[GLD1980]

What do I need to get more travel out of stock 120 RockShox Revelation RC. I don't mind the altered geo but I don't want to break my bike. Is there a safety rating on the geo or travel?I've read several of you steel Honzo owners rocking 140mm of travel. Can my Aluminum frame take the pounding. I weigh 225.

Also how do you ramp up the Revelation properly. My LBS SME said the 140mm DebonAir upgrade will only cost $45 to order the part and $90 to install. To do it right I would also need the Charger 2 RCT3 Damper Upgrade kit $240, which is adjustable for High and low speed compression dampening, and overall performance benefits.

We did add 2 more tokens so now I'm running 6 total @ 120 but still very confused, I'm really new to aggressive MTB riding and I'm on the right path but need more guidance and education on this one.

"RockShox Revelation RC Solo Air 120mm Tapered 110mm Spacing"

KONA BIKES | MTB | HONZO | Honzo AL/DL

 

[GLD1980]

[email protected] was not too enthusiastic about my plans. Here's there rrsponse:

"Hi, the Honzo isn't made for a longer fork. You really do need to keep it the 120mm travel it
was made for.

When Dr Dew draws up a frame the first thing in the picture is the fork. After that the frame
follows. A longer fork will slacken he angles of the frame and cause the steering to wander on
climbs and the tire to push and loose traction on descents.

Also since the fork is no longer held at it's ideal angle to function extra energy will go into
bending it instead of compressing it. Plus since most forks use a bushing submerged in oil the
loose knocking feel when the fork is topped out will be increased. And last since the longer fork
is a longer lever in a big impact or overload the chance of that force being sent into the frame
and damaging it is greater.

Also we don't spec the bikes with a less than ideal travel fork; holding a few percent back so
owners have to change that later. It comes out of the box with its right geometry ready to roll.

So while putting the longer fork on won't break your bike immediately it will increase the
fatigue cycle and reduce the frame lifespan. We have put a lot of energy into testing this
situation and stock is where it's at.

Happy Trails!"

MTBR What do you think?

 

[rlee]

Kona's response= Blah blah blah blah.
I mean they sell certain bikes with identical frames and different fork lengths.
I wouldn't increase the fork travel. If you really need more travel then it is new bike time.
I have a revelation on my CR and am considering a charger upgrade but for the price you have to weigh out a Fox SC34.
Finding the balance of enough pressure and getting full travel is a problem for the entry level damper of a revelation.

 

[GLD1980]

From all the reading I've been doing on this your probably right. I'm going to get the Charger 2 upgrade and maybe the MRP Ramp Control so I can control my adjustments and achieve a better feel.
I just set sag and rebound yesterday per RS instructions for SoloAir and Motion Control and it already feels better.
In this sport learning the how and why then doing the installation & repairs yourself properly can really assist in understanding the feel and save $$$.

Why wouldn't you increase the travel?

 

[rlee]

I think the bike is a true balanced trail hardtail. If you increased the travel it would lose its character. I have over forked bikes before. Just my opinion.
The only thing that I would wonder is if you put a 140mm fork then a angle headset to get the stack height down. The head tube angle would end up very slack but it wouldn't feel like riding a chopper.
By the time you buy a charger damper and a ramp control how far away are you from buying a high end fork? What could you sell you original fork for?

 

[GLD1980]

I think the bike is a true balanced trail hardtail. If you increased the travel it would lose its character. I have over forked bikes before. Just my opinion.
The only thing that I would wonder is if you put a 140mm fork then a angle headset to get the stack height down. The head tube angle would end up very slack but it wouldn't feel like riding a chopper.
By the time you buy a charger damper and a ramp control how far away are you from buying a high end fork? What could you sell you original fork for?

rlee,

You just helped me realize I have alot to learn. I have no clue about fox suspension forks or let alone the rest of the field. I only speak a little Single Crown Solo or Debonair in RockShox for now. I am just learning about the Revelation/Pike & Yari/Lyric relationship. I have a baseline understanding after hours of reading, some basic tuning trial and errors and a few epic falls lately to where I've bonded with my Rockshox Rev RC Solo Air MoCo. I understand the base positives and negatives of what I currently have and the benefits of the above mentioned upgrades, and what they'll bring for my riding style and look forward to learning how to really get the most out of my Honzo once its fine tuned with upgrades equipped.

I look forward to learning more about the high & low speed compression adjustments and better dampening & ability to control spring rate. I think it will make my fork at par with upper end spec'd Pike or close. I've read great things from others whom have gone this route with the exception of the DebonAir 140mm upgrade.
Personally I prefer tinkering on what I have, learning how it operates then learning how to make it function better. Then using all I've learned battling the terrain, whatever it may be. It will cost around $550 Installed professionally or by me because I will need tools, oils, grease, applicators etc... oh yeah and patience.

What will a better fork cost in your opinion and what is a better fork. I weigh 230 with gear and I try to push my limits constantly.

I dont anticipate I'll sell my fork or my Honzo. Ever.

 

[rlee]

What is a better fork is a very debateable discussion. I am a fox guy and run factory stuff on my enduro bike. If I were to change my revelation I would buy a fox step cast 34. I weigh 170 plus gear.
If you feel you want to upgrade your Revelation then there is nothing wrong with that, just let us know how it works out.
Until you own a Honzo you don't realize why they have a cult following.

 

[beer_coffee_water]

As a former steel Honzo rider, still owner, 140mm is just fine for the frame. I rebuilt a Yari into a Lyrik RC2 and it was the first I opened a fork. There are very simple to follow videos on YouTube from Rockshox. Namely the 50 hour lower leg service and damper swap ones. I would suggest watching those videos and see if you feel like following the advice to come.

I prefaced with that because I think your swap is way overpriced for replacing an air spring that costs $40 for $90 in labor. You could and should buy the tools and supplies for less that and be able to do the lower leg service for pennies. The damper swap is even easier. If you go this route you will gain some very valuable skills that will pay off immediately.

And going 140mm makes the Honzo what the Honzo is, an aggressive hardtail for crushing trails. Here is a good geo calculator: https://bikegeo.muha.cc It'll help show you the effects of different fork lengths and geo adjusting headsets.

Just to give you some reassurance, I plan on rebuilding my Honzo with a 160mm 27.5 fork, same A2C as a 140mm 29er, and a -°2 headset. There with be more leverage on the headtube, but there are dudes bigger and more aggressive than me running longer A2C or travel forks doing just fine. The Honzo is a stout bike and will easily handle another 20mm of travel without worry.

 

[GLD1980]

As a former steel Honzo rider, still owner, 140mm is just fine for the frame. I rebuilt a Yari into a Lyrik RC2 and it was the first I opened a fork. There are very simple to follow videos on YouTube from Rockshox. Namely the 50 hour lower leg service and damper swap ones. I would suggest watching those videos and see if you feel like following the advice to come.

I prefaced with that because I think your swap is way overpriced for replacing an air spring that costs $40 for $90 in labor. You could and should buy the tools and supplies for less that and be able to do the lower leg service for pennies. The damper swap is even easier. If you go this route you will gain some very valuable skills that will pay off immediately.

And going 140mm makes the Honzo what the Honzo is, an aggressive hardtail for crushing trails. Here is a good geo calculator: https://bikegeo.muha.cc It'll help show you the effects of different fork lengths and geo adjusting headsets.

Just to give you some reassurance, I plan on rebuilding my Honzo with a 160mm 27.5 fork, same A2C as a 140mm 29er, and a -°2 headset. There with be more leverage on the headtube, but there are dudes bigger and more aggressive than me running longer A2C or travel forks doing just fine. The Honzo is a stout bike and will easily handle another 20mm of travel without worry.

You read my mind on the rebuild and thanks for the confidence boost on the upgrade. I needed that.
So I already have the DebonAir 140mm air spring and I will wait till I can afford the Charger 2 Damper upgrade to do it all at the same time. It will be my first time taking apart forks so I will study up then knock it out. I've seen most the vids and saved them now I just need the equipment.

Can I run the 140mm air spring with just motion control or will rebound and dampening not keep up? At least in my head that's what I feel.

 

[beer_coffee_water]

You read my mind on the rebuild and thanks for the confidence boost on the upgrade. I needed that.
So I already have the DebonAir 140mm air spring and I will wait till I can afford the Charger 2 Damper upgrade to do it all at the same time. It will be my first time taking apart forks so I will study up then knock it out. I've seen most the vids and saved them now I just need the equipment.

Can I run the 140mm air spring with just motion control or will rebound and dampening not keep up? At least in my head that's what I feel.

I opted to throw my air spring before I had the damper. The air spring is a worthwhile standalone upgrade. The moco had its flaws but my fork more plush with just air spring. Side bonus for getting extra teardown and buildup experience to make swapping the damper easier. Have fun with it!

 

[GLD1980]

I opted to throw my air spring before I had the damper. The air spring is a worthwhile standalone upgrade. The moco had its flaws but my fork more plush with just air spring. Side bonus for getting extra teardown and buildup experience to make swapping the damper easier. Have fun with it!

This is great to hear. I'll let you know once it is done.

 

[yonsson]

Nice read! I’m only on my first season on my Honzo AL (2019) and I’m reading up on upgrading from the stock Recon RL 120mm to a 140mm Pike. A little worried that I will mess up the geo, but it seems like a popular choice for the steel Honzo version, I have no idea how the ST and AL differs regarding geo. The stock AL fork has a 51mm offset, would a shorter offset 140mm counterattack the potential geo issue with swapping a 120mm fork to a 140mm fork?