Experiences with the latest Spec/ RS BRAIN forks?

Discuss light weight issues concerning mountain bikes & parts.

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DanW
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Location: Here, there and everywhere

by DanW

Hi all,

Does anyone have any experiences with the latest SIDs with the BRAIN damper?

Yes they are only 100mm travel and 32mm, and yes I am well aware the bushings could be hit and miss... but what about the damper itself?

Does the fork sit around sag and move a little bit (firm around the sag height) until the "threshold" force open up the fork (make it behave completely like a normal SID)?

Or does the fork stay fully extended like a traditional lock out until the threshold force?

Is it horribly unreliable like the rear BRAIN shock or not that bad?

I am one of the weirdos who wants a rigid fork until certain trails/ descents so couldn't care less about small bump sensitivity :)

Thanks!

stoney
Posts: 474
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2011 11:26 am

by stoney

I didn't like my brain damper and replaced with with a race day damper which saved about 200 grams and provides better small bump sensitivity (which I know you don't care about).

by Weenie


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de lars cuevas
Posts: 182
Joined: Fri Jul 28, 2006 8:28 pm
Location: the Netherlands

by de lars cuevas

Hi,

Haven't tried the latest generation, I do know that the Brain first kicks in at 15 mm of travel.

Rode the '18 Sid Brain in an Epic for review for 5 months. Matched the rear quite well. Would love one in my singlespeed hardtail!

DanW
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Joined: Fri May 02, 2008 5:39 pm
Location: Here, there and everywhere

by DanW

stoney wrote:
Tue May 02, 2023 10:43 am
I didn't like my brain damper and replaced with with a race day damper which saved about 200 grams and provides better small bump sensitivity (which I know you don't care about).
@stoney how did the fork behave throughout its travel? What was the initial travel like before you exceed the threshold setting? When you exceed the threshold setting does the fork behave quite normal?

Was there any other reason not to like it or just the lack of initial sensitivity?

Thanks!

DanW
Posts: 1243
Joined: Fri May 02, 2008 5:39 pm
Location: Here, there and everywhere

by DanW

de lars cuevas wrote:
Tue May 02, 2023 11:37 am
Haven't tried the latest generation, I do know that the Brain first kicks in at 15 mm of travel.

Rode the '18 Sid Brain in an Epic for review for 5 months. Matched the rear quite well. Would love one in my singlespeed hardtail!
Thanks for the reply @de lars cuevas :) When you say "kicks in at 15 mm of travel", do you mean you have a 15mm travel fork until the threshold is exceeded?

I only have one bike and it is a rigid singlespeed at the moment. I generally dislike suspension on a SS so am trying to think of some way to have a pretty rigid fork for all the out of the saddle riding but get some suspension benefit descending

freepk
Posts: 256
Joined: Thu Feb 18, 2016 1:31 pm

by freepk

Hi, a little noBrain "field" test )
https://youtu.be/TQHb9GXZkD0

de lars cuevas
Posts: 182
Joined: Fri Jul 28, 2006 8:28 pm
Location: the Netherlands

by de lars cuevas

DanW wrote:
Tue May 02, 2023 11:51 am
Thanks for the reply @de lars cuevas :) When you say "kicks in at 15 mm of travel", do you mean you have a 15mm travel fork until the threshold is exceeded?
Yes. check the specs. It's on sale now btw:
https://www.specialized.com/us/en/rocks ... 98920-7805

DanW
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Joined: Fri May 02, 2008 5:39 pm
Location: Here, there and everywhere

by DanW

Thanks both. I missed the US site which has a better description.

Thanks too @freepk - it is really hard to visualise how the BRAIN fork works but that is really clear. Sounds like it is exactly what I am after. Stiff at the sag point, solid climbing out of the saddle on a singlespeed then more open fork harder hits.

@freepk was this your video and do you have any ride impresssions or notes on durability/ issues?

Thanks1

DanW
Posts: 1243
Joined: Fri May 02, 2008 5:39 pm
Location: Here, there and everywhere

by DanW

DanW wrote:
Wed May 03, 2023 10:19 am
Thanks both. I missed the US site which has a better description.

Thanks too @freepk - it is really hard to visualise how the BRAIN fork works but that is really clear. Sounds like it is exactly what I am after. Stiff at the sag point, solid climbing out of the saddle on a singlespeed then more open fork harder hits.

@freepk was this your video and do you have any ride impresssions or notes on durability/ issues?

Thanks!
Edit: Not available in the UK and EU price is ~£1200!!!

stoney
Posts: 474
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2011 11:26 am

by stoney

DanW wrote:
Tue May 02, 2023 11:49 am
@stoney how did the fork behave throughout its travel? What was the initial travel like before you exceed the threshold setting? When you exceed the threshold setting does the fork behave quite normal?

Was there any other reason not to like it or just the lack of initial sensitivity?

Thanks!
It was just the initial sensitivity that I didn't like. The brain damper worked well otherwise. I also didn't mind the weight reduction I received by ditching the porky brain damper.

fsp15923
Posts: 49
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2021 6:07 am

by fsp15923

de lars cuevas wrote:
DanW wrote:
Tue May 02, 2023 11:51 am
Thanks for the reply @de lars cuevas :) When you say "kicks in at 15 mm of travel", do you mean you have a 15mm travel fork until the threshold is exceeded?
Yes. check the specs. It's on sale now btw:
https://www.specialized.com/us/en/rocks ... 98920-7805
Pls remind me, can one purchase online and havebit internationally shipped or must I have a US address? Is there a way around this?

Sent from my SM-S901E using Tapatalk


DanW
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Joined: Fri May 02, 2008 5:39 pm
Location: Here, there and everywhere

by DanW

The website only seems to allow shipment to US :(

What adjustments does the SID with BRAIN have? Air preload, rebound and amount of BRAIN Threshold? Do you get any type of compression damping adjustment (I realise this is unlikely)?

If anyone hates their BRAIN damper from 21, 22 or 23 I could take it off your hands :)

freepk
Posts: 256
Joined: Thu Feb 18, 2016 1:31 pm

by freepk

@DanW, yes this is me on video :) But i was injured in last year and cant ride bikes :) No long term review about Brain fork yet :)

DanW
Posts: 1243
Joined: Fri May 02, 2008 5:39 pm
Location: Here, there and everywhere

by DanW

Does the latest BRAIN fork have a setting where the BRAIN is turned off completely. I saw a review which made reference to 0-5 on the BRAIN dial with 0 being switched off but other complain about not being able to turn it off???

ccie6872
Posts: 363
Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2020 10:46 pm

by ccie6872

DanW wrote:
Mon Jun 26, 2023 7:28 pm
Does the latest BRAIN fork have a setting where the BRAIN is turned off completely. I saw a review which made reference to 0-5 on the BRAIN dial with 0 being switched off but other complain about not being able to turn it off???
I have the latest Epic WC with the new 110m brain fork and there is no way to turn it off / lock it out sadly. I find the brain works well but I would love for it to completly lock with on the road.

by Weenie


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