New Rear Sets? Help me I'm short....

[BlueDragon]

I'm on the short side, inseam of 27.5 inches, and I'm looking at different ways to help get my feet on the ground. I know I don't need both feet flat to ride but I'm a beginner and it would help me to be close at least. I currently have a lowering kit on but after I adjust it, there is about an inch of clearance between the rear tire and rear fender so I need to bring it back up closer to the stock height then I would like. I'm considering finding a way to change or adjust my rear sets so I can have my feet closer to the bike rather then angled away to avoid hitting the rear sets (which I have done multiple times...ow). So possibly moving the rear sets from directly under me to either in front or behind the stock position. Would this work? Does anyone have advice on what rear sets I should get? Or any other advice to help me that won't break the bank?

[csmith12]

Quick ideas;

Boots with a thick heel (try first)
Shave the seat (thickness and width)

[LittleRedNinjette]

I'm a stubby one too!

The links are helpful. Just lower the front to match! Stiffen up the shock so you don't bottom out.

I have my 300 on the mid hole on the roaring toyz links and i'd say that gives me an inch.

The Saddlemen Low track seat will help a lot. I had that on my 250.

[LittleRedNinjette]

Originally Posted by csmith12

Quick ideas;

Boots with a thick heel (try first)
Shave the seat (thickness and width)

That too! Just make sure its not really thin in the toe, thats a problem i've seen with the riding boots. My work boots give me about an inch or so over all and still provide good foot protection (over the ankle) though not as good as a true riding boot.

[BlueDragon]

Originally Posted by csmith12

Quick ideas;

Boots with a thick heel (try first)
Shave the seat (thickness and width)

I've looked but in my area I can't seem to find a place to shave seats uness I want to pay a high shipping fee from a farther place.

Originally Posted by LittleRedNinjette

I'm a stubby one too!

The links are helpful. Just lower the front to match! Stiffen up the shock so you don't bottom out.

I have my 300 on the mid hole on the roaring toyz links and i'd say that gives me an inch.

The Saddlemen Low track seat will help a lot. I had that on my 250.

Is stiffening the shock the same as adjusting the preload? I recall reading somewhere online that the stock could not be adjusted.

About the seat, when I read reviews, they said it only took off mm, which i don't think is a reason to get the seat at that price. Was there a difference in the width that makes it better?

[snot]

I have 26.5 inseam, I use heeled boots with gel inserts (1 complete, 1 heel only stacked), adds a good 1.5~2".

[setasai]

You should check out this site: ridingjezebel.com.

I believe its from one of the members on ninjette and she's a small girl that made it work so I'm sure there are things in there that can help you.

Also, for the seat, just shave it yourself. It's not that difficult as long as you do it incrementally. Take the staples from the bottom of the seat off to peel the vinyl off. Start from the rear and peel it forward leaving the staples at the front of the seat intact. Then use sandpaper and skim off the top and sides, stick it back on the bike and hop on. Dont like it? Keep skimming. Sandpaper allows you to take it slow and get it right. When I did it, I used a grinder but I wouldnt recommend it becase one wrong slip and you will have bitten out a big chunk from the foam.

[LittleRedNinjette]

Originally Posted by BlueDragon

I've looked but in my area I can't seem to find a place to shave seats uness I want to pay a high shipping fee from a farther place.



Is stiffening the shock the same as adjusting the preload? I recall reading somewhere online that the stock could not be adjusted.

About the seat, when I read reviews, they said it only took off mm, which i don't think is a reason to get the seat at that price. Was there a difference in the width that makes it better?

That seat drops at least an inch and its more narrow in the front, helped me alot. That price is just MSRP, if you shop around you can find it cheaper. I found mine for $140.

And the spring on the shock is adjustable. Thats what i mean.

[InvisiBill]

Originally Posted by LittleRedNinjette

And the spring on the shock is adjustable. Thats what i mean.

Just to clarify, adjusting the preload does not make the spring stiffer or able to support more weight. The spring's rate is static based on how it's made. Adjusting the preload adjusts the range in which the suspension operates.

If your spring compresses down 2" in a certain condition right now, adding 1" of preload will make it only compress down 1" more in that same situation. It's moving less, so it feels stiffer (less squishy). However, it's still compressing a total of 2" down (because the spring is still the same rate), you're just compressing it 1" ahead of time (pre-loading it).

http://www.ex-500.com/wiki/index.php...ension_Preload walks you through the whole concept of sag and preload, when you have some free time to read.

[LittleRedNinjette]

Ok.. Well i had mine on the mid setting and was bottoming out. Put it to the highest setting and now i don't.

Whatever you call doing that.

[InvisiBill]

Originally Posted by LittleRedNinjette

Ok.. Well i had mine on the mid setting and was bottoming out. Put it to the highest setting and now i don't.

Whatever you call doing that. :p

According to physics, the spring takes the same amount of force to compress fully, regardless of how much it's pre-compressed in the "neutral" position. More preload means it'll take more force before the spring starts compressing further, and it has less distance to compress (since it's already pre-compressed some). It moves less, so it feels less squishy, but the end result is going to be exactly the same as long as you have the same force acting on the same rate spring.

[LittleRedNinjette]

Originally Posted by InvisiBill

According to physics, the spring takes the same amount of force to compress fully, regardless of how much it's pre-compressed in the "neutral" position. More preload means it'll take more force before the spring starts compressing further, and it has less distance to compress (since it's already pre-compressed some). It moves less, so it feels less squishy, but the end result is going to be exactly the same as long as you have the same force acting on the same rate spring.

This is what i mean. Hit a bump with less preload on a lowered bike you bottom out. Hit the sme bump with more preload and you don't because the force is the same... Just like you would adjust the preload for a passenger.

[InvisiBill]

Originally Posted by LittleRedNinjette

This is what i mean. Hit a bump with less preload on a lowered bike you bottom out. Hit the sme bump with more preload and you don't because the force is the same... Just like you would adjust the preload for a passenger.

The amount of preload has 0 effect on the rate at which the spring compresses. Regardless of how much preload you put on it, the spring will still compress to the exact same total length when you hit the same bump. It's a function of the spring's rate.

The stock rear spring on the NewGen has a rate of 9.3kg/mm and a free length of 172.5mm. For every 9.3kg of force you apply, the spring compresses 1mm. If you apply 9.3kg, it will compress 1mm, down to 171.5mm. If you apply 18.6kg, it will compress 2mm, down to 170.5mm. If you apply 93kg, it will compress 10mm, down to 162.5mm.

If you have 46.5kg or 5mm of preload, the spring will be "starting at" 167.5mm. If you apply up to 46.5kg of force to it, it won't move, since the spring is already compressed to 46.5kg. If you keep going and apply 55.8kg, it will compress 1mm more to 166.5mm (a total of 6mm from the free length). If you apply 93kg, the spring will compress a total of 10mm resulting in 162.5mm.

Whether you have 1mm or 9mm of preload, 93kg of force will cause the spring to compress a total of 10mm for a final length of 162.5mm. The actual movement of the spring in response to that force will be 10mm minus whatever your preload is, but the total compression is 10mm as a function of the spring rate. With 9mm of preload, the force would cause the spring to move only 1mm. With 1mm of preload, the spring would move 9mm and feel squishier, even though they're both ending up at the same point (compressed 10mm). The amount of preload affects the amount the spring moves when you hit a bump, which affects how squishy it feels, but it doesn't change the amount of weight the spring can support (aka how much force it takes to bottom out).

[LittleRedNinjette]

I think we are talking about two separate things...

[BlueDragon]

Invisibill, I understand what you mean, thanks for explaining how it works!

And thanks to everyone for the advice.