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Suspension Settings?


sammyd173
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Wondering what you guys have done with your Evo's. I have a 2015 300 4T, non factory. I'm 6'2 and 185 lbs or 13 stone. I ride a lot of slab and rocks with plenty of traction.

 

The shock is very poor IMO compared to the newer Montesa's. The Montesa floats up big stuff while the Beta blows through it's stroke.

 

I had a Gas Gas before and Randy Lewis worked wonders with that shock for about $200, but his Beta solution is $700+. His solution involves a remote reservoir and increased travel. I'm sure it works great but for not much more money I could get a new Montesa (which I think is a better bike) so don't want to do that.

 

Manual says rebound and preload on forks is all the way out for stock. The shock is all the way out on rebound stock also.

 

Wondering if I should add some preload to the shock and forks and if that helps? I don't want to up the fork oil or viscosity(maybe height?) as I want to hop the front end around. More preload makes it harder to hop, surprisingly. Compared to the Montesa the forks bottom out badly on rocky descents and it's hard on the wrists after 4 hours of riding.

 

Shock I could try adding more preload - has anyone done this and does it help overall? Does adjusting rebound screw also increase damping on the way down?

 

I would think a revalve of the shock would help, but don't know who to go to. All kinds of suspension help for motocross, not so much for trials it seems.

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So I went back to the manual, and it said the shock spring should be 136mm in it's seat with the rear wheel off the ground. Mine was at 142mm, meaning the previous owner increased sag (almost certain he did not) or the preload collars backed out a bit.

 

I increased preload and set the spring length to 132mm for some contrast and the back end woke up. Felt much plusher going up rocks. Bike was like a pogo when trail riding on the sand rollers so dialing in some more rebound would be my next step.

 

I also noticed I'm on the second-to-last tooth on the snail cam/ chain adjuster, meaning my rear wheel is a long way back and therefore a lot more leverage on the shock, effectively reducing spring rate (sort of). I was going to take  a link out of the chain to move the wheel forward but it didn't look like there was enough chain for this. I have a 10t on the front which moves the rear wheel back a fair bit.

 

Thank you for all the previous replies. That article was good for balancing the bike out, but after that only covered stiffer springs and buying a new shock. Suspension seems to come down to valving 99% of the time. Cheap fixes/ band-aids are stiffer springs or oil height and viscosity. Would have been nice if they'd tested the latter two on the forks.

 

 

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