[MmmBones]

It looks like someone in Germany is making a dual air chamber for 35mm Pike and Boxxer forks that acheives a moar linear spring rate, similar to a coil spring, which has me very intrigued. Antonio Osuna posted an article on Linkage Design a few days ago going over some of the details-http://linkagedesign.blogspot.com/2016/03/camara-de-aire-awk.html



Has anyone tried this or a similar dual air chamber spring? Anyone here speak Deutsch and know how to order one? It seems like it would solve the beginning stroke sensitivity, midstroke support and brake dive issues with the current air spring, but I'm wondering if adding that additional piston and seal will just make it feel stickier.

 

[SDet]

This post is the guy to contact.

http://www.mtb-news.de/forum/t/awk-doppelkammersystem.728967/page-18#post-13323064

 

[ZHendo]

This is really simliar to the upgrade that I just dropped into my Dorado. Manitou has already released what they're calling their Infinite Rate Tuning (IRT) kit, and Ohlins is going to be selling their new single crown fork with this kind of air spring setup. It allows virtually unlimited control of the midstroke without relying on significant changes to damping, and though I'm currently injured and unable to ride my DH bike, I'm really excited to take it out in the next couple weeks and see what kind of difference it makes.

The Manitou version is very simple, with a glide ring and o-ring seal that adds minimal, if any, stickiness to the fork's action. Obviously I can't speak to this Rockshox version, but I wouldn't anticipate that it would add much friction at all.

 

[Dogboy]

My only gripe about the Pike is that it feels overly linear (unless you stuff it full of tokens). Not sure why you'd want to make it even more so.

 

[wydopen]

^^ how much sag are you running on your pike in attack position??

 

[Loki87]

To get in contactwith him, the guy producing the system has published the following:

email to: chickadeehill.awk@web.de
reference line: 'AWK V3 Runde B'
copy text from this link (http://www.mtb-news.de/forum/t/awk-doppelkammersystem.728967/page-7#post-13032772) into the email and distinctly confirm you have read and aknowledged the safety instructions and precautions.
Other things he´s asking you to send is forum nickname,name and adress, type of fork (wheelsize, model year, travel), topcap colour (black or grey) you´d like to order.
Maybe just shoot him an email and ask for further information on shipping etc.

Apparently the system is not compatible with Pike B+ and Pike dual position.

 

[MmmBones]

My only gripe about the Pike is that it feels overly linear (unless you stuff it full of tokens). Not sure why you'd want to make it even more so.

It seams to me (and fancy charts) that the Pike and most single chamber self-equalizing air-springs aren't that linear. They have a bulging belly in their curve which is probably what you are referring to when you say "overly linear". This becomes very apparent in the mid-stroke support, unless you add an excessive amount of tokens or volume reducers, in which case it will feel mostly linear but will ramp up excessively at the last 1/3rd of travel yet it will still require a higher break-away force at zero travel compared to a linear air spring such as this, or a simple coil spring. I think your gripe is the same as my gripe, and vice versa, per se, ad infinitum, sans non sequitur, so to speak.

 

[SuboptimusPrime]

This is really simliar to the upgrade that I just dropped into my Dorado. Manitou has already released what they're calling their Infinite Rate Tuning (IRT) kit...

Where'd you get this? I'm interested but can't find it for sale on the intrawebs. Do I need to ping manitou directly?

 

[ZHendo]

Where'd you get this? I'm interested but can't find it for sale on the intrawebs. Do I need to ping manitou directly?

Any shop with a BTI account can get their hands on it. I saw that it is available at Universal Cycles for MSRP, but I hit up Ethan at Dirt Merchant Bikes out of Boulder and he gave me a better deal. I got the entire MRD kit, which includes the updated Evil Genius 2 seals for the Dorado as well as the new top caps with pressure bleeder valves (pretty key on the Dorado given the amount of oil sloshing around in there).

 

[mykel]

I also picked up the IRT assembly for my Mattoc from Ethan at DMC as well.
Good pricing and service - would shop again.