I’ve been using the 2.5wt Ohlins rear shock oil in Ohlins forks and Fox recommended oils in Fox forks.
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I’m a big fan of the Fox gold suspension fluid, I use it on all my RS and Intend forks, it’s a bit sticky but that i the trick. It stays where it is needed for longer I guess 
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Yes, that’s good stuff! I use the Fox Gold oil on the air side of Grip 2 forks.
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Fork burnishing. I learned something new today!
For those lurking:
This makes a lot of sense… For a $400 OEM fork, There is no way the bushings will be sized accurately and consistently.
Question about the “Ohlins style” threaded tool people are referring to: Do you turn the threaded rod and pull the burnishing tools through the bushing? Then somehow reverse the process to pull it back out?
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I can’t claim to be the biggest tinkerer, so I haven’t tried many alternatives, but ever since I read this review on Vital I’ve been mixing some Maxima Assembly Lube into 30wt suspension suspension fluid until the viscosity seems about right (it’s pretty thick) and using that as bath oil. It works well in fork lowers and it has virtually eliminated stiction in every air shock I’ve used it in when I add it to the air can to lubricate the main seal. Not sure if it’s easy to get ahold of in Europe but in the US it is relatively inexpensive and widely available.
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Yes. You use a drill to feed the insert down into the lowers and then reverse the drill to back it out. It is fixed at the base of the lowers. That Ohlins tool also has parts to install and remove bushings.
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I previously used Motorex supergliss 100K as per Shockcraft’s recommendation. Stuff is like honey.
A few pictures and videos from bike park visit.
Feels good - no problems. Shock is maybe a touch stiff for more technical trails (I can make the fork softer than the shock), did not have too much time to play with tokens - maybe half a token less is golden or less pressure (I did re-valve it myself). Or I just need to go faster 
But on flow tracks and landings it feels very good. Best turning FS I have ridden.
I have had problems with rear tire hang-up with some bikes, especially 27.5, but mine does not have this habit. I actually think it is mostly very low anti-squat that gives me trouble. When the rear tire hooks behind big hole/rock/root when braking, low anti-squat pushes my body forward more easily and it feels like going over the bars. Very tiring.
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Awesome! You greased those table top jumps. That park looks very fun. This is all super impressive for a first build!
I have been experiencing this increasingly as well. I think metal bikes grip corners much better because of their flex. I noticed this on mountain bikes and (surprisingly) the road bikes I have built when comparing them back to back to production frames.
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Thanks. I didn’t know what to expect, but this bike does ride well. I gave it to a friend for a few laps, and he seemed to like it a lot. I must have done something right.
I know that my hardtail (Onza Payoff) turns incredibly on flow trails, and now my fs has the same feeling. You just lean it in, and it will hold a line. They have long chainstays and short reach, and yes they are steel.
My fs has a lot of mid-stroke support so that probably helps a lot.
Other bikes have always wanted some mid-turn corrections - maybe because not enought lsc, too short cs, not steel, too long reach, progressive leverage ratio?
Last bike I rode was size L Megatower in low position. Was amazing point and shoot bike. Very stable and ate everything, but was not nice to corner and awful for pedalling and pumping.
Mine has loads more support and is playful. Soon I’m going to Alps to ride the same tracks, will see how I will like my creation there. Probably more tiring, but fun.
About flex. I cant feel any flex. No rub anywhere. Harshest hits are more mellow compared to some bikes, but it depends a lot about all the other components. Maybe I just don’t feel it, but it is there and helps me carve corners and tires me less.
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Back from trip to Livigno.
Bike was good, If I could change anything, then I would like a slightly longer reach.
Last year I was on Size L Megatower. Fork was better, But otherwise I can only praise my creation.
I did re valve my shock many times, and I think I have found a nice base-tune with Megneg.
This is my tune for 75kg naked and slightly regressive 2.6 leverage ratio.
180 psi
~32% sag
4 bands 3 tokens
Fork was not amazing. It is a Yari with MST comp cartridge and I have taken out 19x01 shim from rebound - it seems it is still too slow, so I need to make the ports bigger. Braking bumps in high G corners feel bad. And Id like less HSC.
I need to run a little too much pressure to keep it up, but it is a little bouncy and small bump is not very smooth because of that. On most tracks it was fine, but fox 38 fit4 was hugging ground better and no problems with braking bumps. I got some ideas, how to make it better.
Front tire needs to go to the bin (old Eliminator) - I was having problems with front end grip.
Some videos
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I built my bike with quite high anti squat and pedal kickback. I was afraid I can feel my pedals moving, kicking and rear end harshening. Especially because my anti squat is raising with travel(most bikes are opposite).
But I can’t feel anything thru my pedals.
It does pedal well and I can even sprint. All the other fs bikes have squatted like crazy.
Only place I feel stiffening of the rear end is pedaling over big roots, but I don’t really do it, when going down. And it is not really a huge difference.
I got 54 points of engagement and I ride with clips.
Gearing I’m using mostly going down.
What do you guys think? Am I just not feeling it or is this pedal kicking, suspension stiffening mostly overblown feeling? I just cant get over thinking how does my most simple single pivot rear feel better or as good as Megatower.
Just trying to figure out what to change for my next build.
Having a monologue here, but I find this might be interesting for Rockshox crowd. Sorry for another non frame building related post.
I think I have finally managed to make my 170mm Yari C1 awesome - rides like a magic carpet. In the end it cost me the same as fox 38 Performance. I like 38 performance a lot, but I have no back to back comparison, so I’m not going to say if it is better or not.
Yari - 240
MST compression cartridge - 129
rgtec Luft Fusion - 129
Supergliss 68k - 30
Motorex 2.5w - 10
Total - 538 EUR
I had a plan to get a Yari and install MST compression cartridge - thought it is best bang for the buck. I did change damper oil to Motorex 2.5w, lowers got 10ml Supergliss 68k and I burnished the bushings. Not happy.
After a lot of reading and talking with MST I learned that the HSR is also way too slow. So for my 75kg naked weight I decided to re-shim it. Rebound is very basic, and all I could do was take out the second biggest shim (19x0.1). This made a small difference, but still nothing special. This was the setup I rode in Livigno.
At that point my tuned shock was working better than my fork and I decided to make rebound holes bigger - just cut the walls marked with yellow.
After all that fiddling it was still nothing to write home about. It was fine on more flowy trails, but as soon as it got techy I had to hold on tight to survive. I don’t have problems with my arms tiring, but I just could not go very fast, because I was bouncing all over the place.
I started looking at air spring charts and saw that my beloved fox 38 has a vastly different curve than my bestbangforthebuck Yari. Figured I’m just blowing through the stroke straight to ramp up. Strangely increasing compression did not help.
After a lot of searching how to increase negative chamber size, I found a dude in Italy who makes air shafts for Yari, with very similar curve to fox 38.
Bought and installed - magic carpet, huge improvement.
He makes air springs for RS and Fox forks, I think all of them would benefit.
With all those mods I run rebound almost wide open, so for lighter riders it might be still too slow, at least in 170mm configuration.
No tokens
100 PSI
Rebound +3
Compression +20
Hope it is helpful! Frame is still fine.
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FS builders have been quiet lately, so I’ll make a little bump.
My bike-park season is over. I have been playing around with suspension, and bike is feeling amazing.
Some cool pictures from last one
Mellower trails need shorter travel. So I bought Formula 35 and SDU coil. No idea how it rides yet, but it does look cool.
29 wheels
140/140 travel
HA - 66
BB - 340
SA - 79
Reach - 473
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I am really thinking of building a FS bike. With my latest back issues I can’t ride a hardtail anymore.
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Damn I was at Sappee bike fest too. I think I saw your bike quickly but I didn’t realize it was you from the forums 
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I kept my eyes open, but did not see your bike. I visit Sappee a few times a year. Maybe next time.
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Did my test ride. Rides nicely. Climbs better, sprints better.
A little too much weight on hands for my liking, but maybe I’ll get used to it. I like high stack.
79 sta when pedalling on tarmac, makes the body move a little up and down. Strange feeling, but did not bother me too much.
340 mm BB felt good. I was afraid it is too high.
Coil works nicely, I did feel a little bottom out on one jump to flat, I’ll try to find a little longer bumper, and I think together with a re-valve it is going to be great. Ohlins or Fox have nice bumpers, but I can’t find any for sale.
Formula 35 feels good.
Great success.
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Been studying this thread to make a FS frame. What is the thickness and type of steel for the square tube where the pivot is?
40x40x2 S355
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