EsPeGe
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Item: Push ACS 3 Coil upgrade kit for Fox 36
Purchased From: NSDynamics
Purchase Price (approx): $500 self installed $720 installed by NS with their Hyperformance tune included which is $250 on it's own
Usage: Installed in my 2018 FOX 36's on an Evil Wreckoning and has been in use for approx 2 months. Ridden at Ourimbah on the DH course, raced at Stromlo, Thredbo super enduro and just spent a week on it in Tassie at both Derby and Maydena. Oh and Greenvalleys MTB park.
Pros -
- Performance of my forks finally matches the Push ElevenSix I have on the back,
- feels amazing,
- doesn't "pack up" on the long runs so the forks feel exactly the same at the end as at the start and therefore my hands aren't getting sore,
- traction,
- ease of adjustment.
Cons -
- Heavy (not a major issue for me but for some it will be),
- I feel install instructions need to be a bit clearer,
- you can't go back to the air set up after you've used this as the insides of the stanchions will be all buffed up so it's a commitment,
- some people have reported a clicking noise as the fork compresses including myself. Anyone that knows me knows I like a quiet bike, silent freehubs and all so this was annoying but was an easy fix if it bothers you
Comments: Firstly the decision to void the warranty on a brand new set of 2018 Fox 36 forks was a big call but not too big. Having used Push's ElevenSix for over two years I'm very familiar with the quality of their gear and service. Given that I was building what I consider to be a premium bike I wanted it to have the best suspension. I was able to convert the ElevenSix over which meant sending it to NS who re-valved it for the Evil from the Pivot Mach 6 I had been running it on. When I saw the ACS 3 kit was out I did my usual research and pulled the trigger.
Installation: I'm not a suspension guy and have never pulled my forks apart before this so it was a big call to rip them open to perform this upgrade but it wasn't too bad. The only issue I came across is that the install video which is very clear and tells you exactly what to do was done pre 2018 fork release so that there is a little washer that needs to be installed for 18 forks that isn't mentioned in the video. It is in the written instructions but not very clearly in my opinion. Once I worked that out it was pretty easy. As mentioned above I had a clicking noise about 2/3 of the way into the travel which it seems is the spring hitting the sides of the stanchions under load. Simple fix was lubing the shrink wrap on the coil with slick honey and the noise to my surprise is completely gone. Stoked, back to a stealth fighter.
On the trail: I know I'm going to sound like a paid reviewer or a Push groupie here (I'm not in any way a paid reviewer, Push groupie, maybe a little) but the thing is simply amazing. At the start of the travel and small bump stuff it's super supple and just smooths the chatter out. Don't get me wrong you can feel it but it's just in the background. Even braking ruts and bumps mid corner seem to melt away. Speaking of mid corner I'm especially blown away on high speed, high G corners when you are sitting about mid stroke, the coil feels the same as it does at the start of the stroke and when you hit something bigger it still just soaks it up. I've got nothing to really confirm this but I feel like I'm cornering quicker as a result.
As mentioned above the forks feel the same at the end of a run as they do at the start. On my air 36's (2016) I found towards the end of long downhill runs like at Thredbo on the AM and flow trails the forks would start to "pack up" ( for want of a better term) a little resulting in a firmer feel and sore hands. This doesn't happen with the coil and would be one of the major benefits in my opinion.
Big hits are also really good. I like the feeling of being down when I land a big jump or a drop and the coil just feels anchored on landing. I always felt that with air there was always a little "after spring" on the big hits as the shocks/fork sprung back to normal positions. This could result in a crash if it was big enough but with the coils front and back when you land you are down and ready for the next hit and for me this is the major benefit. I can say with 100% (well ok 90%) certainty that it saved my arse at Maydena the other day. I cocked up a jump, big time. The 3 previous had been long sendy type jumps and all of a sudden there is this vertical wall in front of me. I hit it a bit too casually and once in the air I knew I was buggered. I had gone too far and was landing out on the flats. The back end just came up and up and up.
I literally had time to realize how bad this was going to be and everything went into slow motion. I said to myself just hang on. As I landed on the front wheel with the back pretty much as vertical as it could be with out going past I could literally feel the fork completely compress and soak it up. It did not pogo like an air fork would have, kicking me over the front and next thing I know, through no skill of my own the back wheel was on the ground and I was ok, albeit with my heart pounding out of my chest. This was enough on it's own to convince me this upgrade is the real deal.
Also as mentioned above its great to have the front and back feeling the same. The ElevenSix is so good that it was hard to get the front to feel the same. I noted this in my original ElevenSix review a couple of years back so it's sick to have it sorted. The ElevenSix is super adjustable without tools and the ACS 3 is the same although you do need a shock pump and a digital one is best. A shock pump you ask??? So the difference between the ACS3 and most previous coils is what Push call their "air bump stop"(ABS). The first 2/3 of travel is the coil but as the fork compresses the ABS engages to ramp up and stop the harsh bottom that coils could be known for. You can change the pressure in the ABS from 0-50psi hence the need for a digital shock pump as the pressures are so low that most normal shock pumps aren't real accurate or easy to read down that low. At 50psi the forks ramp up more like air but at the 15psi I'm currently running you get the coil feel with a nice ramp at the end. This is probably also part of the reason I didn't pogo on the jump I cocked up.
So who's it for? If you are an XC guy or weight weenie, forget it. If you just like cruise whilst riding again it's not really for you. If you are aggressive, ride mostly down but up because you have to, want to push your riding and like to do big jumps and drops then you should consider this upgrade. It's quite expensive in that your $1400 fork becomes a $1900 fork but the performance is far too good to ignore. Let me know if you have any questions and if you are at the Rocky Trails or Red Ass DH at Thredbo or see me out on it feel free to say hi and have a bounce. Be warned, you might like it!!!!!
Cheers Scott.
Purchased From: NSDynamics
Purchase Price (approx): $500 self installed $720 installed by NS with their Hyperformance tune included which is $250 on it's own
Usage: Installed in my 2018 FOX 36's on an Evil Wreckoning and has been in use for approx 2 months. Ridden at Ourimbah on the DH course, raced at Stromlo, Thredbo super enduro and just spent a week on it in Tassie at both Derby and Maydena. Oh and Greenvalleys MTB park.
Pros -
- Performance of my forks finally matches the Push ElevenSix I have on the back,
- feels amazing,
- doesn't "pack up" on the long runs so the forks feel exactly the same at the end as at the start and therefore my hands aren't getting sore,
- traction,
- ease of adjustment.
Cons -
- Heavy (not a major issue for me but for some it will be),
- I feel install instructions need to be a bit clearer,
- you can't go back to the air set up after you've used this as the insides of the stanchions will be all buffed up so it's a commitment,
- some people have reported a clicking noise as the fork compresses including myself. Anyone that knows me knows I like a quiet bike, silent freehubs and all so this was annoying but was an easy fix if it bothers you
Comments: Firstly the decision to void the warranty on a brand new set of 2018 Fox 36 forks was a big call but not too big. Having used Push's ElevenSix for over two years I'm very familiar with the quality of their gear and service. Given that I was building what I consider to be a premium bike I wanted it to have the best suspension. I was able to convert the ElevenSix over which meant sending it to NS who re-valved it for the Evil from the Pivot Mach 6 I had been running it on. When I saw the ACS 3 kit was out I did my usual research and pulled the trigger.
Installation: I'm not a suspension guy and have never pulled my forks apart before this so it was a big call to rip them open to perform this upgrade but it wasn't too bad. The only issue I came across is that the install video which is very clear and tells you exactly what to do was done pre 2018 fork release so that there is a little washer that needs to be installed for 18 forks that isn't mentioned in the video. It is in the written instructions but not very clearly in my opinion. Once I worked that out it was pretty easy. As mentioned above I had a clicking noise about 2/3 of the way into the travel which it seems is the spring hitting the sides of the stanchions under load. Simple fix was lubing the shrink wrap on the coil with slick honey and the noise to my surprise is completely gone. Stoked, back to a stealth fighter.
On the trail: I know I'm going to sound like a paid reviewer or a Push groupie here (I'm not in any way a paid reviewer, Push groupie, maybe a little) but the thing is simply amazing. At the start of the travel and small bump stuff it's super supple and just smooths the chatter out. Don't get me wrong you can feel it but it's just in the background. Even braking ruts and bumps mid corner seem to melt away. Speaking of mid corner I'm especially blown away on high speed, high G corners when you are sitting about mid stroke, the coil feels the same as it does at the start of the stroke and when you hit something bigger it still just soaks it up. I've got nothing to really confirm this but I feel like I'm cornering quicker as a result.
As mentioned above the forks feel the same at the end of a run as they do at the start. On my air 36's (2016) I found towards the end of long downhill runs like at Thredbo on the AM and flow trails the forks would start to "pack up" ( for want of a better term) a little resulting in a firmer feel and sore hands. This doesn't happen with the coil and would be one of the major benefits in my opinion.
Big hits are also really good. I like the feeling of being down when I land a big jump or a drop and the coil just feels anchored on landing. I always felt that with air there was always a little "after spring" on the big hits as the shocks/fork sprung back to normal positions. This could result in a crash if it was big enough but with the coils front and back when you land you are down and ready for the next hit and for me this is the major benefit. I can say with 100% (well ok 90%) certainty that it saved my arse at Maydena the other day. I cocked up a jump, big time. The 3 previous had been long sendy type jumps and all of a sudden there is this vertical wall in front of me. I hit it a bit too casually and once in the air I knew I was buggered. I had gone too far and was landing out on the flats. The back end just came up and up and up.
I literally had time to realize how bad this was going to be and everything went into slow motion. I said to myself just hang on. As I landed on the front wheel with the back pretty much as vertical as it could be with out going past I could literally feel the fork completely compress and soak it up. It did not pogo like an air fork would have, kicking me over the front and next thing I know, through no skill of my own the back wheel was on the ground and I was ok, albeit with my heart pounding out of my chest. This was enough on it's own to convince me this upgrade is the real deal.
Also as mentioned above its great to have the front and back feeling the same. The ElevenSix is so good that it was hard to get the front to feel the same. I noted this in my original ElevenSix review a couple of years back so it's sick to have it sorted. The ElevenSix is super adjustable without tools and the ACS 3 is the same although you do need a shock pump and a digital one is best. A shock pump you ask??? So the difference between the ACS3 and most previous coils is what Push call their "air bump stop"(ABS). The first 2/3 of travel is the coil but as the fork compresses the ABS engages to ramp up and stop the harsh bottom that coils could be known for. You can change the pressure in the ABS from 0-50psi hence the need for a digital shock pump as the pressures are so low that most normal shock pumps aren't real accurate or easy to read down that low. At 50psi the forks ramp up more like air but at the 15psi I'm currently running you get the coil feel with a nice ramp at the end. This is probably also part of the reason I didn't pogo on the jump I cocked up.
So who's it for? If you are an XC guy or weight weenie, forget it. If you just like cruise whilst riding again it's not really for you. If you are aggressive, ride mostly down but up because you have to, want to push your riding and like to do big jumps and drops then you should consider this upgrade. It's quite expensive in that your $1400 fork becomes a $1900 fork but the performance is far too good to ignore. Let me know if you have any questions and if you are at the Rocky Trails or Red Ass DH at Thredbo or see me out on it feel free to say hi and have a bounce. Be warned, you might like it!!!!!
Cheers Scott.
