Reducing travel/height on a 29er Pike 140mm

[Pegleg]

Just ordered an Ibis Ripley with the 140mm Pike, and a couple of friends have mentioned I might want to consider dropping the travel/height on the Pike down to 130mm to better balance with the rear travel (120mm DB Inline). How does one reduce the travel/height on a Pike? Is this an easy user adjustable thing, or something someone with mediocre bike fixin' skills should leave to a shop?

[scrublover]

Yep. Just need a new air shaft. If you are able to do a basic oil change ( and you don't even have to do a full one for this) you'll be able to do the swap.

Page 13 of this tells you what you need.
http://cdn.sram.com/cdn/farfuture/si...e_manual_0.pdf

[Pegleg]

Yep. Just need a new air shaft. If you are able to do a basic oil change ( and you don't even have to do a full one for this) you'll be able to do the swap.

Page 13 of this tells you what you need.
http://cdn.sram.com/cdn/farfuture/si...e_manual_0.pdf

This is why I love this place. Thank you, sir.

[scrublover]

Really? Drop it to get better balance front-back? Does it work that way? I have a hardtail 29er and I have a 140 Revelation at front and would really like a 160 Pike, and that is with no suspension in the back. Then what of softails, like Lynsky/Moots/and others, they def don't have 'balance'. Just wondering why anyone would want less travel just to match the rear travel? I hear the Pike is exceptional at full range and through it's compression, so 140 to 130 (when it can actually go 160) would it make any difference at all?

Because more travel isn't always the answer. Fork up or down a bit to fine tune the geo for where and how you ride is pretty easy and "standard" to do for many people. It's not as if there is some sort of rule book to follow.

Some of the most fun I've ever had (on a bike) was on short travel, slack angled bikes.

It's all about what works for YOU, not someone else, or what the bike mediaindistry is spamming.

[Danno]

Because more travel isn't always the answer. Fork up or down a bit to fine tune the geo for where and how you ride is pretty easy and "standard" to do for many people. It's not as if there is some sort of rule book to follow.

Some of the most fun I've ever had (on a bike) was on short travel, slack angled bikes.

It's all about what works for YOU, not someone else, or what the bike mediaindistry is spamming.

sure, but isn't what pegleg asking about just that? modifying a bike that was set up a certain way based on what others are telling him to do?

I'm not saying he's wrong to do so, fuck if I know, and you're absolutely right, it always is about what's right for you.

[Pegleg]

The Ripley is available from Ibis spec'd with either a 120mm Fox 32 fork or a 140mm Pike 34 - both are "stock" builds. The Pike sits a little higher and thereby slackens the head angle a little bit, changing the feel of the bike. I like both the idea of having a little bit slacker head angle to save me from my own stupid decisions on the downhills, and the idea of a stiffer fork (I'm a bit of a fatty at 200lbs). Plus the Pike is reputed to be generally much better feeling than the Fox. But, the higher front end and slacker head angle will compromise the XC/climbing performance a bit, and that performance is a major reason I chose this bike. So, I'm going to check it out with the Pike as is, but if it feels like too much of a compromise in the bike's overall performance, then I'll look into shortening it a bit, and it's good to know that that's not an expensive or involved process.

How did I find out about this option? I PM'd Rontele. Seriously.

[Eluder]

Run it first.

[lph]

i have a ripley with 140 pike. to me, the bike feels absolutely dialed. climbs great, slack 'enough' on the descent. feels perfectly balanced. felt like it was made for the 140 pike. i do know what you mean though. i put a 180mm marzocchi 66 on intense SS1 and that bike felt kinda silly all raked out. i actually think it was a better bike with a 160 Talas.

but, like you said try it first. my guess is you will love the way it climbs and pedals and won't want to change it.

i bought mine as a trail bike for longer rides. absolutely love it.

[bsavery]

Might be a stupid question but have you thought about the dual position pike?

[BushwackerinPA]

Might be a stupid question but have you thought about the dual position pike?

the lower position on a dual position pike does not have the same dampening as teh upper positions. I think this guy is looking for a Fork that is always 130mm...

[Pegleg]

Might be a stupid question but have you thought about the dual position pike?

Not an option from Ibis, and in any event I don't think the dual Pike feels as good in the lower position (so I'm told). I'm trying to avoid too much aftermarket expense - the bike was silly expensive as is, so I can't really justify much in the way of additional upgrades. Looks like reducing the travel in the Pike just requires a $40 part and a bit of labor, so that's doable if it's necessary but I'm hoping not to put any more significant money into the bike for a while. (That's how I talked myself into it - I could've gone with a cheaper ride, like the new cheaper carbon Tallboy 2, but I would have been tempted to immediately upgrade parts and the cost would have ended up in the same ballpark in the end.)

And yeah, I'm going to ride the 140 for a while and see how I like it. Hopefully it's great as is, I have no desire to lose travel if it's not necessary. But I'm coming off of a long travel 27.5er (SC Bronson) that wasn't as good a climber as I'd hoped it would be, so I'm really hoping that the Ripley is going to be a big improvement.

[mcski]

I know a couple peeps w Ripleys and both have kashima 140 which sits higher than the Pike and they love that set up. Ride it first.

[El Chupacabra]

FWIW, my Ripley came with the X Fusion Trace fork (XF's 34-mm fork) set at 120mm, and I've left it there. It's internally adjustable to 140mm, but I haven't felt the need to change it.

... so in other words, Xwhatever on "ride it and see if you like it first."

[lph]

I know a couple peeps w Ripleys and both have kashima 140 which sits higher than the Pike and they love that set up. Ride it first.

this.

i am blown away by how well the ripley climbs with 140 pike, both steeps and technical. front end doesn't wander at all. I am coming from a 2012 turner 5spot and the ibis is considerably better climber and pedals much better (which is saying alot, i think).

out of the box, i think the bike is dialed. i have not changed a thing. i think you will be very happy.

[Pegleg]

Well, after a month or so of rides, I'm loving the 140mm Pike and don't see myself dropping the travel. It feels very balanced and I never feel like it's too high or slack on the climbs, and it's great having a decent amount of travel on the descents. Pike + DB Inline on the Ripley seems to be the sweet spot setup, at least for me. Easily the best bike I've ever owned both on the ups and the downs.