Results of installing a Viscoset headset in an S40

super slim

Zen MBB Master
Per Velo Orange:
"Stack height is the total height, or thickness, of the headset, not including the parts that fit into the head tube. In other words, it's the vertical distance required to fit the headset. Stack height is important because if it's greater than the available space on the fork the headset will not fit."
How many mm above the top of the frame to the top of the tension bolt?
 
Does the viscoset make the S40 easier to ride no hands? I haven't had any trouble with the handling of my S40 (coming from an older Q) but I would love to be able to ride no hands with ease.
 

billyk

Guru
Does the viscoset make the S40 easier to ride no hands? I haven't had any trouble with the handling of my S40 (coming from an older Q) but I would love to be able to ride no hands with ease.
Possibly, but I'll bet you can learn without it. Take your time. Try the loosest possible grip. Gradually feel the steering control you get with your feet. Take your time. When you're on a nice straight stretch (no traffic), just try loosening your grip every now and then. Get the feel.

Another way is to ride along just pressing your palms against the bars with open hands.

Take your time. It will come. Once you get it, this will seem completely natural, much easier than on an upright bike.

For a long time, I found it much easier on a slight uphill, so I always had positive pressure on the pedals. Try that. It took a longer time before I was comfortable coasting no hands.

Take your time.
 

Rob Lloyd

Well-Known Member
Does the viscoset require some setup? I thought it was just install and go. The one I put in my home built MBB doesn’t really seem like it’s doing anything. If it is, it’s so slight as to be un-noticeable.

EDIT: Found the Viscoset tuning guide. I have no idea how mine is setup, but I’ll adjust it tonight and try again tomorrow…
 
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SageRider

Member
Does the viscoset require some setup? I thought it was just install and go. The one I put in my home built MBB doesn’t really seem like it’s doing anything. If it is, it’s so slight as to be un-noticeable.

EDIT: Found the Viscoset tuning guide. I have no idea how mine is setup, but I’ll adjust it tonight and try again tomorrow…

Rob,
Two purchase settings options were available, a mid (3 out of 6 plate sets in action) and a high damping (6 out of 6 plate sets in action) setting. The original one on my Q45 was set to mid. I bought for my S40 the mid option too.
At the mid setting, the difference is subtle. On my S40 I have experienced a reduction in the nervousness of the steering. No more unintentional darting off line. Also much more stable at high end of speed range (>30 MPH) when attempting to restart pedaling. Just a more overall relaxed ride.
Does the front wheel still want to flop around when parked? Yes, but there is now a noticeable slight delay before it starts to swing.
I haven't felt the need to adjust to a higher damping setting, although IMO a little more likely wouldn't be a bad thing.

Robert, can you comment yet on your experience with the higher damping setting?
 

velocio

Austrian roadside steckerlfisch (fish on a stick)
Rob,
Two purchase settings options were available, a mid (3 out of 6 plate sets in action) and a high damping (6 out of 6 plate sets in action) setting. The original one on my Q45 was set to mid. I bought for my S40 the mid option too.
At the mid setting, the difference is subtle. On my S40 I have experienced a reduction in the nervousness of the steering. No more unintentional darting off line. Also much more stable at high end of speed range (>30 MPH) when attempting to restart pedaling. Just a more overall relaxed ride.
Does the front wheel still want to flop around when parked? Yes, but there is now a noticeable slight delay before it starts to swing.
I haven't felt the need to adjust to a higher damping setting, although IMO a little more likely wouldn't be a bad thing.

Robert, can you comment yet on your experience with the higher damping setting?
Any word from Cruzbike which of the two damping options they chose to use on the soon to be released, new and improved S40?

BTW, the changes to the upcoming S40 look pretty compelling. Makes me wish I didn't already own an original model.

-Jack
 

Robert Holler

Administrator
Staff member
The new S40 will have the mid Viscoset. In my testing the high was just a bit too much - especially if you do any urban riding like I do where I am contstantly making 90 degree turns. Its awesome at high speed... but for overall the mid seems to be the winning ticket.

Robert
 

Rob Lloyd

Well-Known Member
I just took mine apart. Surprising simple even on the bike. It was set to 'medium' with 3 clutch disks engaged; I set it to 'maximum' with all 6 disks engaged. Can definitely feel it off the bike now, just steering back and forth. It's raining today, so no test rides :(

I think I'm going to put one of these in my gunnar bar'd, tiller-steer'd, RWD midracer, too.
 

aberezin

New Member
I have a Silvio 2.1 and so a Viscoset is out of the question. Has anyone seen any other damping device that might work? I recall from racing motorcycles there are steering dampers that look like little shock absorbers but that seems like overkill.

Im pretty new to Cruzbikes and just getting used to the whole FWD. I'm lazy and looking for a shortcut to a more stable operation.
 
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jwloach

New Member
I'm a beginner on a Silvio 2.1 too. Not near ready for prime time. A couple of weeks ago I took the headset apart, cleaned it up, and tightened down the top bolt as hard as I could with an allen key. The added steering resistance was quite noticeable, and I was hopeful that my wobbles would reduce. Indeed they did, but I found that I couldn't recover from an oversteer. The steering was too tight, and I had a few scary 'almost-falls'.

I put it back the way it was and am continuing to try to keep the bike steady with a loose steering column. Perhaps the dampening from a Viscoset is different from just overtightening the headset bearings. Dampening must not be the same thing as tightening!

I'm considering getting a new Q45. This Silvio 2.1 is a real challenge.
 
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