[lazyDAVE]

Just a quick question.

I'm getting a new Mountain Speed spring in a couple of days, and want to know which weight spring would best suit someone weighing about 160lbs. Currently I have 550 spring...

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[VTinCT]

One of the guys I ride with has a 700# spring on his Fox RC and loves it. He weighs only a bit less than you. I'll run either a 700 or 800# spring depending on the ride, and I'm about 20lbs heavier...okay, maybe 30lbs more

Its all in the prefference. It just so happens that we run the same shock, so we can swap out springs to experiment with the ride...it helps. You got any riders on the same shock that you could try out their rigs?

 

[Gutty]

If I am remembering correctly, Rider Weight * Leverage * 1.4 gives a general starting point.

For example if you have a 1.5" shock on a frame with 4.5" of travel your leverage is 3:1.

So 185 * 3 * 1.4 = 777 pound spring.


Keep in mind this is a very rough estimate and will vary depending on suspension design and riding style.

 

[Ian F]

Originally posted by lazyDAVE
Just a quick question.

I'm getting a new Mountain Speed spring in a couple of days, and want to know which weight spring would best suit someone weighing about 160lbs. Currently I have 550 spring...

?
?
?

Need more info... what frame? leverage ratio of the framee? how do you ride?

 

[lazyDAVE]

- marin rock springs
- shockworks shock
- 5" travel
- leverage ratio ??????(no idea)
- riding style is normal, i ride everything, xc, dh etc, I am quite a smooth rider most of the time.

I think I will just get a 650 or 700, and see how it goes. They don't cost that much, so I could even get a heaiver one later on, for the 20 footers!!!!

 

[Revol]

Originally posted by Gutty
If I am remembering correctly, Rider Weight * Leverage * 1.4 gives a general starting point.

For example if you have a 1.5" shock on a frame with 4.5" of travel your leverage is 3:1.

So 185 * 3 * 1.4 = 777 pound spring.


Keep in mind this is a very rough estimate and will vary depending on suspension design and riding style.

Gutty,where do you get the 1.4 figure from? I would have thought it would be just rider weight x leverage ratio?

 

[Gutty]

Originally posted by Revol


Gutty,where do you get the 1.4 figure from? I would have thought it would be just rider weight x leverage ratio?

Don't know where it comes from. This was originally posted on empty beer and it worked out pretty close to what i had on my bike at the time so i thought it must be roughly correct.


lazyDAVE: What is your shock stroke ? If you take your total travel and divide it by the stroke of your shock you will have your leverage ratio.
So assuming you have a 3:1 leverage ratio(kinda average ratio) the formula would be:
160x3x1.4=672 so this would mean you need a 650 spring. Approximately.

 

[lazyDAVE]

I am pretty sure that my shock stroke is 1.5 so that would mean a leverage ratio of 3.33.

Using your formula results in 740. So I should probably get a 700-750 spring.

Thanks for all the help guys, it's really helped. Before I didn't have a clue which weight spring I needed, I just knew I needed one that wasn't as soft as my current spring.

 

[eastcoastzigzag]

hey lazy dave, this is dave from NY. i weigh 240, and i ride a balfa 2 step for DH. it came w/ a 500, too soft, i tried a 700, too hard for my taste. so i ordered a 600 today. ohh, i have a vanila rc. if i remember ill ley u know how the 600 worked 4 me. also i dont do drops over 5 ft. no intrest in it. im a racer not a bender imitation. ride on man, and have a great season, give my sponcer a hit, www.balfa.com

 

[lazyDAVE]

hi, thanks for the input.

I've ordered a 650 spring from my local bike shop. GOnna be an MRP spring I believe.

I'm also not that interested in massive jumps/drops either. More into being a 'speed merchant' lol.

Good lick for your season. You've got yourself a good sponser.

later