Focus Jam2 Rockshox suspension is great!

[steve_sordy]

The bike I bought had the Revelation RC fork and the Deluxe R shock. To be honest I nearly didn't get the bike because of the fork as I wasn't a fan of the Revelation. But I discovered that the Revelation is all new, or at least newer than the fork my doubt was based upon. The one I knew had 32 mm stanchions. The new one is a 35mm stanchion beast. All it will take to convert it to a Pike (like on my last two clockwork bikes) is the new Charger 2 damper to be fitted. I had that possibility at the back of my mind when I bought the bike. But I just could not afford to spend any more money on a more expensive model. Well actually I could, but I decided to draw the line somewhere! (I'd already drawn it elsewhere twice before!)

Net result after the sum total of 102 miles of riding is that I am delighted with the Revelation. I find it smooth and controllable, it soaks up the bumps without harshness. It doesn't dive into the travel nor feel like a pogo stick. I don't feel any need yet to start adding or removing air spring spacers. And no need to go looking for a Charger 2 damper either! Lets see what happens.

The shock is also smooth, but I find it goes through its travel too fast for my taste, although I have never felt it bottom out. Professional reviewers have pointed out that the shock uses up its travel on the Focus Jam2 even though it doesn't feel like it is doing so at the time. I am happy with the sag I have set and if I increased the sag to firm up the shock it would make the ride too harsh. I have been down this road before with a Fox shock on another bike and different Rockshox shock on yet another. The solution was then, and I believe is now, is to add some air spring spacers to make the shock a bit more progressive. I've got some left over from the last Rockshox shock I tuned, all I have to do is to find them!

Really happy!

PS: My riding weight is 92kg / 203lbs / 14.5 stones. I don't do jumps over 3', although I do go over rough trails at speed and steep rocky descents.

 

[G-Bru]

I do all my own spannering and love how Rockshox make all service manuals available to download with very clear, easy to follow instructions, needless to say I will be servicing my suspension myself. For a mere £40 I have the opportunity to upgrade my Lyrik RC fork to 160mm travel, that's also a really neat feature.
I too have noticed the Deluxe R shock uses almost all of its travel on my rides. My sag is spot on, so will get another volume spacer installed. As a side note... I snapped up a Super Deluxe R shock on eBay for £150, so will be interesting to see how much better the ride is with the Super Deluxe R installed.

G.

 

[steve_sordy]

@G-Bru : I haven't looked inside my DeLuxe R shock yet, how any spacers come as standard?

 

[Lad]

Exactly my sentiment re. Revelation. Almost hit "Buy Now" button on Charger 2, but sort of stepped back decided to ride Revelation a bit more. It is a nice fork indeed.

I have custom tuned my Manitou fork on regular bike and I'm extremely satisfied with the result, but this new Revelation is very, very close.

Decided to spend money on brakes upgrade instead, not looking back.

 

[G-Bru]

@G-Bru : I haven't looked inside my DeLuxe R shock yet, how any spacers come as standard?

I haven't had it apart myself yet Steve and I cannot seem to find any info on the number of tokens installed at factory. According to the Service Manual you can install 1 Gnar Dog Token + 2 Bottomless Tokens max. If I had to hazard a guess perhaps there is just the single Gnar Dog Token installed????

 

[Bri-72]

Be interested to see others feedback, I agree with Steve the shock does seem to go through travel very quickly.

 

[Macone]

my impression is that it uses ALL of the travel efficiently. I'm 114 kg and ride a variety of terrain and have never bottomed out.

 

[Shaun]

The bike I bought had the Revelation RC fork and the Deluxe R shock. To be honest I nearly didn't get the bike because of the fork as I wasn't a fan of the Revelation. But I discovered that the Revelation is all new, or at least newer than the fork my doubt was based upon. The one I knew had 32 mm stanchions. The new one is a 35mm stanchion beast. All it will take to convert it to a Pike (like on my last two clockwork bikes) is the new Charger 2 damper to be fitted. I had that possibility at the back of my mind when I bought the bike. But I just could not afford to spend any more money on a more expensive model. Well actually I could, but I decided to draw the line somewhere! (I'd already drawn it elsewhere twice before!)

Net result after the sum total of 102 miles of riding is that I am delighted with the Revelation. I find it smooth and controllable, it soaks up the bumps without harshness. It doesn't dive into the travel nor feel like a pogo stick. I don't feel any need yet to start adding or removing air spring spacers. And no need to go looking for a Charger 2 damper either! Lets see what happens.

The shock is also smooth, but I find it goes through its travel too fast for my taste, although I have never felt it bottom out. Professional reviewers have pointed out that the shock uses up its travel on the Focus Jam2 even though it doesn't feel like it is doing so at the time. I am happy with the sag I have set and if I increased the sag to firm up the shock it would make the ride too harsh. I have been down this road before with a Fox shock on another bike and different Rockshox shock on yet another. The solution was then, and I believe is now, is to add some air spring spacers to make the shock a bit more progressive. I've got some left over from the last Rockshox shock I tuned, all I have to do is to find them!

Really happy!

PS: My riding weight is 92kg / 203lbs / 14.5 stones. I don't do jumps over 3', although I do go over rough trails at speed and steep rocky descents.

Hi Steve,
Could I ask what pressures you have in the fork and shock as we are similar riding weights?

 

[steve_sordy]

Hi Steve,
Could I ask what pressures you have in the fork and shock as we are similar riding weights?

I have 115 psi in the fork and 230 psi in the shock. That gives me 28% sag at each end. Shock while seated, fork while in the attack position.
Yes, I know 28% is an odd number to target. But I didn't target it, I just discovered that it gives me the feel I'm after.

 

[Shaun]

I have 115 psi in the fork and 230 psi in the shock. That gives me 28% sag at each end. Shock while seated, fork while in the attack position.
Yes, I know 28% is an odd number to target. But I didn't target it, I just discovered that it gives me the feel I'm after.

Cheers Steve. I don't think I am that far away from your figures. I'll confirm this evening. I'm happy with fork but would like a little more plushness from the rear set-up.

 

[steve_sordy]

Cheers Steve. I don't think I am that far away from your figures. I'll confirm this evening. I'm happy with fork but would like a little more plushness from the rear set-up.

Tyre pressures are part of the suspension too. I have 29x2.5 Maxxis HR II at each end, with 18 psi front and 20 psi rear. What tyre pressures do you use?

 

[Shaun]

Tyre pressures are part of the suspension too. I have 29x2.5 Maxxis HR II at each end, with 18 psi front and 20 psi rear. What tyre pressures do you use?

I'm still om the original Maxis Rekon 27+ x 2.8. They are set at 22psi at the moment but will reduce certainly when I can get out not in the snow.

 

[steve_sordy]

I'm still om the original Maxis Rekon 27+ x 2.8. They are set at 22psi at the moment but will reduce certainly when I can get out not in the snow.

I did have Maxxis Rekon 29x2.6, but I replaced them as they were just not grippy enough in the slimy conditions around here (UK)

 

[MattyB]

...The shock is also smooth, but I find it goes through its travel too fast for my taste, although I have never felt it bottom out. Professional reviewers have pointed out that the shock uses up its travel on the Focus Jam2 even though it doesn't feel like it is doing so at the time. I am happy with the sag I have set and if I increased the sag to firm up the shock it would make the ride too harsh. I have been down this road before with a Fox shock on another bike and different Rockshox shock on yet another. The solution was then, and I believe is now, is to add some air spring spacers to make the shock a bit more progressive. I've got some left over from the last Rockshox shock I tuned, all I have to do is to find them!

Be interested to see others feedback, I agree with Steve the shock does seem to go through travel very quickly.

I don't think this is about the shock itself - it is more to do with the unusual two phase leverage curve that they have designed into the F.O.L.D system. From the reviews I have read it is somewhat of an acquired taste, and will always sit deeper in it's travel compared to a Horst or VPP:

"Two Phase Kinematics
The design of F.O.L.D. is such that the suspension travel is divided into two phases. In the first phase, the characteristic curve of the rear triangle is degressive: the suspension responds extremely sensitively and absorbs even the smallest of bumps and dips, which produces the noticeable extra traction, compared to other rear triangle systems, that is typical of our F.O.L.D. system

In the second phase, the characteristic curve is progressive in order to offer sufficient control even with stronger impacts, as well as prevent rim damage. Thanks to F.O.L.D., the suspension travel of the rear triangle feels longer than it is and ensures the rider has full control in any riding situation.

At FOCUS, we also use shocks that are specially tailored to the wheel, in order to tease the ultimate in performance from our bikes."

 

[MattyB]

This video on the Sam2 also talks briefly about the progression being a bit too linear - I guess volume spacers are likely to be the answer...

 

[steve_sordy]

Thanks @MattyB I had read that before I bought the bike. I do not believe that the words from Focus match what is happening with the shock during use. Focus say that it is more progressive in the second phase, which means that the shock's resistance to compression should increase as it goes through its travel. Therefore I would not be expecting to use up so much of the travel just pootling about. I'm wondering what will happen when I encounter a bigger drop than usual and really don't want to bottom out.

I like to set up my suspension so that the extreme of my normal riding uses up a maximum 90% of my travel. I hold the remaining 10% as reserve for when I get caught out somewhere new.

PS: Do you know what the scales are on that chart you show?

 

[MattyB]

Thanks @MattyB I had read that before I bought the bike. I do not believe that the words from Focus match what is happening with the shock during use. Focus say that it is more progressive in the second phase, which means that the shock's resistance to compression should increase as it goes through its travel. Therefore I would not be expecting to use up so much of the travel just pootling about. I'm wondering what will happen when I encounter a bigger drop than usual and really don't want to bottom out.

I suspect what is happening is that you have your SAG set to the left of where it shows in that diagram, so some of your "Just pootling about" is happening in the area to the left of the top of the curve in phase 1. That means the inital stroke is still digressive (i.e. getting easier to move as it goes through the travel), then it will start to ramp up again later on. That is why this sytem tends to be deeper in it's travel more of the time compared to other systems.

PS: Do you know what the scales are on that chart you show?

Sorry, no idea - you'd have to ask Focus, but I suspect that is just a marketing graph to show the shape rather than it being scientifically accurate.

 

[steve_sordy]

I'm in no rush to fit spacers in the shock. I have some more riding to do yet.

 

[Xeretic]

The bike I bought had the Revelation RC fork and the Deluxe R shock. To be honest I nearly didn't get the bike because of the fork as I wasn't a fan of the Revelation. But I discovered that the Revelation is all new, or at least newer than the fork my doubt was based upon. The one I knew had 32 mm stanchions. The new one is a 35mm stanchion beast. All it will take to convert it to a Pike (like on my last two clockwork bikes) is the new Charger 2 damper to be fitted. I had that possibility at the back of my mind when I bought the bike. But I just could not afford to spend any more money on a more expensive model. Well actually I could, but I decided to draw the line somewhere! (I'd already drawn it elsewhere twice before!)

Net result after the sum total of 102 miles of riding is that I am delighted with the Revelation. I find it smooth and controllable, it soaks up the bumps without harshness. It doesn't dive into the travel nor feel like a pogo stick. I don't feel any need yet to start adding or removing air spring spacers. And no need to go looking for a Charger 2 damper either! Lets see what happens.

The shock is also smooth, but I find it goes through its travel too fast for my taste, although I have never felt it bottom out. Professional reviewers have pointed out that the shock uses up its travel on the Focus Jam2 even though it doesn't feel like it is doing so at the time. I am happy with the sag I have set and if I increased the sag to firm up the shock it would make the ride too harsh. I have been down this road before with a Fox shock on another bike and different Rockshox shock on yet another. The solution was then, and I believe is now, is to add some air spring spacers to make the shock a bit more progressive. I've got some left over from the last Rockshox shock I tuned, all I have to do is to find them!

Really happy!

PS: My riding weight is 92kg / 203lbs / 14.5 stones. I don't do jumps over 3', although I do go over rough trails at speed and steep rocky descents.

Hi Steve! I'm planning to buy a 2018 Levo Comp with Revelation+Monarch susp, my biggest concern is if I should put off some cash for upgrade to higher grade FOX or Rockshox suspension. Having ridden only full rigid I have zero experience with suspension components, and I know that I shouldn't rush and try the stock suspension first. But really curious to know your opinion. If you're saying that Revelation offers decent performance perhaps I should at least plan my budget for a new shock?

 

[steve_sordy]

By all means plan for suspension upgrades, but until you have ridden the actual bike with the shock and fork properly set up and the best it can be, then don't just assume that you need an upgrade. The suspension linkage at the back has a massive impact on how the bike feels , it is not all down to just the shock.

On the bike you are looking to buy, are the tyres bigger and fatter than you normally ride? If so, then they too will have an impact on ride feel. Again, I would recommend that you don't change the suspension components until you have got the best out of the bike you have.

One more step before spending money on new fork and/or shock. Experiment with changing the air spring volume in either the shock, the fork or maybe even both. I have had startling results on a YT Capra by adding 3 tokens into the fork, but the shock was fine. With a Whyte T130, it was the shock that needed attention and the fork was fine.

On the Focus Jam2 I have right now, I reckon the fork is fine, but the shock is using too much travel for what it has done, way more than the fork. But that is all, I can't actually feel it doing anything wrong! So I'm holding fire on any adjustments.

This is a good read:
https://bikerumor.com/2014/10/30/bikerumor-suspension-setup-series-full-series-pdf-free-download/