[Jerome]

Got the frame only (with front derailleur) and put it alltogether with aftermarket parts : Psylo Race, Mavic 317, Marta brakes, Thomson controls, XT/XTR Gruppo, Profile Solar CF riser bar, etc.

 

[Jerome]

Forgot to say : there's also a BETD linkage that gives either 90 (actual position), 110 or 130 mm travel.

 

[MMcG]

Forgot to say : there's also a BETD linkage that gives either 90 (actual position), 110 or 130 mm travel.

Pretty sharp!

What travel setting do you primarily ride it in? That BETD linkage must match up well with the adjustability of the Psylo.

Just curious but are you in the UK Jerome?

 

[Jerome]

Pretty sharp!

What travel setting do you primarily ride it in? That BETD linkage must match up well with the adjustability of the Psylo.

Just curious but are you in the UK Jerome?

Hi,

I chose the 90 mm setting on the linkage to match the 100 mm setting of the fork. Primarily because I feel that 4 inches are just the right balance of travel for what I do with my XC bike but also because I like the slacker angle it gives. Plus, the stock Fox shock won't keep more air than what it has to at this setting for my weight (130 psi for my 79 kg/175 lb). With the 110 mm position (there's also a 130 mm option), I should put about 160 psi and the shock won't hold that much pressure. As for your final question, no, I live in Montreal, Canada, although I'm from the other side of the Channel originally (long time ago...)

 

[S-Works]

Here's my 99 FSR XC

I got the BETD too, and have always run it at 110mm. Makes a world of difference over the 90mm setting. At 90mm you are at 3.6 inches of travel. I think the bike handles much better at 110mm, not as twitchy in tight singletrack. I also put Mountainspeed's dropout bearing kit in, also made a huge difference in rear travel smoothness.

I have a 99 Fox Float RC and I weigh 175lbs. My pressure is 155lbs. I've never had a single problem with the shock holding air. I have friend's who run close to 200lbs in the same shock. Maybe yours needs new seals if it won't hold air. DIY job, $10 in parts from Fox.

I'm running a TALAS upfront, usually at 90 -100 mm for climbing and closer to 110 for descending. Love the performance of the fork, it is truly as smooth as my Vanilla Forx before it. Also been running X-9 shifters and X-0 r. Der. They have performed flawlessly for the four months I've had them, very positive feel for shifing, and I've not had to adjust them once. With my XTR setup it seemed like I was adjusting the cable tension at every ride.

later

 

[S-Works]

Jerome, One more thing. If you like your current head angle, but liked the 110mm travel better. You can have both, you simply flip you BETD link around, that will raise the BB a bit and steepen the head angle.

Good Dirt!

 

[Jerome]

I got the BETD too, and have always run it at 110mm. Makes a world of difference over the 90mm setting. At 90mm you are at 3.6 inches of travel. I think the bike handles much better at 110mm, not as twitchy in tight singletrack. I also put Mountainspeed's dropout bearing kit in, also made a huge difference in rear travel smoothness.

I have a 99 Fox Float RC and I weigh 175lbs. My pressure is 155lbs. I've never had a single problem with the shock holding air. I have friend's who run close to 200lbs in the same shock. Maybe yours needs new seals if it won't hold air. DIY job, $10 in parts from Fox.

I'm running a TALAS upfront, usually at 90 -100 mm for climbing and closer to 110 for descending. Love the performance of the fork, it is truly as smooth as my Vanilla Forx before it. Also been running X-9 shifters and X-0 r. Der. They have performed flawlessly for the four months I've had them, very positive feel for shifing, and I've not had to adjust them once. With my XTR setup it seemed like I was adjusting the cable tension at every ride.

later

Strange, because, by steepening the seat and head angle (when going from 90 to 110 mm), the bike should become more twitchy (which it has a tendency to be anyway). I know about the bearing kit, but since I plan on getting the 04 Stumpy, I'm not sure I'll invest any more money in this bike. As for pressure, I know the shock should hold air better and I've already been through a complete rebuild at a Fox center, but the problem remains. Maybe it's because the bike was originally a low-end model (although I put so much money in it that it turned out to be a high-end bike) equiped with a low-end shock...

 

[Jerome]

Jerome, One more thing. If you like your current head angle, but liked the 110mm travel better. You can have both, you simply flip you BETD link around, that will raise the BB a bit and steepen the head angle.

Good Dirt!

Good idea. I'll give it a try. At this time, we're under snow and it's freezing (Welcome to Canada ;-), so I'll see this springs how it works out. Thanks anyway for the advice. Nice bike, BTW. How much does it weight ?

 

[S-Works]

Jerome,

you are not making it steeper by changing the rear travel, if anything you make it slacker because the suspension in back can compress more, making the head angle slacker.
Flipping the link around raises the BB, and makes the head angle steeper. I tried it that way for the first time last week and did not like it. But experiment with the different settings to see what works for you. But I will never go back to a bike with less that four inches of travel.

The bike weighs just under 27 lls.

Later

 

[Jerome]

Jerome,

you are not making it steeper by changing the rear travel, if anything you make it slacker because the suspension in back can compress more, making the head angle slacker.
Later

You do make the angles steeper if you raise the rear travel, since you " push " the bike forward. It's true that you can go further in the travel, but, since (except if you allow more sag) you're gonna use the same travel in a given position, whichever the shock travel , the relative angles when the shock compresses are gonna be more agressive (steeper)if you raise the rear shock travel. On the opposite, if you raise the length of the fork, you're gonna slacken the angles.

 

[borg]

Modified FSR

Here a pic of mine posing waiting for the rider to catch his breath. Psylos SL up front which I dial up and down depending on the climb, BETD suspension link which I've left at the 117 position. I am still playing with the shock pressure, which I have been using 285# for my 200 (+/-) rider weight. Any suggestions? The shock link is really unbelivable.

 

[S-Works]

yeah, you are right. The front travel increase will have more of an effect. I got used to my bike at 110mm rear, and 100 front with my previous Vanilla Forx and a Z2 Atom 100 before that. When I flipped the link for the higher BB position, it really speeded up the handling, which I did not like, or wasn't used to.

 

[mtnbkr4eva]

99 FSR-XC with BETD link

My bike has a Psylo SL, with BETD linkage and bearing kit.Been riding it like that for about 1.5 yrs. Works great in the short travel position. If I put it in the long travel position, it bobs like crazy while climbing so I always run it at the short travel. I always thought that the stock Fox Vanilla couldnt handle the added leverage of the long travel. I usually run the air pressure @ 165lbs. although I have tried it at higher pressures, and it still bobs. I weigh 180lbs.

PS: I started doing drops and freeriding the bike and have cracked the swingarm just in front of the rear tire. Am waiting on my local bike shop to warantee it with Specialized.. They may only replace the lower swingarm, hopefully i get the whole triangle with the disc brake tab. ('99 does not have tabs)

 

[S-Works]

Hey mtnbkr4eva,

I cracked my chainstay in the same place, Specialized replaced under warranty with a beefier chainstay. I purchased a seatstay from a 01 Rockhopper FSR from my LBS for $90. So no shark fin adaptor. Worst case, you may be able to do that.

 

[mtnbkr4eva]

Thanx for the input S-Works

Hopefully there is an available seatstay I can get. In the meantime, I bought a Bullit! I'll probably turn my FSR into a Cross-Country race bike and get it as lite as possible...........

 

[Spookykinkajou]

my stump '03 fsr comp

Bought the frame for 300 off ebay and added all the other parts on my own...nice ride!