2014 RC4 on a 2013 Demo 8
- Thread starter Odissius
- Start date
Earlier RC4's or air shocks will be better for a Demo.
The new RC4 has been designed to be less progressive and let the suspension design take care of how progressive the bike is. The Demo has a mostly linear leverage rate and relies on the shock to provide some sort of ramp up towards the end of its travel.
Edit: If you want to run a new RC4 on a Demo go up in spring rate until your sage is about 25% and then back off the compression significantly. I did this on a 2010 Demo (leverage rate is still pretty similar to current bikes) and it rode way better.
The new RC4 has been designed to be less progressive and let the suspension design take care of how progressive the bike is. The Demo has a mostly linear leverage rate and relies on the shock to provide some sort of ramp up towards the end of its travel.
Edit: If you want to run a new RC4 on a Demo go up in spring rate until your sage is about 25% and then back off the compression significantly. I did this on a 2010 Demo (leverage rate is still pretty similar to current bikes) and it rode way better.
Last edited:
That's weird because from what I tend to read on the forums people were always complaining that the RC4 (pre '14) rode too harsh and spikey on the Demo, I thought the changes to the new one would have reduced this. Vivid air seems to be popular for the Demo but that means changing yokes plus I'll be riding it in Euro for two months and feel a coil shock will be more durable.
I read the same but I also have a mate who swapped out the CCDB for a older RC4 and said it was heaps better.
You can't compare the tune of a Van RC and an RC4. You could have an RC4 with a compression tune that is just as light as the Vanillia RC but it would feel very different.
The Vanilla RC is a speed sensitive shock like a vivid/CCDB so compression damping is based on how fast the shaft of the shock moves. For example pedaling creates slow shaft movement (low speed compression damping) while landing a drop or something similar will create a fast shaft movement (high speed compression damping).
The RC4 on the other hand is both speed and position sensitive so not only does it react to shaft speed but compression damping is also affected by where the shock is in its travel (this is what makes it progressive). The boost valve allows you to change how progressive the shock is and at which point in the travel it starts to ramp up.
So you could have a Vanilla RC which is lightly damped all the way through its travel and then you could have an RC4 which is lightly damped off the top of its travel and then ramps up to become a lot firmer towards the end of its travel.
If people have found RC4's on their demo to feel harsh and spike then they are probably running too much compression and haven't set the boost valve up properly.
merc-blue
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Van RC is also position and speed sensitive.
The 2014 will be better than the 2013. as long as you choose the correct factory tune for the frame it will have a much better rebound action. the revisions in compression can essentially be dialed out, not that you would want to.
The 2014 will be better than the 2013. as long as you choose the correct factory tune for the frame it will have a much better rebound action. the revisions in compression can essentially be dialed out, not that you would want to.
No they aren't. The boost valve on the RC4 is what makes the shock progressive, if you want a run down on how it works have a read of this post:
http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=229008&p=3405602&viewfull=1#post3405602
If you are still in doubt, even Fox says the Van RC is a speed sensitive damper
http://www.ridefox.com/fox_tech_center/owners_manuals/012/Content/Rear_Shocks/VAN.html