Tuning Recommendations for a PIKE

NJ Gator

Active Member
I use the Rock Shox app and the gauge printed on the side of the fork leg as a starting point for air pressure- my silly question is if the fork came with 2 tokens installed from the factory I assume the air pressure should be reduced accordingly. For every token I was assuming a 5 psi reduction. Regardless at the end of the day I will be playing with it until I get the sag correct but thought I would check in with the experts here at MTBNJ!
 

mtbiker87

Well-Known Member
Sag is sag, the tokens just ramp up the spring rate as you get far into the travel.
People just dont get this. Tokens are for adjusting end of stroke ramp up. If you're not constantly, or harshly bottoming on every ride, you dont need them. Set sag, and dial in your compression and rebound to suit your trail conditions and riding style. Unless your LBS had a particular reason for sticking tokens in there, I'd pull 'em out and start from scratch.
 

mtbiker87

Well-Known Member
Also, the pressures on that sticker are just a starting point. Useful to an extent, but not a replacement for properly setting sag. There can also be a variance between gauges, so set your sag with the gauge you plan on using all the time. Not your shop's, not your buddy's, but yours. If it dont match what that sticker says, dont sweat it. Just worry about setting it for what's comfortable, and working for you.
 

Captain Brainstorm

Well-Known Member
I use the Rock Shox app and the gauge printed on the side of the fork leg as a starting point for air pressure- my silly question is if the fork came with 2 tokens installed from the factory I assume the air pressure should be reduced accordingly. For every token I was assuming a 5 psi reduction. Regardless at the end of the day I will be playing with it until I get the sag correct but thought I would check in with the experts here at MTBNJ!

I’m very picky/anal about my bike’s setup, down to the exact air pressure in the tires, so I’ll give you my 0.2 cents. Forget about sag, it’s pretty arbitrary, and varies widely between bikes based on the length of your front center, how much weight you have on the front wheel sitting vs. standing, and head angle. The design of your rear suspension also plays a crucial role. For example, my DW-Link bike prefers to be slightly over-driven by the fork, so a slightly stiffer fork and more sag in the rear. I’d say start with the recommended air pressure and adjust until you find the best balance between small-bump compliance, support, and bottom-out resistance. The tokens should help you find the balance between small-bump compliance and support. Remember, that as you change preload and add/subtract tokens, you need to adjust compression/rebound accordingly. Its going to be trial and error for a while, bring your shock pump in the car when you ride to adjust after an hour or two of riding. Resist the urge to ride with it, as you need to go on a full ride with the settings you selected to really gauge, don’t be hasty.

As far as the Pike goes, I have an older one (2016), and I’ve made 2 relatively cheap modifications that have made a HUGE change to the fork’s performance, for the better. First, I installed a Vorsprung Luftkappe negative air chamber that resulted in a major increase in small bump compliance and support. May sound contradictory that support goes up with compliance, but it also replaces your tokens and requires around 7-8% more air pressure. It costs around $90, highly recommended. Secondly, I upgraded to the new lower friction seal-head from Rockshox for $40. If you have a newer fork, it should already have this. Between these 2 upgrades, my fork went from ok to amazing.
 

Mathers

Well-Known Member
Also, the pressures on that sticker are just a starting point. Useful to an extent, but not a replacement for properly setting sag. There can also be a variance between gauges, so set your sag with the gauge you plan on using all the time. Not your shop's, not your buddy's, but yours. If it dont match what that sticker says, dont sweat it. Just worry about setting it for what's comfortable, and working for you.
I have been worried I was running my RS Reba RL too low on PSI because fo the suggested PSI. I feel it should be a little lower/plusher. Am I right to assume as long as that sag is 30% it is good to go?
 

Ryan.P

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
I have been worried I was running my RS Reba RL too low on PSI because fo the suggested PSI. I feel it should be a little lower/plusher. Am I right to assume as long as that sag is 30% it is good to go?
No , sag is really useless for forks . Go by feel . Sometimes to low pressure will cause a fork to feel harsh because it sits deep in the travel and is ramping up to quickly . Also to slow rebound can feel harsh because it packs up and stays deep in the travel. Lots of pieces to the puzzle sometimes experimenting is the only way to see what works .
 

mtbiker87

Well-Known Member
If you're happy with the feel, and not bottoming it out all the time, then I think you're good . I used to have a Reba dual air on my 29'er, and could never get it as compliant as I wanted at the recomended pressure either. It dont matter really, if you go by the pressure or the sag, just so long as you have a reasonable starting point to reference. Once you get the feel and performance you want, use whatever reference point, sag, air pressure, whatever you find more reasonable, so you can go back to it should something change.
 

mtbiker87

Well-Known Member
Sag isnt the be all end all, at least to me, it's simply a reference point to start from, or get back to, once you find the sweet spot you are looking for.Like Ryan said, you have to experiment to know if where you are at , is where you want to be.
 

Mathers

Well-Known Member
No , sag is really useless for forks . Go by feel . Sometimes to low pressure will cause a fork to feel harsh because it sits deep in the travel and is ramping up to quickly . Also to slow rebound can feel harsh because it packs up and stays deep in the travel. Lots of pieces to the puzzle sometimes experimenting is the only way to see what works .
Thanks
I feel it is too harsh/bouncy low impact like roots etc. I always assumed that just meant too high psi. Much appreciated
 

Captain Brainstorm

Well-Known Member
Thanks
I feel it is too harsh/bouncy low impact like roots etc. I always assumed that just meant too high psi. Much appreciated

For the riding around here, your rebound should be set as fast as possible, but not bouncy. The only time you should change it is if you ride somewhere the speeds are much higher or big hit/jump lines.
 

Patrick

Overthinking the draft from the basement already
Staff member
shockwiz helped with my settings and recommended that i add tokens. going with it.
 

NJ Gator

Active Member
I KNEW I would get some great info! Thanks all! Seems like others were in the same boat so hopefully this thread has helped others as well. I am going to be using these hints to help me out and assist. In the meantime- the PIKE is a 2018 140mm B2 PIKE with a Debonair Air Spring and a Charger 2 Damper. I am riding a SURLY steel hard tail!
 
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