Going grey... 2019 Transition Sentinel

Jpez

Down on the left!
Wow, fast indeed.

Just goes to show how much of a shit-show Auspost are when you get that posted to your door within a week (from the US I assume) yet domestic parcels do a tour of Aus first before finding their way to your door.

Sent from my INE-LX2 using Tapatalk
Yep. PNW had a warranty dropper to me in 4.5 days. Couldn’t believe it.
GG on the other hand decided they couldn’t work out how to send my warranty chainstay express so two weeks later it’s still doing the rounds of the States. It’s in San Fransisco at the moment.

@beeb loving that bike man! Can’t wait to see it in the flesh and like I’ve said I think you’d be doing yourself and the bike an injustice if you went with anything lest than an EXT. COIL.
 

beeb

Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
Wow, fast indeed.

Just goes to show how much of a shit-show Auspost are when you get that posted to your door within a week (from the US I assume) yet domestic parcels do a tour of Aus first before finding their way to your door.
Luckily, I have very little issue with AusPost. I suspect living and working within a couple of km from Melbourne's western suburbs distribution centre leaves minimal chances for stuff-ups though.

But yeah, 4 days (it actually arrived at work yesterday) out of the US is pretty damn quick.
 

beeb

Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
@beeb loving that bike man! Can’t wait to see it in the flesh and like I’ve said I think you’d be doing yourself and the bike an injustice if you went with anything lest than an EXT. COIL.
Cheers mate! And I like the way you think... :p

I'll let you know when we're next heading out and you can come check it out in person. ;)
 

beeb

Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
Pulled the spacer out of the DPX2. Was surprised how big the one in it was (0.86cc). No wonder the midstroke was a bit soggy. Installed the link.

Bounce test says more midstroke with similar end stroke, which is a good sign. Trail test will come later, hopefully during next week if time and weather cooperate.

Luckily the link doesn't look purple-hued in real life. Something about using polarising filters when taking photos of black anodising occasionally means it ends up appearing purple-ish...

375284


375285


The black bolts were worth every cent... :p
 

yuley95

soft-arse Yuley is on the lifts again
Pulled the spacer out of the DPX2. Was surprised how big the one in it was (0.86cc).
interesting. Mine had the 0.86 spacer installed but I wasn’t sure if it came that way from factory or if the guy that owned the frame before me had installed it.
The fox guide says that the compression ratio is too high for the size shock on the sentinel to run that spacer. I run the 0.6 and it seems to work well but the smaller size (the 0.4) blew through a nd bottomed out too fast.
I felt like the .86 worked ok for me
 

beeb

Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
interesting. Mine had the 0.86 spacer installed but I wasn’t sure if it came that way from factory or if the guy that owned the frame before me had installed it.
The fox guide says that the compression ratio is too high for the size shock on the sentinel to run that spacer. I run the 0.6 and it seems to work well but the smaller size (the 0.4) blew through a nd bottomed out too fast.
I felt like the .86 worked ok for me
The 0.86 and stock link rides beautifully, but (IMO) does prioritise plushness over support. It's good, but was just a bit too willing to move into the midstroke for me. I do tend to ride a little heavy on my feet or (too) weight-rearward though which probably exaggerates things a bit. Possibly 0.6 would be better for me with a touch more air pressure, but I'm preparing to go coil with the Cascade link anyway so I just pulled the spacer straight out (and didn't put anything back in) to get the air shock as linear as possible to make sure coil will work for my "ample" frame. Will see once I hit the trails I guess. Fingers crossed!
 

yuley95

soft-arse Yuley is on the lifts again
The 0.86 and stock link rides beautifully, but (IMO) does prioritise plushness over support. It's good, but was just a bit too willing to move into the midstroke for me. I do tend to ride a little heavy on my feet or (too) weight-rearward though which probably exaggerates things a bit. Possibly 0.6 would be better for me with a touch more air pressure, but I'm preparing to go coil with the Cascade link anyway so I just pulled the spacer straight out (and didn't put anything back in) to get the air shock as linear as possible to make sure coil will work for my "ample" frame. Will see once I hit the trails I guess. Fingers crossed!
It’s a big change so will be really interesting to hear how it compares
 

beeb

Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
@yuley95 - quick first ride impressions on the Cascade link with the stock DPX2 (no volume spacers installed). As per usual, I just got it setup decently just in time to finish riding for the night, so I'll look to post a long-term review down the track...

Tuning changes:
  • Went up around 8psi, from 245psi to 253ish (for my guestimated 93kg kitted up).
  • Took two clicks of LSC out.
  • Felt like I would've liked to take a click or two of HSC out, but the DPX2 doesn't have that option...

Felt as I had expected, which ironically was something of a surprise! A lot more midstroke support, but slightly less chattery through rocks compared to just pumping up the air a couple of psi or adding more compression damping. We only hit Cressy and Lactic though, so nothing too punishing! The extra midstroke was awesome for pushing into berms, and also not having the back end wallow when climbing up over steps or rocks in the trail was nice. I wouldn't say it changes the overall capability of the bike, but makes the back-end more supportive - just without the associated chatter of excess shock pressure or compression damping.

Will be interesting to see how it goes with the coil when I eventually get that. Given I don't hit anything super chunky, support and linkage progressiveness should be fine and I reckon with a little less HSC I could recapture a portion that beautiful fluid/floating feeling the stock link gives through chatter while keeping the extra support. Time will tell I guess!
 

fjohn860

Alice in diaperland
@yuley95 - quick first ride impressions on the Cascade link with the stock DPX2 (no volume spacers installed). As per usual, I just got it setup decently just in time to finish riding for the night, so I'll look to post a long-term review down the track...

Tuning changes:
  • Went up around 8psi, from 245psi to 253ish (for my guestimated 93kg kitted up).
  • Took two clicks of LSC out.
  • Felt like I would've liked to take a click or two of HSC out, but the DPX2 doesn't have that option...

Felt as I had expected, which ironically was something of a surprise! A lot more midstroke support, but slightly less chattery through rocks compared to just pumping up the air a couple of psi or adding more compression damping. We only hit Cressy and Lactic though, so nothing too punishing! The extra midstroke was awesome for pushing into berms, and also not having the back end wallow when climbing up over steps or rocks in the trail was nice. I wouldn't say it changes the overall capability of the bike, but makes the back-end more supportive - just without the associated chatter of excess shock pressure or compression damping.

Will be interesting to see how it goes with the coil when I eventually get that. Given I don't hit anything super chunky, support and linkage progressiveness should be fine and I reckon with a little less HSC I could recapture a portion that beautiful fluid/floating feeling the stock link gives through chatter while keeping the extra support. Time will tell I guess!
Hahahaha. Totally forgot that you would have the cascade link on tonight

I would've had a look and a pedal otherwise.

Sent from my INE-LX2 using Tapatalk
 

beeb

Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
Haha yep, was doing my best to get the bike tuned to it as quickly as possible! Wasn't too far off luckily and seems good so far from the initial impressions.:)
 

yuley95

soft-arse Yuley is on the lifts again
@yuley95 - quick first ride impressions on the Cascade link with the stock DPX2 (no volume spacers installed). As per usual, I just got it setup decently just in time to finish riding for the night, so I'll look to post a long-term review down the track...

Tuning changes:
  • Went up around 8psi, from 245psi to 253ish (for my guestimated 93kg kitted up).
  • Took two clicks of LSC out.
  • Felt like I would've liked to take a click or two of HSC out, but the DPX2 doesn't have that option...
Felt as I had expected, which ironically was something of a surprise! A lot more midstroke support, but slightly less chattery through rocks compared to just pumping up the air a couple of psi or adding more compression damping. We only hit Cressy and Lactic though, so nothing too punishing! The extra midstroke was awesome for pushing into berms, and also not having the back end wallow when climbing up over steps or rocks in the trail was nice. I wouldn't say it changes the overall capability of the bike, but makes the back-end more supportive - just without the associated chatter of excess shock pressure or compression damping.

Will be interesting to see how it goes with the coil when I eventually get that. Given I don't hit anything super chunky, support and linkage progressiveness should be fine and I reckon with a little less HSC I could recapture a portion that beautiful fluid/floating feeling the stock link gives through chatter while keeping the extra support. Time will tell I guess!
Thanks for the update. Sounds like it would love a good run down Cascades with all the berms in the bottom third! I’m going to try and get out there one more time before the snow comes in for the winter (though there has already been some snow...)
 
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