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Counter Steering and DHX woes

1K views 8 replies 7 participants last post by  .WestCoastHucker. 
#1 ·
Alright I'll try to make this quick. It'll be sort of a 2-in-1 thread.

As most of the local trails are berm free, recently I've been focusing a lot of taking flat corners with speed by the means of counter steering. I've gotten pretty damn good at it, and could drift corners all day, provided they're right handers. I can't counter steer for sh*t though a left hander. I'm not sure what it is, but it just feels really weird dropping my right foot (I ride with my right foot forward) and shifting my weight to loosen up the rear wheel. I have a strange compulsion to move my mass to the rear of the bike, and no matter how much I try not to do it it still seems to happen (and kill any sliding from the beginning). Do any of you guys have any tips on making the left turns more comfortable? Should I maybe try to ride with my left foot forward?

Moving on from that, I just changed the seals and re-lubed my DHX air and happened to find a broken o-ring in the towel that I had wrapped around it just in case the air can decided to shoot across the room or fly off and hit me in the face. Now I'm not sure if the o-ring came from the shock, as all of the seals seem to be there, but I did happen to notice something else as well while it was apart that I hadn't noticed before.

Inside the DHX air theres a thin wafer-like washer thats bound on the shaft of the shock. All the times that I've had it open before it has been secured at the top end of the shaft on the end of the shock that has the rebound adjusters and attaches to the resi. This time, it wasn't secured and could slide up and down the shaft. I'm wondering if there's a connection to the broken o-ring that was found in the towel and the washers ability to move freely up and down the shaft. I've attached pictures of the shock and broken o-ring.

Thanks.
 

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#4 ·
I'm considering rebuilding the shock myself. The process seems very straightforward with the DHX Air and taking it apart would allow me to make a custom bottom out bumper to replace the rubber o-ring. I'm thinking about possibly getting a bottom out bumper for coil shocks from Fox and cutting it down a bit so it would fit in the shock. My biggest gripe about the shock is how easily it bottoms out so this seems like it could remedy that.

How deep should the IFP be set? It's a 2.00" stroke if that matters.
 
#5 ·
You might be having trouble because your on the brakes. If you ride right foot forward you have to "pedal forward" a 1/4 turn to get your foot to the bottom of the pedal stroke. If your on the brakes even slightly your foot might not be reaching a comfortable, natural position. Where as your left foot can freewheel backwards even under braking and settle into a natural, comfortable position.

I remember reading that Nico could ride with either foot forward so he could always set up for turns perfectly.
 
#8 ·
I ride right foot forward as well and I've only gotten consistent at busting out drifts in either direction this last year. Take a half a pedal stroke forward before the left hander and stop when your right foot is at the bottom of the stroke or even a bit towards the rear, and remember to ALWAYS keep your heels down. Also, make sure you are keeping your eyes level with the horizon and you are leaning the bike more than your body (if your weight distribution is all f'ed then you'll most likely be letting this one slide a little). Start by jamming all your weight into the left grip pushing down and forwards to whip the bike through the turn.
 
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