Quantcast

gemini DH question

Projectpat

Chimp
Oct 26, 2004
26
0
bellingham
is there anyone out there that is riding a cdale dh with anything other then a swinger 6way? i just got my new bike built up and i love it! but the jury's still out on the rear shock. is anyone rockin a DHX on theirs? and any tips on getting the swinger set up correctly.

also the rebound at it's fastest setting seems a bit slow, is this characteristic of the shock? or is it something that i should investigate further?
 

Attachments

benbmx

Chimp
Mar 6, 2003
18
0
T-town
I've been riding your bike for the past two seasons and agree with you. The 6ways are always slow. The best setup we've found with the stock shock is no spring pre-load, 50% body weight in air chamber, and bottom out backed all the way out (this is the setup Manitou reccomends).
The Manutou situation was a sore spot for Gemini Dh riders as well as Cannondale. Try what everyone else did...send it to Manitou, tell them what a horrible company they are, and to valve your shock faster or shove it up their a**.
I had Manitou speed up the rebound and it works better, but it was like "pulling teeth" getting htem to do anything about it. Save your self the headache of using Manitou products and keep the Swinger as a spare.
I used a 5th for some of the season and it worked fine. I hear good things about the Fox too.
If you can get a shock with a good amount of quick rebound the Gemini is the best DH bike out there for the NW.
 

downhillracer

Turbo Monkey
Jan 28, 2005
1,230
0
Sammamish, WA
yes i have had the same problem with the swinger 6-way
I didn't know what to do about it so i switched to a 5th element
best shock ever
easier to set up correctly
and much easier to get serviced, 1 week turn around vs. 1.5 month turn around
 

Projectpat

Chimp
Oct 26, 2004
26
0
bellingham
dang, thats rediculous... freaking manitou. hmmm, so with a switch to a 5th element or a fox would i keep the same spring weight between all three?

anyone heard about and/or ridden one with a rocco?
 

benbmx

Chimp
Mar 6, 2003
18
0
T-town
Don't jump to conclusions yet!! You're probably excited to ride, but if you can wait two weeks send the shock back to Manitou and ask them to valve the shock for Gemini DH (or speed up the rebound). Once the 6way is dialed in it's fine....it's getting it done that is the hard part. Send the shock to them USPS Priority. It will only take 2-3 days and cost about $12.00
 

Projectpat

Chimp
Oct 26, 2004
26
0
bellingham
what fork are you guys running? i've got an eight inch 888 w/ flat crowns, but i think the 7in cartridges would be a welcome upgrade. as far as handling is concerned.
 

holliswood

Monkey
Mar 16, 2004
558
0
University Place
I have actually set the shock up on that frame before (you bought Brians frame right?) and it worked fine. It may be the shock needs to be serviced even though that frame and shock were not ridden much, it is still common of Mani-poo to react that way. The Gemini I have been riding this season the shock has worked fine with no problems, but I think I got the only good one out of all the batches. I would do what Ben said and send it back to Manitou to be fixed. Once you do that the shock should work fine and you won't have to blow a wad of cash on another shock. If you wipe your a$$ with money, then order up a fox for it! Either way you got a great frame and you are going to love it! :thumb:
 

holliswood

Monkey
Mar 16, 2004
558
0
University Place
benbmx said:
Don't jump to conclusions yet!! You're probably excited to ride, but if you can wait two weeks send the shock back to Manitou and ask them to valve the shock for Gemini DH (or speed up the rebound). Once the 6way is dialed in it's fine....it's getting it done that is the hard part. Send the shock to them USPS Priority. It will only take 2-3 days and cost about $12.00
I think I heard you work for a shop, so if you send it back to Manitou ask for Bobby down there, since he is the only one who knows whats up and he will get you squared away. He helped us out alot.
 

holliswood

Monkey
Mar 16, 2004
558
0
University Place
Projectpat said:
what fork are you guys running? i've got an eight inch 888 w/ flat crowns, but i think the 7in cartridges would be a welcome upgrade. as far as handling is concerned.
Keep the 8 incher and get some E-Thirteen zero stack cups and an FSA internal headset and lose any spacers you have on your stem-steer tube. This will lower your cockpit and improve handling and y
ou won't have to lose any travel. Plus it will be alot cheaper than switching the internals.
 

Projectpat

Chimp
Oct 26, 2004
26
0
bellingham
yeah i'm soo stoked on this frame!! i can't wait to ride it more. i'm heading to pennsylvania for collegiate nationals this weekend and this bike just rails. i've ridden it a couple of times since i've got it. it's amazing. so balanced.

yeah, this is brians old bike. it's basically brand new still. i do have a zero stack headset in there. and i'll probably cut the steerer tube a bit more to lower the cockpit.

thanks for the advice holliswood and everyone else, much appreciated.
 

benbmx

Chimp
Mar 6, 2003
18
0
T-town
Projectpat said:
what fork are you guys running? i've got an eight inch 888 w/ flat crowns, but i think the 7in cartridges would be a welcome upgrade. as far as handling is concerned.
I am runnin the same fork as you 8" 888 with flat crowns and zero stacks. The flat crown on the bottom is just for pimping-sake. If you have a zero stack on the bottom you really don't need the flat bottom crown. The flat top crown is a must. I would leave the fork at 8" with 3-3.5"of sag when your standing up. the Gemini rocks the **** out of the tech stuff with 7" or 8" forks. The 8" will improve the ride on nasty courses. Enjoy your new ride and good luck at nats.
 

Projectpat

Chimp
Oct 26, 2004
26
0
bellingham
any secrets to keeping the cables in the cable guides? i've got the shims in there, but i'm having problems with the bottom-of-the-downtube guidestops keep kicking out the cables when the suspension compresses.
 

benbmx

Chimp
Mar 6, 2003
18
0
T-town
On the Gemini the cable moves slighty when the supension compresses so you can get you hands on some of cannondales cable housing stops like on theri XC bikes(or anything similar) and run the downtube section split. This keeps the cable from sliding through the lower stops. This is what I do it works well, but you get more dirt in your cable like with any bike with split sections.
Definately try putting a zip tire in front of the last cable routing guide (closest to the rear der). This seems to help keep the cable in the right spot...and it's only one zip tie!