new frame LTbikes?

[bruto]

I put it back in for argument's sake and with the built frame, rear wheel has enough leverage to compress the block and allow full travel, but it still adds resistance and I'm lost for ideas why that would even be necessary when you have a shock and a leverage curve that is very linear (not regressive)
The resistance also peaks before bottom out and lets off a bit after that point so Apex Creative rep's argument (yes, I send the same question to the address listed here: http://www.apexcreative.com.tw/ since I thought they're the original designers) that it's there to "help with bottom-out", doesn't really hold
Due to this fact the frame locks itself in bottom-out position as well if you compress it without a shock or with a deflated one

it's f'n late-midstroke bumper is what it is and it makes no sense

i don't think a full refund is in order (unless I ship it back to them) because the frame isn't broken, it's just that whoever assembled it did a crappy job and the rep doesn't know what she's talking about
I suppose I can push for the cost of making new shims, which is not much really

[RDY]

Apex rep also pushed the bumper story? That's strange....

Maybe shoot Light Carbon an email and ask why they ultimately rejected the design?  Could be revealing.

Maybe Apex have lost the plot and that bumper is some kind of misguided bandaid.

[bruto]

it's a linear leverage raitio frame, ffs
you can tune your shock for progressiveness instead of attaching elastic blocks to a link

LT's girl said something about the frame having been designed by "an Italian" which makes me think Apex might not have as much to do with it as I previously thought

[RDY]

it's a linear leverage raitio frame, ffs
you can tune your shock for progressiveness instead of attaching elastic blocks to a link

LT's girl said something about the frame having been designed by "an Italian" which makes me think Apex might not have as much to do with it as I previously thought

I'm not sure that's necessarily here nor there. There are a lot of hired guns designing these frames, whether ostensibly they originate with an ODM like Apex or not.

[Colt__Seavers]

so they gladly apologize for painted bearings and me having to make new pivot shims to better suit the asymmetry of this particular frame, but no more than that
thanked me for pointing out that listed weight is 1kg lower than actual and that listed shock stroke is incorrect

more funny shit about the linkage, however

in response to my bitching about me having to grind down the lower link to make it stop touching the frame in the middle of travel, LT's contact person (a girl, judging by the English name chosen) suggested a few times that I put this little (11mm thick) elastic block back where I removed it from - between lower link and BB shell

in the photo, the frame is built and due to the shock having a negative spring, is not at full extension and I cant squeeze the block back in without some force
its pictured upside down - was bolted to the link from the inside

my understanding is that it's function is to prevent the frame from moving during transportation so I removed it when found out that it prevents free frame movement without the shock

she, however, sent me a video of this frame on their endurance testing (my guess) rig that pulls down on the seat tube with some force while having the axles fixed
and even in this video, a spike in resistance at about 2/3 through the travel (where this block most is compressed), is visible despite the machine probably exerting a few hundred kg-force on the frame

she is adamant that it needs to be there for some purpose that is yet unexplained to me

any ideas who and why would want to add this mid-stroke bumper?

by the way, the block wouldn't prevent the need to grind the link down because it still came in contact with BB shell at one point in travel, would've just taken more force to reach that point with the rubber thing in there


don't deal with this company (LTbikes), save yourself the hassle

This QA passed sticker says it all. It's one of those very cheap ones you see everywhere on very cheap Chinese products. At Carbonda they use at least three different colors and bigger ones. And you can see sharpie on it like a signature of the inspector

[eminius]

so how is ride..?