2.5" shock stroke on a Heckler??? :)

Well...

stiingya said:

Given your advice, than why didn't the bottoming out increase when everyone went from the 2.0 to the 2.25? I can't say I've ever heard of anyone that said that was exponentially worse?

Click to expand...

Going from 5" to 5.625" is pretty darned big. Going another .625" of wheel travel is huge. I don't think anyone is trying to rain on your parade here, but just warn you that there are some strong negative potentials here...frame/tire contact, dangerously low BB upon bottomout, and a rear suspension that bottoms so easily toward the end of its travel that it might be unworkable. Remember you're trying to run this 2.5" of shock stroke on a shock that didn't gain any operating length. I stated this on one of your other posts, but I'll say it again. I'm not aware of any shock that runs 7.875 X 2.5 unless it's possibly some custom made deal. You're mentioning buying off-the-shelf models, and I kinda think they don't exist. The Heckler is a great bike, and I'd think the 7.875 X 2.25 setup is pretty awesome. If you're finding the need to get much more rear wheel travel then you may need to consider a longer travel bike. An SC Bullit has the capability to run about as many different shocks as any out there, but it has a shuttle front shock mount and tons of frame clearance. The Heckler isn't set up like this. Before you spend a great deal of money buying a high dollar shock, get as much advice as you can...even if you don't agree with all of it.

Seems strange that there would be a 7.875 X 2.5 3-Way Air and not a 4-Way which would be a much higher performance shock. Someone mentioned a C'dale Prophet at some point, but why would there even be an OEM 7.875 X 2.25 3-Way. I'm only saying that manufacturers will often make some longer shocks with a shorter stroke...like Specialized's Enduro with a 8.75 X 2.5...but it's rare to make a longer stroke shock when a similar unit isn't available in their lineup. This whole 3-Way/4-Way deal is kinda strange.

jayem, I didn't mean to be rude in my reply, sorry if it seemed so. And tnc, honestly I really wasn't even considering such a setup for my bike. I just put on a Pike, so I actually lost a little travel on the front of my bike. So I wouldn't see a need to have more travel on the back of the bike than the front? Though I did just read of several Elsworth riders doing a similar thing with their moments and just running alot more sag to make their bikes super plush! (though I think in that case they were gaining more ground clearance) But personally I would worry about such a set up doing a stinkbug from hell on the steeps!?

I can totally see the bottoming issue since the Heckler doesn't have that high of a BB anyway, and this would probably stop the whole idea right there. As well as fitment issue's considering the added amount of swingarm movement. Though the bottoming would partially be dependent on shock design/build and set up, and the other is unkown untill actually trying out the mystery shock! ( I'm sure your probably right and this is just a mistake in their listings of 3-way shock sizes, the only other shock I found close to this was an 8" x 2.5" risse spring shocks. And I did see a listing for an older vanilla with the same size, but couldn't find anything on it from Fox? Anway...

"IF" such a shock was produced, wouldn't it just need to be more progressive? Seeing as they must have needed the shock to be more progressive going from the 2.0 to the 2.25 stroke? I guess you get to a point where the shock is so progressive that your not using your travel efficiently? I know on my VT you can totally tell the difference in how the shock's progressivness is effected by changing the travel setting between the 5 and 5.75 settings.

Anway, none of this really matters. I just saw the size listed and thought I should ask if anyone had used one... just wondered.
Thanks