yeti 303

dw said:

Luckily the shock probelms are no longer an issue, Progressive is shipping shocks that feel great and do what they have for 2 years, and now the DHX's are just feeling unreal on the bikes. I am looking forward to tuning a DHX equipped Sunday for you personally at on-dirt demo.

dw

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Not too steal this thread but,,,,,,,,, I'm going to steel this thread

DW, are they (IH), still planning to make/offer 06' linkage upgrades for the 05's to allow the rest of us run the DHX? Also, have you tested the Avy on the Sunday yet? How's that shock working and does Craig have a tune that works well with the bike (with my Avy sitting here doing nothing and me living 20min from Craig's)? Any benefits one way or the other? And, yes I have the new 5th tune on my Sunday and it feels pretty good. Just wondering.

Thanks.

thaflyinfatman said:

Not really, I don't think DW-link or Maestro are even as spatially cumbersome as FSR (note how few non-walking-bar FSR bikes have full-length seat tubes). There is a lot of freedom with bike designs.

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well the designs went so far as to eliminate cross-bracing at the seat-say pivot (first thing i noticed)...that would scare off alot of designers who werent committed to the design. (edit: wait, you actually proved my point, thanks )

And no, there isnt alot of freedom in bike designs, it's actually quite difficult to get complete harmony. Thats why theres always some kind of flaw: interupted seatpost, crowded drivetrain (derailler/chainguide vs spacing vs chainline problems), spindly linkage/weird frame configs etc.....the more you try to do or control in one design, the more comprimises you end up making, and possibly ill-fated decisions along the way. Bikes have a fairly tight package surrounded by component and ergonomic requirements, that either you end up with dead simple generic single pivots with high horizontal shock mounts, or you get shocks sticking through frame members with no hope of adjustment without a 20 minute teardown.

and no, there are some axle paths that you cannot make with only a 4 bar linkage within the confines of the bike, trust me, otherwise you may lack the proper imagination

I have gotten chance to ride 2 303s and they are unreal, I may get one soon. I also work with a guy that currently ownes one and knows about suspension and how it works unlike most people, and even though it has a rearword axle path brake jack is no issue, he said it does have some pedal feedback since the wheelbase changes through its stroke (not verticle wheelpath)

He says this bike can make you fast do to its ability to saok up square edges like rock gardens and such. it makes a rock garden feel like small braking bumps. I am curious on the weight, I will hav him weigh his complete.

zedro said:

And no, there isnt alot of freedom in bike designs, it's actually quite difficult to get complete harmony. Thats why theres always some kind of flaw: interupted seatpost, crowded drivetrain (derailler/chainguide vs spacing vs chainline problems), spindly linkage/weird frame configs etc.....the more you try to do or control in one design, the more comprimises you end up making, and possibly ill-fated decisions along the way. Bikes have a fairly tight package surrounded by component and ergonomic requirements, that either you end up with dead simple generic single pivots with high horizontal shock mounts, or you get shocks sticking through frame members with no hope of adjustment without a 20 minute teardown.

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Yeah I've never made a frame but the more I learn the more I realize that it is a huge challenge to make everything fit while preserving desired angles, chainline, axle spacing, wheelbase, shock compatibility, etc. Sure there is a lot of freedom but there are also some very restrictive parameters. To make something that works and meets design objectives (especially those driven by marketing) is a pretty impressive feat.