Ask the experts

[Dantheman]

DW is sag sensitive, but is it any more chainring sensitive than other designs? I'm not sure. Seems like antisquat is antisquat, though I guess the effect could be more exaggerated on certain suspension designs? DW was released in the olden days of triple front chainrings, so compromises were expected. Not a call out, I'm genuinely curious.

I'd quote the post if I could remember what thread it was in. Either way, a 28t is definitely not going to work on a Ripmo

[Muggydude]

Ordered a 32t oval so we’ll see how that goes!


The guy I bought the bike from was old haha, I think he wanted as easy climbing as he could for anything steep and smooth

[sethschmautz]

Someone was just saying that the antisquat on DW bikes is really sensitive to chainring size. I'd personally run whatever size ring the suspension was designed around

Any idea how to figure out what your frame was designed around? I have a 26t on my hightower and I'm pretty sure that's not what it was designed for. That said, I'm not sure what it IS designed for.

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

[radam]

Any idea how to figure out what your frame was designed around? I have a 26t on my hightower and I'm pretty sure that's not what it was designed for. That said, I'm not sure what it IS designed for.

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

Pretty sure it was designed around a 30T. Even when the V1s started coming with Eagle drivetrains, they stuck with a 30T. I've run 28, 30 and 34T chainrings on a Hightower. Pedal kickback does diminish a bit with the larger chainrings, so if that aspect of the bike is bothering you and a higher gearing still works for your terrain, give it a go.

[nick_B10]

I’m trying to rebuild an old Boxxer with a motion control damper. I have the upper fully assembled, and it works correctly, all adjustments work, and it seems good. When I put it in the lower, it seems like it seals so well, that it is airtight below the lower. It felt completely locked when I first assembled it, I bounced on it pretty hard and the dust seal popped out of the fork, even with that out I can’t fully compress the damper because the air pressure builds up. I loosened the screw at the bottom of the fork to let air in at the base and it works correctly so I’m sure it is an air pressure issue.

Am I missing something, Is there something that prevents air pressure in the lowers?

[nick_B10]

Remove the lowers. My first guess is that a foam ring got pulled partially out when you slid the lowers on and is binding everything up.

Not the foam ring, that came out when the dust seal popped off. Without the ring or the dust seal and ring it is still a problem. If i loosen the screw from the bottom of the lower to create a airgap it slides fine, no binding, so it isn't a friction thing.

[Roxtar]

Not the foam ring, that came out when the dust seal popped off. Without the ring or the dust seal and ring it is still a problem. If i loosen the screw from the bottom of the lower to create a airgap it slides fine, no binding, so it isn't a friction thing.

Yea, rereading your post told me that but you were to fast for my delete
There should be zero pressure in the lower.
edit: Is this coil or air sprung?

[nick_B10]

Yea, rereading your post told me that but you were to fast for my delete
There should be zero pressure in the lower.
edit: Is this coil or air sprung?

It is coil sprung, however the problem only exists on the damping side (dual crown fork with crowns removes, so i can test each side independently). Seals are new, and the prior ones were really worn out, so i assume that is why there was no problem previously. I'm wondering if something is broken in the damper, but with my understanding of how motion control works i can't think of anything. pressure in the lower is just ambient pressure at full extension, but it seems to make a pretty powerful spring when i compress it.

[Roxtar]

Is there something that prevents air pressure in the lowers?

Yes, assuming we're talking about an air sprung fork (don't know what model Boxxer) the only pressure is above the air spring. Check the air spring seal (again assuming it's air sprung). Sounds like that's a possible culprit; air leaking past the air piston seal and pressurizing the lower.

[grinch]

So I guess cushcore tire wobble with Maxxis is a thing? Seems like DH tires are especially prone. I thought for sure I fucked up my rims because the bead rim interface looks totally normal, but visually my new tires wobble like crazy. I can't feel it when riding though. Should I just leave well enough alone? I figured all day at the bike park would straighten them out. Nope.

These beads are so tight that if I manage to get a flat I am never going to be able to fix it in the field.

The last fee years ive bought a lot of michelin tires and none have had any quality control issues/wobbles unlike maxxis wobble. Its still a possibility though.
Is there any chance the cush core just needs lined up straighter? Could you mark the sidewall with chalk where the wobbles are and let the air out and then work the cc by hand where the wobbles are?

Sent from my SM-G950W using TGR Forums mobile app

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

The last fee years ive bought a lot of michelin tires and none have had any quality control issues/wobbles unlike maxxis wobble. Its still a possibility though.
Is there any chance the cush core just needs lined up straighter? Could you mark the sidewall with chalk where the wobbles are and let the air out and then work the cc by hand where the wobbles are?

Sent from my SM-G950W using TGR Forums mobile app

It's possible. Everything feels straight. I let all the air out, unseated the beads, tons of soap, then inflated to 40psi. Still wobble. I can't feel it when I ride, so fuck it I guess.

[Jethro]

So are these newer oval Chain rings that much different than the biopace rings the purists shot down about 30 years ago? Or was an oval ring ahead of its time?

[HAB]

So are these newer oval Chain rings that much different than the biopace rings the purists shot down about 30 years ago? Or was an oval ring ahead of its time?

I'm not especially fond of the new oval rings either, but they're substantially different in that they orient the ovality very differently. The modern ones try to give you a higher gear in the portion of the pedal stroke where you're producing the most power, and a lower one when the cranks are near vertical. Biopace basically did the opposite of that.

[Jethro]

Makes sense for power delivery, if one has the ability. I’ve got a knee which needs replacing, so I don’t think the new rings are for me. I used to like the old biopace rings on really steep climbs

[skizix]

Someone was just saying that the antisquat on DW bikes is really sensitive to chainring size. I'd personally run whatever size ring the suspension was designed around

I was saying that, because dude I bought my hd3 from told me that (that I definitely shouldn't change from the stock chainring size). He'd been head mechanic at Ibis, so I figured he knew what he was talking about. And the bike does pedal really, really well - feels like a hardtail, until it hits something.

However, just to completely muddy the waters, there's this, from Mr. DW himself: http://dw-link.blogspot.com/2008/10/...trimental.html

[teledad]

I run a 26t on my Ripley with the shock on open and haven’t died yet. I think this issue is a little overblown, it might perform a bit better with a 32t but other factors (like wanting to be able to ride steep climbs without upgrading to 12 speed) are more significant.

[toast2266]

I was saying that, because dude I bought my hd3 from told me that (that I definitely shouldn't change from the stock chainring size). He'd been head mechanic at Ibis, so I figured he knew what he was talking about. And the bike does pedal really, really well - feels like a hardtail, until it hits something.

However, just to completely muddy the waters, there's this, from Mr. DW himself: http://dw-link.blogspot.com/2008/10/...trimental.html

That's always been a downside of single ring drivetrains - you don't get the increased anti-squat from dropping into a smaller chainring. That's the same on pretty much any bike, not just dw.

And DW designs have changed quite a bit over the years, at least with respect to anti-squat. So making any broad generalizations about how DW links perform with respect to chainring size isn't going to be correct - different DW bikes are going to react to changes in chainring sizes differently.

Realistically, any modern DW bike is going to do fine with a moderate change in chainring size. Smaller rings will increase the anti-squat and pedal kickback numbers, but not in any massively detrimental way. It's not like the bike is going to turn into a mushy mess with a 2 tooth change.

[forty]

It is coil sprung, however the problem only exists on the damping side (dual crown fork with crowns removes, so i can test each side independently). Seals are new, and the prior ones were really worn out, so i assume that is why there was no problem previously. I'm wondering if something is broken in the damper, but with my understanding of how motion control works i can't think of anything. pressure in the lower is just ambient pressure at full extension, but it seems to make a pretty powerful spring when i compress it.

its been awhile since ive worked on a motion control fork so forgive me if im off base here...
did you open/service the damper?
how much and what type of splash oil did you use in lowers?
are the correct footnuts on each side? one should be hollow for rebound adjustment and the other solid for spring if remembering correctly
did you use fresh crush washers on the footnuts?
does it feel like an air spring when compressing or more like binding?
anything amiss when you take it all back apart?
what was the issue in the first place causing the rebuild?

[WesternWard]

I broke my chain on a ride and had to take 2 links out midride to repair it as I didn't have any quicklinks with me. What's the move long-term? Do I add 2 quick links to bring it back to its correct length, or do I just replace the entire chain and hold on to the two quick links for future use repairing on the trail? My setup is a mix of shimano XT and SLX stuff and the chain itself costs about the same as the 2 quick links anyways so I was leaning towards just replacing the entire chain this time. Googling chain repair stuff always just gives me emergency trailside info, road bike stuff, and outdated information etc. Seems like they don't sell pins for repairing mountain bike chains and at least one link was super twisted anyways, but shimano quick links are pretty expensive.

[XXX-er]

i would replace the chain

[skizix]

most definitely replace the chain

[El Chupacabra]

X3 on replacing the chain. And I use KMC quick links for Shimano 10 and 11 speed, they work fine and are inexpensive. (I don't have any Shimano 12S so no input there.)

[mall walker]

what's involved in replacing a chain, if I don't wanna wait a week for LBS to do it, what do I need to know in order to know what chain to buy?

[rideit]

It’s super easy. Park tool probably has videos. You will need a chain tool, and it helps to have two way chain pliers, but not absolutely necessary.
11 speed, or 12 speed?
Other?
The best bang for the buck is a Sram PC 1130 if 11 speed.

https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair...railleur-bikes

[mall walker]

oh, sweet thanks. yeah it's 11 speed, 11-42 sunrace cassette / sram gx derailleur