[Floor Tom]

So then.
I'm pretty sure I am going to be getting an MSC F5 for next season and it can be had with either a Vivid 5.1 or a DHX 5.0 (is the Vivid 0.1 better?) with no price difference. Does anyone have any input as to with shock you might recommend? I wouldn't have thought many people have ridden this frame but I would have thought it will behave like most other linkage driven single pivots. I have heard that the Vivids are very nice but are not as reliable as the DHX's though this was someone who told someone who told me so I'm taking it with a pinch of salt. I rode a DHX on a Sunday in the '08 season and while I wasn't blown away by it I never had any problems and it preformed to an acceptable level.

 

[rollertoaster]

VIVID>DHX5

I've had both on my linkage driven single pivot and the vivid is hands down, the better shock. No reliability issues so far.

If you had the option of an RC4 I might give it a try, if you don't like it you can always sell it and get a vivid. however, you won't get much for a used dhx5.

 

[Floor Tom]

The RC4 isn't an option I don't think though I will ask. If its going to cost more then I doubt I'd be going for it.
Is the Vivid going to be a bit of a headache to set up? I sort of know what everything does on a DHX 5 but I've never been one to be constantly fiddling with my shock settings. Am I likely to get annoyed/bored with the vivid before I get anywhere or is it fairly straight forward?

 

[Inclag]

I'm not blown away by my DHX 5.0, but I will say that the Vivid is the only shock I've used that I could distinctly feel a major difference from it heating up on runs.

 

[Floor Tom]

I'm not blown away by my DHX 5.0, but I will say that the Vivid is the only shock I've used that I could distinctly feel a major difference from it heating up on runs.

Not so good. I know people who claim that they can feel the difference due to heat in their DHX shock and Fox 40 forks on a run down Fort William. I think I must not be very in tune with my bike as I have never noticed this (we are both roughly the same speed and were riding it on the same day)

 

[gmorris]

I was quite impressed with my stock vivid and even more impressed after doing the full Push treatment. That may also solve any reliability concerns as everything I have gotten from Push has been very reliable. The vivid is super easy to set up...end stroke rebound wide open, deep stroke closed just enough to eliminate bucking and then HSC to taste.

 

[Floor Tom]

Push is an expensive option to be putting into your alredy top of the range shock, inface TF Tuned doesn't even list the Vivid option on the website (I am UK based)

 

[Inclag]

If you were stuck between those two options I suppose I would just recommend the Fox for a couple reasons. The shocks are incredibly easy to service and rebuild, with loads of info out there for those interested in tinkering with them and because there is a large network of service centers, custom tuners, and aftermarket hop-ups available for them.

A DHX 5.0 or Vivid isn't transform the level of rider you are so I'd just stick with what you have history with and has proven to be reliable.

 

[Raingauge]

I rode an 07 sunday with a DHX 5 and an 08 sunday with a Vivid 5.1. The Vivid felt much better and I had no reliability issues. In fact I still have it and might replace my RC4 on my Revolt with it.

I used this to get my baseline for settings and fine tuned from there.

http://www.sram.com/_media/pdf/tuning_guides/vivid_pocketguid_en.pdf

 

[Floor Tom]

I am tempted by the Vivid I must say, and Ican't really see myself taking the DHX apart to do any tuning on it. I'll be riding whatever I get stock.