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Shock options

SamB

Chimp
Dec 4, 2007
37
0
New Zealand
At the moment I'm running a 5th Element in my Balfa that has been on its way out for a while. The rebound is shot, doesn't feel very lively at all. Is it worth getting it overhauled? or should I pay 4x as much and invest in a new shock?

I'd probably looking for a dhx or a vivid, and not ruling out the roco either. Has any one had any ride time on a vivid and can compare it to a dhx?

Have also been thinking about a dhx air, but I'm still not really sold on air shocks. Problem with the dhx air is that the 8.75" option only has a 2.5" stroke, instead of 2.75". The Balfa has 9" rear travel so I wouldn't mind losing an inch of travel and it's just a simple single pivot so I don't think I would have any problems blowing through the travel too easily?

I don't want to spend heaps, just want a shock that doesn't feel 'dead' like my 5th does at the moment

Any opinions?

Cheers
Sam
 

SamB

Chimp
Dec 4, 2007
37
0
New Zealand
Thanks but I don't really want to send my shock half way across the world haha. Would cost a fortune in shipping and I don't want to be without a shock for too long.
 

RUFUS

e-douche of the year
Dec 1, 2006
3,480
1
Denver, CO
Thanks but I don't really want to send my shock half way across the world haha. Would cost a fortune in shipping and I don't want to be without a shock for too long.
Just saw where you were, good call.
The DHX 5 is a great shock as well as the Vivid. I love my Vivid.
 

davep

Turbo Monkey
Jan 7, 2005
3,276
0
seattle
Push does an INCREDIBLE job on the 5th element. It is night and day.
Give them a shout first.

Are you talking about Avalanche? Push does not work on 5ths....


O/P, if you have some tech knowledge there is enough info here on this board (combined with rebuild instructions on the manitou site..yes manitou, the swinger was ~identical to the 5th) to re-build the shock yourself and certainly make it work better than it did stock....
 

RUFUS

e-douche of the year
Dec 1, 2006
3,480
1
Denver, CO
Are you talking about Avalanche? Push does not work on 5ths....


O/P, if you have some tech knowledge there is enough info here on this board (combined with rebuild instructions on the manitou site..yes manitou, the swinger was ~identical to the 5th) to re-build the shock yourself and certainly make it work better than it did stock....
Yes I was, sorry about that.
My teammate had the shaft loosen and actually come out of the lower eyelet area. We tried to fix it but it just kept coming out. We sent it back to Sram and got a brand new one back. A full season of Freeride weekends for race practicing and a full on race season with absolutely no problems on my Vivid amd no problems on his new one.

I have minimal ride time on the DHX but the vivid felt so nice compared t my ROCO. A lot more responsive, plush and very easy to set up for multiple track situations.
I will be riding it on a sunday this season for freeriding and again on my R9 and the new Sinister F-bomb for the race season. I wouldn't really want another rear shock.
 

SamB

Chimp
Dec 4, 2007
37
0
New Zealand
Thanks for all the replies. Again, I would still have to send my shock overseas. Heard of a guy here in NZ who is pretty good at rebuilding 5ths so I'll look into that. If I'm not happy with the results I will look into a new shock.

The Vivid sounds pretty good though. What are they like to maintain?
 

Ian Collins

Turbo Monkey
Oct 4, 2001
1,428
0
Pacific Beach, San Diego, CA
didn't realized you'd moved.....i've heard mostly good things about the vivids, but if they go low on nitrogen charge(which they do all to easily i've heard), they have to be sent in and charged with a special tool/special fitting......would be nice to score one of those fittings considering you're on the other side/bottom of the world
 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,479
4,719
Australia
Have you had any problems with the shaft loosening?
I've run my Vivid 5.1 for about a year now, with no problems.

Great shock. I like the feel more than the DHX but that's just personal taste. The DHX is also a damn good shock with some more tuning options than the Vivid.

I'd go for whichever one of those two shocks you can get the cheapest.
 

djamgils

Monkey
Aug 31, 2007
349
0
Holland
Great shock. I like the feel more than the DHX but that's just personal taste. The DHX is also a damn good shock with some more tuning options than the Vivid.
In my opinion the vivid has more usefull adjustments then the dhx. With the dhx you have propedal, boostvalve pressure, bottom out and rebound. But the propedal and boostvalve pressure roughly have the same effect.

But with the vivid you have LSR, HSR, LSC and bottom out control. And unlike with the dhx it is very clear with the vivid what you adjust. Just look at the names of the adjusters.
 

Patan-DH

Monkey
Jun 9, 2007
458
0
Patagonia
didn't realized you'd moved.....i've heard mostly good things about the vivids, but if they go low on nitrogen charge(which they do all to easily i've heard), they have to be sent in and charged with a special tool/special fitting......would be nice to score one of those fittings considering you're on the other side/bottom of the world
Hello,
Do you have any pics of that special tool/special fitting?
 

DirtyMike

Turbo Fluffer
Aug 8, 2005
14,437
1,017
My own world inside my head
just an fyi... Santa Cruz has 8.75x2.75 5th elements c/w 400lb spring for $25

Yes, $25. I emailed to confirm it is in fact the shock body and spring

Even if you don't like the 5th, any suspension tuner can take out the platform and make it into a pretty sweet damper.

http://www.santacruzbicycles.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=25_72&products_id=188


Holy ****, Thats a scream of a price, almost makes me want to buy my Blindside without a shock and get one of those instead.
 

SamB

Chimp
Dec 4, 2007
37
0
New Zealand
That would be awesome, but

"United Parcel Service (1 x 1lbs) United Parcel Service Worldwide Express $75.56"

Might still think about it, although the ****ty $NZ at the moment makes it pretty expensive.