[ridingsupreme]

There are a lot of Ti Spring manufactures out there. Prices aside what are you opinions on the best manufacture out there?

So far the only manufactures i've come across are;

Nukeproof
Obtanium
RCS
Diverse

any I'm missing that I should take into consideration?

 

[Daver]

How are the Manitou branded ti springs classed. I have used these as well as RCS brand springs in the past, and the Manitou ones are significantly lighter than the RCS ones. But whenever the Manitou ones have come up on here, they have been called RCS springs.

 

[DHRracer]

A couple notes I've read [but not had firsthand experience with]:

-RCS is heavy compared to other Ti springs
-Obtanium has terrible customer service, but good springs

Unfortuartely when people have not had the service they think they deserve they are more inclined to voice it.With the internet and forums such as this it makes it very easy to be done anonymously.Yes Obtainium has had some growing pains but no one else out there is working harder to listen too,bring too and deliver what the Mt.bike customer is asking for in Ti springs.Who else was at SeaOtter talking to as many riders they could,offering 25lb increments,the lightest ones on the market.Those are just some of the reasons why you will find Obtainium Ti springs on Sam Hill,Brendan Fairclouh,Steve Peat,Greg Minnaar and many more of the top pros bikes.So I would say is unless you have first hand experience it would be best to keep your opinon to yourself.

 

[jsk14]

i've been running a manitou spring, as well as knock ones, both work nicely. the manitou ones are really light go for them.

 

[Kntr]

Ive tried a lot of ti-springs and always go back to Obtainium. Ive tried RCS, Marzocchi, Obtaium, and Progressive.

Obtainium is the best I have found. They dont rub and are super light. Their customer service is not the greatest, but you wont need any for a spring after you buy one. I have Obtaium on two bikes. Both were lighter than the same RCS spring.

The RCS springs always rub a little for me and are heavy. I usually send my ti-springs to PUSH to have them tested. ALL my RCS springs have been off 15-20 lbs. ALL my Obainiums have been within 5 lbs.

Get an Obtainium.

 

[davet]

So I would say is unless you have first hand experience it would be best to keep your opinon to yourself.

I have first hand experience and I share his opinion.

and the 450lb spring does rub on a DHX

That being said, it is light...almost 100 grams lighter than an RCS, and the springs weights are accurate whereas the 450 RCS was actually 425ish.

I'm willing to chalk up my experience with Obtanium to early growing pains and I'd give them another chance if I was in the market.

 

[Bicyclist]

So I would say is unless you have first hand experience it would be best to keep your opinon to yourself.

I prefaced my comment by saying everything I said was second-hand; that doesn't make it irrelevant to OP's question. Thanks for the input though.

 

[Big J]

Ok, does anyone have experience w/ RCS or Obtanium's 550 or 600 on a DHX?

RCS is the only one listing a DHX specific spring but no matter who the Mfg is one would expect a proper fit for $272 +.

Edit: I know it's recommended that the user remove the blue adjuster knob on the DHX does anyone have a photo of their ti set up w/ this mod?

I was going to post the same question but ridingsupreme beat me to it so any feedback you guys have would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

J

 

[Supa8]

RCS DHX springs fit as intended. What stroke is the shock? RCS makes springs for shorter stroke shocks. I believe Obtainium has only 3" stroke springs listed?

 

[DIRTWRKS]

Ok, does anyone have experience w/ RCS or Obtanium's 550 or 600 on a DHX?

RCS is the only one listing a DHX specific spring but no matter who the Mfg is one would expect a proper fit for $272 +.

Edit: I know it's recommended that the user remove the blue adjuster knob on the DHX does anyone have a photo of their ti set up w/ this mod?

I was going to post the same question but ridingsupreme beat me to it so any feedback you guys have would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

J

I had to remove the Blue adjuster on my DHX , I had some rubbing with an Obtanium 375lb spring on my Orange 224.
It's real easy to remove the blue adjuster , looks a little funny at first but you get used to it, another solution would be to grind or dremel down that part of the blue knob that rubs on the spring, assuming you leave it in that same position all the time.

 

[PDS RX]

what kind of idiot needs customer service for a firkin spring I mean really did someone just say that, the world is coming to end when you can’t put a spring for your weight on your bike and leave it there

 

[Big J]

If I choose to upgrade to a ti spring RCS has the stroke I need but I'm a bit concerned about the true spring rates since a Fox 550 steel keeps me just inside the proper sage rate for a '08 V10. Looks like there's no deviating from my diet & training schedule.....

Thanks again for the feedback,

J

 

[Bicyclist]

Have you tested your Fox spring? They are often further off than RCS.

 

[Big J]

Have you tested your Fox spring? They are often further off than RCS.

Good point....no I haven't.

Edit: Though I'd like to know what Fox's acceptable spring rate variance is for their vendor/s. If no one knows I'll call Fox since testing in my area isn't readily available.

J

 

[DIRTWRKS]

what kind of idiot needs customer service for a firkin spring I mean really did someone just say that, the world is coming to end when you can’t put a spring for your weight on your bike and leave it there

Well if you would have looked at the other Obtanium thread from a little while ago , no one is complaining about the springs or how they should be used.
That said a number of people had issues with the wrong part being shipped or missing adapters etc.... which of course can happen with any supplier but it seems that they were not very quick to deal with these kinds of issues in responding and following up with their customers. This what they are refering to as customer sevice issues !

 

[Vule]

I tried to contact OBTAINIUM and, because I live in Croatia, wanted to buy their spring (and ship it to Croatia)...
Send 6 e-mails - never got response.. not a word!!!!!!!!
lthumbsdown:

 

[PDS RX]

Well if you would have looked at the other Obtanium thread from a little while ago , no one is complaining about the springs or how they should be used.
That said a number of people had issues with the wrong part being shipped or missing adapters etc.... which of course can happen with any supplier but it seems that they were not very quick to deal with these kinds of issues in responding and following up with their customers. This what they are refering to as customer sevice issues !

http://obtainiumperformanceproducts.com/products.php

does that just blow your mind and its obtainium not obtanium.... but it can happen to anyone

 

[Vule]

I tried to contact them, (OBTAINIUM) because I live in Croatia and wanted to buy their spring (and ship it to Croatia)...
Send 6 e-mails - never got response.. not a word!!!!!!!!
lthumbsdown:

 

[davep]

I tried to contact them, (OBTAINIUM) because I live in Croatia and wanted to buy their spring (and ship it to Croatia)...
Send 6 e-mails - never got response.. not a word!!!!!!!!
lthumbsdown:

While not the ideal solution, if you had posted your problem/asked for help getting in touch with Obtainium, people here could have helped.

 

[Prettym1k3]

I had a Progressive spring, and it was fantastic.

Now I'm running an X-Fusion spring, and they're also fantastic. too.

Generally, things today are going fantastic.

 

[Vule]

While not the ideal solution, if you had posted your problem/asked for help getting in touch with Obtainium, people here could have helped.

ok, but what would be your opinion of that firm if your were in my shoes
If they said 50$ for shipping, ok! But ignoring....

 

[davep]

Like I said, it is not ideal... and I am NOT defending the lack of communication!!

I am just making the point that if I were ordering a product from half way around the world from a company that operated in a language different than mine, that I did not want to/was not able to call...that company was new and I did not know how big/well financed they were...

and I was not able to get ahold of them by my prefered method.....

and I knew of an entire web forum of people who were familiar with the company and were MUCH more local than I.....

I would certainly ask if any one knew a better way or could help me to communicate with that company.

If you had asked, people could have helped get you in touch with Obtanium.




There are many companies in the bike biz that offer e-mail as a communication/ordering method because (they think) customers prefer it.....yet they are not equiped/staffed properly to handle and stay on top of the constant influx of mail (search and you will find many mfg that have this reputation..but have an excelent reputation for their products otherwise).

If it were my company and I was in this situation, I would just remove my e-mail address (ala Hadley).... but, if a company in the USA only had a phone number, would you have called them from Croatia?

 

[Bicyclist]

Just thought I would bump this thread with an experience.

I called Jim about ordering a spring, talked to him for a good 20 minutes about his springs and assorted DH stuff, and ordered the spring online after talking to him. I received confirmation of order and shipping, and got the spring a few days later. Mounted up perfectly, correct adapters, etc.

Is an Obtainium more expensive than other options? Yes, but in the end, I think it is arguably worth the money - the springs are accurate and light, and designed by someone that puts a lot of time into their design. I am very satisfied with my purchase and would buy one again.

Just thought I'd update this to get another perspective on it.

 

[woffa04]

Bit of a bump but where does one like me get a Progressive spring seeing as there website is down

 

[Kntr]

What weight Progressive spring do you need? Ive got a couple spares but they are not ti.

 

[davet]

Bit of a bump but where does one like me get a Progressive spring seeing as there website is down

ebay or classifieds

I don't think they are being made any more (actually not for a while now). They are getting to be a rare find.

I lucked into a 450x2.75 a couple of months ago for cheap that was lighter than Obtanium, didn't need adapters and doesn't rub my DHX. If a company wants to corner whatever market there is on Ti springs, I'd suggest they find Progressive's specs and duplicate them

 

[HAB]

ebay or classifieds

I don't think they are being made any more (actually not for a while now). They are getting to be a rare find.

I lucked into a 450x2.75 a couple of months ago for cheap that was lighter than Obtanium, didn't need adapters and doesn't rub my DHX. If a company wants to corner whatever market there is on Ti springs, I'd suggest they find Progressive's specs and duplicate them

Seriously. Progressive had it down. I've got one on my Roco. It's light, it fits well. What more could you want?

 

[mullet_dew]

ebay or classifieds

I don't think they are being made any more (actually not for a while now). They are getting to be a rare find.

I lucked into a 450x2.75 a couple of months ago for cheap that was lighter than Obtanium, didn't need adapters and doesn't rub my DHX. If a company wants to corner whatever market there is on Ti springs, I'd suggest they find Progressive's specs and duplicate them

From Obtainiums website...

Attention All FOX shock users: you should remove the "Blue" adjustment knob from the reservoir or it may be damaged by the Obtainium spring rubbing against it. This is easy to do. Just use a 2 mm Allen stock wrench and loosen the 2 Allen screws holding the "Blue" knob on the reservoir. Also you may want to carry a 5/8" box end wrench with you if you want to make adjustments while riding.

It fits my DHX fine, but then again I looked at the website before installing mine.
Also to the complaints about the CS, I don't think most people realize he is one person working out of his house. It really isn't fair to compare one guy to a whole company.

 

[chuckie]

well we have ben waiting almost 8 weeks for delivery of 10 springs to Australia from Obtanium , anone know whats going on?? This is getting ridiculous!!

 

[davep]

How many times are you going to post this crap? You have been told several times, by several different people, on several different forums (that I have seen...I am sure there are more)...that YOU ORDERED A SPRING THAT DOES NOT EXIST!!!!!!!!

Your distibutor F'ed up. Obtainium does NOT make 3.5" stroke springs!

Does this make any sense to you???????

 

[ozzemale]

as a matter of fact jim has started making 3.5" coils. so no need to be aggressive and double check your facts.

nicho

 

[Trekrules]

Obtainium does NOT make 3.5" stroke springs!

They are already available since a view month's and cost $249,00,Obtainium is also working on a new website

 

[davep]

He has had this information given to him many times over, yet refuses to accept it and posts the same whining garbage all over the web....Won't clarify what he is waiting for, in fact he does not even know what was(you) ordered or what arrived, nor does he understand the difference between a 3.5 or 3.0" stroke spring...simply that "the distributor ordered what ever Obtanium make to fit a BOS Stoy shocks". The OP also seems to think that you ordered 3.0" springs...

More of his lack of understanding and lack of info provided:
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=535311

If Jim has indeed started to mfg 3.5" springs just receintly (last time I talked to him they were not being offered, but something he was thinking about) then that in itself is the reason the OP does not have his springs. This is not a product that is available to the public now nor has it ever been in the past (other than one-offs made for sponsored athletes). You pre-ordered a sight unseen part...and your customer somehow got the idea that he should have that unseen part delivered to him on his timeline, and then blames the mfg for the delay to actually mfg this part.

Either the distributor (YOU) in Oz is providing incorrect info to the OP (ie the springs are not in stock...that means you are going to wait a fair bit for them to get made (designed, material sourced, wound, ground, heat treated, grit blasted, silk screened, tested.................... and THEN made available.....not to mention the shipping time to Oz). This certianly could have to do with Jim, what he thought would be the time frame, mfg issues, shipping issues, etc. I am certainly not saying that Jim has not made mistakes. He is a one man company and things have certainly slipped through the cracks occasionally. But as a distributor of a product from said small company, ordering a product that has never been seen, from half way around the world...it is your responsability to give your customers a real (educated guestimate erring toward the worst case scenario) timeline for product delivery.

...or the OP is simply making up his own wishfull thinking about the time HE thinks it should take to mfg a product and get it shipped around the world.

In the future, for products that are currently vaporware, you might want to let your customers know that delivery might be a LONG way away. This is not new to the bike biz in any way (Two more weeks). Everything (especially brand new products) takes (much) longer to deliver that anyone originally anticipates.

 

[davep]

They are already available since a view month's and cost $249,00,Obtainium is also working on a new website

Because you heard they were going to be made, or because you have seen one?

If he had stock avaialble 'for a few months', they would be on the website or in the huge pile of springs that he had at our condo at c-works.

 

[Trekrules]

Because you heard they were going to be made, or because you have seen one?

If he had stock avaialble 'for a few months', they would be on the website or in the huge pile of springs that he had at our condo at c-works.

Jim personal told me month's ago that they are already available for shipping and they aren't on their website because the old website is still online.Like i said before they are working hard on a new website that will be updated with all shock spring sizes including for 3.5 stroke

2 message's from Jim in my inbox dated month's ago:

july the 6th

We are in the process of a complete website change but we have 3.5's ready to ship

july the 7th

250x3.5 and those are $275 (U.S. Dollars)

 

[davep]

I know a few exist as I have seen/held/played with them.

But please show me a pic or post of a consumer that has one yet. K9 (Uk distro) claims they will have them, yet they don't show them as avaialble (not surprising with K9). Nicho is the Austailian distro, he does not have them. There is mention all over the web as a repeat of the K9 press release...but again, no pics, no availability.

Sicklines mentioned the 3.5" spring in April of 08'...

I had a 29.5 sunline bar the week after interbike. All the distributors (and many retailers) were pushing them and taking orders at that time. A few obviously existed at that time....but as a consumer (or 661 team rider), you could not get one period. You could pay for one and wait, but that was it. Why, because they were still in large quantity production.

I am in no way saying that these wont be available, but like it or not for whatever reason, it is pretty obvious that they are not 'out there' yet. If everyone BUT the OP (or anyone actually)had these springs, I could see his issue, but no one does. They may not be made, they may be stuck in customs, Jim may be sitting on 100 of them, they may have been abducted by aliens...it does not really matter. What matters is that no one has them yet.

BTW the web site does need a serious re-design, but that does not preclude adding or subtracting products. Current spring availability changes with inventory, and many items like the BOS adapters as well as the bearings perches have been added to the current/old site. The 3.5 springs could easily be added to the current site if that was the desire.

 

[Muttely]

A local rider to me who rides for 661/sunline whatever had the 29.5 flat sunline bar back in june, if that helps!

 

[davep]

Two years ago. 19mm rise. They were a show sample, one of aobut 10 made at that point.

Regardless, the point is that just because something is GOING to be made in quantity, one or two exist, and orders are being taken...does NOT mean that said item is 'available' or that you will get in anytime soon...ESPESCIALLY IN THE BIKE BIZ.

This is the same as all the kids that order brand new designed fames (one shown at I-bike and E-bike that was the single test bike) and bitch and whine that they dont have their frame before the first race of the season....and yet it happens over and over again every year.

I am not saying that this is how things should be, but it is reality in every facet of life.

Not so sure why this is so hard for people to understand.....

 

[chuckie]

Dave P

what info wont I accept? is a realistic time frame of "when" will I receive my spring too much to ask for???

If there are no springs available to fit the BOS Stoy yet then dont you think that should be communicated to the distributor or to the customers (announcement on home page that springs for BOS ARE NOW AVAILABLE!!)?? Isnt that just good customer service etiquette or common courtesy?? if he told us that in the first place than fair enough. Its all about setting expectations.
Im wondering if I would of experienced this kind of delay if I ordered directly thru the website, as you can select the BOS Stoy as an option

as mentioned we have contacted Jim directly because initially we thought it was the distributor making excuses. we have 3 emails from Jim stating that they are on their way

the last email from Jim said this

"We are desperately trying to correct our shipping disaster to prevent any future disaster. ",
that was sent on the 15th of Oct and no mention that they dont make this spring if that was the case. There was still no mention of an ETA

If Jim is a one man shop then I am sympathetic, because it seems like it is a great product, and he cant keep up with demand. If he is having issues then this needs to be communicated to his customers.


so what is their to understand dave P?..I ordered a product that is clearly advertised on their website, a spring for my BOS Stoy (pretty simple) and have not been told once by Obtanium that they dont make this product, and that it is on their way...just no mention of when

I have been told by 2 people who thought they knew everything about Obtanium that they dont make this size , to find out that they were incorrect and that Jim has told people directly that he is manufacturing 3.5" springs

 

[gfisher270]

what ti spring should i get for my fox dhx 5.0? it will be going on a 2010 jamis bam