MRP Ramp Control Cartridge - Review
The aftermarket fork hop-up business has essentially been non-existent since the days of bolt-on arches and Total Air cartridges, a fact that's surely down to the majority of suspension brands not leaving much room for improvement these days. MRP, however, believe that isn't the case, and they've come up with a clever looking system that replaces your fork's air spring top cap and tokens with a cartridge that does the same thing while offering tool-free external ramp-up control.
Ramp Control Cartridge Details
• Speed-sensitive ending-stroke control / adjustable bottom-out
• External, tool-free adjustment via crown-mounted dial
• Replaces fork top cap and volume spacers
• Weight: 56 grams
• MSRP: $139.95 USD
• Speed-sensitive ending-stroke control / adjustable bottom-out
• External, tool-free adjustment via crown-mounted dial
• Replaces fork top cap and volume spacers
• Weight: 56 grams
• MSRP: $139.95 USD
 |
The Ramp Control Cartridge weighs 56-grams, which is just 5-grams more than a Pike top cap and two Bottomless Tokens.How It Works
To best understand how the Ramp Control unit works, remember that air is a mixture of gasses that, while extremely thin, will still put up some resistance when forced through an extremely small hole or port at a high rate of speed. So while air does act differently than oil, you can think of it in kind of the same way in that oil is forced through ports and shims to provide damping. In fact, there have even been dampers that used air rather than oil, although that was many years ago now.
When we think of adjusting air volume to tune ramp-up, we're probably picturing some sort of system where the physical volume of the air chamber is altered by turning a dial to move a piston up or down. And, with a sixteen-position dial on top of the cartridge, it looks like that's the method MRP have gone with... but they haven't. Instead, the anodized orange knob adjusts the preload on a small port at the bottom of the cartridge. More preload means that it requires more force for air to enter the cartridge, and you'll therefore have more bottom-out resistance. Less preload allows air to transfer from the fork's normal air chamber and into the cartridge easier, so you'll have less ramp-up.
To best understand how the Ramp Control unit works, remember that air is a mixture of gasses that, while extremely thin, will still put up some resistance when forced through an extremely small hole or port at a high rate of speed. So while air does act differently than oil, you can think of it in kind of the same way in that oil is forced through ports and shims to provide damping. In fact, there have even been dampers that used air rather than oil, although that was many years ago now.
When we think of adjusting air volume to tune ramp-up, we're probably picturing some sort of system where the physical volume of the air chamber is altered by turning a dial to move a piston up or down. And, with a sixteen-position dial on top of the cartridge, it looks like that's the method MRP have gone with... but they haven't. Instead, the anodized orange knob adjusts the preload on a small port at the bottom of the cartridge. More preload means that it requires more force for air to enter the cartridge, and you'll therefore have more bottom-out resistance. Less preload allows air to transfer from the fork's normal air chamber and into the cartridge easier, so you'll have less ramp-up.
The rod down the center of the cartridge passes air into the fork's air chamber, and the dial adjusts the preload required for that air to enter the Ramp Control Cartridge.
Why didn't MRP go with some sort of volume-adjusting system as used on the piggybacks of some shocks? ''One advantage is that the air spring curve is steepened only to the extent required when required,'' says MRP's Noah Sears. ''That's the result of the speed sensitivity. A pure volume adjustment doesn't have that feature.'' Controlling air transit during compression offers another plus, Sears explains, in that it's more independent than altering air spring volume: ''On-the-fly volume adjustment is less attractive than it sounds because a change in volume will change pressure and thus change your sag point.''
Installation
Getting the Ramp Control unit into your fork isn't difficult, but you will need a few tools and some common sense. The first thing you'll want to do is write down the air pressure that you're using pre-Ramp Control Cartridge, just as a place to start from once it's installed. Next, let all the air out of your fork so you don't lose an eye when you remove the top cap (with a socket wrench, not an adjustable wrench as I used), and then back it out of the fork.
An 11mm aluminum nut hides access to the cassette tool interface under the orange dial.You need an 11mm socket to back off the aluminum locknut that's hidden under the cartridge's air valve dust cap, and backing the nut off allows you to lift the orange dial up and off of the cartridge to expose the cassette tool interface. A cassette lockring tool is needed to thread the cartridge into the fork to the correct torque spec for whatever fork you have (I'm sure you'll be using a torque wrench, right? Right.).
Next, drop the orange knob back down onto the cartridge and then thread the aluminum locknut back down over it by turning the 11mm socket with your fingers rather than the wrench. Being aluminum and that its only job is to hold the dial on, this nut calls for just 2Nm, which is next to nothing. If you use a wrench, you'll likely damage the nut, never forgive yourself, and live in shame forever. If you didn't bust the nut, you can now pump the fork back up and call it done.
The cartridge drops right into the fork. Total installation time: less than ten minutes.Performance
I dropped the Ramp Control Cartridge into a RockShox Pike that, depending on where I was riding and my level of courage, had seen anywhere from one to four Bottomless Tokens installed inside of it. So I was familiar with how the fork felt with a single volume spacer, but also with how it ramped up when crammed nearly full, with me preferring the latter setup for the majority of my riding. It's not that I'm constantly sending my bike and body off of large moves, but I do far prefer more progressive suspension that provides feedback and something to push against.
MRP says that when the cartridge is at maximum progression, it's approximately similar to four tokens, but I wanted to start at the opposite end of the range before going all the way to the other extreme. When the orange dial is backed completely out, the progression is very similar to when the fork had a single token installed, which is to say that it's relatively linear and that I could get full travel (at the same pressure I was running with the stock setup) a bit too often for my liking. If I was on the mountain and the fork had a single token in it that provided a similar feel, I'd likely reach for a shock pump to add 5 - 10 psi, a change that would equal less bottoming but also a less forgiving feel in the early stages of the stroke. Compromises.
Instead, I turned the orange dial all the way in to see what maximum progression felt like. The result was me going from using full travel with a touch of hard bottoming on one particularly nasty landing to not quite using the fork's full stroke when coming down off of the same drop. But, since this move is probably the hardest impact that I'm likely to see on my local mountain, I thought that I should be using all of the travel but that it should be more of a soft bottoming moment than a hard one. Backing the dial out a few turns did exactly that, all without having to use a socket wrench to add volume spacers.
Fill the fork's air spring as per normal, and then adjust how it ramps up by turning the orange dial.After a bunch of tinkering, I actually ended up running 5 psi less in the Pike and had the Ramp Control Cartridge's dial all the way in, a setup that provided more sensitivity at one end of the stroke but just enough progression at the other. In other words, less compromise. MRP's trick cartridge is still inside of my fork after months of use, and I still play with the dial from time to time to adjust the fork's progression.
Pinkbike’s Take:
 | A big benefit of the MRP Ramp Control unit is that it removes the need for a socket wrench and can be used to alter how a fork feels in mere seconds, making it more likely that riders will adjust their suspension to better suit where and how they ride. But spending $139.95 USD on the upgrade will make zero sense if you're not the kind of rider who thinks about such things. The set-and-forget crew simply won't benefit from MRP's drop-in cartridge, regardless of how effective and clever it is, but those who appreciate being able to tinker with the feel of their fork on the trail will see it as money well spent. - Mike Levy |
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British person getting schooled by an American on the art of sarcasm??
Poor show my friend. Poor show.
Some comparison notes would be nice so we all can make a more educated decision on which of these two Upgrades may best suit an individuals needs. I currently run the Luftkappe but knowing the difference in what they both offer from each other makes answering questions from our customers at the bike shop a little easier.
Also, something like this for a boxxer WC would be pretty awesome for the weekend warrior/racer. Being able to finely tune a set up for a race when you don't have a traveling mechanic is always a plus.
RS 35mm Ramp Control Cartridge Model A ...will fit 2013-2016 Pike forks with 15x100 axle spacing and 2010 and newer Boxxer World Cup (air-sprung) forks. Solo air models only. Recommended for 140mm+ 29”,27.5+, 26” and 27.5” forks.
Sorry, no report for you on it yet, but it looks quality!
As for the MRP adjustable air spring, this comment isn't for anyone.. just typing whats in my head; As a 5 tokens in my pike kinda guy, I really enjoy the mid support you get from how progressive the spring rate becomes. When you're getting a bit wild in rough stuff I find these helps keep the bike's front end up and out of big holes. After seeing the graph with the spring rates it looks like you lose (I guess its just even more progressive then "x" number of tokens) that.
Furthermore, by adjusting the dial on the Ramp Control cartridge you can manipulate the spring curves behavior beyond sag point. You don't have that ability to decouple sag and spring curve with tokens.
We'll work on a better graphical representation of what Ramp Control does.
I follow what you're saying. As a 170lb-ish rider on a 150mm pike w/5tokens and about 85psi I sit around 15% sag. Not the most typical set up, but I still use the full travel of the fork often. I would say in response to @ThomDawson I'm likely confusing midstroke with simply how progressive the fork is.
Good to know @andybloomer ;-)
I only have their open bath cartridge, as I never buy air sprung forks.
I had problems with having too run too much pressure to prevent the fork from blowing thru and i did not have the small bump sensivity i wished for.
Luftkappe fixed that, and my hands dont hurt anymore, i could blast madonna trails without stopping and my hands were fine, last year they would have fallen off. luftkappe requires you to run more pressure while at the same time being more sensitive at the very beginning of the stroke. so yeah I am quite happy now. (I run luftkappe with 0 tokens atm, before that I ran 2 tokens. Luftkappe takes the space of approx. 2 tokens)
Midstroke support was a real bugger for me . now this is fixed and it is more smooth at the beginning of the stroke.
Having said that, I only rode a AWK pike for a couple of meters on the trail, so no direct comparison. But for me, luftkappe is best i think. Before luftkappe came out I was thinking about the fast cartridge, which is really interesting, too.
Yes AWK is a little complicated to handle, but it seems to be much easier to install personally. But as you mentioned Luftkappe is easier after, cheaper and also increases the neg. chamber.
I have 2 pikes on 2 bikes now so maybe I can get both and try
Thx again.
@anthony3vans: Yeah Steve from Vorsprung was giving MRP credit for their simple-yet-sophisticated system, I believe he said 3D modeling would really be required to show the complexity of RCC's performance. Thanks to Noah, Steve and their crews not only for quality products but also great customer service.
If you're relying on people to have common sense these days to install your product you're customer service department is going to be mighty busy.
I've been meaning to get a ground down socket sorted for years but have always forgotten until the moment I need to remove a top cap with a slightly ill-fitting rounded nose socket which never quite works 100%.
The concept looks great though, I can never be arsed to keep releasing pressure and changing the number of tokens in my Pikes and sometimes I forget to even put more air in before going for a ride where there's bigger jumps and inevitably on the first slightly heavy landing finding the full travel point with a large clunk.
Bravo MRP, looks like a better executed solution than the bottom out adjuster on my Boxxers which is just a volume reducer as far as I can tell.
Bravo MRP, Having to install tokens and volume spacers is just plain dumb! Why not put the control/adjust-ability there in the first place?
And why did this kind of thing come to the fore in the first place. I can think of a number of older designs that had end travel ramp control before (Marzocchi Rocco as an example). Why are so many newer offerings in need of tokens and spacers while having 5h1t mid-stroke support? Looking at you Cane Creek DB Air!
"This completes me"....we might have to use that in some of our marketing...
BUT Ctrl + F "awk" - 0 results found.
Ok so I will be the one: pinkbike maybe take a look on it? For all those that dont know, its a secondary positive chamber, like the one found in the Öhlins fork reviewed some weeks ago. I think manitou also has an upgrade like this. I have been fiddling with tokens and pressures and compression settings and find the fork too soft between like 40 and 80% of the travel, e.g. when braking on steep terrain and then riding over a root. I like most the linear "no tokens" feeling to it, but then have to use about 120psi to keep it from bottoming out, resulting in a harsh ride.
From the physics behind 2 positive chambers the ability to tune the spring rate seems likely to solve all this - and still be able to tune the end progression
He didn't have any mention of improved performance or feel beyond its convenience value.
1. (And I might have missed this.). How about the rebound stroke, is there damping there as well or does the air flow back into the main air chamber without any delay? It wouldn't be too bad having some delay there as well as that would give you an easier rebound stroke after hard hits.
2. Now that air in the air chamber is being used for damping, have you experienced any issues with the air warming up hence increasing air pressure? Or is this never an issue because of the size and surface for cooling (the stanchions, that is)?
So, for those of us sitting at the back of the class, you remove the top cap and tokens from the fork, and then fit this cartridge. Correct? ????????
My Set Up
Rider 180lbs.
2016 Yeti Asrc
2015 Pike RC 130 MM travel (I have run it at 140MM) +4 Tokens
29" Wheels = Nox Carbon 23 psi
67.5 PSI (70 psi from the Fox pump)
5 Clicks Compression
7 Clicks Rebound (ended up with 10 Clicks)
Cat 1 Rider
Area of the country: Western NC, Upstate SC - Brevard, Pisgah, DuPont, Paris Mountain - Technical rock, root strewn trails.
Here are some of my observations from it. With the same air pressure (67.5 psi) on a Pike 130 I am at 30 MM of sag. With the same air pressure and 4 Tokens I was 18MM and with 3 tokens I was at 25MM of sag.
I ran the fork with all the progression out at first to see what that did to the fork. At first the fork in technical sections was a little slow and lazy. So rather than add progression I sped up the rebound.
I like the climbing in this set up since the fork is little more in the mid stroke and seems to track better I think since there is less ramp up from the additional volume.
The biggest difference was downhills. Anything high speed and the fork tracked noticeable better. Now what do I mean by better. The fork didn't deflect off line, in high speed, high lean corners where your trying to really max speed and have to make a tight radius.
Wash boards, chatter bumps, roots, rock gardens, baby heads were all tamer and noticeable the fork tracks smoother without any noticeable bottoming out.
Quite frankly the fork became more supple, compliant and predictable. IMO with 2 Tokens and especially 4 tokens the fork wanted to really fight that last 1/3 of travel as the volume became tighter.
I ran the fork with +4 progressions (1 full turn) and +8 progressions (2 full turns) and noticed the fork for my riding started to drift off line more and exhibit similar tracking that 4 tokens had. I ran the same trail each time. For me the lower progression really add stability at high speed in very tight switch back/technical downhills.
I think for experienced riders you'll suddenly notice that you no longer have to ride in expectation of the rebound/deflection from hitting something on the trail where you manipulate your lines because the suspension/reaction has to be compensated for.
For me it was laying down fast tight lines in trees and ending up smoothly where I really wanted to be not off line by some factor.
I think you can dial in that mid travel since you're not having to compensate for bottoming out.
For me dialing in the mid stroke/travel will start with speeding up the rebound rather than adding progression as I feel that will help in technical sections.
I have a Luftkappe to add to the mix and I will report back with that and long term.
As a side note I ran +2 progression on the Local Enduro race course and never got the fork to bottom out. The only way I could bottom out was to launch the bike and coming down flat - intentionally.
I have a Luftkappe on my 140mm Yari which I'm loving but thinking about getting the MRP too.
Cheers
It would be interesting to hear the experts view -e.g run higher pressure, less comp or high comp with low pressure.
How many riders are happier to adjust air pressure and volume rather than play with lsc for example.
I wonder how these changes in spring force influence the rebound?
and in UK, retailers are selling them £ 129 (TFTuned) and others £139.99 ....... Something wrong with my currenty £££ FTW !
For more information about warranties than you've ever wanted to know, check this out: www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0252-warranties
diazsuspensiondesign.com/products
No thanks.
Intriguing stuff, I reckon here comes the age of mods. Soon. Ish.