What do you think would be better, the Kouba links or would the E-bay jobs be fine. I'm only 145lbs, so I can't see me bottoming out the shock!

 

They are both aluminum and are both more or less the same thickness, take your pick and roll with it.

 

I haven't had the ebay ones on long enough to tell how they are going to wear, however I can tell you that they are (now) machined with less slop that the stock item. I must have been the first to buy them cause the holes in them were not big enough when I bought them. A email to Tom (the guy who made them) and he sent me a new set with the right size holes. They are a much tigher fit than the stockers which can only be good for wear. At $19 a set + post what have you got to lose?

 

i guess this is the "short" thread.... haha.... sorry just had to.... im 6'1" [8D] height is fine for me... just need springs for my weight.

 

Does any body have a formula or educated guess about the effects of the lowering links on the spring rate???

I am assuming the lowering links are longer, therfore having more leverage on the shock and spring. This would result in a softer spring rate...but by how much????? I need softer springs but want to experiemnt with a 1 inch lowering link for tight nasty jungle trails and super motard. However I'd like to order appropriate spings.

Cheers.

 

I know enough to know not to try to answer that question. Below is an article that discusses lowering bikes. It was written for sport bikes but the principles are the same. It discusses the effect of lowering links. Before I mentioned that it effects leverage, that may not have been the best choice of words, the swingarm length & the center triangular shaped piece of linkage probably effect that most, the links are more involved in progression, ie where & how in the travel it transiitions based on the leverage.


http://www.sportrider.com/tech/146_0210_lower/

 

I'm not positive, but I'm pretty sure that lowering links won't have any affect on the rear suspension stiffness, they mostly only affect the position of the swing-arm, and therefore the seat height.

Stiffness isn't affected because the mechanical advantage of the linkage isn't being changed significantly. If the rocker arm was changed (i.e. the distances between the 3 pivot points), thenthe stiffnesswould be affected, in which case you'd have to change the spring rate to compensate.

 

I just got off the phone with a suspension expert and he says that the lowering links do affect the suspension. They can put a spacer in the shock as part of a service and that will give the lowering effect and give the bike proper suspension. Also because of my weight I need a new spring. So the choice is (for me)
1. Go back to stock and fall over when I have to foot. [:@]
2. Grow a bit (up not out). [&:]
3. Bite the bullet and spend more money. [:'(]
4. Learn to ride so I don't need to foot as often.

 

Hmmm ... Ok, I stand corrected. (Wasn'tthe first time & won't be the last time!)

 

No worries, I wasn't trying to be a smartarse just I want the right answers cause its annoying the hell outta me dropping the bike everytime I get into a tricky situation