DT Swiss SSD 225 Rear Air Shock

[NYC XYZ]

Say, anyone know anything about this thingamajig?

I was just about to adjust it WRT air pressure and damping. So I
released all the air. Now the thing won't pump back up!

Unless I have a defective air shock pump, the shock itself must be
broken somehow!

The mechanic who'd installed it at the shop said to put some WD-40 on
it, but no luck...if anything, it seems to be even worse off! By "it"
I mean that business end of the whole piston-looking contraption, that
part which goes in and out of the air chamber. After a bit of WD-40,
it hardly extends at all.

Any ideas WTF is going on????

I'm taking the unit to an LBS to see if they can figure it out, but in
the meantime, no ride!

Worst of all, there's no manual for this particular model air shock
from DT Swiss, and their site is pretty but of no help.

 

[Peter Clinch]

NYC XYZ wrote:

> Very interesting experience...I'd buy DT Swiss for sure next time!

So you get something which doesn't work properly and means you can't
ride, and you use that as a basis to buy from them next time...?

> a matter of fact, I'm already looking at their 210 model, which is a
> 225 with a lock-out...I wonder if that would work with the HP Velo
> SMGTe -- the lock-out suspends the suspension, it turns it off, as it
> were, so that the bike becomes a hard-tail!

Why would you want to do that? It's quite useful on MTBs to stop
climbing pogo but you've already got that pretty much nailed through the
No-Squat geometry of the suspension design. You'd just be paying more
money for something of no particular use.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

 

[NYC XYZ]

Peter Clinch wrote:
>
>
> So you get something which doesn't work properly and means you can't
> ride, and you use that as a basis to buy from them next time...?

I was rather impressed with the customer service. Unless things I buy
from them keep malfunctioning, it's nice to know that I have the
company behind me.

> Why would you want to do that? It's quite useful on MTBs to stop
> climbing pogo but you've already got that pretty much nailed through the
> No-Squat geometry of the suspension design. You'd just be paying more
> money for something of no particular use.

Well, surely there's *some* slight "pogo"...it's a shock, after all, it
can't be as rigid as a for-real hard-tail ride....

Anyway, I was just curious. Perhaps I'll build a DF comfort bike with
it! Basically, take some nice hybrid frame that allows for rear
suspension...such a shock would allow me to take it easy or ride "more
athletically," depending on how I feel....

> Pete.
> --
> Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
> Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
> Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
> net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

 

[Peter Clinch]

NYC XYZ wrote:
>
> Well, surely there's *some* slight "pogo"...it's a shock, after all, it
> can't be as rigid as a for-real hard-tail ride....

A teensy bit, but as long as you're spinning at a high cadence
rather than mashing it's incredibly good in that respect. If you
have a chance to ride along behind and look at how the back wheel
moves up and down over minor bumps but the rack stays /very/ still
I think you'll be quite impressed.
As well as the fairly sophisticated suspension design you've got
the fact that you're pushing forwards rather than down, so there's
less tendency to pogo than on an upwrong in the first place.

Next point, unless it's particularly good pavement you'll lose the
efficiency /gain/ from suspension. Any bump you go over with
suspension menas that the only thing that has to move up is the
wheel and unsprung bits of frame/fork. With it locked out,
anything you go over requires the whole bike and the rider to be
shifted up, which loses you a lot of energy. Probably more than
any pogo effect will lose.

Plus you've payed all that money for top of the line comfort and
now you're throwing it away! Get a Bachetta if you want a no-fuss
rigid tarmac burner.

> Anyway, I was just curious. Perhaps I'll build a DF comfort bike with
> it! Basically, take some nice hybrid frame that allows for rear
> suspension...

Very few such machines. Why not just get a Moulton or something
like that, designed from the ground up to be fully suspended with
the suspension optimised for the road.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

 

[Lyle Beaulac]

NYC XYZ wrote:
> Say, anyone know anything about this thingamajig?
>
> I was just about to adjust it WRT air pressure and damping. So I
> released all the air. Now the thing won't pump back up!
>
> Unless I have a defective air shock pump, the shock itself must be
> broken somehow!
>
> The mechanic who'd installed it at the shop said to put some WD-40 on
> it, but no luck...if anything, it seems to be even worse off! By "it"
> I mean that business end of the whole piston-looking contraption, that
> part which goes in and out of the air chamber. After a bit of WD-40,
> it hardly extends at all.
>
> Any ideas WTF is going on????
>
> I'm taking the unit to an LBS to see if they can figure it out, but in
> the meantime, no ride!
>
> Worst of all, there's no manual for this particular model air shock
> from DT Swiss, and their site is pretty but of no help.
>
I think I had the same thing on my Grasshopper when I bought it. The
shock would retract *hard* when I let the air out, like there was a
strong spring forcing it shut. This was not how it was supposed to work!
It took over 120 psi just to get the piston to start extending..
I sent a few pictures to DT, who graciously sent me a replacement
providing I returned the defective unit. I had asked them to email me
when they found out what the problem was, but never heard from them. I
had thought mine was an isolated incident, but now it sounds like there
may be a more widespread problem.