Cone valve vs Shim stack!!

Craig_Whitfield
So I’m just curious to know what you guys use in your cone valves ?

Do you use the actual cone or have you switched to the shim stack mod?

I’m currently running cone but just wanted to get some feedback as I’ve heard people running shim stacks, what’s the advantage of this ?
|
mx317
Profile picture for user mx317
Posts
5293
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
TN US
mx317 1/24/2022 12:15pm
1/24/2022 12:15pm
I had Enzo do the mid-valve shim stack on the ones I had. The pistons are already in there, they just remove the cone and adaptor and add a stack. Powerband and Factory Connection did their versions of cone set up, but Enzo's shim stack worked best for me.
Craig_Whitfield 1/24/2022 1:03pm
1/24/2022 1:03pm
mx317 wrote:
I had Enzo do the mid-valve shim stack on the ones I had. The pistons are already in there, they just remove the cone and adaptor...
I had Enzo do the mid-valve shim stack on the ones I had. The pistons are already in there, they just remove the cone and adaptor and add a stack. Powerband and Factory Connection did their versions of cone set up, but Enzo's shim stack worked best for me.
What did you notice on track with the shim stack vs cone ?

I’m in England so considering this change, hoping to get a more planted feel
mx317
Profile picture for user mx317
Posts
5293
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
TN US
mx317 1/24/2022 1:13pm
1/24/2022 1:13pm
To me it felt much smoother through the stroke. They picked up the smaller braking bumps entering the corners with better traction.
Rider 5280
Profile picture for user Rider 5280
Posts
2386
Joined
11/9/2011
Location
Denver Metro, CO US
Rider 5280 1/24/2022 1:21pm
1/24/2022 1:21pm Edited Date/Time 1/24/2022 1:53pm
Whaaaaaaaaa? I live under a rock, yes ... but are you saying Cone Valves are being converted to shim-stackers?

You've got to be effing with me!

Next you're going to tell me Bruce Jenner has been ... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

So, seriously - how common is this and if common, why are people buying Cone Valve forks? I ask because I am about to drink orange Kool-Aid and was planning to just go Cone Valves and a Traxx shock to just be done with it.
1

The Shop

See All »
Craig_Whitfield 1/24/2022 1:25pm
1/24/2022 1:25pm
Rider 5280 wrote:
Whaaaaaaaaa? I live under a rock, yes ... but are you saying Cone Valves are being converted to shim-stackers? You've got to be effing with me...
Whaaaaaaaaa? I live under a rock, yes ... but are you saying Cone Valves are being converted to shim-stackers?

You've got to be effing with me!

Next you're going to tell me Bruce Jenner has been ... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

So, seriously - how common is this and if common, why are people buying Cone Valve forks? I ask because I am about to drink orange Kool-Aid and was planning to just go Cone Valves and a Traxx shock to just be done with it.
No Im simply trying to get some feedback on the difference and not many people do the change in England
1
Moto520
Profile picture for user Moto520
Posts
3623
Joined
2/4/2013
Location
Schaumburg, IL US
Moto520 1/24/2022 2:19pm
1/24/2022 2:19pm Edited Date/Time 1/24/2022 2:20pm
Rider 5280 wrote:
Whaaaaaaaaa? I live under a rock, yes ... but are you saying Cone Valves are being converted to shim-stackers? You've got to be effing with me...
Whaaaaaaaaa? I live under a rock, yes ... but are you saying Cone Valves are being converted to shim-stackers?

You've got to be effing with me!

Next you're going to tell me Bruce Jenner has been ... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

So, seriously - how common is this and if common, why are people buying Cone Valve forks? I ask because I am about to drink orange Kool-Aid and was planning to just go Cone Valves and a Traxx shock to just be done with it.
No need to get the Traxx shock.....a properly set up stock shock works great with the CV's
AJ565
Profile picture for user AJ565
Posts
2318
Joined
3/12/2012
Location
San Antonio, TX US
AJ565 1/24/2022 5:32pm
1/24/2022 5:32pm
Rider 5280 wrote:
Whaaaaaaaaa? I live under a rock, yes ... but are you saying Cone Valves are being converted to shim-stackers? You've got to be effing with me...
Whaaaaaaaaa? I live under a rock, yes ... but are you saying Cone Valves are being converted to shim-stackers?

You've got to be effing with me!

Next you're going to tell me Bruce Jenner has been ... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

So, seriously - how common is this and if common, why are people buying Cone Valve forks? I ask because I am about to drink orange Kool-Aid and was planning to just go Cone Valves and a Traxx shock to just be done with it.
I can’t speak for the shim stack vs. cone valve conversion. I can tell you that the cones are a massive improvement in the air fork in terms of front end traction, bottoming resistance, and feel through the rough sections. Also no harshness on landings.

Personally I think the most improvement comes from the flex or lack of compared to stock. The outer tubes don’t taper down like the stock forks and make things stiffer which lets you push harder into turns because the front goes where you want.
2
CarlinoJoeVideo
Profile picture for user CarlinoJoeVideo
Posts
7518
Joined
11/30/2013
Location
Portland/Los Angeles, CA US
CarlinoJoeVideo 1/24/2022 8:34pm
1/24/2022 8:34pm
Enzo shim stack for me. Feels much more compliant through the whole stroke. Had much more of a “KYB” feel. I’ve tried a few different tuners and this set up from Enzo is my favorite.
1
hylo
Profile picture for user hylo
Posts
180
Joined
2/24/2015
Location
NO
hylo 1/25/2022 12:42am
1/25/2022 12:42am
AJ565 wrote:
I can’t speak for the shim stack vs. cone valve conversion. I can tell you that the cones are a massive improvement in the air fork...
I can’t speak for the shim stack vs. cone valve conversion. I can tell you that the cones are a massive improvement in the air fork in terms of front end traction, bottoming resistance, and feel through the rough sections. Also no harshness on landings.

Personally I think the most improvement comes from the flex or lack of compared to stock. The outer tubes don’t taper down like the stock forks and make things stiffer which lets you push harder into turns because the front goes where you want.
Can’t speak for the shims, but I do know a few very decent riders that are very happy with shims. I am happy with my cones on the other hand.

Here’s a thought AJ: the stock forks flex alot. What if we kept stock outer tubes and put in CV cartridges? Being that you would want some flex and compliance and I am basing this on the cartridge helping stiffening things up some (tighter tolerances between cartridge and rod, stiffer rod). Might be a good setup if you like the flex and properties the stock tubes have. I also might be very off topic and completely off the rails. Grinning
MKMX
Profile picture for user MKMX
Posts
493
Joined
3/3/2021
Location
Western Australia, WA AU
MKMX 1/25/2022 2:15am
1/25/2022 2:15am
Rider 5280 wrote:
Whaaaaaaaaa? I live under a rock, yes ... but are you saying Cone Valves are being converted to shim-stackers? You've got to be effing with me...
Whaaaaaaaaa? I live under a rock, yes ... but are you saying Cone Valves are being converted to shim-stackers?

You've got to be effing with me!

Next you're going to tell me Bruce Jenner has been ... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

So, seriously - how common is this and if common, why are people buying Cone Valve forks? I ask because I am about to drink orange Kool-Aid and was planning to just go Cone Valves and a Traxx shock to just be done with it.
There are a couple of factory riders who have done away with the CV’s and ran a traditional mid speed valve/shim stack.
AJ565
Profile picture for user AJ565
Posts
2318
Joined
3/12/2012
Location
San Antonio, TX US
AJ565 1/25/2022 5:15am
1/25/2022 5:15am
AJ565 wrote:
I can’t speak for the shim stack vs. cone valve conversion. I can tell you that the cones are a massive improvement in the air fork...
I can’t speak for the shim stack vs. cone valve conversion. I can tell you that the cones are a massive improvement in the air fork in terms of front end traction, bottoming resistance, and feel through the rough sections. Also no harshness on landings.

Personally I think the most improvement comes from the flex or lack of compared to stock. The outer tubes don’t taper down like the stock forks and make things stiffer which lets you push harder into turns because the front goes where you want.
hylo wrote:
Can’t speak for the shims, but I do know a few very decent riders that are very happy with shims. I am happy with my cones...
Can’t speak for the shims, but I do know a few very decent riders that are very happy with shims. I am happy with my cones on the other hand.

Here’s a thought AJ: the stock forks flex alot. What if we kept stock outer tubes and put in CV cartridges? Being that you would want some flex and compliance and I am basing this on the cartridge helping stiffening things up some (tighter tolerances between cartridge and rod, stiffer rod). Might be a good setup if you like the flex and properties the stock tubes have. I also might be very off topic and completely off the rails. Grinning
You need to ride one back to back to feel what I’m talking about, but you want the stiffer fork. Reed talked about this on one of the pod casts where when we went from the KYB swapped stock forks to the 52’s it was a game changer with the steel frame. The best setup I’ve tried so far is the CV and lowering the torque of the lower clamp from 12nm to 9nm. Noticeable reduction in harshness when the track gets rough.
hylo
Profile picture for user hylo
Posts
180
Joined
2/24/2015
Location
NO
hylo 1/25/2022 7:28am
1/25/2022 7:28am Edited Date/Time 1/25/2022 7:37am
AJ565 wrote:
You need to ride one back to back to feel what I’m talking about, but you want the stiffer fork. Reed talked about this on one...
You need to ride one back to back to feel what I’m talking about, but you want the stiffer fork. Reed talked about this on one of the pod casts where when we went from the KYB swapped stock forks to the 52’s it was a game changer with the steel frame. The best setup I’ve tried so far is the CV and lowering the torque of the lower clamp from 12nm to 9nm. Noticeable reduction in harshness when the track gets rough.
You are most likely right. I havent tried them back to back, but I was letting my thoughts wander.
I’ll try lowering from 12nm to 9 and see how that feels during early spring training here in Norway. We tend to ride deep sand that time of the year (only place where there isn’t much frost heave in the ground) and those tracks gets brutally rough at the end of the day.
A guy I know bought KYB a-kit forks for his ktm 450. He sold them pretty quick. Did not seem to find a good setting for them it seemed like.

With that I’ll keep my CV’s with the cones in there and be happy.

You know you can get different cones and cone-springs OP? You can fine tune the CV’s to get them pretty damn good!
erik_94COBRA
Profile picture for user erik_94COBRA
Posts
1138
Joined
7/21/2016
Location
Houston-ish, TX US
erik_94COBRA 1/25/2022 1:55pm
1/25/2022 1:55pm Edited Date/Time 1/25/2022 1:58pm
I have a set of Cone Valves with conventional mid-valve/shim stack setup also done by Enzo.

My opinions:
I like spring forks way better than air forks (even revalved ones).
The damping on the Cone Valve forks with CV setup is very good for anything more than very low speed stuff.
The damping on the shim stack/conventional mid-valve is better for the low speed stuff (i.e. in turns & slow corners where front end feel and traction is very important).

I will probably go with a KYB conversion for my next setup, but am pretty happy overall with the revised CV and Trax.

Also to add, I have a set of revalved WP CC forks also done by Enzo. The CV is better everywhere, but the WP CC feels very similar.
1

Post a reply to: Cone valve vs Shim stack!!