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i've returned....ish. snapped HD!

after owning two white HD's i decided to try something else so built a 2013 nomad carbon. it was an awesome bike but didn't quite feel right on the trails. i spent a while decideing between covert c, evil uprising or another hd etc. Finally hunted down a vit p hd and was eager to get back riding.
I built this.
2013 vit p large - ctd
2013 deville 170
works -1
formula ro 200 rear 220 front
crossmax sx
hans dampf trailstar/pacestar
saint m820 10 speed
raceface atlas cranks with raceface wide/narrow
point one podiums
sdg ibeam saddle and post
oury grips with red lock ons
easton havoc 35mm stem
renthal bars
xt cassette

i love how it climbs and handles , especially on the tight twisties, i dont like how the rear sits up too much and the steep descents and the saddle regularly hits my arse and i'd like it a bit slacker.
overal i'm chuffed to bits as its an oustanding all rounder, but....

i heard a nasty pop when landing a drop yesterday. Further inspection revealed a snapped swingarm.
anyone else seen a broken hd before?
 

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It happened on a fairly mild descent going over a two foot drop on part of the trail. I'm about 180lbs running 25% sag. I'm guessing it's just a one off and have mailed ibis to discuss. My lbs asked me to drop it back in to them tomorrow. I'm seriously gutted, it's my only bike atm, the weather is el scorchio over here and I need to be training fo a 80 miler coming up in September.
Fingers crossed it can be sorted soon.
Nice build. Yours is the first one I've heard of breaking. There are so many things that could cause it. Curious, (not judging): How big of a drop did you take? Was it to flat?

Call Ibis and let us know what they say. They're a good company, and it'll be interesting to see what they suggestion.
 
It happened on a fairly mild descent going over a two foot drop on part of the trail. I'm about 180lbs running 25% sag. I'm guessing it's just a one off and have mailed ibis to discuss. My lbs asked me to drop it back in to them tomorrow. I'm seriously gutted, it's my only bike atm, the weather is el scorchio over here and I need to be training fo a 80 miler coming up in September.
Fingers crossed it can be sorted soon.
Was this a new frame or 2nd hand? Either its a internal fracture, sometimes carbon can look fine on the outside only way to tell carbon is X-ray, but could be just a lay up issue, who knows Ibis will take care of it for sure, I have no trust issues with mine done easily twice that size drop to flat and definitely not seen or heard of that before.

25% sag is why you feel like the rear sits up as well. Also not sure what sag your front is but both will give it that feel, if you haven't already start at 20% sag front, 30% in rear, if you feel like you will lose mid-stroke support then get Fox's volume spacer kit 20bucks off Jenson!

Then you won't need to worry about angle-sets and stuff!
 
By the sound it made I knew something wasn't quite right. I stopped and had a quick look but couldn't see it. It rode home the remainder 3 miles along the canal fine.
My last hd took some serious gnarlage with the ccdb and rp23 and was good as new when I sold it.
This one is brand new 3 short rides old.
Your right about the sag setup. I've been off the bike for a while so was running more peddally orientated sag. Even with this the ctd goes through all is travel.
 
What rear shocks are you guys using? I had an rp23 and a ccdb on my last one. The ccdb did work well. I wouldn't mind trying a ccdba or vivid air b1 this time. Quite intrigued about 650b as well which will have a bearing on which shock to use.
 
I'm running the Fox Float CTD. As long as the rebound and sag are set correctly, it feels fine. I might try the adaptive logic boost value pieces you can buy to change the airflow in it though. It's supposed to increase the progressiveness of the rear shock.

I don't think you need a CCDB for this bike, but your call depending on how much you want to tweak.
Start with this, no need for adaptive logic lol sorry Stripes not meaning to dis you btw, tis a good suggestion not sure on adaptive logic though, this is a way cheaper starting place just saying.

Fox Float Volume Spacer Kit > Components > Rear Shocks | Jenson USA Online Bike Shop

Personally and just me, I wouldn't over invest in a Fox shock on this frame, better cheaper options imo like below!

New Float X I dunno be good to test!

Depending on how hard you ride. I do think the Float std ctd whatever, have had ctd too, is a limiting factor on the bike, fine for most once dialled into how you ride, body weight etc terrain, e.g more linear or progressive at 160 the float is more susceptible to mid stroke wallow or lacking support less so in the shorter stroke at 140mode.

If you ride hard, like lots of traction more downhill focused so weight is not major issue, climbing is relative to your engine not shock ime, then a CCDBa would be a great upgrade, or Monarch Plus or Vector air or BOS maybe not ridden a Bos but would love to compare.

But def start first on low end and work up that way you'll know if its an improvement for your setup and style and not waste money throwing it and hoping its a magic bean solution:thumbsup:
 
Anne,
The monarch plus does fit a small frame, I've been running one for over a year on my small HD. You just have to run it backwards,. no clearance issues. I don't think the rp23 is to bad on the HD, but when you really start getting the feel for the HD you may find the fox shock lacking. My pushed monarch plus is a very noticeable improvement over the stock rp23 that came with my frame. Maybe the ctd shock has been improved? I seen Jeff k Weed(ibis employee and pro rider) at northstar riding his HD with a xfusion 02 shock/non piggyback and he was very happy with it so that's probably another good option. I was told by xfusion that they do have a dw link tune option and it only adds around $50 to the price of a shock. You can call them direct, that's how I found out about the tune options. I probably wouldn't bother changing the shock until you got really comfortable with the HD first.

Small HD with monarch plus,,,
Image


What would you recommend for those of us on small frames? From my understanding, the Monarch Plus MIGHT fit, but I know the CCDB won't do it. I've heard good things about the X-Fusion on the HD though, so I might try that in the future, but right now I'm not riding it hard enough to justify another shock on it for a while.

From what I understand the X-fusion has a special tune for the HD. Can anyone here confirm that?
 
X-Fusion does have a special tune for the HD. My buddy rides one. The stock Fox shock is fine for regular riding or even big single hits like jumping. It breaks down when you get into fast rocky chunk. It simply becomes overwhelmed and can't keep up in addition it seems to overheating. I run a Monarch Plus and love it. It is like night and day vs the standard Fox stuff. I had to switch back to my RP23 when I sent the RS back to Push for annual maintenance and the bike did not descend or CLIMB nearly as well.
 
X-Fusion does have a special tune for the HD. My buddy rides one. The stock Fox shock is fine for regular riding or even big single hits like jumping. It breaks down when you get into fast rocky chunk. It simply becomes overwhelmed and can't keep up in addition it seems to overheating. I run a Monarch Plus and love it. It is like night and day vs the standard Fox stuff. I had to switch back to my RP23 when I sent the RS back to Push for annual maintenance and the bike did not descend or CLIMB nearly as well.
This begs me to change and seems to be dead on the head as far as performance discription. My 7 month old ctd shock gave up climb and trail this week. Its an ok shock. Fox has warrantied it so kudos to them, but still an inconvienence for me, stuff happens. Nothing is perfect. I think after they fix or replace I'm looking at Monarch for the next shock. Heard nothing but the good about them. I'll ride the fox till it gives up the ghost after warranty runs out. Side note: got my new KS lev installed today. Woohoo!
Got about an hour ride before the rain came. BUMMER!
 
My first experience with a ctd was on my nomad carbon. With the car park test I thought "woah, this feels great". On smooth trails I liked it, then hit some chunk and it just didn't perform. It just couldn't react at speed and blew through its travel easily on jumps, drops and on corners. It was only until I changed to push link and pushed rc4 that I liked the nomad but then it was too fr/dh orientated.
It's better on the hd but still flies through its travel.
I'd like a very sensitive shock, something that can react quickly to successive hits with a lot of control mid to late stroke.
 
Good oil guys awesome info, hard for me Stripes as I ride a Large so great others on small frames have shared they're experiences props all:thumbsup:

XFusion def have dw tune, I see the Life Cycles team are running the new XFusion Slant fork and O2 shock with remote allot this year and while some reckon it dosen"t matter what pros run, if we all took that premise we would all still be riding around on beach cruisers.

Be great to see someone run the XFusion O2 to give some real world feedback, will write a review some time down the track on Vector air and Vengeance HLR air combo, unsure if you would have clearance issues on a small frame with the Vector, but as others have said flip it around should be fine, I run all my shocks this way anyhow piggyback or no just feel better oil and heat dissipation improve somewhat not life changing but better.

New Monarch with pro rebound counter measure would be interesting, the Rockshox package Pike/Monarch I think is a pretty hard combo to beat this year, prob the pick, guys here running the solo Pike coming off 36s/34s 32s say its unbelieveable and it feels great and dam light for 35mm, only heard good things about the Monarch too, not ridden one on a HD, but I like it as an option, be great to compare an 02, MP, Kirk, Float X. :thumbsup:
 
Literally cooked it. Had it sitting on front of the exhaust pipe for a while while driving home and woke up next morning with a fried carbon rim.
oh ****, man I feel ya pain but good info sharing, everyone check your exhaust to carbon rim distance, I rarely carry my bike on the bike rack but have a bit lately since using a tool box on the back of the truck, must check this, I no my rims are good, but still good to be aware, cheers :thumbsup:
 
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