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pike solo vs dual position air

frorider

Monkey
Jul 21, 2004
971
20
cali
I normally avoid talas or other dual position systems due to added stiction & weight, but I'm sorta thinking of getting the 130/160 DP pike maybe. haven't seen any definitive comparison on stiction. Is the added weight only 50 g for realz? Found a link for someone who makes progression tokens that fit the DP pike, so that's not a factor.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
The weight difference is like 100 grams according to BTI.

I have a 95 cent rubber stopper in my DPA to act as a volume reducer/token.
http://image.made-in-china.com/2f0j00YeraGUTRUfoH/Rubber-Stoppers.jpg


If you're riding a bike with a 65-67 degree headangle, I think the DPA is totally worth it if you find yourself even thinking about it. Just dropping the front end that little bit, helps with uphill steering, rear wheel traction......which let's be honest, really does go to shit on a bike that slack when you're trying to pedal it uphill, especially where traction sucks.

I rode a solo air for most of a summer, and then converted it to a dual position. I even switched it back to a solo air while I had the DPA assembly out, trying to figure out how to do some volume reducers. The biggest difference I noticed between two different bikes has nothing to do with friction or weight, but the fact that you can't get token equivalents for the dual. Both systems are a little divey in the midstroke, the DPA slightly less than the solo with no tokens. That's just typical air spring stuff. You can easily get away from it with the solo and some tokens, or get creative with some things in the dual. If you're not comfortable with that, just be aware it's going to be a limitation. Maverick suspension sells some dpa tokens but they're like 70 bucks for something that's probably mind bogglingly simple. Or you can pay avalanche suspension way too much money to deal with it through damping with a stronger midvalve system.

But that to me is about the only real performace difference I've noticed. This newer system RS is using has pretty much made performance differences between the two essentially a moot point IMO. The only thing rubbing in the DPA that the solo version doesn't have is a concentric pair of tubes that are about 7mm in diameter and lubed up. It's really not much.
 
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wydopen

Turbo Monkey
Jan 16, 2005
1,229
60
805
After being on a DPA for the last year and a half and then switching to a solo air for a few weeks I would hands down get the DPA...

Aside from the fact that I am several minutes faster on the climb of my after work ride with the fork lowered I actually prefer the springrate of the DPA...I honestly cant even put my finger on what exactly it is but the solo air felt kinda dead...I had them set up identical (sag & # of clicks) and the DPA feels more active and I also feels like it stays up in the travel better/was more supportive..Definitely felt like it has better traction.. .I did not get along at all with the solo air...so much so that I would chose another fork over running a solo air if I couldnt use a DPA...I was off the pace by a considerable amount with the solo air but as soon as I put the DPA back on I was right back to where I was before....I think the solo air I used only had one bottomless token in it but I really didn't feel like it needed to be more progressive...I rarely bottom my DPA...

Ive ridden a few solo air's and they all have felt similar...I love my DPA though..it could be because I run my fork fairly stiff?

Really boggles my mind when I read reviews where they criticize them spec'ing DPA's on a bike with a 65deg HA..for me the travel adjust makes a huge difference and I feel like the fork feels better...win win
 
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JimLad

Monkey
Sep 23, 2009
101
2
Whistler
What's the damage to convert solo air to dual position? I could possibly get sram to do it here at crankworx if they have the parts
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,850
9,556
AK
I have the 160 29er solo. When I tried to ride uphill on a 26" bike with a 150-170mm fork, it always felt like I was about to fall backwards and I could never keep the front on the ground without some kind of travel reduction. On the 29er, this is nowhere near the same and I can moto up steep stuff well, which is nice because the other feeling that lowering the front gives (trying to run into the hill) is kind of detrimental too.

I have mine modded by Avalanche. So far, it feels slower on the slow stuff, sticks to the ground, seems to break away easily for the faster stuff, but it's still icy out and I couldn't go real fast/aggressive on the ice.
 

wydopen

Turbo Monkey
Jan 16, 2005
1,229
60
805
crown/stantions

There is a divot on the dual position stantion that's not on the solo air
 

supercow

Monkey
Feb 18, 2009
969
128
Its not worth spending money - just sell what you got and buy another.
I looked into converting the DP into the Solo, and it's was just a massive ball ache.
 

Lelandjt

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2008
2,508
821
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
Its not worth spending money - just sell what you got and buy another.
I looked into converting the DP into the Solo, and it's was just a massive ball ache.
That's what I did. The Dual Air was only available in white so I swapped lowers to keep the black lowers with black graphics from my Nomad. Now I'm happy with my white crown/stealth lower DPA and selling a barely used black crown/white lowers (lowers never used) single air. Both 160mm 650b.