[eastcoastDH]

Just got my 2011 makulu and its INSANE!
Specs:
Fork: Boxxer R2C2
Shock:CCDB
Bars: Chromag Fubars OSX
Grips: ODI Ruffian
Brakes: Avid Code R
Cranks: Truvativ Decendant
Chainguide: e*thirteen
Rear Der: Sram X9
Wheelset: Azonic Outlaw
Tires: Maxxis Minion
Seatpost: Thompson Elite
Saddle: Funn Skinny

 

[drkenan]

Nice - mine's very similar spec'd and the exact same color, except it's a 2010. Where'd you get it?

 

[eastcoastDH]

Nice - mine's very similar spec'd and the exact same color, except it's a 2010. Where'd you get it?

Fanatik Bike Co.

 

[chuckie]

beautiful!! morewoods are all class!

 

[Lelandjt]

When those came out I remember something about them being designed to run a LOT of sag. What's up with that? Can you run 30% if you like that or does it make for a weird feel? Also, don't they come with a fender to protect the shock?

 

[drkenan]

When those came out I remember something about them being designed to run a LOT of sag. What's up with that? Can you run 30% if you like that or does it make for a weird feel? Also, don't they come with a fender to protect the shock?

Yeah everyone I know is running quite a bit of sag - pretty sure mine is around 40% (maybe even a little over). I measured it at the US Open last year but can't remember exactly. I had Profro set mine up and it rides like a dream boat.

They do come with a fender but I've sworn to only run mine in the mud.

 

[eastcoastDH]

I still need to set up sag and compression/rebound for the CCDB, any tips?

 

[norbar]

When those came out I remember something about them being designed to run a LOT of sag. What's up with that? Can you run 30% if you like that or does it make for a weird feel? Also, don't they come with a fender to protect the shock?

BOS shocks supposedly should be run with more sag on all bikes. Not sure about ccdb or rc4 on the makulu.

 

[WBC]

I still need to set up sag and compression/rebound for the CCDB, any tips?

I have a 2010 with a "Makulu" ccdb, so my leverage curve is a little different but the shock is the same (I think). Also, my tuning has been pretty haphazard.

My best advice is to read the ccdb tuning guide, turn everything fully open while counting how many clicks/turns you're turning, then set it back to where it was. Ride it for a day of shuttles on a familiar trail and make significant adjustments between runs to see what everything does. Make mental notes of what you like, and try to get it close to what feels right by the end of your first day. Go riding another day, making smaller adjustments to try and fine tune it, and keep taking those notes. Collect your thoughts and then call Malcolm at Cane Creek. He's full of good info, but it's much easier to understand what he tells you, and easier for him to know what you want, after you have some ride time.

Shock tuning for new bikes is always tedious, but you need extra patience with the CCDB and with the low leverage, flat ( flat-ish for the 2011) curved Makulu.

When I first got mine last July, I set it up based on previous experience, and what I read on here (lots of sag and HSC). I then had a friend that knew CCDB's well take it for a few runs to fine tune it. It rode well, and I was working so goddamn much that I didn't want to dick with it, but I was happy enough.
Then this Winter I finally called Malcolm and received some new baselines and advice, and took the time to set it up well. Holy **** what a difference! It seems daunting, but once you get it, it's well worth the trouble. It really is an incredible bike and shock, and is VERY confidence inspiring once you get it up to speed.

Perhaps most importantly, my settings are completely different than what I've read on here. Before I set it up, I felt like I was getting hung up on big hits, wasn't getting much grip or small bump compliance, and I couldn't preload the bike very well. Malcolm suggested that I run more spring and less damping (kept calling it "motorsport").

I'm running much less sag (30ish% sag), pretty wide open on the LSC, middle of the HSC and HSR, and pretty slow LSR. I'm 220lbs, so if you're lighter, you'll run less damping. **After reading the post following mine, I may need to go tuning again.**

Like Malcolm will repeatedly tell you, the Makulu is not a poppy bike (yours will be more poppy than mine).

 

[profro]

The low speed adjustments will go together. If you have no LSC and lots of LSR you are off. The high speed adjustments go like this for me: I use the rebound for 80% of my adjustments. The compression will expose its self most on single big hits and to a lesser extent for having a "wiggly" feeling on G-outs. The rebound controls most everything else. If the bike is harsh then too much, if its nervous then not enough.

 

[WBC]

The low speed adjustments will go together. If you have no LSC and lots of LSR you are off. The high speed adjustments go like this for me: I use the rebound for 80% of my adjustments. The compression will expose its self most on single big hits and to a lesser extent for having a "wiggly" feeling on G-outs. The rebound controls most everything else. If the bike is harsh then too much, if its nervous then not enough.

That's good info. I'm still figuring out more about where I want to be with this shock. I have years' experience tuning more generic shocks, but for some reason this has been somewhat of a puzzle to totally dial in. Must be something to do with 13-14 hrs days in hell during the week.

If you get time, I'd like to hear more!

 

[eastcoastDH]

Thanks for the info, it'll really help when i get to setting this stuff up the first time i ride it. The ccdb is so complicated compared to other shocks, but i feel itll be worth it when i get it fine tuned.

 

[milohead]

The low speed adjustments will go together. If you have no LSC and lots of LSR you are off. The high speed adjustments go like this for me: I use the rebound for 80% of my adjustments. The compression will expose its self most on single big hits and to a lesser extent for having a "wiggly" feeling on G-outs. The rebound controls most everything else. If the bike is harsh then too much, if its nervous then not enough.

You been telling me this for about a year and I still don't get it. Use less syllables and pretend I got an education in the penal system.

 

[bizutch]

.... Profro set mine up and it rides like a dream boat.

...

....pretend I got an education in the penal system.

are we still talking about a bike year? Things are wandering into that grey area....

 

[Jeremy R]

Things are wandering into that grey area....

Your hair?

 

[profro]

Riding moto has really opened my eyes to tuning a damper. It seems much easier to "sense" changes to the clickers. But much more complicated due to the engine creating things like acceleration hop.

It really all comes down to personal riding style but you want as little HSC as possible, but no HSC isn't better. I have found that I don't like my shocks blowing through their travel. The trick is to get a nice controlled compression of the shaft but out spiking. But the CCDB is very hard to spike due to its design. I think this is also why CCDB can run softer springs. The damping can do so much of the work while not getting over worked and the spring is really only needed to return the bike to its rested state.

Just to fool around I have run my HSC adjuster all the way in and while it wasn't optimum it really wasn't that bad. However when I ran the HSR all the way in the bike was almost unrideable.

 

[bizutch]

When Greg was racing, we used to go to the Hwy 226 track and I'd watch him in the whoops. One of the main tech sections was a long section of stutters followed by a camelback hump into a berm.

He'd come around, hit the small ones, then "Doink" the big one. Stop. Ask me if saw the rear kick, make a few turns, come around again...no "doink".

Moto rules for dialing in a shock.

 

[Lelandjt]

Since the only force working against the rebound circuit is the spring and it tries to spring back with more force (faster) when it's deeper into the travel, are the HSR/LSR adjustments doing the same thing as a Vivid's ESR/BSR? I've got my ESR a little faster than my BSR to keep it from packing up too much while avoiding being too skittery over small chatter.

 

[al-irl]

When those came out I remember something about them being designed to run a LOT of sag. What's up with that? Can you run 30% if you like that or does it make for a weird feel? Also, don't they come with a fender to protect the shock?

I've a 2010 one and I've a bos and an rc4 a back up the boss feels better with 40% sag than the rc4. With the rc4 I found with the same spring rate I've to run about 80psi above the min in the boost valve to help keep the bike up in it's travel. I found the rc4 kinda blew through the travel compaired to the bos. So i had to run it a bit firmer to compensate. Not sure what ccdb is like on them but from what I can gather the 40% sag is just for the bos. Bos also recommend running the rebound on the fast side. It feels terrible in a carpark test but really works when on the trail.

 

[profro]

Just for thought, the TTX (the mx version of this shock) they tie the low speed compression and rebound into a single adjustment and call it chassis stability control. It affects the input you put into the bike from shifting your weight and pumping. Likewise on a mtb it can be thought of as the input you put into the bike from pedaling and pumping turns and rollers. The high speed circuit handles everything else.