Santa Cruz Blur - suspension tuning tips?

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Hi,

I recently bought a SC Blur with a 5th Element Air, and I'm trying to get the suspension dialed-in. Going down steep single track, the rear end tends to skip and lose traction. Will tightning the rebound help much?


Paul

Since your question was a while ago, you may have already fined tuned your suspension but here is what I have done.
I weight 175lbs and run a 5th Element on the rear and a Manitou Minute 3 in front with a large frame. Set up for heavy XC.
For the shock, I am adjusting for maximal use of travel available for the trail I ride most often which includes a little of everything but nothing bigger than 3-4' of air but not a straight drop. I am running the Main chamber at the suggested max per SC at 120lbs/ and the blow off chamber at 80. I might have to sneak the main chamber up if I notice the dust washer on the shock being pushed off the shaft.
For the fork, I run only at 100mm length per SC suggestion and to prevent from supposedly tearing the head tube off. I have the main chamber there at 90lbs and the blow off valve chamber at 60lbs.
I have dampening set for both right in the middle but may occasionally adjust the shocks' if I am in for some long climbs.
My feeling is to run the pressure first as what SC rec's and play with the dampening either to the extreme high and low and get a feel of what's happening. Then go back to center and decide or adjust per terrain. Air pressures, again start with the rec's on SC website and go up or down as needed. Keep an eye on your sespension shaft markers/o rings so you can tell if you are using most of your travel or bottoming out. If you are bottoming out, go up in main chamber pressure. If you feel like you are loosing traction, try going down on the blow off pressure which will activate your suspension easier and maybe provide some traction. You may also try to use the "Sag" methods to get similar results as eplained in your manuals.

Good luck and don't be afraid to experiment, Emery

I'm going through these pains now with my new sc blur and 5th air :)

You should start by making sure the suspension is set to around 1/3 of the suspension travel in sag. This is the sweet spot for most VPP suspensions. I don't know if adjusting rebound will help but maybe you have it to fast and the rear is kicking up to hard or possibly the opposite, it is too slow and the rear is packing and tending skip around. When in doubt start with a slower setting and work your way up to avoid being catapulted of the bike. Also remember that VPP suspensions are supposed to suffer from some brake jack which causes some skipping. Just make sure to set everything right and get used to the characteristics of the suspension.
Personally I've ridden my friends blur and myself ride an intense spider. I did opt for a standard Fox AVA shock instead since I found that the VPP design itself works well enough to not really require a stable platform shock such as the 5th. The Fox tends to keep the rear more active and supple in the rough stuff.
I do run a 5th coil version on my Uzzi SLX and love it. Since the rear on the Uzzi is so active it makes an incredible difference while climbing.