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Paging Bikezilla or other pike owners

3K views 51 replies 16 participants last post by  The Squeaky Wheel 
#1 ·
Dang man, I just read your post in the shock forum:

"..
I'd rather have my lard-arsed '03 Z1 than my light nervous floppy Pike 454DA any day. Gawd I miss having a fork that isn't scared of rocks."

I'm actually on a 03 z1 fr qr20 and was thinking of getting a pike DA but now your giving me second thoughts. Are they flexy or what? I just want an air fork that is stiff and doesnt weigh a ton. I thought the pike or the mag laurin were good options.
 
#28 ·
thebronze said:
Here's another side of the same trail. Our usual trail is cross timbers prairie, lots of sandstone outcroppings, i'll try to find a pic, but here's Devils Back bone,
The Pike would be excellent for that kind of terrain, same with the picture above. The lightness and responsiveness would be very pleasing and it will soak up that kind of chunk no problem. Also b/c it has great compression adjustment it's better balance to eliminate fork dive under hard cornering and heavy braking. Well worth considering for what you have shown.

I stand by my previous assertions though. There are definately choppy rocky decents where I can feel the Pike slowing the bike down when my old Z1 wasn't. I'm not talking about rocks here and there of ones with rounded surfaces. I think the old Z1 is better in HS and LS square edge hits and hard drops that leave you charging into square edges. SW's shot is very rocky but in very different way.

I noticed most of the ppl who felt differently aren't on the East Coast. The same tires don't work here either.

Maybe I'm just crazy. But that's my opinion.
 
#30 ·
miles e said:
Don't be so hard on yourself. Secretly, we all want to build up blinged out, red, XL Highlines. You're just the only one comfortable enough with yourself to do so.
Well said Miles hes also the only one comfortable enough to wear a red Skin suit riding his 5 Spot, I am only jealous of course cause I know I would never look that good in a skin suit thats why I wear camo baggis to hide my lard arse, now I just walk around all day in Jammy's:D

Spam!! gold Hope and King like new 1/18 headsets, external bbs RF diablous and Hadley hubs 36pt 10mm rear 20mm front TA available to a good home!

Im back to black and boring:p
 
#36 ·
I KNEW I wasn't imagining it!!!

I was washing my bike today and did the usual bounce-dry. Hold the bars and seat, pick up the bike and pound it, both wheels hitting at the same time. lifting the bike with the rebound, I could feel it shaking, and this time I watched closely and I could see the fork vibrating front to back.

I went for a ride and watched closely while tapping the brakes and I could see the wheel tucking. These two things does not happen with my much larger 66SL which of course is no suprise. But it also did not happen with my AM1 (on a Z1 chassis) and it did not happen on my '03 Z1.

I also looked at some shots of me on steep rollers where I knew I was braking hard and straight and I can see the sliders are not in the same line as the stanchions. (very,very subtle... maybe going on a ledge here)

My Pike is set to full extention. Maybe it has more bushing overlap and isn't as flexy at 130mm, I'll try that next. But nobody's going to tell me this thing is as stiff as a Z1. I've always felt it and now I've seen it.

I'm not bagging on the Pike but I am definately standing by my previous statements.
And the damping is different too!(Not all around better, just different under certain conditions.)
 
#37 ·
Bikezilla said:
I KNEW I wasn't imagining it!!!

I was washing my bike today and did the usual bounce-dry. Hold the bars and seat, pick up the bike and pound it, both wheels hitting at the same time. lifting the bike with the rebound, I could feel it shaking, and this time I watched closely and I could see the fork vibrating front to back.

I went for a ride and watched closely while tapping the brakes and I could see the wheel tucking. These two things does not happen with my much larger 66SL which of course is no suprise. But it also did not happen with my AM1 (on a Z1 chassis) and it did not happen on my '03 Z1.

I also looked at some shots of me on steep rollers where I knew I was braking hard and straight and I can see the sliders are not in the same line as the stanchions. (very,very subtle... maybe going on a ledge here)

My Pike is set to full extention. Maybe it has more bushing overlap and isn't as flexy at 130mm, I'll try that next. But nobody's going to tell me this thing is as stiff as a Z1. I've always felt it and now I've seen it.

I'm not bagging on the Pike but I am definately standing by my previous statements.
And the damping is different too!(Not all around better, just different under certain conditions.)
Dood I hope Im not on yr ignore list:D

2: lets face it dawg youre a guargantuan specimen of mountain biking physicality, its like comparing Hulk Hogan with the Pike and Pee Wee Herman to the rest of Homerville!

So you are more than probably right but when did ya last service that fork, mine nearly 2yrs old and admittedly it hasn't had allot of tim i the last year since the RFX was my my main squezze, my fork is tight as a drum, so standing by my coments too buddy:D

Im around 2hundy wringing wet at mo!! Ive ridden 36,s my 66 and for the Spot its stiff as anything I feel on any other bike for me!!

I think ya just been trshing that bike while ya been getting the HL going:p
 
#38 ·
Thwap! vs. Boingoingoingoingoing....

Since I haven't yet learned you primary language, IL'ing you seems redundant.:D
I'm only about 35#s heavier than you, and that's winter weight.

My Pike is def low mileage as my RFX was my main drag 80% of the time. It's a great light trail fork and I can feel where every gram went.:p

Now that I got this monster dawg Highline, I'm going to need my xc'd Spot to step up to mid-level trail duty. Maybe I'll swap out the Pike and pRP3 for a 55... and another Avy.:D :D :D

Clearly I'm not riding enough as I'm talking upgrades already.:rolleyes:

Just curious Squeak, but why are you using so much travel on a climb?
Been getting into SSINGA's Krispy Kreme stash?
 
#39 ·
Bikezilla said:
Since I haven't yet learned you primary language, IL'ing you seems redundant.:D
I'm only about 35#s heavier than you, and that's winter weight.

My Pike is def low mileage as my RFX was my main drag 80% of the time. It's a great light trail fork and I can feel where every gram went.:p

Now that I got this monster dawg Highline, I'm going to need my xc'd Spot to step up to mid-level trail duty. Maybe I'll swap out the Pike and pRP3 for a 55... and another Avy.:D :D :D

Clearly I'm not riding enough as I'm talking upgrades already.:rolleyes:
True on last point least I have an excuse for not riding!!

Um good points!! though I'd happily DJ my Pike, maybe ours are different somehow kiwi ones are stronga:D:D or could it be that now ya put those 5.5 rockers on there ya got more wieght forward on the fork and have you got and super long stem on there too:p

Seriously though I like ya plan ya gonna risk the 55? I want to like that fork it just scares me what Marz have done to there fork platforms on the air side and with the 55 models, now if they did a 55 with 06 rc2x internals I'd be hooked, I have seen some shotz of the 09s, all black again and sweet graphics if they are happening! Sheesh youre goona be Avy king nice though bro:thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
#40 ·
I would hold off on the 55. I have one of the supposedly "fixed" ones and while I will admit the fork feels good I do get that weird top out clunk. Same one I get with my Air U-turn Pike but maybe three times as loud.
I have been messing with the settings since I got it and yesterday was the first ride I did where the fork felt great. I no longer had my Lyrik to compare it too but I did a bunch of back to back testing against my Pike to get the 55 to my liking and I would have to say that currently it is feeling better than the Pike.
I'm on the fence right now as to selling it and picking up either another Lyrik coil (like the one I sold. :madman: ) or seeing if I can get a 2 Step air in the IS version. My local Zoke nut told me that the RC2x will fit in the current 55 chassis but the top caps that the RC2x uses won't. The 09 55 will take care of this. My bud is looking into modding the current top caps to make them work. Soooo....I'm kind of on the fence.....I want to love this fork.....so like I said, maybe hold of on the current 55.
 
#41 ·
My Pike has never made top out clunk noises!

Marz are notorious if u get your rebound too fast, even older ones for topping out, Im sure youve checked this but maybe start with that slow it down until there is no clunk if not it could be your oil quality or oil levels they are bad for this too the origonal oil is really only a break in fluid, I swapped mine out after a few months on my 66 went to a high quality viscoisty and slighty lower weight oil and it was pure butter, my RC2 cartidge did get replaced at the begining as it was defective and caused that same clunk out youre describing though but once done and the fluids changed and we set correct heights the fork was absolutley stellar Ive never ridden a better one, and Ive ridden a few other bikes and fork models, I know I will miss that fork!

Big news Rock Shox look like theyre ditching the Boxxer air WC!
Rumour has it Steve Peat is sporting a 38mm Boxxer WC on his V10 with coil and ti springs, Sam Hill is supposed to be debuting one at Maribor WC this month!

I thought air was the future! WTF..

Where does this leave the Totem and such!

What has Blackbox achieved if they basically produce a 888WC, all early days but very interesting!

Im just glad Im such a coil fan 6inches above!

Well thats my goss over and out!
 
#42 ·
My Pike, and others I've seen (lots of people I ride with run them) will make a clunking noise when you run them anywhere other than full travel or all the way down. Anywhere in between and you get it. I won't say all Pikes suffer from this but a lot do. It's very minimal and you hardly notice it unless you pull up on the bars.
I'll try slowing down my rebound and see if that changes anything. Thanks for the suggestion.
I agree with you on the whole air vs. coil thing. Coil is where it's at. Look at every light weight travel adjust "bigger" fork out there.....55, Talas, Lyrik, etc.... Can you name one that doesn't have issues? I've said this before but you would think it's asking too much to have a sub 5.5lb 6-7" travel single crown fork that can take a complete thrashing and still work.....:p I don't see that changing anytime soon.
 
#43 ·
Locotiki said:
My Pike, and others I've seen (lots of people I ride with run them) will make a clunking noise when you run them anywhere other than full travel or all the way down. Anywhere in between and you get it. I won't say all Pikes suffer from this but a lot do. It's very minimal and you hardly notice it unless you pull up on the bars.
I'll try slowing down my rebound and see if that changes anything. Thanks for the suggestion.
I agree with you on the whole air vs. coil thing. Coil is where it's at. Look at every light weight travel adjust "bigger" fork out there.....55, Talas, Lyrik, etc.... Can you name one that doesn't have issues? I've said this before but you would think it's asking too much to have a sub 5.5lb 6-7" travel single crown fork that can take a complete thrashing and still work.....:p I don't see that changing anytime soon.
Buddy where totally on the same page I thought some time ago also and when I first got my RFX! it wasn't so long ago 5-6inchs was the FR travel of where the 66/totems are now, I agree with you also!

Actually my PIKE may have made a noise one or twice at the 110mm setting I rarely if ever drop mine, Im not so much into Travel Adjust so much, I know with the AM series they recomended removing the air then resetting it once the travel was reduced not practical with Uturn! Just maybe part of the course with a travel adjustable setup maybe! I dunno, I know I won't be changing my PIKE on the spot for anything else out there thats for sure!

And my RFX will eventually get a coil fork Lyrik or Van unless Marz sorts there crap out! Yime is on my side Im in no rush, I can't ride so I can wait and see what develops, bums me as Im a big Marz fan, but I want set and forget like my 66 had once it was sorted...
 
#44 ·
I was a full on Zoke fan as well. Went to Fox for a while but then tried a Pike and was sold. Still have the pike on my Spot. Really wishing I didn't sell my coil Lyrik. I would try another Fox (seems to be the flavor of the month) but getting parts out of them is a pain and big $$. Seems you just call SRAM and they send a bag of parts to you. I don't have back up forks so it's important to me that I get stuff fixed locally and not have to send them out.
Cool thing about the Lyrik series is that everything is swappable. Buy a u-turn coil and change it to a 2-step air or solo air or any bastard child in between.
I don't care much for the travel adjust. I never really use it, that's why the clunk on the Pike didn't really bother me. On the RFX I want to run it at 150-160-165 (depending on the fork) and just drop it down for really steep or long climbs. Now if there was a coil Lyrik 2-step I might be on board (ETAish???)

The other thing I'm working on is getting little fairies to float down from the sky and make on the fly adjustments to my suspension and drive train while I'm riding. I tried riding with bike mechanics and having them wear pink tutu's and wings but it didn't go over too well as their wings kept getting caught up in my chain.

Stay strong man. Takes a boat load of mental toughness to go through what your facing. I feel for you and wish you the best.
 
#45 ·
Bikezilla said:
Just curious Squeak, but why are you using so much travel on a climb?
Been getting into SSINGA's Krispy Kreme stash?
You got me.
I'm really out of shape these days and have ballooned up to 165 pounds. :D

That photo is actually taken at the bottom of a nasty downhill section of superchunk which leads into a sharp left. And after further review, that bike had a 36T at the time which was a POS and was promptly ditched for a Pike.
 
#46 ·
KnowAdvent said:
Marz are notorious if u get your rebound too fast, even older ones for topping out, Im sure youve checked this but maybe start with that slow it down until there is no clunk if not it could be your oil quality or oil levels they are bad for this too the origonal oil is really only a break in fluid, I swapped mine out after a few months on my 66 went to a high quality viscoisty and slighty lower weight oil and it was pure butter,
Preach it TA!

I will raise my hand and testify that on my 66SL if you leave the reabound too fast it'll click at topout. It's not so much a clunk but more like something in a cartridge on the right side. Turn it down a slight bit and it's gone. It also seems to be affected by neg pressure and/or fork extention. NBD for me as the click isn't loud and usually isn't in my working settings. BTW the Pike was on the Spot with 5.1, Push and 5.5 rockers. Felt the same up front the whole time.

About the 55...I just tossed that out there as it's easy to type with a drink in one hand. I have no idea how the fork rides, and frankly I haven't heard a "Zoke really nailed it" since the '06 66SL...and I haven't bought one since.
Maybe I'll look at an beefed up version of the Pike.(Lyric?) I suppose if I can empty my wallet for another Avy, I can do the same for the fork...but it's gotta be as good for the money, if you know what I mean.

Now if I could put a set of short 66style cartridges in my Z1 chassis now THAT would be something.
 
#49 ·
Locotiki said:
I was a full on Zoke fan as well. Went to Fox for a while but then tried a Pike and was sold. Still have the pike on my Spot. Really wishing I didn't sell my coil Lyrik. I would try another Fox (seems to be the flavor of the month) but getting parts out of them is a pain and big $$. Seems you just call SRAM and they send a bag of parts to you. I don't have back up forks so it's important to me that I get stuff fixed locally and not have to send them out.
Cool thing about the Lyrik series is that everything is swappable. Buy a u-turn coil and change it to a 2-step air or solo air or any bastard child in between.
I don't care much for the travel adjust. I never really use it, that's why the clunk on the Pike didn't really bother me. On the RFX I want to run it at 150-160-165 (depending on the fork) and just drop it down for really steep or long climbs. Now if there was a coil Lyrik 2-step I might be on board (ETAish???)

The other thing I'm working on is getting little fairies to float down from the sky and make on the fly adjustments to my suspension and drive train while I'm riding. I tried riding with bike mechanics and having them wear pink tutu's and wings but it didn't go over too well as their wings kept getting caught up in my chain.

Stay strong man. Takes a boat load of mental toughness to go through what your facing. I feel for you and wish you the best.
I hear ya buddy, Ive not been a Fan of Fox since I rode the early 37 Talas not owned one but I spent some good days on one with the identical bikes with different forks on one with a Zoke and the other Demo with the Talas put me off Fox (I spent allot of time trying to tune it for my weight just couln't get that small bump balance and bit hit blow through the travel balance, bit lik m POS DHXa lol, but least I can live with that)

The Lyrik Uturn is at the top of the List Ive always liked that fork as a potentail option, I do rate the Van 36s though Ive not spent much time on them, my buddy BW owns his own LBS) has spent many hours on one and its well proven and support through him is no issue, like u guys hes got my back, so have his all the way.

Cheers for the support Locotiki, it really helps get me through, the hard thing is not many peple get to visit me, so when they do they tend to see me at my best and think Im fine, and at home Im pretty good one I get out or over do it Im brought back to reality pretty quick, only my nurse, physio really get to see me at al my stages, as Johnny Denver would say some days are Diamonds some days are Stone!

he boost you guys have given me in the last week mentally is undescribable so thankyou thank you! I always try to remind myself that there are some people with injuries maybe not as life threatened initally but they are paralysed or incapacitated as that realy is th ony thing that truly scares me, and I have no concerns there with my injury now Im out of the danger zone in that respect, its just getting rehabilitated now!

Chur bro!
 
#50 ·
Pikezilla said:
Preach it TA!

I will raise my hand and testify that on my 66SL if you leave the reabound too fast it'll click at topout. It's not so much a clunk but more like something in a cartridge on the right side. Turn it down a slight bit and it's gone. It also seems to be affected by neg pressure and/or fork extention. NBD for me as the click isn't loud and usually isn't in my working settings. BTW the Pike was on the Spot with 5.1, Push and 5.5 rockers. Felt the same up front the whole time.

About the 55...I just tossed that out there as it's easy to type with a drink in one hand. I have no idea how the fork rides, and frankly I haven't heard a "Zoke really nailed it" since the '06 66SL...and I haven't bought one since.
Maybe I'll look at an beefed up version of the Pike.(Lyric?) I suppose if I can empty my wallet for another Avy, I can do the same for the fork...but it's gotta be as good for the money, if you know what I mean.

Now if I could put a set of short 66style cartridges in my Z1 chassis now THAT would be something.
Concur Captain! I wil make it so Jon Luc:D

I will be interested to see what fork you end up with on your Spot, maybe you could go Lyrik Uturn also that way you could tune your travel exactly to he correct a2C you'd have the stiffness of 35mm, I guess the weight at 5.6lbs might hold ya up I dunno but if ya going Chubbie in the rear it would be a nice match! ya can't beat that maxle.

I don't know it all..I just came back with a vengengence of info cause I been couped up in a box for the last month like Hansel and if it is all spewing forth, its not gospel unless you confirm it! :D

BZ I am still a ZOKE fan I would have a 888 in a heart beat if I was buying a DH fork, or a 66rc3 if I was or could have a Highline, no question, I just won't and I can't anyway have buy something at mo can't use it anyway!! recovery and survival is my priority!

If I was looking at the RFX right now though it would not be a Zoke, its a pity as the 55 looked so promising I love the look, but the RFX showed me I don't need adjustable this and that and over complication just set and forget, come back home hang out the washing, thats what I want from my components, Ive found for me my PIKE also does perform this to date and as I said my 66rc2x also 06 like yours was like that! My 07 888 rc2x was the same, I never even changed the oil in that fork just set the rebound compression and went downhilling and rode the arse off it, It was still like new and buttery smooth when I sold the DH bike a few months back, dam hard watching that leave I tell ya.

Oh and for me I will not look at the Float or the Talas, Im to heavy and even with the improvemnets in 08 those would not suit my style, a freind whos simliar weight that I DH'd with last year has been through both these forks already on his Comencal and has settled on the Van, 3rd time lucky from Fox, oucch $$ gotta hurt!!

So allot of experinces are very much related to rider weight style, skills, needs etc. You have lots of rocks and I can see buttery smooth is what suits best I'd probalby find the same in your area and concur with you, like you would here riding our terrain..

So when ya coming over BZ:thumbsup:
We have the oldest Lizard left in the world known to man the Tuatara! and also in my home town we have the little ones on the trails called skinks! awesome little creatures, they love rocks too, I digress lol, thats what happens in my world..

Be well big guy, I am but the padawan learner my master:D
 
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