Is it a cheater switch and do you use it?

discofrank

Likes Dirt
I have twin lock on my Scott and it's fucking awesome. It's a bit more than just a "climb" switch though
rode a mates scott for a bit , hit te twinlock and i felt like i have changed down a gear! was unreal! albeit it was on a tarmac rd!

sometimes i it the firm for the climbs on the zerode... to be honest im that slow i dont and cant tell the difference up a hill
 

Scotty T

Walks the walk
rode a mates scott for a bit , hit te twinlock and i felt like i have changed down a gear! was unreal! albeit it was on a tarmac rd!

sometimes i it the firm for the climbs on the zerode... to be honest im that slow i dont and cant tell the difference up a hill
I reckon I did the front and back once on the Trek which felt pretty close to lockout for a decent off road climb and definitely left the front alone after that, was a bit full rigid for me.

Same on slowness, only breaking my own records and not racing and also not feeling enough difference.
 

Flow-Rider

Burner
Technique? Do you reckon that goes both ways though? In that good uphill pedalling technique can reduce bob if you're in DH mode?

I guess on bikes I was generalising on the 120-160mm things where the switch is a feature and those bikes are trying for uphill capability, non or casual racing setups most of us ride. Most are doing it quite well with geometry and suspension design that the switch seems to be less needed in that category.
I mean technique to get traction on the steeper and difficult features so that you don't waste as much energy, it might be easier to get over if the suspension is set to soft but for the short period it wouldn't be worth getting your hands off the bar to reach down and change the shock mode.

I usually get a lot of pedal strikes in DH mode when I climb rocky tech stuff as the bike wants to sit deeper in it's travel but the GT I-drive that I have is 160/150 travel and it's still pretty active in climb with the Cane Creak, if you hit short rocky DH sections it will let you know it's in climb but the other two bikes I have are 3 position switched rear shocks and in dh mode it zaps a lot of energy on the longer climbs, I can look down at the shock and see it moving a lot as I pedal on the steeper gradients in dh mode. If I'm riding on flat trails, I just leave them in trail mode as it's a lot more comfortable to ride over the rough stuff but on the steep climbs I'll always flick them to climb. Suspension companies don't spend the money on developing these climb switches if they didn't think it added benefit to the bike or rider.
 
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SummitFever

Eats Squid
How smooth your pedal stroke is and how much climbing you do out of the saddle will dictate how much platform you need (and whether you need a lockout). I've tried to develop a smooth and effecient style so I can always run the most active suspension. Never use a lockout.
 

BT180

Max Pfaff
Depends on the anti-squat yeah? I would flick the switch (not the Shapeshifter) on the shock from open to the mid setting for climbing on the Strive and it made a lot of difference. But on the Meta i leave it open when climbing and get hardly any pedal bob, with the bonus of gobs of traction.

It's a revelation for me not having to worry about flicking two levers on a bike before every climb and descant. Now I just leave it all open and just concentrate on riding!
 
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born-again-biker

Is looking for a 16" bar
I went for a ride the other day with a mate from work who is very, very fit.
He trains non-stop & mtn biking is only one part of his fitness regime.
To say that he climbs well, is an understatement. He actively looks for climbs....everywhere.
(he's no fuggen' slouch going downhill either...)

Anyway, we got talking about climb switch settings because we both have 3-position rear shocks. I'm on a 153/160 Enduro 29er & he's on a 140/150 650B trail bike.
He asked me where/when I run open/pedal/lock..
I said I usually climb in the middle setting or sometimes fully open, and I always descend in fully open.
He said he always climbs locked out, and descends in the middle position (almost never used fully open!)

Later in the 'arvo we set-out up another long climb. This was the third or fourth proper climb of the day & I was pretty buggered.
I wasn't expecting much from my legs.
So this time I flicked my switch to "lock" (which on my RS SD still has a little bit of squish) and 'attacked' the climb.
Definitely, definitely made a positive difference. I got up there quicker than the previous lap. Old mate Superman didn't break a sweat but he did reckon' I was quicker. I noticed the bike was carrying a little more speed around & thru the switchback uphill berms. And I just felt like I was getting a little more "bang for my buck".

So long story; short: No it's not. Yes I do.
 

moorey

call me Mia
Almost never, don’t feel the need for it, and I’m not chasing KOM’s. Whenever I have used it, I forget to switch it off for the descent :rolleyes:
 

Boom King

downloaded a pic of moorey's bruised arse
I always lock it out on the way to the shops or school run, otherwise, never.
 

Ultra Lord

Hurts. Requires Money. And is nerdy.
It doesn’t matter for me, climbs suck regardless. Leave it open and bob with every pedal stroke, or close it off and bounce off everything and lose momentum that way. Theres no winning I tells ya.
I Should spend less time at work and more time excercising.

And stop frying my steaks in a pan with half a block of butter in there ahahaha, but that aint gon’ happen anytime soon
 
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born-again-biker

Is looking for a 16" bar
Do you guys think you'd use the lockout more if you had a handlebar mount for it? I gotta admit that the Cane Creek system is one of the neatest and cleanest from an integration point of view in this regard (none of that above the bar, waiting to find a tree nonsense).

As I said earlier, I've only got the one shock that actually has a climb switch, and it's not mounted to the bike at the moment, but I can honestly see myself using it a lot if it were like this:

Geez that looks nice.

I reckon a handlebar switch would be great.
I've literally run off the trail while fiddling around between my legs for the lever.
(there's gotta be a better way to say that...)
 

Litenbror

Eats Squid
Do you guys think you'd use the lockout more if you had a handlebar mount for it? I gotta admit that the Cane Creek system is one of the neatest and cleanest from an integration point of view in this regard (none of that above the bar, waiting to find a tree nonsense).

As I said earlier, I've only got the one shock that actually has a climb switch, and it's not mounted to the bike at the moment, but I can honestly see myself using it a lot if it were like this:

Absolutely and the CC is the best looking/functioning piece of kit I've seen.
 

Jpez

Down on the left!
Sometimes use it on fire road climbs sometimes don't.

I forgot to unlock mine when I reached the top of a trail.
Realised pretty early into the run but was too in the zone to slow and unflick it.
Was pretty bouncy but somehow managed to get a Strava PR. Still unbeaten.
Go figure.
 

moorey

call me Mia
It sounds like a lot of you would use the switch, but the main concern is getting to the top and forgetting to switch back; and then being unable to when getting rowdy on a descent. Sounds like a handlebar remote would be a really good solution to this.


As long as it's silent and cleanly routed, it wouldn't bother me any. Don't find myself looking at my handlebars when riding.
Brake...dropper remote....lockout...some still running front mech...many running garmin etc on bars...
Yeah nah, cuss that. I like my cockpit like my suspension design.
 
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