Newbie with Girvin - shock questions

[shovelon]

So basically it sounds like the separator disc just needs to keep the MCU's from rubbing against each other?

Well, my guess is that the disc should not flex. If the softer mcu bells out, the harder one will start taking the shape of the softer. So the idea is that the softer one starts compressing first, then the harder. That makes it dual stage. Without the disc you have a single stage.

Do I make sense?
Terry

[jefbar]

Makes sense.  I may go looking at the hardware store to see what I can come up with.

[jefbar]

Quick update (pics to come later).  I received the Risse on Saturday (set up hard as a rock I might add).  Rebuilt the Girvin on Sunday.  Had the new headset along with the fork installed today!  I'm stoked with the overall look and install.  Got to do a few laps around my yard before the darkness and rain came.  Will post pics once I get some decent light (forecast for rain/clouds the better part of the week).  I've always thought that a Girvin fork would be the perfect match for my Cannondale.  Hopefully it'll perform as good as it looks.

[jefbar]

OK the lighting is still not the greatest, but here's the results!

[jefbar]

I had it out for a ride today and I'm pleased.  It does just what I needed it to - keep me from feeling beat up at the end of a ride.  Thumbs up for the Risse and Girvin!

[orange]

excellent. here's another Cannondale with Vectors.

[DugB]

Wow, the Girvin on the F500 looks nice! I have one of those frames (no model number as it was a replacement frame) from back in '92 or something, and may consider the Girvin as an option...it currently has the stock Pepperoni fork and is set up as my child transporter :-)

How do you like the motion of the Risse? Do you notice a lot of stiction? I did at first, but it seems to be loosening up a bit, and I may end up changing the shock oil as per Shovelon's suggestion.

- Doug :-)

[jefbar]

That Killer-V with the Girvin, looks, well, Killer.   

Doug, the Risse does seem to have a little stiction, but it seems to mostly occur after it's been sitting for a few hours or more.  If I hold the front brake and work the shock a little before the ride, it seems to loosen it a bit.  So I can see where it will work itself out after awhile.  I'm running it at about 112 psi right now and that seems to be a decent compromise between stiff/plush without much chance of it bottoming out.  And I keep reminding myself how much more functional the Vector is over a Rock-Shox or Manitou of the same period.

I didn't have the aluminum pepperoni fork - it was the cro-mo version.  Not bad, but I didn't gain much weight with the Vector/Risse.  One of the local REI's did the headset/fork install ($35!).  They did me right and were pretty curious about the fork and its set up.  The Girvin will definitely fit the old 1" headsets.  They needed to work a little to get the crown race seated fully, but it wasn't too difficult (in their words).  The hardest part (again their words) was getting the riser bar into the stem.

The Easton is a little short for my tastes - anyone know another riser brand that fits in the earlier stems?