[bent^biker]

*"just get a different bike" is not an acceptable answer to the following*

Suppose I had an 07 specialized bighit fsr3 fall into my lap but wanted to shorten up the travel. do any of the e-engineers see a problem with running an 8.5x2.5 shock instead of the stock 8.75x2.75 along with a similarly shorter fork?

as far as I can tell this would reduce the travel to around 7.3" which is right around where I would want it. Running in the "steep" shock position with a 7.1" (totem) fork should keep the bb from being outrageously low and the bike should retain similar handling.

thoughts...

 

[DHS]

tell us how it goes.

 

[freeridefool]

the old big hits pre 2005 (mine is an 05 and came with a longer stroke shock) came with 8.5x2.5 and i think the travel was like 6.7 inches. with the longer 8.75x2.75 it has 8.1. so ya a shorter travel shock will work.

 

[Dirtjumper999]

I think it'll be fine.

 

[bent^biker]

the old big hits pre 2005 (mine is an 05 and came with a longer stroke shock) came with 8.5x2.5 and i think the travel was like 6.7 inches. with the longer 8.75x2.75 it has 8.1. so ya a shorter travel shock will work.

its not so much the acceptability of the shock I am worried about but whether or not the geo will be irreversibly screwed afterwards.

 

[ZHendo]

definitely be sure to post what happens, i think it should work, but i haven't done any short travel adjustments to any of my bikes. if it works well though, that would be one of the coolest things ever because those bighits seem like great bikes, but i'd like the bb a little bit lower.

 

[HAB]

The eye to eye of the shock will be the same when compressed, so you won't have interfereance issues. The shorter shock will slacken the bike out, and lower the BB. If you then went for a shorter fork to compensate, you'd get the angles back to a normal figure, but the BB would be a bunch lower. So you'd end up with a very low, shorter travel Big Hit. Should work fine. Whether or not you'll like it is a different question, but you can only answer that by trying. If it's really "falling into your lap" than I'd give it a shot, since it dosn't sound like you've got a whole lot to lose.

 

[muddy beast]

EDIT: Nevermind...

But why would you want a bighit if you have an SWD?

 

[bent^biker]

less travel, more versetile

 

[01yz125]

i did the same thing on my bighit. it lowered the BB and slackend the head angle. it rides alot nicer now.

 

[bent^biker]

sweet, did you go with an 8.5x2.5? which fork did you put on? which year bighit was it? any pics?

 

[01yz125]

yeah i did. its a 2006 bighit FSR IIframe. but its got a 06 Boxxer Race.
since i took this pic its got a new wheelset, seat, chainring and will have new guide and cranks soon

 

[01yz125]

O and its gunna be up for sale reall soon!

 

[bent^biker]

whats your bb height and approx head angle leaving the long travel fork on there


btw that flat black paint looks so sexy on that bike (we have one in the shop right now). how much you askin for it?

 

[01yz125]

dude ur asking for exact specs? **** i dunno. lol it just rides nicer..
um probably like $1800, its going to be re-built and the end of this season, with fork rebuild kit, and new bearings in the frame. Anyone going to be interested?

 

[chris_f]

That looks nice and low. Great stuff.

 

[bent^biker]

dude ur asking for exact specs? **** i dunno. lol it just rides nicer..
um probably like $1800, its going to be re-built and the end of this season, with fork rebuild kit, and new bearings in the frame. Anyone going to be interested?

just a bb height from ground to middle of bb. you'd be my best friend if you would run out to your garage with a tape measure :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: