[Zaskar Rider]

Hey all you monkeys out there that have run Avys and El Jefes on your bullits I have some questions for you.

How does it (avy/el jefe) compare to the stock fox rc in terms of both riding up to the trailheads and also for DH use. Not so much for bit hit but just fast DH riding with your occasional small 5ft or so drop.

Also how do those shocks compare in the same ways to the progressive/swinger types of shocks.

I ask because I can get a fairly decent deal on a El jefe, which I assume will perform similarly to the avy. So I'm trying to figure out if I really want to lay down the money.

Oh and right now I'm running a fox RC on my bullit.

 

[kail]

I used to run a Vanilla RC on my Bullit, but for the last two seasons, I've run an Avalanche - and it's better in every situation, including climbing. (It is quite a bit heavier though.) I have mine set up a little on the FR side, for big drops, but I still shaved a lot off my DH times last year, partly because bottoming out was no longer an issue, and partly because of the rebound quality and traction it provided. I know that if you had yours set up a little more for racing, it would have exceptional performance. I actually haven't spent much time on SPV shocks, except around the parking lot, which tells you nothing. I've never tried the El Jefe, although I've heard they feel like the Avy. All I know is that the Avy was worth every penny.

 

[Brian HCM#1]

I've never ridden an El Jefe, however I hear people like them and they seem to be holding up.

 

[jackalope]

In case you decide to go with the Avy, here's an old Pussbike thread that may be of interest:

http://www.pinkbike.com/stories/bullitavalanche.htm


Otherwise, I can't help you much as I've always run a 5th on my Bullit...

 

[James | Go-Ride]

We're not a Santa Cruz dealer, but from the suspension rate research and mapping we've done on the frame, I might have some answers for you. The Bullit's suspension rate is straight through the first half of the travel, and then actually becomes regressive in the second half of the shock stroke. What this means in simple terms is the bike is actually easier to bottom in the late part of the travel (like when you land a big drop or hit something going really fast). This is bad. The linear thing makes the bike feel great for trail riding, so that's a plus. Basically what we've found is Bullits feel best with a shock that is inherently progressive, such as the 5th Element, the Swinger, or the Stratos Helix. This gets the bike to at least stay linear through the last part of the travel, or even become a little bit progressive to help it ramp up for big hits.

The Avy and the El Jefe don't offer this. What those shocks do offer is incredibly plush performance. You can get either of them valved to feel like they're getting more progressive, but in reality it's just heavy compression damping that hurts some of their smaller bump performance. If you're looking for a top-end shock to improve the performance of your Bullit, I would probably recommend the Swinger 4 or 6 way.

Hope this helps!

 

[Zaskar Rider]

Ok so I knew that the bullit had an almost linear suspension but I didn't know that it was actually a falling rate at the end, that is news to me. That really does make me lean more toward the progressive style shocks. Why then do so many people like the bullits with avys on them? Are they just not realizing that they are losing performance in a way?

Also what's the difference in the swinger 4 way, 6way, and progressive 5th element. I'm sure any of these shocks i can get for cheaper than the stratos so the price between the 3 doesn't make much of a difference to me.

 

[Zaskar Rider]

Hmm it looks like the progressive 5th element might be my only option actually if I go on the progressive shock route. Reason being is that I'm running a 2001 bullit so I have a 6" fork up front and to keep the suspension matched up I'll need a 7.875x2.25" shock and manitou doesn't offer one that size.

Edit: One more thought. The fox DHX is going to be offered in the size I need. That's going to be a progressive style shock also isn't it? Maybe I should hold out for that.

 

[James | Go-Ride]

Nah, the Fox offers some high-speed compression adjustment (bottom control) and platform damping for pedaling performance, but it's not quite the same stuff as what you get with a 5th or Swinger.