Disclaimer:
I am not affiliated with Push - any way, shape or form. Simply a first time customer
Bike: 2013 Kona Satori. 29er. small frame.
Travel: 130 mm rr, 140 mm frt
Shock: Fox CTD BV/LV
Fork: Fox 34 CTD
Rider: ME, 46+ yr old, 5'6" and approx 168 rider weight w camelback.
Experience: Been riding for a number of years, but truly started MTB in 2008 - Bought a Yeti 575 on a whim - sold it in 2011 when I bought a Giant Anthem x29. Have owned the Satori Since Thanksgiving 2012, and also have the Anthem. Both bikes have made me want to ride ALL the time and push my limits on any trail I ride.
Trails/Locale. Denver CO. Front-range regular at Apex, Lair o Bear, Alderfer/3sisters, North Table, Deer Creek, White Ranch. Annual trips to Fruita, Grand Junction, Moab and other various mt towns.
In approx 1 yrs time - I logged 104 rides, 1100+ miles on the Satori - as tracked via Runtastic MTB Pro i phone app. ( i will estimate a +/- 5% error in accuracy?)
I am a big fan of the Kona Satori. It took my riding to a new level - being a longer travel, slack, short CS 29 mtb. I call it a trail crusher. It takes a bit more work than some 650b i have recently demoed, but has saved my bacon numerous times with a bad line choice - put the arse way back and hang on and it'll pretty much roll over anything. it kills the rock gardens. She's a bit heavy at 32.7 lbs with KS Lev dropper, Ardent 2.4 frt/rr on Hope Pro 2 evo with Arch ex. I run a 780mm Easton 350 bar/stem combo.
While a faux bar design - and not as "good" as many newer designs - it was developed under new engineering at Kona and it just works and works well. once I dialed in shock pressures, rebound speed etc - i pretty much rode in set and forget mode - other than using the CTD switch. It's a fairly active sus - that does move a fair bit - but still supportive and not wallowy while pedaling. I've learned to use the active capability to my advantage and can state that i can pretty much clean most every front range technical section - both up and down - on the trails i ride. I've learned to use the bike and its personality - I may ride some of the really tech sections a bit slower - but try to feel the bike and finesse over obstacles vs trying to "blast" over. But that's just me.
After some good hard mileage over the season, I realized things were starting to ride a bit rough, not as supple and recognized time to service things. I blew an internal fork seal earlier in the summer and the fork got really stiff. in high season i took it to a shop that was not busy versus my preferred - and while they fixed it - never really felt right (plus, I had em tune the drive train and bleed rear brake - both of which resulted in complete faillure to deliver - never do that again). After a trip to my regular shop - bike again rideable. Fast fwd to fall and I started looking into suspension service or upgrades - researching here on the forum. When I learned that PUSH was about an hour north - I reached out to inquire about service options. I was impressed byt their quick response, knowledge and options. I decided to take my bike and drop off - let them service the fork and shock. Ultimately - as my fork had the cheap internals - it was not compatible with their custom tune and circuit kits (without considerable cost in cartridge from FOX). So went with their factory service for the fork. The rear shock was compatible for their custom internals/valve tune - specific to my weight - so I chose that option.
When I met them in person - blew me away. Great people and got to see the shop in person. pretty cool - and NOT a dirty back room or garage somewhere - a prorfessional shop/facility in every measure! Left the bike and headed out next day for work travel. During the time my bike was in shop - Fox announced their recall. PUSH made a couple calls and Fox shipped the fix directly - so - needless to say - all was handled by PUSH and no intervention by me. WOW - pretty cool and great service!
It's now been about 8 solid rides (in between weather/snow etc) and I wanted to provide some feedback. Bottom line - both fork and shock work better - not necessarily in a blow your mind way - but the subtleties have kept shining through on each successive ride.
Rear: I can say the ride is more compliant - small bump sensitivity all the way through big hit. It feels more plush - YET - is more supportive climbing and railing corners - I have come to leave the shock in Descend mode - even on the longest steepest climbs and over all the tech sections. Simply - it just works better. The only change I made from their initial setup was to bleed approx 12-15psi out. I'm amazed at how a really good bike now feels like a great bike! I used to routinely blow through the full travel on really big hits - and while Im not hitting tall of those same hits right now due to trails Im riding - the o ring is going deep in the travel - but not so easily blowing through to bottom out - even at lowered pressure. (for reference Im running ~145psi which is btw 25-30% sag - i'd venture about 28%. rebound I run is 7 or 8 clicks from CLOSED)
Fork: This 2013 version has been thought to not deliver the goods - to speak - and many forum posters have said as much. I never really had any issues - and used the CTD modes regularly. That said - while I thought it was doing the job - the before and after is a big difference. After their service - and the cartridge update - it is way better. It stays higher in the travel and more supportive when it should - it does not dive when moving through rocky techy sections like it used to and is more supportive - even in Descend mode. I feel Im still dialing this in to my perfection - but it's dang good straight out of the shop. More plush on the big hits, but also more supportive and stays higher in the travel throughout the range. Feels great. (for ref approx 70 psi - = ~25% sag. Rebound set at 6 clicks from CLOSED)
Bottom line. I could NOT be any more pleased with the outcome. My bike rides better than it ever did and PUSH are simply some great peoples. I will happily recommend them and now plan to get my Giant Anthem in for a frt/rr service as well.
Happy 2014 and good riding!
I am not affiliated with Push - any way, shape or form. Simply a first time customer
Bike: 2013 Kona Satori. 29er. small frame.
Travel: 130 mm rr, 140 mm frt
Shock: Fox CTD BV/LV
Fork: Fox 34 CTD
Rider: ME, 46+ yr old, 5'6" and approx 168 rider weight w camelback.
Experience: Been riding for a number of years, but truly started MTB in 2008 - Bought a Yeti 575 on a whim - sold it in 2011 when I bought a Giant Anthem x29. Have owned the Satori Since Thanksgiving 2012, and also have the Anthem. Both bikes have made me want to ride ALL the time and push my limits on any trail I ride.
Trails/Locale. Denver CO. Front-range regular at Apex, Lair o Bear, Alderfer/3sisters, North Table, Deer Creek, White Ranch. Annual trips to Fruita, Grand Junction, Moab and other various mt towns.
In approx 1 yrs time - I logged 104 rides, 1100+ miles on the Satori - as tracked via Runtastic MTB Pro i phone app. ( i will estimate a +/- 5% error in accuracy?)
I am a big fan of the Kona Satori. It took my riding to a new level - being a longer travel, slack, short CS 29 mtb. I call it a trail crusher. It takes a bit more work than some 650b i have recently demoed, but has saved my bacon numerous times with a bad line choice - put the arse way back and hang on and it'll pretty much roll over anything. it kills the rock gardens. She's a bit heavy at 32.7 lbs with KS Lev dropper, Ardent 2.4 frt/rr on Hope Pro 2 evo with Arch ex. I run a 780mm Easton 350 bar/stem combo.
While a faux bar design - and not as "good" as many newer designs - it was developed under new engineering at Kona and it just works and works well. once I dialed in shock pressures, rebound speed etc - i pretty much rode in set and forget mode - other than using the CTD switch. It's a fairly active sus - that does move a fair bit - but still supportive and not wallowy while pedaling. I've learned to use the active capability to my advantage and can state that i can pretty much clean most every front range technical section - both up and down - on the trails i ride. I've learned to use the bike and its personality - I may ride some of the really tech sections a bit slower - but try to feel the bike and finesse over obstacles vs trying to "blast" over. But that's just me.
After some good hard mileage over the season, I realized things were starting to ride a bit rough, not as supple and recognized time to service things. I blew an internal fork seal earlier in the summer and the fork got really stiff. in high season i took it to a shop that was not busy versus my preferred - and while they fixed it - never really felt right (plus, I had em tune the drive train and bleed rear brake - both of which resulted in complete faillure to deliver - never do that again). After a trip to my regular shop - bike again rideable. Fast fwd to fall and I started looking into suspension service or upgrades - researching here on the forum. When I learned that PUSH was about an hour north - I reached out to inquire about service options. I was impressed byt their quick response, knowledge and options. I decided to take my bike and drop off - let them service the fork and shock. Ultimately - as my fork had the cheap internals - it was not compatible with their custom tune and circuit kits (without considerable cost in cartridge from FOX). So went with their factory service for the fork. The rear shock was compatible for their custom internals/valve tune - specific to my weight - so I chose that option.
When I met them in person - blew me away. Great people and got to see the shop in person. pretty cool - and NOT a dirty back room or garage somewhere - a prorfessional shop/facility in every measure! Left the bike and headed out next day for work travel. During the time my bike was in shop - Fox announced their recall. PUSH made a couple calls and Fox shipped the fix directly - so - needless to say - all was handled by PUSH and no intervention by me. WOW - pretty cool and great service!
It's now been about 8 solid rides (in between weather/snow etc) and I wanted to provide some feedback. Bottom line - both fork and shock work better - not necessarily in a blow your mind way - but the subtleties have kept shining through on each successive ride.
Rear: I can say the ride is more compliant - small bump sensitivity all the way through big hit. It feels more plush - YET - is more supportive climbing and railing corners - I have come to leave the shock in Descend mode - even on the longest steepest climbs and over all the tech sections. Simply - it just works better. The only change I made from their initial setup was to bleed approx 12-15psi out. I'm amazed at how a really good bike now feels like a great bike! I used to routinely blow through the full travel on really big hits - and while Im not hitting tall of those same hits right now due to trails Im riding - the o ring is going deep in the travel - but not so easily blowing through to bottom out - even at lowered pressure. (for reference Im running ~145psi which is btw 25-30% sag - i'd venture about 28%. rebound I run is 7 or 8 clicks from CLOSED)
Fork: This 2013 version has been thought to not deliver the goods - to speak - and many forum posters have said as much. I never really had any issues - and used the CTD modes regularly. That said - while I thought it was doing the job - the before and after is a big difference. After their service - and the cartridge update - it is way better. It stays higher in the travel and more supportive when it should - it does not dive when moving through rocky techy sections like it used to and is more supportive - even in Descend mode. I feel Im still dialing this in to my perfection - but it's dang good straight out of the shop. More plush on the big hits, but also more supportive and stays higher in the travel throughout the range. Feels great. (for ref approx 70 psi - = ~25% sag. Rebound set at 6 clicks from CLOSED)
Bottom line. I could NOT be any more pleased with the outcome. My bike rides better than it ever did and PUSH are simply some great peoples. I will happily recommend them and now plan to get my Giant Anthem in for a frt/rr service as well.
Happy 2014 and good riding!
