[international]

Hello.
I've currently got an RFX 2006 front triangle with 5-spot stays. If I upgrade the stays to the RFX ones (i.e. build up a proper RFX) then would I be ok keeping the RP3 shock? What benefits would I see if I swapped to the DHX-A?

cheers
Tony

 

[shaft]

I know that El Chi used one on his RFX last year and apparently really liked it. There are some pics of him going pretty big somewhere in the mix here.
I was actually wondering the same thing about getting an RP23 on my new 2007 RFX. It seems some people really like the DHXA and others say it has alot of mid stroke wallow. I hope DT will chime in here with his thoughts. I suppose we could just call him to ask him his thoughts too.

Shaft

 

[Bikezilla]

There are a few ppl running the RP3 on the RFX...wmbarace is one and he's rather fond of it. It'll work no problem, and won't feel much different than the way you have it set up now. Your geometry will change slightly with the longer RFX stays(Higher BB, steeper HTA, longer WB) but the shock should keep on keepin' on.

The DHX-A is much more plush. Some folks feel it's a bit too linear but that might depend on your weight and riding style, and preference. I'd recommend you borrow one and get a feel for it before buying one...not everyone loves this shock.

 

[international]

. Some folks feel it's a bit too linear but that might depend on your weight and riding style, and preference.

I'm heavy and I ride heavily, so I suspect I'd be one of those complaining about the DHX-A blowing thru the mid-stroke! Its good to know that I can start out on the RP3 and take my time deciding whether to change or not

cheers
Tony

 

[cactuscorn]

the rp23 will be stock on the '07 rfx.

 

[Bikezilla]

Suggestions in Alphabetical Order

I'm heavy and I ride heavily, so I suspect I'd be one of those complaining about the DHX-A blowing thru the mid-stroke! Its good to know that I can start out on the RP3 and take my time deciding whether to change or not

If you're a pounder then fock the air shocks as a mainstay. Get a Avalanche Chubbie, a Cane Creek Double-Barrel, or a Pushed DHX-C and never look back.

keep the RP-3 as a backup, get it pushed, and use it for fast-n-light days.:thumbsup:

 

[shaft]

the rp23 will be stock on the '07 rfx.

How do you feel about that?
I thought the DHXA worked pretty well at the demo. The weight of 7.2 was with the DHXA so it should be around 7 lbs with the RP23!?

What about a poll to include all of the shocks Zilla talked about plus RP23 and DHXA?

 

[wilks]

I have a pushed RP3 that can not hold a candle to the stock DHX-Coil. If you "ride hard" then do what Zilla & said go coil.

 

[Bikezilla]

The amazing carnac predicts the poll will show an overwhelming number of votes for the Push'd DHX-C.

What's your requirements? Style, terrain, prefrences?

 

[Tracerboy]

Hello.
I've currently got an RFX 2006 front triangle with 5-spot stays. If I upgrade the stays to the RFX ones (i.e. build up a proper RFX) then would I be ok keeping the RP3 shock? What benefits would I see if I swapped to the DHX-A?

cheers
Tony

While that theoretically does not violate the leverage ratio limits for the RP3, I have heard it from both Fox and Push that they do not think it is a good idea. They're not saying it's going to break or anything, so by all means use it as long as you need to. Rather, they say that the damper will just be a little overwhelmed. There really isn't that much oil in an RP3, that's part of what makes it so light. Where you place that little oil in a high leverage situation, it is going to heat up and be highly taxed on long, rough downhills. Here's an auto analogy: there's no replacement for displacement.

Look at it another way. Avalanche shocks work really well in high leverage applications. They are also very heavy, because they have an large volume damper. So, for a given amount of shaft travel, an Avy flows much more fluid through its pistons. So if you have some sort of leverage ratio that looked like (wheel travel : fluid flow through main compression circuits / overall fluid volume), an Avy would always have a lower ratio than say, a Fox. In that same light, the RP3 would always have a high ratio.

(Thank you for browsing. If this post was helpful, drink a beer. If this post made you think Kracker is a pompous windbag :skep:, please disregard. Have a nice day.)

 

[cactuscorn]

How do you feel about that?
I thought the DHXA worked pretty well at the demo. The weight of 7.2 was with the DHXA so it should be around 7 lbs with the RP23!?

personally i feel good about it and was really hopein this would be the case. for us light guys who arent lookin to huck our brains out it makes even more sense. unfortunately, i didnt take the time to really dial in the dhxa on my demo ride so it ended up feelin kinda stiff on the bigger hits and drops yet oddly compliant and stable on the small to med stuff. makes me think i may not have liked it overall if it was dialed. and yes, i see a 7lb rfx frame now, or damn close to it. in the end i think this might be the perfect stock unit for those lookin for a do it all, lighter weight, longer travel, trail/am/frl chassis.

 

[El Chingon]

Couple of shots for you Inty. I too am a bigger rider at 225lbs, and I preferred the RP3 over the DHX. Oops. The first shot was with the DHX.

 

[MK_]

Hello.
I've currently got an RFX 2006 front triangle with 5-spot stays. If I upgrade the stays to the RFX ones (i.e. build up a proper RFX) then would I be ok keeping the RP3 shock? What benefits would I see if I swapped to the DHX-A?

cheers
Tony

Let me know if you'll be getting rid of your 5-spot stays, I'd be interested in buying yours.

To answer your question concerning the shock, I don't think the air shock is a good fit for a 6 Pack/RFX. Going by the Linkage software, it appears that the Pack/RFX is a raising rate suspension. This means that the leverage rate starts off high and finishes lower, which translates to more force acting on the shock early in the stroke and less further in the stroke.

An air shock has a low initial spring force and somewhere deep in the stroke (depending on volume of the air chamber) it ramps up substantially.

When you put an air shock on a raising rate linkage you get a bad mix. Since the initial leverage ratio is high, while the spring rate is low, this means you will be riding deep in the stroke. Your shock will exhibit a lot of wallow.

On the upside, the shock will be able to take really big hits really well, since it ramps up the spring rate deep in the travel, while the leverage ratio on the linkage drops.

Overall, you'll have a very soft riding shock which is really hard to bottom out. DHX air is less progressive and might work better, but a lot of people riding the RFX with DHX air complained of it being really easy to bottom out. Replacing the original high volume sleeve with a smaller will make it work more like an RP3, but it still is less than ideal shock. On a raising rate linkage what really works well is a coil.

Air shocks work best on falling rate linkages. I'm not sure what the 07 RFX linkage looks like, whether it is progressive, linear, like a 5 spot appears to be, or falling.

_MK

 

[international]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I've just had a mooch around the Turner website - the DHX-C shocks are unbelievably cheap to us UK dwellers, even allowing for import duty, so I bought me one! I can get it PUSHed and it will still be cheaper than a non-PUSHed one bought in the UK.

MK_, the 5-spot stays are already promised unfortunately...

cheers
Tony

 

[Prof]

Well done you won't be disappointed.
Tim will look after your shock, use it for a bit first to get a feel for it then send it in, that way you will able to appreciate the work they do.

 

[Bikezilla]

Nice! You might consider asking Turner if they can ship it directly to Push, so you don't have to send it back and forth across the pond... and you might be able to wave import fees since you will have already "owned" it and it is being returned to you from service.

 

[wilks]

Nice! You might consider asking Turner if they can ship it directly to Push, so you don't have to send it back and forth across the pond... and you might be able to wave import fees since you will have already "owned" it and it is being returned to you from service.

If it aint too late you can ask Turner to write "Warranty Replacement" on the box before shipping - that will enable you to avoid duty.