So...he's been tuning MTB suspension since 1991?
If I remember right there wasn't even MTB suspension back then, or if there was I doubt it was tune-able suspension.
Elka Stage 4 fork cartridge
- Thread starter Delimeat
- Start date
If I remember right there wasn't even MTB suspension back then, or if there was I doubt it was tune-able suspension.
I haven't heard much about the elka other than what a few sponsored riders post, and they haven't been in this industry long. Who knows if they will stay? My argument based on longevity of a brand is ridiculous because elka is a bigger company? I don't think elka is any more of a cornerstone than avalanche.Avy is, from what I know, basically a one person show. Perhaps theres more, i dunno. A good company for sure, but hardly a cornerstone of the industry.
Elka is a larger, established company. Maybe not in bikes, but in other vehicles, from what I understand.
As such, your argument is ridiculous.
Its debatable that either are better, to be honest. Different yes, but better? I dunno about that. That would mean a couple of tiny companies out there are much better than a multimillion dollar company with multiple engineers on staff. I'm not saying you can't improve on stuff, just honestly wondering if they are an actual improvement. I wonder how many people buy these things and say that they are better just because they feel different from the stock system?
In regards to having more money, these aren't space age technology dampers here. They aren't anything that didn't exist years ago and the concepts behind them are hardly new. Elka isn't reinventing the wheel (or damper) with theirs, regardless of how many engineers they have.
I'm sure either would work, but as I have expressed, I prefer to deal with the "one person show."
May I ask what was so unimpressive about the shock?
I have whinged about it elsewhere but mine was a first gen model that had the nasty squeak and clunk, I still wouldn't run a newer version as I still don't like the chaange of direction laggy clunky feeling.
It doesn't feel as bad on higher ratio frames but if you have a new Elka on a 2:1 frame it still feels pretty poor in my opinion. My shock would also change it's damping charachteristics mid run and really lost quite a bit of it's damping on both compression and rebound.
I went from the Elka to a two year old Bos with no knowledge of it had ever been serviced and it is streets ahead of the Elka in the sensitivity department and maintains thee same feel from the start of the run to the end. Oh the spring fits on the Bos collars perfectly whereas the Elka's fit was like me in a porn star and that was using their own brand of spring.
Once again, either I failed to properly write somethign down that relayed my intended message, or people can't read.
What I said was to voice support for Avy based on them being in the industry longer is a bit silly, since a one person company can fade pretty damn quick. Thankfully Craig hasn't, and I think its due to him really being quite good at what he does. Elka meanwhile has much more support behind them, although I guess that doesn't guarantee theyw ill be in the bike industry long, just that they have more resources to put into it.
Far as the cart goes, I never said one was better than the other. Never even implied it. I just threw out the idea that maybe people don't actually know whats going on with their suspension, and buy these kits thinking its the key to mythical speed when really all they need is a proper tune, or something like that. Im not saying Boxxers are the best thing ever, but its kind of funny that people are whining and complaining about damping issues and performance fades when there are quite a few guys out there going damn fast on clapped out older boxxers, with no carts, ti springs or shimz anywhere, ya know?
What I said was to voice support for Avy based on them being in the industry longer is a bit silly, since a one person company can fade pretty damn quick. Thankfully Craig hasn't, and I think its due to him really being quite good at what he does. Elka meanwhile has much more support behind them, although I guess that doesn't guarantee theyw ill be in the bike industry long, just that they have more resources to put into it.
Far as the cart goes, I never said one was better than the other. Never even implied it. I just threw out the idea that maybe people don't actually know whats going on with their suspension, and buy these kits thinking its the key to mythical speed when really all they need is a proper tune, or something like that. Im not saying Boxxers are the best thing ever, but its kind of funny that people are whining and complaining about damping issues and performance fades when there are quite a few guys out there going damn fast on clapped out older boxxers, with no carts, ti springs or shimz anywhere, ya know?
sorry, I couldnt be bothered to read about the avi versus elka, engenineer versus one man show deal... anyone try the kart from cortina, cr1?
Very interested.
please do. picking up a '11 boxxer rc tomorrow from a local, and will probably be looking to upgrade the internals on it shortly.
I am interested in both the Elka review and some background information on the Avalanche/Boxxer compatibility issues. What kind of issues are they and where have you heard about them?
The main thing on the avy boxxer was race castings were off center/tilted as far as the unit its spot on been beating mine for almost a year and a half now.
Still haven't changed the oil probably should but it still feels good.
Avy cart is lighter than stock internals with oil and installed so my fork weighed less by a smidge the new cart is lighter than mine as well. New cart is lighter than stock internals and lighter than mine by a fair bit. The new adapter cap has been machined down and craig reduced weight other places here and there.
My internals were 8g heavier than stock the new cartridge supposedly dropped another chunk off that.
Easy to open and tune I've pulled my totem cart out and reshimmed it re installed it etc whole process took under 15 minutes start to finish.
Damping is consistant been ridden in 5 degrees to 105 from snow and ice to too hot of shuttle runs.
Used the hydraulic bottom out a couple times on nose landings pretty happy it was there lol.
Can't speak about the elka cart, I know they bought the licensing off some french guy. Supposed to be a really good unit.
Last edited:
correct me if i'm wrong, but if the avalanche cartridge had problems fitting some boxxers due to casting defects/tolerances of the lowers, why wouldn't the elka cartridge have the same problem? i just don't get the logic.
i think because its all internal but yeah the missalignment would cause binding from side loading the internals youd think. you have a top cap keeping it stationary and a lower as well with it mounted off center or angled it would have to load somewhere where theres interaction between piston and tube.
x2 on this question
I know a german guy who is manufacturing upgrade kits for Boxxers, and he made a tool to face/mill the rebound rod's seat, because he noticed exactly that problem.
It is mounted on the top end of a stanchion, which is then inserted upside down into the lowers and then turned by hand - i think - to face the seat. Simple but great.
That's great definently post up info on that. That will help stock internals as well.
It will only help if the seat is not flat, it does not fix a misaligned hole.
Yeah you're probably right, but the issue I've seen is with the misaligned lowers putting the Bottom out cup and cone off centre in the Avy version because the tolerances are tight. There is no such issue in the Elka, its more like the stock internals in that way.
I'm in no way anti Avalanche BTW, I wanted an Avy cart originally but can't afford a whole new fork just to run their cartridge.
