame very soon to use for aggresive XC/trail riding in Michigan.

I'm a heavy kid, weighing about 240 at 6'1" and am having a hard time pciking a shock.

As far as I know, my only options from SC are a 5th Element, a Fox RP3, and a Fox DHX air.

I'm leaning towards either the DHX or the RP3. I like the idea of eventually having the RP3 rebuilt by the push guys to match my weight/riding style, which is currently not an option with the dhx air. My roomate just picked up a nomad with the DHX coil on it... I like it, but don't have much to campare to.

I know that my current weight will cause me to approach fox's 300 psi limit for their air shocks. Should I be concerned about this. I've been running a fox float rlc in the front with no problems for some time now..

Any thoughts or reccomendations as to which shock would perform best for a rider of my weight riding whatever he can find in the midwest?

Thanks.
I have a BLT with an RP3 that has been PUSH'd for my weight/riding style. I go about 260, and no problems with that setup, and run about 210-220 lbs pressure
 
#8 ·
are you very hard on this shock?

I'm leaning towards a nomad at this point. My roomate just picked one up and that thing is beffy as hell. his fox DHX coil feels fantastic. I don't want to have any questions in my head about a fork or frame faling on me out on the trail. I'll probably never drop anything higher than a four or five feet... But the Nomad looks like it would be alot less likely to crap out on me. Four feet at 240 is a lot of force for a frame with two little weinery titanium links holding things in place.

I'm still torn though. Lighter, more efficiant, XC bike.... or heavy duty, slower, more capable, all mountain bike.... hmmm.
 
#9 ·
Pritchett said:
are you very hard on this shock?

I'm leaning towards a nomad at this point. My roomate just picked one up and that thing is beffy as hell. his fox DHX coil feels fantastic. I don't want to have any questions in my head about a fork or frame faling on me out on the trail. I'll probably never drop anything higher than a four or five feet... But the Nomad looks like it would be alot less likely to crap out on me. Four feet at 240 is a lot of force for a frame with two little weinery titanium links holding things in place.

I'm still torn though. Lighter, more efficiant, XC bike.... or heavy duty, slower, more capable, all mountain bike.... hmmm.
I ride and explore on technical stuff, and do some racing (mostly 24 hour for fun) but I really am not doing any drops to speak of...
 
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