Progressive monotubes
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 3,949
Likes: 150
From: South of Mordor
Does anyone know with my setup which set of monotubes I would need? I am running stock Street Bob tubes in a set of Fat Bob trees. I know both the Fat Bob and Street Bob have 29 degrees in the neck, but not sure what the difference in the trees themslves. So I don't know if I would need the monotubes for the Street Bob or the Fat Bob.
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 196
Likes: 1
From: Amersfoort, The Netherlands
I had the same problem. Very bad brake dive compared to the Intiminators. At first I set my sag at 1.5 inch by just sitting on the bike with my feet off the ground, which worked fine with the Intminators, but it caused too much brake dive with the monotubes.
Then I used the method from Racetech you also mentioned (lifting and pushing down the front and do the math) and it took me 3 more turns on the preload adjuster to get to an average of 1.5 inch of sag.
Brake dive is now about the same as with the Intiminators.
I just returned today from a weeklong trip through some German mountains and I'm still very happy with the monotubes, and still think they're a great improvement.
Last edited by DutchBob; Aug 8, 2014 at 04:38 PM.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,291
Likes: 11
From: The Whale's Vagina
http://www.mandmcycles.com/default.aspx?PartNo=31-2519
I had the same problem. Very bad brake dive compared to the Intiminators. At first I set my sag at 1.5 inch by just sitting on the bike with my feet off the ground, which worked fine with the Intminators, but it caused too much brake dive with the monotubes.
Then I used the method from Racetech you also mentioned (lifting and pushing down the front and do the math) and it took me 3 more turns on the preload adjuster to get to an average of 1.5 inch of sag.
Brake dive is now about the same as with the Intiminators.
I just returned today from a weeklong trip through some German mountains and I'm still very happy with the monotubes, and still think they're a great improvement.
Then I used the method from Racetech you also mentioned (lifting and pushing down the front and do the math) and it took me 3 more turns on the preload adjuster to get to an average of 1.5 inch of sag.
Brake dive is now about the same as with the Intiminators.
I just returned today from a weeklong trip through some German mountains and I'm still very happy with the monotubes, and still think they're a great improvement.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,291
Likes: 11
From: The Whale's Vagina
I now have a few thousand miles on the monotube kit and just wanted to update my impressions since I still get lots of PMs about them.
Note: my previous front suspension used Ricor Intiminators, Works Triple Rate Tunable Springs, RSD Preload Adjusters, and Amsoil #10 Shock Therapy which will hereafter be referred to as simply "Ricor."
1. Brake Dive - it's just awful with sag set using the 1/3 total travel method. It's been a long time, but I'd say it's even worse than stock. It's definitely worse than my Ricor setup. Increasing the preload improves it, but then the ride becomes very harsh.
2. Stiction - I don't know the exact cause, but I suspect it has to do with how the cartridge side fits in the right leg. Stiction is so bad that ANY fork brace will lock up the suspension even under the slightest pressure. I originally had SDC's FTW brace and found that I had to completely back off the fasteners to "release" the suspension which made it useless. I removed it and tried a Superbrace thinking it would be better since it mounts lower and puts pressure in a different section of the legs. Same result - locked up suspension. It was so bad, that when I got off the bike and loosened the fasteners, the sliders popped back up to their normal, unweighted position.
3. Instability/Wobbles - I'd previously eliminated high speed wobbles with my Ricor setup, but found the twisties to be too harsh which is what originally drove me to the monotubes. However, the monotubes are much worse in lower speed turns/twisties. Increasing the preload improves the instability somewhat, but makes the front end feel like pogo-stick on the freeway. The front end literally hops down the road once the preload is set high enough to eliminate turn wobbles. With sag set at 1/3, the freeway feel is pretty good, slightly better than the Ricor setup, but unlike the Ricor setup, as soon as I hit the exit ramp and brake at the first red light, the front end nearly bottoms out from the brake dive.
After putting these through many miles in all kinds of conditions, I no longer recommend them despite the price, and plan to replace them as soon as my budget allows.
Note: my previous front suspension used Ricor Intiminators, Works Triple Rate Tunable Springs, RSD Preload Adjusters, and Amsoil #10 Shock Therapy which will hereafter be referred to as simply "Ricor."
1. Brake Dive - it's just awful with sag set using the 1/3 total travel method. It's been a long time, but I'd say it's even worse than stock. It's definitely worse than my Ricor setup. Increasing the preload improves it, but then the ride becomes very harsh.
2. Stiction - I don't know the exact cause, but I suspect it has to do with how the cartridge side fits in the right leg. Stiction is so bad that ANY fork brace will lock up the suspension even under the slightest pressure. I originally had SDC's FTW brace and found that I had to completely back off the fasteners to "release" the suspension which made it useless. I removed it and tried a Superbrace thinking it would be better since it mounts lower and puts pressure in a different section of the legs. Same result - locked up suspension. It was so bad, that when I got off the bike and loosened the fasteners, the sliders popped back up to their normal, unweighted position.
3. Instability/Wobbles - I'd previously eliminated high speed wobbles with my Ricor setup, but found the twisties to be too harsh which is what originally drove me to the monotubes. However, the monotubes are much worse in lower speed turns/twisties. Increasing the preload improves the instability somewhat, but makes the front end feel like pogo-stick on the freeway. The front end literally hops down the road once the preload is set high enough to eliminate turn wobbles. With sag set at 1/3, the freeway feel is pretty good, slightly better than the Ricor setup, but unlike the Ricor setup, as soon as I hit the exit ramp and brake at the first red light, the front end nearly bottoms out from the brake dive.
After putting these through many miles in all kinds of conditions, I no longer recommend them despite the price, and plan to replace them as soon as my budget allows.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 3,580
Likes: 215
From: Illinois
Thanks for the update squid....that's a shame. Really glad you gave an honest review as I was thinking of getting these next winter.....probably will be going w/ a simple progressive shock replacement along with rsd adjusters.
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Tourer
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 449
Likes: 4
From: Florida
That is good info Squid... I am so glad I did not get these. If they would not have been on back order through Bikers Choice I would have bought them. Totally pleased with my setup of Race Tech gold valves and Traxxion springs with Speed Merchant p/l adjusters.
Tourer
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 421
Likes: 3
From: Vancouver, WA
I now have a few thousand miles on the monotube kit and just wanted to update my impressions since I still get lots of PMs about them.
Note: my previous front suspension used Ricor Intiminators, Works Triple Rate Tunable Springs, RSD Preload Adjusters, and Amsoil #10 Shock Therapy which will hereafter be referred to as simply "Ricor."
1. Brake Dive - it's just awful with sag set using the 1/3 total travel method. It's been a long time, but I'd say it's even worse than stock. It's definitely worse than my Ricor setup. Increasing the preload improves it, but then the ride becomes very harsh.
2. Stiction - I don't know the exact cause, but I suspect it has to do with how the cartridge side fits in the right leg. Stiction is so bad that ANY fork brace will lock up the suspension even under the slightest pressure. I originally had SDC's FTW brace and found that I had to completely back off the fasteners to "release" the suspension which made it useless. I removed it and tried a Superbrace thinking it would be better since it mounts lower and puts pressure in a different section of the legs. Same result - locked up suspension. It was so bad, that when I got off the bike and loosened the fasteners, the sliders popped back up to their normal, unweighted position.
3. Instability/Wobbles - I'd previously eliminated high speed wobbles with my Ricor setup, but found the twisties to be too harsh which is what originally drove me to the monotubes. However, the monotubes are much worse in lower speed turns/twisties. Increasing the preload improves the instability somewhat, but makes the front end feel like pogo-stick on the freeway. The front end literally hops down the road once the preload is set high enough to eliminate turn wobbles. With sag set at 1/3, the freeway feel is pretty good, slightly better than the Ricor setup, but unlike the Ricor setup, as soon as I hit the exit ramp and brake at the first red light, the front end nearly bottoms out from the brake dive.
After putting these through many miles in all kinds of conditions, I no longer recommend them despite the price, and plan to replace them as soon as my budget allows.
Note: my previous front suspension used Ricor Intiminators, Works Triple Rate Tunable Springs, RSD Preload Adjusters, and Amsoil #10 Shock Therapy which will hereafter be referred to as simply "Ricor."
1. Brake Dive - it's just awful with sag set using the 1/3 total travel method. It's been a long time, but I'd say it's even worse than stock. It's definitely worse than my Ricor setup. Increasing the preload improves it, but then the ride becomes very harsh.
2. Stiction - I don't know the exact cause, but I suspect it has to do with how the cartridge side fits in the right leg. Stiction is so bad that ANY fork brace will lock up the suspension even under the slightest pressure. I originally had SDC's FTW brace and found that I had to completely back off the fasteners to "release" the suspension which made it useless. I removed it and tried a Superbrace thinking it would be better since it mounts lower and puts pressure in a different section of the legs. Same result - locked up suspension. It was so bad, that when I got off the bike and loosened the fasteners, the sliders popped back up to their normal, unweighted position.
3. Instability/Wobbles - I'd previously eliminated high speed wobbles with my Ricor setup, but found the twisties to be too harsh which is what originally drove me to the monotubes. However, the monotubes are much worse in lower speed turns/twisties. Increasing the preload improves the instability somewhat, but makes the front end feel like pogo-stick on the freeway. The front end literally hops down the road once the preload is set high enough to eliminate turn wobbles. With sag set at 1/3, the freeway feel is pretty good, slightly better than the Ricor setup, but unlike the Ricor setup, as soon as I hit the exit ramp and brake at the first red light, the front end nearly bottoms out from the brake dive.
After putting these through many miles in all kinds of conditions, I no longer recommend them despite the price, and plan to replace them as soon as my budget allows.
Thanks for all of that info Squidhead!
Which spring are you going back to on your next setup? The Traxxion single rate or the Works triple rate and why?
Thank you,
-Chris