TS TSS and Yeti TSS Discussion ?

[mxracer299]

I wouldn't ever lock it out, there's no need for that. Its kind of like mtn biking... you lock your shock on smooth climbs but if youre climbing really techy loose terrain you drop down to your mid comoression setting to keep the suspension firm but able to move enough to maintain traction and keep the tire from spinning, same principle... You learn how to ride it pretty quick, it's just a different riding style that a fixed strut, it's much more like riding a dirt bike. I could see use for adjusting the preload and having multiple compression settings for different kinds of terrain. I believe the tss does have 3 different compression settings where my sx does not.

 

[swedenturbo]

I can see the benefit with the TSS strut, but the original question from Summitboy was if it offers better deep snow capabilities?
I have my doubts if a pivoting kit will be better in pure mountain riding conditions and deep snow.
Lets play it simple. No mountain sled currently using some kind of pivoting suspension. Maybe no snowmobile suspension developer have come up with this idea? More likely is that this idea doesnt work in sertain conditions.
I really can't see the great difference between a sled and a snowbike despite the number of skis. Weight distribution and power is different but at the end of the day, its the track that meets the snow that makes traction.
Just by looking into how a snowmobile mtn-suspension works, the front shock is compressed and transferes traction backwards, flattens aproach angle and keeping the ski down.
With a pivoting kit, this theory and also practice makes no sense.
A TSS strut is a simple way to get more travel.

I'm not sayin that TSS is bad but I have my doubts that it's better in all conditions.
TSS is good idea. It offers better suspension in most conditions, smoother ride for overall different conditions.
Thumbs up for the TSS but if you purely look for steep and deep riding, I think its a minor difference...

 

[mountainhorse]

M5-

I thought, from reading your posts, that you were on a YETI kit this year.

What SnowBike kit will be your personal ride this year??

How well does the TSS work on the older pre 15 kits . Is part of the improvement actually due to the new rear skid or can we expect the same level of performance if we retro fit our older kits.

M5

 

[mrsnaglepuss]

I can see the benefit with the TSS strut, but the original question from Summitboy was if it offers better deep snow capabilities?
I have my doubts if a pivoting kit will be better in pure mountain riding conditions and deep snow.
Lets play it simple. No mountain sled currently using some kind of pivoting suspension. Maybe no snowmobile suspension developer have come up with this idea? More likely is that this idea doesnt work in sertain conditions.
I really can't see the great difference between a sled and a snowbike despite the number of skis. Weight distribution and power is different but at the end of the day, its the track that meets the snow that makes traction.
Just by looking into how a snowmobile mtn-suspension works, the front shock is compressed and transferes traction backwards, flattens aproach angle and keeping the ski down.
With a pivoting kit, this theory and also practice makes no sense.
A TSS strut is a simple way to get more travel.

I'm not sayin that TSS is bad but I have my doubts that it's better in all conditions.
TSS is good idea. It offers better suspension in most conditions, smoother ride for overall different conditions.
Thumbs up for the TSS but if you purely look for steep and deep riding, I think its a minor difference...

Swedenturbo you made some good points in your comments however, you "stated with a pivoting kit, this theory makes no sense" based on comparing it on how a "snowmobile mtn-suspension works". they are two different animals. Sleds are sleds, bikes are bikes. From the very first day I looked at TS Mountain horse bike kit mounted on a bike, I knew two things would change, the ski and the solid strut replacing the shock attached to the suspension swing arm and they did, why? I think everyone that rode on the old ski knows why? It was a turd.

As for the solid strut going back to being a shock, it is the correct thing to do, simply because that is the way bikes were designed, this is their geometry, their DNA. Think of the skid, frame and rails as the swingarm and the track as the tire. Yes, it is longer and heavier than swing arm, wheel and tire assembly, which is all the more reason to give it more articulation, especially with longer tracks. Look at it this way, what is one of the first things that dirt hill climber bike builders do? Extend their swing arms by a whole lot, why? because it works better for climbing. The suspension and geometry in the skid will take care of the angle of attack of the track and smaller undulations and hits.

Allen and crew knew a custom shock (not too soft) had to be created along with Fox they have done that, Just like our front forks had to be revalved and (or at least) resprung, suspension is key, it all has to work in symphony like a dance. I think the TSS is going down (or should I say up) the right Hill (road). As for deep snow, the new TSS riders will I'm sure be giving more tweaks & feedback. More cushion for the pushin, yeah.

 

[summitboy]

I'm not sure if i agree with that. I can see it on the trail and rough trail sections but in deep Revy pow i just see the articulation as being somewhat of being power robbing etc. There was a reason the UFO and other kits didnt work in the deep snow as good as the fixed strut. Ill reserve my judgement until i try one. Kinda strange TS went away from their patent of the fixed strut to a non fixed strut lol.

 

[powdermuncher]

Had a 136 sx kit for 3 seasons would never have a bike without the 3 Shocks.
Dialled properly it is all benefit.
The coments here are like saying a bike with good Suspension can not perform well in deep snow. I remember the days when people Said Mountain sleds would not benefit from good shocks.
Both statements are unsubstantiated Guesses . Ride a proper set up 136 SX and get an eye opener on how well a snowbike can work

 

[summitboy]

So are you saying its gonna work better because you ran a old style SX kit ? Are you talking on the trail or deep snow capability ? Why would a articulating rear susp make it better in deep snow ? I can see it working better on the rough trail and g outs etc. Im talking pure deep snow

 

[swedenturbo]

Looks like many responders here focus on suspention performance on both trail and deep snow. In this case TSS looks like a good solution. SX-guys will have adequate deep powder capabilities and also excelent suspension travel. This wasn't the original question.

Lets only look at the deep snow performance and no other.
What makes a pivoting suspension perform better in deep snow than a non pivoting?
How does the approach angle improve with a pivoting suspension?

 

[M5-]

M5-

I thought, from reading your posts, that you were on a YETI kit this year.

What SnowBike kit will be your personal ride this year??

I'm going to take a wait and see attitude for the time being so I'll be whipping my TS LT CR500 setup again to start with. With so many new kits coming to market I am going to hold off on any new purchases until I see who actually rises to the top the pack. A new kit isn't in the budget right now anyways as I'm building a cabin and have been hemorrhaging cash for the last 6 months.

M5

 

[mxracer299]

A bike and kit with a fixed rod is like trying to maneuver a 10' long board through the snow, it ends up putting a lot of weight on the ski and gets hung up in depressions in the snow. Having a skid that pivots allows the bike the follow terrain much more naturally, in super techy lines in deep snow it's amazing how different it is. It makes the bike handle much better, you can easily lift the ski over obstacles, it doesn't put so much weight on the ski and it jumps much better, all things that are deep snow related in my opinion. All you can do is ride one and see if you like it, it's really hard to explain the difference. Every dirt biker that rode my sx got a skid with a 3rd shock after riding mine, the guys with not very much dirt bike experience and a lot of snowmobile experience were probably 50/50. if they thought it fit their riding style. I only ride trails when I absolutely have to, to get to fun terrain, I ride the deepest and techiest lines I can and don't care about going fast on a trail, I prefer the sxlt over anything else. The narrow track is a huge bonus for techy riding as well, but that's for another topic... All I can say is to ride them all and see what you like best, everyone likes different things...