The best damping for high-speed trail chatter is found in Marzocchi's HSCV and Fox's dampers, especially when given PUSH treatment (Fox).pedalinbob said:
I just got a Marathon XC, and the new TST dampening works really well. I have another bike with SSV valving, and the Marathon in the DS mode is much plusher. The settings on the TST knob are very distinct from one another. In AM mode the dampening is much slower, and works like SPV in that it does not bob as much but is not as plush. In the DS mode this fork is one of the plushest I have ever used!! Much plusher than a Minute 1. Plus you can set the travel to adjust geometry. You can adjust preload. And the ETA adjust is great to quickly lower the fork almost 2 inches instantly to power up a steep uphill. All adjustments are easy to access, and the knobs are metal, not cheesy plastic like on some forks. Plus all the adjustments actually make changes that can be readily felt when riding. I like having a fork that I can have an effect similar to SPV, but that I can then instantly set to a super plush mode without the loss of sensitivity that any type of anti-bob device incurrs. I took off the Fox that came on my Trance 1 and tried a Minute 1, and now the Marathon XC and this fork is going to stay!!! Neither of the other forks were as plush, and neither was as versatile, and easy to switch to different modes.anand said:Plain old TPC works great with their air/coil system. Plush on the little stuff thanks to the coil and the air handles the big stuff like air always does. The only problem is brake dive.
TPC+ did a great job of that. If only I could get one into my 2004 Black Super air.
I am basing it on riding the various forks!! I have been mountain biking since 1985 before there were suspension forks. I have worked at a Specialized dealer for 12 years now and have owned numerous Manitou, Rockshox, and Marzocchi forks, starting with the first Manitou fork ever on the market. Lately many forks seem like they have been losing the ability to absorb small bumps in an attempt to either gain bottoming resistance for hucking big jumps, or to get rid of unwanted pedal bob. I have been swithching around between many different forks in the last few years trying to find a fork that soaks up small rocks and roots, and still works at speed on downhills. I ride technical trails but do not do big drops and jumps.I really like the feel or the new TST dampening settings like in the Marathon XC. I switched from the Minute 1 and then rode the same trail as before just 3 days later on the Marathon XC, and the difference in dampening on the Marathon was dramatically better than the Minute, or the Fox fork that was on my Trance 1 before that. In the DS setting it is very responsive. The Minute bounced around off rocks much more, even at low SPV settings, and if you go too low on the SPV setting to gain plushness, then it makes an ugly knocking sound. At least on the Marathon XC you can switch from a mode like the AM mode that resists movement at the expense of compliance, to a fully open compliant mode at the turn of a dial. I suggest riding the 2 forks back to back and see for yourself. I also have a KHS softtail with an MX Pro, and there is a definate improvement in the Marathon fork over that fork as well.anden said:
Here's how Marzocchi advertizes SSVF:anden said:
SSV dampers don't have any shims or anything fancy of the sort. There are just holes through which the oil flows. At higher speeds there isn't enough oil moving around for the fork to soak up the bumps.anden said:
Well, not exactly. A small bump is not the same thing as hundres of small bumps at 30mph. Theoretically the damper looks great, but have you ridden SSV damped fork on trail? It gives your hands a bit of a beating when you start picking up speed. In contrast HSCV damped forks smooth out the trail very well at high speeds.Prexus2005 said:"The floating valve instantly lets oil flow through the first valve circuit with no resistance providing greater initial and small bump sensitivity."
Doesn't that mean it is in fact designed to absrobe high speed trail chatter???
Phil.
Sounds like you got it figured out pretty well.Prexus2005 said:
Initial small bump sensitivity is different than "high speed" consecutive type hits. Note: The term "high speed" is not refering to the speed of your bike, but rather the speed in which your fork must move in order to react to chatter type bumps.Prexus2005 said:"The floating valve instantly lets oil flow through the first valve circuit with no resistance providing greater initial and small bump sensitivity."
Doesn't that mean it is in fact designed to absrobe high speed trail chatter???
Phil.
That doesn't seem to be the case for the SSVF. The '05 manual says "in the SSVF system, the evolution of the SSV system, the fork's sensitivity is further improved, thanks to the spring-preloaded valve."MK_ said:
The only valve is the one that switches the direction of the oil from the rebound to the compression circut and back. That spring holds the valve, which is really only a washer looking thing, in a "no mans land" at low oil flow to improve low speed plushness. As oil flow or velocity picks up, the valve works just like the ssv. As oil flow gets greater, the oil backs up against the metering holes, creating a spike in the oil pressure. There is no pressure relief valve to bypass this oil. There is no need to dyno anything to feel this. I have the mx pro which will spike and I have spiked it. If you are going to ride at speed, don't expect the best ride possible.anden said:
