I'll start; 185 walking around, 195ish kitted up. I just swapped from the medium coil to the firm and it's much better. Much more precise, much less braking dive and I still use the same amount of travel.

If anybody weighing 180+ is having issues with vagueness, dive or what feels like harshness, I'd recommend at least trying a firm spring.....takes 30 min to swap out!

 

Coil rates are as follows

Xtra soft - 31lbs
Soft - 39lbs
Medium - 47lbs
Firm - 55lbs
Xtra firm - 60lbs

 

Good info, I don't see any reason why a VorSprung converted coil fork should be different from the MRP for spring rate.

 

 

Subbed. Also, I like running into things with my Ribbon Coil.

 

Noah's in....yes!

Any chance you could speak to why you think MRP and the VorSprung coil recommendations are a bit different?

 

Any chance of a medium/firm spring that was discussed on the MRP Ribbon thread? Would buy one as soon as it’s available!

 

I raced an Enduro up in Idaho (EWS Qualifier) last weekend with my Ribbon, the fork was super harsh on the high speed chatter, roots and square edged rocks. Anybody have a similar experience? Still felt controlled and not wollowy, but very harsh. The large slower hits were well controlled.

 

Try reducing your rebound damping.

 

Hey Noah, quick question on tuning the Ribbon 29 coil. I have it set up at 150 mm and I'm 180 lbs, riding in North Vancouver. I had the medium coil on it at first. Amazing small bump and felt great all around. Just bottomed out a little too easily. I had the Ramp control maxed. I didn't play with the pre-load before swapping to the firm coil. Would adding pre-load help with the bottom out? Or just the initial position?

Mike

 

Would adding pre-load help with the bottom out? Or just the initial position?

Adding preload does change the force required to achieve any given amount of travel, but not the rate. So yes, it would increase the force required for bottom-out, but not by a lot. It's best used to fine tune ride height (sag) and initial feel.

I'm nearly your weight and could see being in a similar situation. If the firm spring feels like too much at 150mm, you could try it at 145mm. Or, conversely, go back to the medium and take the fork out to 155 or 160mm.

 

I'm riding a ribbon air 150 on my Devinci Troy 29", looking to convert the ribbon to coil. Two questions: Would the coil ribbon play well with an air shock out back (currently rs super deluxe)? Also would the coil conversion change my axle to crown length at all if I stick with 150 travel?

 

After a couple of rides since changing to soft spring - definitely did the trick. Much more responsive on small bumps and still great mid level and big hit response. Getting much better travel. Harshness gone. Using about half the rebound and some preload.

Makes sense, but it’s more challenging to get it right when you’re on the border of two springs.

 

Thought I would weigh in on the spring rate conversation. Until recently, I was running the medium spring. The fork felt good, but not great. The 140mm DVO air fork on my 29er felt better, especially on fast, rowdy trails. Obviously not ideal when the trail bike goes downhill better than the enduro bike...

The specific shortcomings I experience on the Ribbon coil with medium spring:
-excessive brake dive
-not using full travel (max of 130mm even when deliberately trying to load the fork on 4'+ drops, rocks, dips, etc)
-felt dead when I wanted to get the front end up
-harsh at high speeds

I tried a bunch of different damper settings, but nothing got the fork quite to where I wanted it. I was on the fence about whether to try the soft spring to see if I could use more travel or try the firm spring to dial out the brake dive and dead feeling.

I went with firm, and I am very, very happy with the results. No more brake dive. No more harshness at speed. No more dead feeling on jumps and trail features. The fork stays higher in its travel, but since I feel more confidence and ride faster, I end up using more travel! 145mm on normal trail rides, about 155mm on faster trails with drops, and 160mm when I purposely land nose heavy. Better fork = faster pace = more travel used.

My current settings
Fork: 27.5 coil at 165mm
Weight: 190lb in gear
Spring: firm
LSC: 2 cicks from closed
Ramp: 20 clicks from closed
Rebound: 10 clicks from closed

 

-not using full travel (max of 130mm even when deliberately trying to load the fork on 4'+ drops, rocks, dips, etc

I went with firm, and I am very, very happy with the results. No more brake dive. No more harshness at speed. No more dead feeling on jumps and trail features. The fork stays higher in its travel, but since I feel more confidence and ride faster, I end up using more travel! 145mm on normal trail rides, about 155mm on faster trails with drops, and 160mm when I purposely land nose heavy. Better fork = faster pace = more travel used.

each to their own settings. The only thing that doesn't make sense to me is how you use more travel with a higher spring rate? Perhaps the lower service you did when changing the spring was the reason for the better use of travel?

 

Does anyone know if a 29er will fit in the 27.5 at all? I don't need much clearance it will be used in a dry xc race.

Edit: nope no way went to lbs won't fit. Maybe a semi slick might.

Ok so more crazy ideas. Will a dvo diamond 29 lower work? Has same stanchion diameter at 35mm and has same axle to crown @572mm at 160mm travel.
Both are cartridge based with no high pressure sealing in the lowers.
Ok won't work different stanchion spacing. Nice guy here in the forums JonnyC7 checked for me.

That's fine because Mrp quote $170 for lowers with new seals and bushes.

So I'm hooked up.

 

Paging Noah, this one's for you.

Yes it's a f**k up, but it's not what you think. For the record, I've changed springs in these forks multiple times so I know the correct procedure, and I was *not* trying to do that incorrectly in this case.

Basically I've been finding that I need to pop the adjusters out of the lower legs periodically to burp air out of the lowers (i.e. I don't get the same result using the buttons on the back of the legs).

In this case I had unscrewed the spring side top cap part way to take some preload off the spring, so I could tap the ramp adjuster in and pop the o-ring seal to release built up air pressure.

Anyway, having done this I then compressed the fork to snug everything back up so I could screw the adjuster back in, and turns out the top cap was unscrewed more than part way, as it popped out and the spring fired out of the top of the leg to where you see it. Had these forks 18 months and needless to say never had this happen before.

Now it's 100% completely and utterly jammed in that position, which is somewhat inconvenient.

Ideas please? Preferably not ones involving new CSU and spring...

Thanks!

 

Now it's 100% completely and utterly jammed in that position, which is somewhat inconvenient.

Ideas please? Preferably not ones involving new CSU and spring...

Thanks!

I don't think there's a magic bullet here - it's jammed, you've gotta get it out one way or another. I would think completely pulling it out might be the preference at this point vs. pushing it in. Pushing it back in would probably slightly increase the OD vs pulling it decreasing the spring diameter. That's my thought.

BUT, you may want to call tech support on this, Eric may have other ideas. 970-241-3518

Surprised you're getting a different effect by removing the foot bolts vs. depressing the PSST valves and cycling the fork. In the future you may try sliding a zip tie between the wiper and stanchion as an alternative.

Good luck!

 

There's nothing really wrong. If the spring is jammed the only thing it's stuck on is the rubber shrink wrap on the spring.
Pull the fork fully extended and tap on the spring with a mallet it should drop back in. Here's ld it down and screw the top cap in

 

160mm Ribbon Coil - ~190lbs ready to ride - 2018 GG Smash

- medium spring
- LSC open
- Ramp open
- Rebound open or close to it

 

Hi!
Anyone doing a full service of the Ribbon Coil themselves?
Is it possible without the "damper install tool" from MRP?

Cheers!

 

Watching the service video you don't need the install tool to service the damper assuming nothing is wrong other than wanting to change up the fluid.

You do need these tools, but they are $41 so not too bad. I'm going to order them and start doing my own damper service as sending forks away for service is getting old.

https://mrpbike.com/collections/suspension/products/damper-bleed-cup

https://mrpbike.com/collections/suspension/products/valve-handle-tool

 

Was looking around MRP site docs and videos, there is nothing for just doing a lower service?

 

That would be a part of any of the other services (travel change, spring conversion, spring swap, etc.). Check out one of those videos or docs.

But we should have that separate in the future.

 

I searched and didn't find any info on tire clearance for plus size... maybe it's my search skills. Has anyone fit a 29 x 3.0 tire yet?

 

Apparently a 29 x 3" tire will fit in there. Amazing!

 

There is one member of mtbr.forums, (Gunterd/Gundterd, something like that) that has run a 2.8" tire on a i36mm rim I believe in his Ribbon fork.

 

I have ran a 3.0 Chronicle and a 3.0 ranger on my ribbon forks, air and coil with no problem.This picture is of the Chronicle

 

I have ran a 3.0 Chronicle and a 3.0 ranger on my ribbon forks, air and coil with no problem.This picture is of the Chronicle View attachment 1292025

That's a 29 x 3 tire or a 27+ tire?

 

Now that's interesting. Looks tight... any rub in the rough stuff?

I would LOVE to pick this up over the Lyrik. Need to see if I can find the actual measurements are on that tire you have there inflated. The Maxxis Minion is super nobby, and it's every bit of 3" wide IIRC.

 

There is no rub, at this point but both tires are close to 2.9. I realize this is a ribbon air I have used the Chronicle on a coil as well.

 

Thanks for the info. If you don't mind.. one more question; What is the wheel size you're running these on?

 

These are 32mm chinese carbon, but I have run them on crests as well. I'm a rebel and I weigh 150lb

 

Damper loose

Hi!
Was doing a service on my Ribbon and did bleed the damper.
Did some small bleed mistakes so I wanted to do it again.

Then I noticed the damper didnt seem to sit properly and I could se that it had unthreaded(?) at the top. Please see the attached image.

Is that something I could fix my self? Or do I need the MRP damper install tool?

Worth mentioning is that I have not noticed any of this while riding. It seems a bit odd it came loose in the workstand.

Thanks!

 

Just thread it back down. I carefully used an allen key into one of the holes to turn it.