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  1. #1
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    Tuning a RockShox Revelation

    I'm trying to make a RockShox Revelation RC work better, and looking for suggestions. The fork is a 2018 model that came on a Kona Explosif hardtail. It is a 27.5 fork with 120mm travel, 35mm stanchions, Motion Control damping, and the Debonair air spring. External adjustments are air pressure, compression (low-speed compression, I believe), and rebound.

    Fork came with 4 tokens installed from the factory. In that form, I had to set pressure a lot lower than the suggested range printed on the fork, and it ramps up fast as the fork goes through its travel. On smoother trails, it seems fine. On rockier trails (repeated quicker hits), it feels harsh -- I've played around with different rebound and compression settings, and they don't seem to make too much of a difference in addressing this issue. For comparison, on those same rockier trails, another bike I have (an original version Ibis Ripley) with a 130mm Fox Rhythm 34 (the inexpensive Grip damper) exhibits much better fork damping behavior.

    I've read some online reviews talking about "spiking" in suspension behavior, and complaining that Motion Control has this problem, so maybe that's what I'm seeing. I just removed 2 of the 4 tokens from the fork and re-set sag, to see if that makes any difference. That should make the spring more linear and reduce how fast it ramps up during compression. It may result in the fork blowing through its travel too quickly... we'll see.

    Is it just that the Motion Control damper can't handle repeated quick hits? Apparently I can swap in a Charger damper, which is supposed to be an improvement.

    I have no complaints about the stiffness of the fork chassis, or the smoothness of travel (little-to-no stiction). It's just on the rocky faster trails that it seems to pack up -- almost like if you turned the rebound adjustment to very slow, and prevented the fork from reacting to impacts.
    Quote Originally Posted by powder11 View Post
    if you have to resort to taking advice from the nitwits on this forum, then you're doomed.

  2. #2
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    Personally I think the Revelation simply isn't that great of a fork. I've got one on my hardtail and have never been very impressed by it. But take that with a grain of salt. I'm the guy who puts a fork on and doesn't spend much time setting it up, and never adjusts it once its on there.

  3. #3
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    Open the compression adjustment all the way and get some stanchion lube. Beyond that, fiddling with tokens like you've already done is about the only other option.

    A charger damper definitely feels better. Unless there's something else wrong with the fork (e.g. misaligned bushings), in which case changing the damper won't change much.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by toast2266 View Post
    Open the compression adjustment all the way and get some stanchion lube. Beyond that, fiddling with tokens like you've already done is about the only other option.

    A charger damper definitely feels better. Unless there's something else wrong with the fork (e.g. misaligned bushings), in which case changing the damper won't change much.
    Curious about this as it relates to Revelation, but also all forks in general, seems more and more people (read way way way better than me pros and suspension gurus ) are recommending compression all the way open, open as in the least firm? Won’t there be a ton of brake dive in corners and just generally going deep in the travel in soft stuff?

    Also did the revelation change/get updated in last year or so? Thought the new one was suppose to be decent, but maybe still shit?
    Do I detect a lot of anger flowing around this place? Kind of like a pubescent volatility, some angst, a lot of I'm-sixteen-and-angry-at-my-father syndrome?

    fuck that noise.

    gmen.

  5. #5
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    You're all way more sensitive to this stuff than I am. I pretty much go with compression wide open, air pressure set so the fork doesn't bottom out and rebound so it doesn't bounce. Other than that I just point and shoot and don't stress over what my fork is doing.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by volklpowdermaniac View Post
    Curious about this as it relates to Revelation, but also all forks in general, seems more and more people (read way way way better than me pros and suspension gurus ) are recommending compression all the way open, open as in the least firm? Won’t there be a ton of brake dive in corners and just generally going deep in the travel in soft stuff?

    Also did the revelation change/get updated in last year or so? Thought the new one was suppose to be decent, but maybe still shit?
    Yup, open low speed compression will be divier. Tbd whether it'll help op's problem. Newer dampers are better about mid stroke support, so sometimes you can rely on lsc a bit less. But it's still a trade off of support vs. small and midsize bump compliance.

    I think the revelation is essentially situated as a downgraded pike. But I've kinda lost track of what rockshox is doing with that model.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by toast2266 View Post
    Yup, open low speed compression will be divier. Tbd whether it'll help op's problem. Newer dampers are better about mid stroke support, so sometimes you can rely on lsc a bit less. But it's still a trade off of support vs. small and midsize bump compliance.

    I think the revelation is essentially situated as a downgraded pike. But I've kinda lost track of what rockshox is doing with that model.
    cool thanks, was wondering how all those pros were running it so open! Thanks for the info
    Do I detect a lot of anger flowing around this place? Kind of like a pubescent volatility, some angst, a lot of I'm-sixteen-and-angry-at-my-father syndrome?

    fuck that noise.

    gmen.

  8. #8
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    I believe the current Revelation (what I have) is the same as a Pike, but with the Motion Control damper instead of one of the charger dampers.

    I had a circa 2011 Revelation 140 dual air on a 26" wheel bike, which was a 32mm chassis, and was pretty flexy. The newer Revelation isn't anything like that old one.

    I'll try backing compression completely open, and back off rebound more than I think it should be, and see how it goes.
    Quote Originally Posted by powder11 View Post
    if you have to resort to taking advice from the nitwits on this forum, then you're doomed.

  9. #9
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    Potential option: remove Revelation and sell it, swap in this Fox Rhythm 34 140:

    https://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/...d-boost-819894

    I assume it's going to behave like the 29er Rhythm 34 that I have on my Ripley, and I like that fork.
    Quote Originally Posted by powder11 View Post
    if you have to resort to taking advice from the nitwits on this forum, then you're doomed.

  10. #10
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    Is the Rock Shox lsc knob just for a lockout/climb switch, or is it different on that fork? If it's just that knob on the top right that goes about halfway around from open to lock, leave it open.

    Is it just designed to be stiffer and ride higher in it's travel than a plusher fork? Not a bad thing on a hardtail, imo. Probably less noticable on a 29er.
    No longer stuck.

    Quote Originally Posted by stuckathuntermtn View Post
    Just an uneducated guess.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by stuckathuntermtn View Post
    Is the Rock Shox lsc knob just for a lockout/climb switch, or is it different on that fork? If it's just that knob on the top right that goes about halfway around from open to lock, leave it open.
    The compression adjustment on my Revelation is a knob on the top right leg of the fork, with (IIRC) 5 or 6 clicks. It's not the on/off twist knob like on the Turnkey dampers, where you have only open or lockout to choose from.
    Quote Originally Posted by powder11 View Post
    if you have to resort to taking advice from the nitwits on this forum, then you're doomed.

  12. #12
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    I got a really good deal on a take-off Revelation on PB this winter. I have it on a 29+ so really like the 35mm stanchions. My biggest compliant is that 'closed' isn't actually a full lockout unless I'm missing something? I thought lockouts were pretty standard. A lot of my rides have longer climbs and I do some bikepacking and like the ability to run on complete lockout for efficiency.

    I'm also in the crowd of add air until I'm in the recommended psi for my weight, then forget about it. I don't mess too much with the damper or chips. Actually, if someone could give me a good sparknotes on how chips work that would be great because I'm still confused even after googling/youtubing. Ha!

    Overall, I like it (coming from a Fox before) though I've only put a few months on. I have it on a hardtail that I plan to swap between a rigid fork too for bikepacking trips with less singletrack.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by El Chupacabra View Post
    The compression adjustment on my Revelation is a knob on the top right leg of the fork, with (IIRC) 5 or 6 clicks. It's not the on/off twist knob like on the Turnkey dampers, where you have only open or lockout to choose from.
    Yeah, I see what it is now.
    Should probably be fully open, though. I think the only reason for that adjustment is if you think you need it climbing.
    No longer stuck.

    Quote Originally Posted by stuckathuntermtn View Post
    Just an uneducated guess.

  14. #14
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    Rode that bike on a 4-mile up/ 4-mile back down trail yesterday. Not super rocky but there are some rougher sections. The fork action was improved by removing the number of tokens (4 down to 2), and I set compression full open and rebound much faster than I thought it should be. Expected to be bounced off the fork by the rebound setting, but it behaved pretty well.

    Maybe I've been setting rebound too slow on everything... Time to fiddle some more.

    Still considering the $300 Fox Rhythm 34, which would be a net $100 (maybe less) cost to swap out the Revelation.
    Quote Originally Posted by powder11 View Post
    if you have to resort to taking advice from the nitwits on this forum, then you're doomed.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Groomer Gambler View Post
    I don't mess too much with the damper or chips. Actually, if someone could give me a good sparknotes on how chips work that would be great because I'm still confused even after googling/youtubing. Ha!
    This is a pretty good explanation.

    https://www.bird.bike/2016/09/30/tec...s-with-tokens/
    Quote Originally Posted by powder11 View Post
    if you have to resort to taking advice from the nitwits on this forum, then you're doomed.

  16. #16
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    Keeping the rebound a few clicks off the top seems to be the way to go as described to me by people more experienced than me and ime. Less rebound makes it feel kinda dead(?) as you get near the end of the stroke, and it lets the fork pack up on breaking bumps and successive hits. It won't feel bouncy unless there's something really wrong or you are getting to needing a rebuild. IIRC, that crown mounted compression adjust is really just for long smooth climbs like a fire road, or if you wanna do a lot of out of seat pedalling. Riding a hardtail and I never use the fork's lockout. I also probably sacrifice a lot of small bump performance (if my fork even has much) so that I'm not just blowing through the travel with no rear travel to match. IDK with 27.5, but with 29er, it's less noticable since you're just rolling over stuff, and with a steel frame maybe it's absorbing some of the vibration.

    I mean, yeah, there are higher end dampers that have high/low compression adjustment at the top of the leg, but that is a different can of worms.
    No longer stuck.

    Quote Originally Posted by stuckathuntermtn View Post
    Just an uneducated guess.

  17. #17
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    Other than the simpler damper, the Revelation should be a decent fork. It has the same chassis and air spring as the Pike, which has a pretty big influence on how a fork feels. I tried a Yari on a demo bike, albeit on somewhat smoother trails, and I couldn’t tell a drastic difference from my Lyrik.

    Stupid question, but when was the last time you did a lowers service on the Revelation? Also, if you’re going to drop the lowers, consider getting the 2019 Debonair air shaft, which is under $50 and is a solid improvement. The larger negative spring gets the fork moving more easily, which lets you run 5-10 psi more without harshness. The result is a fork that’s both more active and supportive.

    Another stupid question, could your comparison to the Fox 34 be a hardtail vs. full suspension thing? As someone who has ridden hardtails quite a bit, I know it’s hard to get the bike feeling smooth, even with a good fork. Tire pressure makes a big difference too.

    Also, you’ve taken out 2 tokens. Each token has a pretty big impact in my experience. You may find removing one will get you when you want.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by El Chupacabra View Post
    Rode that bike on a 4-mile up/ 4-mile back down trail yesterday. Not super rocky but there are some rougher sections. The fork action was improved by removing the number of tokens (4 down to 2), and I set compression full open and rebound much faster than I thought it should be. Expected to be bounced off the fork by the rebound setting, but it behaved pretty well.

    Maybe I've been setting rebound too slow on everything... Time to fiddle some more.

    Still considering the $300 Fox Rhythm 34, which would be a net $100 (maybe less) cost to swap out the Revelation.
    $100 net cost for the Fox would be pretty good. But here's two more things to try before making the swap:

    - The latest service manual states:
    "2019 and 2020 PIKE and Revelation forks are compatible with RockShox Dynamic Seal Grease and SRAM Butter. If RockShox Dynamic Seal Grease is used, add 3mL of 0w-30 oil to the air side upper tube. " So maybe give the grease and oil combo a try. I think there's some highly unscientific anecdotal reports of improved performance with this

    - Do a damper service (fresh seals/o-rings probably aren't necessary if the fork doesn't have much time on it) and be very liberal with the grease wherever the manual specifies. Make sure the oil level is exactly right, and if you don't mind having to repeat the whole process again if you don't like the resulting change, try using a lighter weight oil in the damper than the 5wt that RS specifies.

    Other than that.. there's not a ton you can do with the fork, and I don't think dropping a charger damper is worth it because of the cost of the charger and the very limited resale of the rev damper.

    Oh and one thing to keep in mind about rebound adjustments. Rebound speed (at a given level of damping) is proportional to the air spring pressure. Higher air spring pressures will require more rebound damping to maintain the same return speed, and vice-versa. Along the same lines, since fewer tokens ramp up the air spring pressure less as you're moving deeper into the stroke, you can get away with less rebound damping for the same initial pressure setting. Also, with a fork that's packing up or spiking a bit from poor compression damping (or maybe if you did a trailside air spring pressure reduction), running the fastest rebound possible will help keep the fork riding higher in its travel and at least slightly mitigate the other problems.

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by D(C) View Post
    Other than the simpler damper, the Revelation should be a decent fork. It has the same chassis and air spring as the Pike, which has a pretty big influence on how a fork feels. I tried a Yari on a demo bike, albeit on somewhat smoother trails, and I couldn’t tell a drastic difference from my Lyrik.

    Stupid question, but when was the last time you did a lowers service on the Revelation? Also, if you’re going to drop the lowers, consider getting the 2019 Debonair air shaft, which is under $50 and is a solid improvement. The larger negative spring gets the fork moving more easily, which lets you run 5-10 psi more without harshness. The result is a fork that’s both more active and supportive.

    Another stupid question, could your comparison to the Fox 34 be a hardtail vs. full suspension thing? As someone who has ridden hardtails quite a bit, I know it’s hard to get the bike feeling smooth, even with a good fork. Tire pressure makes a big difference too.

    Also, you’ve taken out 2 tokens. Each token has a pretty big impact in my experience. You may find removing one will get you when you want.
    The fork is new - a 2018 model, but it was attached to a leftover 2018 Kona Explosif that I bought recently. I have not done any fluid/seal/grease service on the fork. Pushing on the fork by hand (pumping the handlebars), it feels very smooth -- no initial stiction noticeable.

    Re: hardtail vs full sus: possibly, but in riding the same rocky trails on the prior hardtail that I replaced with the Explosif, the old bike didn't display the rigid fork/jackhammering-your-hands feel that the Revelation did. For comparison: old bike was a steel On One Inbred 26er with a X Fusion Velvet RL air fork set at 120mm; the X Fusion fork reacted better to repeated fast hits on rocky trails, but tended to blow through its travel on bigger isolated hits. It was a 32mm chassis fork vs the 35mm Revelation, so there are some stiffness differences there too. The On One had a 26x2.4 front tire with tube, 23mm internal rim; the Kona has a front 27.5x2.4 tubeless, 29mm internal rim. The tire setup on the Kona generally feels more plush and conforms better to rocks -- I like this tubeless setup with the wider rim.

    If weather cooperates, I'll ride the Kona tonight on the rocky trails, with the current Revelation adjustment (fewer tokens, lighter rebound), and see if it was my damping adjustment that was the problem.

    Interesting on the revised 2019 Debonair spring -- if I keep this fork, I might want to bump up the travel to 140mm, which would require a new air shaft anyway.
    Quote Originally Posted by powder11 View Post
    if you have to resort to taking advice from the nitwits on this forum, then you're doomed.

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by radam View Post
    $100 net cost for the Fox would be pretty good. But here's two more things to try before making the swap:
    <snip>
    Thanks. I agree that while the Charger damper might be a good upgrade, the cost of it doesn't seem worthwhile (vs selling the Revelation as a nearly-new take-off, and buying the cheap Fox Rhythm). I'll give the fork a few more rides and fiddle with the adjustments, then consider taking it apart and making sure the proper amount of oil + grease is in it.
    Quote Originally Posted by powder11 View Post
    if you have to resort to taking advice from the nitwits on this forum, then you're doomed.

  21. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by El Chupacabra View Post
    For comparison: old bike was a steel On One Inbred 26er with a X Fusion Velvet RL air fork set at 120mm; the X Fusion fork reacted better to repeated fast hits on rocky trails, but tended to blow through its travel on bigger isolated hits.
    I've put a lot of time on an X-Fusion Trace RL, which shares the same damper, but in a 34mm chassis. For a damper with only rebound adjust (and I suppose compression adjust in the sense that it can be locked out), it is very very good. X-fusion has quietly recommended adding some oil to uppers on the air spring side to add a bit of progressiveness and after making this change, mine didn't blow through its travel quite so much. I've only had one ride on a Revelation, which isn't enough for a true opinion, but having ridden the two forks on the same bike on the same trail (and in more comparable chassis), I would agree with your assessment that the Rev is coming up a bit short.

  22. #22
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    Update after adjustments and last night's ride on rocks: it is much, much better. Worth keeping, and I'll keep fiddling to see if there are any more incremental improvements to be made.

    Thanks everyone!
    Quote Originally Posted by powder11 View Post
    if you have to resort to taking advice from the nitwits on this forum, then you're doomed.

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