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Obtainium Springs

Steve M

Turbo Monkey
Mar 3, 2007
1,991
45
Whistler
just start from the top
What I mean is, books have been written on less... is linear "better" than progressive? Huge topic really, and to do anything other than say yes/no/maybe would require massively huge descriptions and a lot of qualitative analysis.

All I will really say on the topic is: you can have bikes that are too progressive (too much sag and/or impossible to use enough/all the travel) or not progressive enough (incl regressive - not supple enough, or not enough sag without bottoming harshly all the time), or somewhere in between. What the "ideal" setup is nobody knows, but there is certainly a safe operating range. I think a very slightly falling rate is tolerable (not ideal but usable), significantly falling rates ride like crap. Linear to moderately progressive is the "safe area" I guess, you can have super progressive bikes like the prototype PDC DH-1s that could easily run 50% sag and still never bottom that are not really any use either. It's all about finding the tradeoff you want.
 

davep

Turbo Monkey
Jan 7, 2005
3,276
0
seattle
everything is a comprimise.

You will get some answers if you do some research/investigation on your own...then come back and ask more specific/educated questions...


Not too many people are going to want to spend a bunch of their time trying to explain/discuss the nuances of statics/dynamics/suspension design theory if you do not understand the basics...
 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,479
4,719
Australia
Apologies for the gravedig but a couple of questions...

A) Anyone seen or have any weights for these springs yet?

B) I'm not getting any replies from the email address on their website. Any other way to contact them? (I'm in Australia).
 

FCLinder

Turbo Monkey
Mar 6, 2002
4,402
0
Greenville, South Carolina
Apologies for the gravedig but a couple of questions...

A) Anyone seen or have any weights for these springs yet?

B) I'm not getting any replies from the email address on their website. Any other way to contact them? (I'm in Australia).
I will have one of the springs in my hands in a day or two. I will weigh it and take some nice shots of it on the Vivid.

Understand Jim is very busy right now due to it being a new company. He is good about getting back to you, but it may take a few days for him to answer.
 

davep

Turbo Monkey
Jan 7, 2005
3,276
0
seattle
Apologies for the gravedig but a couple of questions...

A) Anyone seen or have any weights for these springs yet?

B) I'm not getting any replies from the email address on their website. Any other way to contact them? (I'm in Australia).

up for a $$ long distance call?

They are aware that most people who buy ti springs are most interested in weight savings. They have also tried to keep the OD of the springs to a minimum so that the springs will work on other shocks (DHX res rub). So that means thinner wire...thinner wire means steeper coil pitch, steeper coil pitch means less material.

I would expect them to be some where in between current RCS type weights and the weights of something like an older manitou, but I dont know any quantitative values, as the ones that I have seen/touched/etc were early sample/protos.
 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,479
4,719
Australia
Well I want to know the weight of the 350 x 3.0 spring, and I'd like to order one along with the Rockshox spacer for a 3" shock.

The online shopping cart feature doesn't seem to add the Rockshox spacer, and considering shipping to Australia is $40 I don't want to stuff it up and have to pay twice :)

Appreciate any info. I've sent a few emails in the past week but no reply.
 

davep

Turbo Monkey
Jan 7, 2005
3,276
0
seattle
Well I want to know the weight of the 350 x 3.0 spring, and I'd like to order one along with the Rockshox spacer for a 3" shock.

The online shopping cart feature doesn't seem to add the Rockshox spacer, and considering shipping to Australia is $40 I don't want to stuff it up and have to pay twice :)

Appreciate any info. I've sent a few emails in the past week but no reply.

I will see if I can get a hold of Jim tomorrow AM ish (12 hrs from now).
 

davep

Turbo Monkey
Jan 7, 2005
3,276
0
seattle
I am pretty sure the spacer is already included when you add a spring to your cart (when I do it there are two items, the specific spring, and 'spacer' at $20. Down below that there is a 'button' to click the the type of shock application to get the propper spacer..)
 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,479
4,719
Australia
I am pretty sure the spacer is already included when you add a spring to your cart (when I do it there are two items, the specific spring, and 'spacer' at $20. Down below that there is a 'button' to click the the type of shock application to get the propper spacer..)
It does that but adds a different price ($22 vs $11). Just want to make sure the right part gets sent
 

davep

Turbo Monkey
Jan 7, 2005
3,276
0
seattle
Ahh yes, now I see.

That is a little odd. It says it is adding the RS adapter (only one) yet charges you the price for a pair of them....
 

davep

Turbo Monkey
Jan 7, 2005
3,276
0
seattle
OK here is the info direct from Jim:


1) he did not have an exact weight on the spring off the top of his head, but said they were lighter than the Taiwanese made manitou ti springs (which would make them lighter than the current RCS springs by an even larger margin..)

2) the site still has glitches and the RS adapter deal is one of them. He was going to try ot get it fixed this afternoon....He said to order the spring without the adapter and he would throw one in the box for you gratis....just put your RM user name in the customer info..like: Joe Blow "toodles" and he will take care of it.....

Hope that helps.

p.s. I forwarded a copy of this to him, so both of you guys are on the same page.
 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,479
4,719
Australia
OK here is the info direct from Jim:


1) he did not have an exact weight on the spring off the top of his head, but said they were lighter than the Taiwanese made manitou ti springs (which would make them lighter than the current RCS springs by an even larger margin..)

2) the site still has glitches and the RS adapter deal is one of them. He was going to try ot get it fixed this afternoon....He said to order the spring without the adapter and he would throw one in the box for you gratis....just put your RM user name in the customer info..like: Joe Blow "toodles" and he will take care of it.....

Hope that helps.

p.s. I forwarded a copy of this to him, so both of you guys are on the same page.
Awesome mate! Done and done - just placed the order. Will post it up once it all comes through.
 

davep

Turbo Monkey
Jan 7, 2005
3,276
0
seattle
Awesome mate! Done and done - just placed the order. Will post it up once it all comes through.
No worries. They have a good thing going I think, it seems that they are just very buisy trying to get all things ironed out and running smoothly.


BTW, what frame are you putting the vivid on?
 

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
It's going in a sunday, because he knows turners suck and get caught up in rocks and stuff, hey toodles? :p
 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,479
4,719
Australia
No worries. They have a good thing going I think, it seems that they are just very buisy trying to get all things ironed out and running smoothly.


BTW, what frame are you putting the vivid on?
07 Sunday.. the vivid is bloody spectacular, even with the supposedly inferior B tune. Just want to lighten it up in time for the 08 race season.
 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,479
4,719
Australia
It's going in a sunday, because he knows turners suck and get caught up in rocks and stuff, hey toodles? :p
It's going on a Sunday because i can't afford a frame that was made by competent professionals. In the interim, 12 year old Taiwanese at gun point welds will have to do.
 

davep

Turbo Monkey
Jan 7, 2005
3,276
0
seattle
So you can get the vivid in the propper range of rebound/compression even though it is a 'B'?

The price is not too bad an I was wondering about trying one, but the 'A' s are not to be found anywhere.
 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,479
4,719
Australia
If the A has really got a bigger LSR port it would be the way to go. I'm running my beginning stroke rebound all the way fast at the moment. Aside from that, the shock feels great but I haven't ridden the A tune for a fair comparison.
 

Damo

Short One Marshmallow
Sep 7, 2006
4,603
27
French Alps
Just ordered one for myself as well. Its a 400lb and I will weigh it when I get it for you guys (might be a while as its being sent to me via Yeti)...
 

Damo

Short One Marshmallow
Sep 7, 2006
4,603
27
French Alps
Couple of questions regarding these springs:

A company in the UK also sells ti springs. They offer 2 options: a normal ti and a 'race use only' option which come in at approx 100g lighter still.

If these Obtanium ti springs are lighter than other ti springs, would they be in the 'race only' class? Can I expect them to last as long as normal ti springs?

Then, does a ti spring have the same lifespan as a steel spring?

Cheers all.
 

tne

Chimp
Feb 14, 2002
42
0
1) he did not have an exact weight on the spring off the top of his head, but said they were lighter than the Taiwanese made manitou ti springs (which would make them lighter than the current RCS springs by an even larger margin..)
OK, the spring itself is lighter, but if we add the weight of the spacers ... is it still lighter than other brand ? (probably not)