[TNC]

Well, it's finally on there. I still had to wind up making one set of spacers on my own to get it to fit...Manitou just sent one set. Anyway it feels pretty good in the parking lot test. This weekend looks like the weather will permit a real test.

With no SPV platform, I'm looking forward to seeing how it compares to the PUSH'd Fox RC that was on it...also with no platform, of course. I have no setup info on this shock specific to the Nomad, as it's a brand new release and SC hasn't had a chance to spec it or give any recommendations. It's got plenty of adjustments, so I'll have plenty to play with. I'm looking forward to the low and high speed compression adjustments. All in all I'm hoping setup will be similar to the Manitou 6-Way coil and 5th E coil...except SPV, of course. Now I'll get to see if this is the alleged bit hit air shock it's supposed to be. There's also a thread on the suspension forum about this shock. Two people have them on Intense 6.6 models at the moment, so it will have a similar VPP feedback.

 

[SSINGA]

looking good TNC. What was the weight on that shock? My DHX-a I just took off tonight was 410g (7.5x2 of course) and I doubled it's weight with the CCDB at 870g. I bummed thta my cranks are broken so I can't test it out!!!!!!!!!!! :madmax: :madman:

 

[TNC]

Geez...now you ask. I had this at the shop and didn't even weight it. I'll have to do that later. My guess it will be very similar to the same sized 4-Way Air on one of my Bullits...probably a hair heavier. This thing has a different body style than the late model 4-Way I have. It actually looks easier to disassemble perhaps. It has an external circlip and a large nut shape at the bottom of the air can. I'll let my tinkeritis rest for the moment, however...LOL! I hope to get 3 days of riding/camping in this weekend to really wring it out.

 

[Alpenglow]

Does it come in an 8.5"x2.5" Length?

I am interested in getting an air backup shock for my highline. Looking at the Roco R Air and Pearl 3.3. I am not interested in the DHX Air and unfortunately the RP23 does not come in the 8.5" by 2.5" length.

 

[tscheezy]

I wonder what pressures that thing calls for? [On the same bike] my DHX Air needs 240 psi, my RP3 needs 215 psi, and my Swinger 3-Way Air needs 160 psi. All have seemingly the same diameter shaft. The air can on the 3-Way looks huge, but I guess it isn't. Or maybe the SPV acts as some sort of main spring assist. Well anyway, just curious what the pressures translate into compared to other air shocks...?

That thing certainly looks the business.

Edit- It says "intrinsic" on the shock. I thought that was the new damper in the forks (that supposedly had some level of platform)?

 

[TNC]

Alpen, that one pictured is the 8.5 X 2.5. I know it at least goes up to 8.75 X 2.75 as an option. They're saying it's the real deal for long travel big hit bikes...we'll see.

 

[drumstix]

This is taken from BTI's website stating the new Intrinsic is the new DH/FR damping. Also states the weight for a RFX size shock at 395g.


Manitou Evolver ISX-6 Intrinsic Air Shock
Piggy-back reservoir with Intrinsic-Adjust damping system: ideal for AM/FR/DH applications
3-D forged and CNC machined: 40x49mm twin-tube air canister with a 12mm aluminum, internal damper shaft and MCU negative spring
6 Independent, external settings for custom tuning: rebound damping, high/low-speed compression damping, Intrinsic pressure, No-Tools air volume/preload for bottom-out, and air-spring preload adjustability
Sized by travel/stroke and eye-eye measurements (note: not guaranteed to fit range for all bikes - check fit and travel before using)
*Mounting hardware sets sold separately (2 mount sets required per shock: 1 for each eyelet)
395g (@ 2.0x7.5" size without mounting hardware)

 

[TNC]

tscheezy, I agree on the air pressure deal. Yeah, it's the SPV in those Manitou shocks that dramatically affects the air pressure when compared to something like the DHXA. I've become fairly disappointed with DHXA on my Nomad which is why I PUSH'd that Fox RC. Surprisingly the DHXA has been a very decent shock on my Bullit...lower pressure and spring rate requirements. As DGC(?) found on his DHXA volume adjust mod, I think Fox is missing boat on not supplying a form of AVA on the this shock. My Bullit DHXA uses 180psi while the Nomad required 220-230. And the 4-Way Air on the same Bullit uses 110psi...that's fairly dramatic.

Edit: Ooops, you asked about the air pressure on this Evolver. I posted it on the suspension forum thread about this shock that Ronnie originally posted. My initial pressure is 170psi in the main chamber.

On that Intrinsic, the Manitou tech guy told me that the best comparison on the rear shock application was like comparing SPV to TPC+. They claim it has no pedal platform. He said they were missing the boat on many newer suspension designs that have inherent pedal platform...VPP, DW, Maestro, and others...and some riders just don't want any pedal platform for long travel bikes for more DH/FR applications. The Marz Roco, CCDB, Avy, and others were filling this void...now Manitou offers an option too. And to me the even bigger deal now is that perhaps there really is a beefy air shock without platform that will truly work with long travel big hit bikes...perhaps. That PUSH'd RC really showed me how well a Nomad works without a platform shock...even though I think the DHX series probably offers the least amount of inherent pedal platform of any platform style shock. Can't wait to test this thing out.

 

[drumstix]

Might as well add the sizes to the thread.



Stroke Eye-eye In Stock?
AP5962 2.0" (50mm) 7.5" (190mm) YES
AP5963 2.0" (50mm) 7.875" (200mm) YES
AP5964 2.25" (56mm) 7.875" (200mm) YES
AP5965 2.5" (63mm) 8.5" (216mm) YES
AP5966 2.75" (70mm) 8.75" (222mm) YES
AP5967 2.75" (70mm) 9.0" (230mm) YES
AP5968 3.0" (76mm) 9.5" (240mm) YES

 

[TNC]

Thanks for posting that Drum. Wow...all the way to 9.5 X 3.0. Well, that kinda indicates Manitou's intentions for this shock's applications.

 

[drumstix]

Yeah I must say Ive had a eye on these shocks too. Ive never cared much for the SPV shocks and forks but these sound promising. The coil version sounds like a sweet shock too.

 

[tscheezy]

That is what is so confusing about this stuff. If you ask Fox, and they SWEAR they don't have platforms in their shocks. They use "slow-speed compression damping" (propedal), not a platform. Whats the diff? rft: It seems to a war of symmantics. Once "platform" got a bad rap (can you say "SPV"? ), it suddenly disappeared from everyone's shocks and got called "slow speed compression damping" which was more in vogue.

When the marketing department writes the tech descriptions, you know you're in trouble.

 

[TNC]

Yeah, it's funny because I think SPV is great on most SP bikes for the most part. But I would agree that for some riders and in some instances, a plain old squish-city damper is great. And these newer designs that are pedal efficient really benefit from non-platform options. But then, you know that...LOL! I'm terribly suspicious by nature, and in the back of my mind, I could see some guy at Manitou putting decals on the piggybacks on new Manitou shocks...looking at a list indicating how many SPV models were ordered...and the only thing changing on the box of shocks which were all the same...was the decal.

 

[bigwaved]

So TNC.....

Did you get a chance to test it this weekend? Did ya, did ya!!


OK, found it on the shock forum.

 

[Pete-G]

Well if the VPP linkage is supposed to be the great pedalling platform that SC and everyone else claims it is, then a platform shock is surely a waste of time? Which would explain why you felt the push'd RC feels so good.
Having said that, I've got a Gemini DH which came with a Swinger6way coil on it, and although it felt alright once I'd wound pretty much everything off as far as I could (apart from the bottom out and compression of course). But then I found a push'd VanRC on ebay for a damn good price and thought it had to be worth a go. Much plusher feeling and pedalled just as well if not better.

 

[MartinS]

Just out of interest TNC, what did Manitou charge for the mounting hardware? More than the norm?

 

[TNC]

Well, I got the shock through the shop, and when they messed up the spacer matching, they wound up not charging me for spacers.