I realize there is a huge thread on the Pike in this forum, but given that I am subscribed to it and failed to realize this was an issue, I thought I'd make a new post.
Short version: The seals at the top of the lowers on the Pike are very good, and they can trap a substantial amount of air pressure. In some cases, this can completely ruin the performance of your fork. Bleed the air by emptying the air chamber and sliding a thin piece of plastic in between the stanchion and dust wiper until you hear a hiss.
Long version: I loved my Pike when I first got it, but over time, and especially lately, had been experiencing a significant loss of enthusiasm about it. This culminated in a trip to Mammoth where I really just couldn't believe the level of arm fatigue I was getting. I chalked it up to being out of shape and that my Tallboy LTc just wasn't cut out for park riding. Cut to a few weeks later, I remember something about this air trapping issue and decide to check it out. There was significant resistance to compression even with the air cap removed, so I executed the cable tie bleed technique and released quite a bit of pressure.
I had thought it curious that I only needed ~72 psi to get desired sag (~25%) out of the Pike even though I'm 220 lbs geared to ride. After bleeding the lowers, I had to up the pressure to 90 psi in order to have a rideable fork! (Much closer to what Rock Shox recommends for my weight.) On the subsequent ride, my fork was back to it's good old self with the excellent small bump compliance and mid-stroke support I remembered. I'm super happy about this.
So if you own a Pike or took a ride on one and are disappointed, consider that this may be the issue. I was absolutely blown away by the effect it had on the performance of the fork, and I think the air pressure change I had to make speaks for itself. It's a fantastic fork, as long as air trapped in the lowers isn't creating an undesired spring rate that completely alters its behavior.
Short version: The seals at the top of the lowers on the Pike are very good, and they can trap a substantial amount of air pressure. In some cases, this can completely ruin the performance of your fork. Bleed the air by emptying the air chamber and sliding a thin piece of plastic in between the stanchion and dust wiper until you hear a hiss.
Long version: I loved my Pike when I first got it, but over time, and especially lately, had been experiencing a significant loss of enthusiasm about it. This culminated in a trip to Mammoth where I really just couldn't believe the level of arm fatigue I was getting. I chalked it up to being out of shape and that my Tallboy LTc just wasn't cut out for park riding. Cut to a few weeks later, I remember something about this air trapping issue and decide to check it out. There was significant resistance to compression even with the air cap removed, so I executed the cable tie bleed technique and released quite a bit of pressure.
I had thought it curious that I only needed ~72 psi to get desired sag (~25%) out of the Pike even though I'm 220 lbs geared to ride. After bleeding the lowers, I had to up the pressure to 90 psi in order to have a rideable fork! (Much closer to what Rock Shox recommends for my weight.) On the subsequent ride, my fork was back to it's good old self with the excellent small bump compliance and mid-stroke support I remembered. I'm super happy about this.
So if you own a Pike or took a ride on one and are disappointed, consider that this may be the issue. I was absolutely blown away by the effect it had on the performance of the fork, and I think the air pressure change I had to make speaks for itself. It's a fantastic fork, as long as air trapped in the lowers isn't creating an undesired spring rate that completely alters its behavior.