Update August 25 2020
After reviewing the Ohlins front fork settings with my former RC51 tuner (The largest Ohlins dealer in the world and former Erion Racing Crew Chief) about the settings he recommends that only the upper chamber of the forks (the main chamber) be adjusted for pressure. NOT the lower ramp up chamber. So I will maintain mine at 250 PSI as stated in the manual. Of course everyone can do what they want, but he has forgotten more about suspension tuning then most people will amass in their lifetimes. Thanks Dan!
The bike remains amazing in terms of suspension, brakes, build quality and performance. I have been riding primarily on the street to test the range and battery life. In my experience the bike’s electronics need more refinement to reach a more consistent charging process.
Suspension – it is important to note that ALL suspension adjustments for both front and rear should be done with the wheels unweighted.
Front Forks
1. I adjusted both the Ohlins front and rear suspension to my taste and current riding environment which has been primarily street with some trail riding thrown in. The service manual states that the Lower Valve (Ramp up chamber) should be at 250 PSI. When I checked it the pressure was at 230 PSI so I set it at 250 PSI.
2. The Top Air Cap (main chamber is recommended at 140 PSI, but after measuring a 20% static sag I decided on 130 PSI. Low Speed compression as well as rebound suggestion is 7 clicks which I kept. The high speed compression is suggested at position 2, but I opted for position 1.
FYI My bike’s settings were different than the service manuals suggested settings. Keep in mind I OFTEN change my suspension settings based on where/how I plan to ride.
Rear TTX22 shock
Suggested settings:
• Low Speed compression 7 clicks
• High speed compression position 2
• Rebound 3 clicks
My settings:
• Low Speed compression 5 clicks
• High speed compression position 1
• Rebound 2 clicks
The performance of the Ohlins system is superb in my experience comparing it to Ohlins road race suspension and my Sur Ron’s Dorado Manitou/Ohlins TTX22 suspension.
Headset Loosened
At 75 miles indicated on the CAKE display (which tends to be optimistic compared to my GPS app. It’s the same with my Sur Ron too) I noticed a bit of play as I was heading out for a range test as I came to a stop. Just a slight bit of play but I noticed it. So instead of continuing, I turned around and went back home. Sure enough the headset had loosened even though I had checked and cinched it down when I was assembling the bike. It was no big deal, but I was glad to be in tune with the bike to notice it right away. The manual mentions paying attention to the headset:
Brakes
The Formula braking system is very powerful. The front brake suits me very well. The rear brake is too powerful/touchy and lacks modulation for my taste. It is very easy to lock up the rear wheel even after adjusting the pedal for maximum slack. I may switch the pads to full metallic in hopes of calming down the power of the rear caliper. My personal view is a dual piston design rather than a quad may solve the issue. With two levels or regen braking I don’t believe the rear caliper needs to be as robust as installed.
25 Day Conclusion
After 25 days of ownership I can only say that the ONLY reason I’ll sell this bike is the DMV issue. I’ve stated why. The build quality is incredible. The power is both linear and strong, especially in level 3 where I live most of the time. Street handling is great, off road for the limited time I’ve been there is great. Customer support has been stellar. In the two years I’ve owned my Sur Ron NOT ONCE has Sur Ron reached out to me or even said thanks for the website I built and maintain. To me that shows poor upbringing. Seriously, my parents would be appalled. Cake’s staff in the US (and my limited experience with Sweden) has been stellar.
