[WHALENARD]

Any of you guys between the S4 & S5 NOT digging the longer chain stays or wheelbase on the S5?

I'm somewhere between 6'1.5" and 6'2" and the S5 would be the longest bike I've ever owned with the longest chain stays in 29'r. Coming off an XL Orbea Rallon which I quite like and sometimes that feels a touch slow slamming into turns & such. Feeling a little uneasy going even bigger but obviously the S4 would be to small.

Sorry, I know I'm a little late to the party here. Any input for guys my size on the S5 appreciated.

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[Suns_PSD]

Long chainstays are awesome and I'll never go back to short ones.
And I'm about 3" shorter than you.
The long CS IS the reason to bump up to the S5, not the extra front center.
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[Suns_PSD]

It hurts my inner weight weenism but I might have to bump up to a 200mm dropper post from my 175 and probably go to a true 34.9 to deal with creaking.

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[Crit Rat]

I have zero creaking with my 31.6 210mm One Up. Carbon paste on the shim and then grease on the dropper into the shim. If I was buying new I'd probably go 34.9 though.

I've been on long chain stay bikes for a season for acoustic and a couple of seasons for ebike now and I'm a big fan. Rear center should grow with front center in my strong opinion.

Third ride today on my S5 and I'm starting to feel like I'm getting it dialed in. I think that stack height is really important on this bike as is getting the shock accurately dialed in. I've never liked a DPX2 before but am really impressed with it on this bike. I'd like to try the .86 spacer as I wouldn't mind more suppleness but I had good support today after bumping rear pressure some. The bike is really composed on the rough and gets lots of traction. Where I rode today was super dry and dusty and I felt like I still had considerable traction. Strava didn't record for some reason which is too bad as I wanted to compare times as I did pin it on one descent. It does feel fast though but is still very agile, jumps well too.

New Fox 36 is a nice evolution from last generation. Rides higher in it's travel but still plush, also the first Fox fork in awhile that didn't feel as if it didn't need a lower leg service out of the box. Friction does seem reduced.

Sram drivetrain also seems smoother than 2019 stuff. The jump to 42 from the 52 seems no different than 50.

 

[JL_Mac]

240mm insertion on an S3 frame? Everything I’ve seen says 200mm for an S3. Maybe I just got confused as you mentioned 240mm then vital’s listed 200mm and said both were correct? From your measurements, maybe the 200 mm is correct for the post itself, but there’s space for the actuator to slide down further?

I have an S3 on order and thinking about a longer post, so this is good info! If it is indeed 200, that doesn’t leave much space to go longer than the stock 150mm post

I shouldn't have confused matters by mentioning the Vital info. I think 240mm is the correct number to go with on the S3. I just did a very imprecise cardboard tube max insertion test and it went in 235mm. Maybe there was an extra 5mm available, but the tube was only 235 mm long and I didn't want to lose it in there!

 

[-C-]

Any of you guys between the S4 & S5 NOT digging the longer chain stays or wheelbase on the S5?

I'm somewhere between 6'1.5" and 6'2" and the S5 would be the longest bike I've ever owned with the longest chain stays in 29'r. Coming off an XL Orbea Rallon which I quite like and sometimes that feels a touch slow slamming into turns & such. Feeling a little uneasy going even bigger but obviously the S4 would be to small.

Sorry, I know I'm a little late to the party here. Any input for guys my size on the S5 appreciated.

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Yep - on paper i'm well into serious consideration for the S5 size (same height as you).

I have an S4. I've had a bike that's as big as an S5 & basically I rode it like an idiot, because it felt way too big for me. The only time I absolutely gelled with it was racing one stage at the EWS in Whister - Top of the World down into the village, where it was absolutely flat out, balls to the wall pace. 10+ mins in when wrecked it allowed me to just hang on. The rest of the race, not so great, there was a lot of tight, awkward tech & it just felt unmanageably large to muscle round everywhere. I know from experience now & trying a few bikes anything 470-480mm reach with a decent STA, a 50mm stem & stays around the 440mm works best for me.

I've been running it in neutral/low for a while & now having a play so will swap to high/slack this week

 

[Grizzy]

Anyone try a 216x63 shock & 275 rear wheel?


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[Suns_PSD]

Yep - on paper i'm well into serious consideration for the S5 size (same height as you).

I have an S4. I've had a bike that's as big as an S5 & basically I rode it like an idiot, because it felt way too big for me. The only time I absolutely gelled with it was racing one stage at the EWS in Whister - Top of the World down into the village, where it was absolutely flat out, balls to the wall pace. 10+ mins in when wrecked it allowed me to just hang on. The rest of the race, not so great, there was a lot of tight, awkward tech & it just felt unmanageably large to muscle round everywhere. I know from experience now & trying a few bikes anything 470-480mm reach with a decent STA, a 50mm stem & stays around the 440mm works best for me.

I've been running it in neutral/low for a while & now having a play so will swap to high/slack this week

S3 E29 is the obvious solution for this situation.
The shorter bike you desire, longer CS, and frankly a better EWS bike than the Evo.

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[-C-]

S3 E29 is the obvious solution for this situation.
The shorter bike you desire, longer CS, and frankly a better EWS bike than the Evo.

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I came from an E29 funnily enough.

Ultimately though, whilst I do race a few, they make up a tiny % of actual riding, so a bike more suitable to my every day life & more local races is the priority. The Evo is a considerably better all round bike IMO. I'll be interested when it eventually dries out in the UK to compare how it goes speed wise too - I wouldn't be too surprised if its actually quicker for me.

 

[Suns_PSD]

Where can I locate some replacement oem shock hardware, preferably online?

Thanks.

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[Bradical]

Where can I locate some replacement oem shock hardware, preferably online?

Thanks.

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Yes, I need some as well, specifically the metal inserts

 

[Suns_PSD]

Yes, I need some as well, specifically the metal inserts

Same. Just need those metal inserts at the lower shock mount.

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[dragoontwo]

Same. Just need those metal inserts at the lower shock mount.

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Should be able to order it from big S with part number S204200032.

This comes from the bike service page here under shock mounting hardware.

 

[dragoontwo]

They give long and short seat stay part numbers also.

 

[Headoc]

Any of you guys between the S4 & S5 NOT digging the longer chain stays or wheelbase on the S5?

I'm somewhere between 6'1.5" and 6'2" and the S5 would be the longest bike I've ever owned with the longest chain stays in 29'r. Coming off an XL Orbea Rallon which I quite like and sometimes that feels a touch slow slamming into turns & such. Feeling a little uneasy going even bigger but obviously the S4 would be to small.

Sorry, I know I'm a little late to the party here. Any input for guys my size on the S5 appreciated.

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[/QUOTE

I wouldn’t hesitate. 6’2. Not going back to short stays. Had a Rallon in XL. The EVO feels a lot more stable.

 

[WHALENARD]

Cool, thanks for that. Any other comparo to the Rallon... climbing, cornering, suspension action?

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[GlazedHam]

Install the .86 volume spacer, add 30#s over your naked body weight, and you will be very close.

The volume spacer is not only needed to retain more travel, but it improves climbing notably as the shock has more midrange support.

If you stick with the included .6 volume spacer add 35 psi over body weight but be prepared for excessive movement.

I have not had a chance to try the .86 yet, but with the stock .5 I've narrowed in on 218psi in the shock as sort of the least amount of spring I can run without tons of bottoming out. I weigh 170lbs so 218 minus 170 is 48 ...so waaay over the starting point cited. I'm bottom out a ton in the Descend/Open mode yet find the middle mode too harsh. I'm running LSC almost wide open. Without much Sag, the bike feels a bit tall. I like the way the bike rides with more dynamic sag. Bike totally kicks ass anyway, just being fussy about race setup.

Anyway, install the .86 tomorrow and hoping for more bottom out resistance with more dynamic sag.

 

[Suns_PSD]

I only briefly put the shock in to the descent mode. It really has no support like that and it's not something I had use for because on the rare uplift day like yesterday at Cat mountain I still have to pedal plenty.

I should have clarified that my recommendations were in the middle 'trail' position.

Air pressure is not to be used to prevent bottom outs. Sag is not the wildly adjustable parameter used to dial in bottom outs that many make it out to be here and in other similar threads. The bike is supposed to have 20-22% standing sag up front & 29-32% sitting sag in the rear. This results in correct bike geometry and support. It's almost a non- adjustable parameter and certainly has a narrow window where it's correct and the bike handles as intended.

Spring rate has little effect on bottoming resistance although it does support the weight and sink down less. Compression damping is what slows the suspension movement down and prevents bottom outs. With high spring pressure and low damping, might as well be riding a pogo stick. True story, when I was a kid as a joke a friend turned out my rebound damping on my CR125 shock and I proceeded to endo myself into the ground on the very first jump, a large jump I had been doing all day.

You need more damping and more volume spacers and of course correct sag. I ran lsc at 6 from closed and rebound at 5 from closed. I'll never understand the common mtb suspension setting of 'all clickers wide open'. Do these riders think the suspension engineers are all idiots?

And it seems some coil shock guys are going the other way, running not nearly enough spring and relying on the damping to support the bike in a weird low position that rakes it way out, not at all how the bike manufacturer intended, but surely makes it feel more stable when pointed straight down. Too bad it's not a DH bike.

I just requested a 575# spring for my own EXT and I weigh 181#s give or take and am not carrying a pack currently as it's cool out so probably 185# riding weight and even my bike is 4#s lighter than some others. On my 550# spring the bike gives up it's travel just a bit too easily but it's close. It sits sort of down in the stiff damping when under any load and gives up it's compliance. Sure I could keep adding in preload, but preload doesn't equal spring rate. Better to have a light touch on the preload. Adding extra lsc damping to try and hold it up makes it pack, chatter & hang up. Backing off rebound makes it just hop.

Hoping the 575# spring with very little preload works well for me. It'll certainly be the ticket when I add a hydration pack.


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[Jank bike]

Great thread. Lots of knowledgeable people in here. Hoping to get some advice as I am not nearly as bike savvy.

1)Trying to decide between S3 and S4. I am 5'9" with 30 inseam. I am coming off a really old bike, a 2013 Specialized Enduro with 425mm reach. Sounds like a lot of people are sizing up. Was thinking going S3 since it will already feel bigger than my current bike and worried S4 would be too big of a jump from what I am use to. This will be my one and only do everything bike.

2) I know these bikes are hard to come by right now, but is it worth trying to find an Expert model over a Comp model? As far as the Comp model goes, what would you recommend as the best parts to upgrade? Not trying to go crazy and break the bank. Just want a solid bike as I do ride a lot.

Appreciate any advice!

 

[norbertm]

Great thread. Lots of knowledgeable people in here. Hoping to get some advice as I am not nearly as bike savvy.

1)Trying to decide between S3 and S4. I am 5'9" with 30 inseam. I am coming off a really old bike, a 2013 Specialized Enduro with 425mm reach. Sounds like a lot of people are sizing up. Was thinking going S3 since it will already feel bigger than my current bike and worried S4 would be too big of a jump from what I am use to. This will be my one and only do everything bike.

2) I know these bikes are hard to come by right now, but is it worth trying to find an Expert model over a Comp model? As far as the Comp model goes, what would you recommend as the best parts to upgrade? Not trying to go crazy and break the bank. Just want a solid bike as I do ride a lot.

Appreciate any advice!

Lighter wheels and fork. On my comp I plan to upgrade the dpx2 to factory also to gain lsc adjustment, but it’s very hard to order. I also changed the stem to bonty pro line and handlebar to carbon Race face next r 790mm 20mm rise (had it gathering the dust on the shelf) - thinking about carbon 30mm rise bar.... The rest is great. Slx components work great, manic dropper, saddle is awesome.