5th Element coil set up

[Sprucey]

Hi guys (and girls?),

just got back from three days ridinh in Suisse Normande region of France. Nice riding, not too technical and lots of good french Normandy food and booze (cider and calvados) to drink!

For those interested here are the settings I have settled on for my riding.

Bike: Oz M with 120mm Marzocchi Marathon coil up front.

Rider: 220 -240 pounds.

Ride style this weekend: XC - plenty of climbs with some medium technical DH but no real drop offs. Some tarmac links between trails.

Sag: 30%
Air pressure 130 -140psi (which sets the threshold pressure required for shock to work)

Begining stroke compression adjust 2 turns in from all the way off.

End stroke compression damping: all the way off (none on)

Rebound damping: About 2 -3 turnsin from off position to control bounce back.

If I had ridden gnarlier DH trails with drop offs etc with less climbing I would have put some end stroke compression damping on to control the shock bottoming out and probaly reduced the air pressure to 100 - 110psi

I hope that helps those who have the 5th Element coil (and the Manitou Swinger 5way SPV coil which is a licences copy)

Sprucey

[shovelon]

Sprucey, what size coil spring did you settle on. I don't remember.

Terry

[Sprucey]

Hi Terry,

can't remember now - I'll check the manual tonight. It was the heaviest they do? but I use very little pre-load so could probably go down one weight for my body weight.

I went for ther longer shock something like 8.5" / 215mm I2I which gives the Oz the ocorrect geometry. I run 120mm / 4/75" marzocchis up front - had I gone for a shorter shock I think the head angle would have been too slack.

Sprucey

[shovelon]

Sprucey,

I agree on the head angle being too slack with a shorter i2i than 8.5".

The spring that Manitou recommended was a 500 lb. The spring i chose is a 450 lb. It was still too stiff. However I have been modifing it softer by OD grinding the outside. I reckon it would test at around 400lbs now.

It is raining like cats and dogs here, so I am determined to dig out the digital camera and fiddle with it so I can send in some pics.

Terry

[5500C]

Sprucey,

Are you running a 24" rear tire?  I'm sorry to keep obsessing over this on the forum, but I also have a M with a 7.875 i2i Vanilla RC and I feel that it slackens the head angle too much for my taste.  If you're running a 26 with no problems with interference, I'm running out and buying myself a shock!!!

Thanks,

Brad

[Old Proflexer]

i can only imagine that the number of 5th's on oz's is less than the number of fingers (and not including the thumb) you have on one hand

OP

http://www.progressivesuspension.com/customer-gallery2.html
and scroll to bottom

[Sprucey]

Hi Brad,

no, I run standard 26" wheels with 2.1 or 2.3" tyres - currentlt Continental Vertical 2.3" - on a large frame.

My I2I is much longer than you are using. I deliberately went longer (8.5") to compensate for using a longer travel (120mm) fork. The head angle has proved fine - better in fact than when I still had te stock Noleen with the same 120mm Marzocchi Marathon fork.

The only downside is that the longer shock and fork has lifted the bottom bracket height. This is very noticable when looking at the bike when no one is on it but with more travel you run more sag and the static height when I am on it is fine.

Checkout OP's picture of his bike with the 5th Element from the link in his post above - that's how I have mine set up and the shock does not get anywhere near the tyre.

I hope that makes sense?

Sprucey

[kiwi]

and I think OPs bike is the pick of bikes there...Bar None!

[Old Proflexer]

looks like Antone could use a little exercise -

maybe we could swap bikes for a while

OP