"Part of this is certainly related to the SB150s kinematics but the shock itself doesn't feel dead despite its ability to move out of the way when required."
I don't think these are actually directly connected as much as people think. Ability to move out of the way is going to be mostly affected by spring rate and frame kinematics (for actual wheel rate) and high-speed compression damping. But I think the dead feeling, the lack of pop, often comes more from too much low-speed compression. As you shift back towards manual position to start the pop, you have to push through the LSC, which damps exactly that kind of body weight shift. With too much LSC, which people often add to try and gain "mid-stroke support" and keep it "riding high", you have to push through all that damping before the spring rate and frame kinematics combine to actually give the (mid-stroke) support that you can use for take-off.
Basically, too much LSC and you might not get to the firmer part of the stroke before take-off time, leaving it feeling dead no matter what it's doing on big square-ish (high-shaft speed, get-the-wheel-out-of-the-way-ASAP) hits.
Feb. 11, 2022, 9:53 a.m. - Justin White
"Part of this is certainly related to the SB150s kinematics but the shock itself doesn't feel dead despite its ability to move out of the way when required." I don't think these are actually directly connected as much as people think. Ability to move out of the way is going to be mostly affected by spring rate and frame kinematics (for actual wheel rate) and high-speed compression damping. But I think the dead feeling, the lack of pop, often comes more from too much low-speed compression. As you shift back towards manual position to start the pop, you have to push through the LSC, which damps exactly that kind of body weight shift. With too much LSC, which people often add to try and gain "mid-stroke support" and keep it "riding high", you have to push through all that damping before the spring rate and frame kinematics combine to actually give the (mid-stroke) support that you can use for take-off. Basically, too much LSC and you might not get to the firmer part of the stroke before take-off time, leaving it feeling dead no matter what it's doing on big square-ish (high-shaft speed, get-the-wheel-out-of-the-way-ASAP) hits.