Crestline RS 181.2 thread – builds, reviews, technical info

[elstinnett]

Got a RH-3 team bike last week and it rides really well. I’ve never had a Zeb before and I guess this new one is a bit different from previous versions. I set it to the recommended settings for my weight (200 lb, 150 psi, neutral Lsc/hsc, -9 rebound, no tokens, mid abo) but seems a bit stiff, I assumed the new linear air spring would be more plush. Haven’t hit the hardest trails yet, but using nowhere near full travel. I’ll play around with air settings, but curious how you all are getting along with this fork and if you have any recommendations, I realize fork setup is a personal preference thing.

I had the same experience on my inaugural ride and will be dialing back the pressure. I’m also at 150 and plan to try 140.

 

[Powerslider]

Got a RH-3 team bike last week and it rides really well. I’ve never had a Zeb before and I guess this new one is a bit different from previous versions. I set it to the recommended settings for my weight (200 lb, 150 psi, neutral Lsc/hsc, -9 rebound, no tokens, mid abo) but seems a bit stiff, I assumed the new linear air spring would be more plush. Haven’t hit the hardest trails yet, but using nowhere near full travel. I’ll play around with air settings, but curious how you all are getting along with this fork and if you have any recommendations, I realize fork setup is a personal preference thing.

What psi achieves the recommended sag for you? I’d start there.

 

[digitale]

yeah, similar experience also with the new Zeb. Found myself running a decent amount less PSI than recommended. Still tweaking it, not super close to bottoming it out.

 

[Brawwp]

this is all so interesting to hear. I had 17% sag with no token on the new zeb and found myself blowing through travel. I’m only 155lbs. Had to put a token in and it’s now feeling much much better. Have it around 19-20% sag now. Also have to have rebound close to full fast (I think I’m 1-2 click from full fast).

 

[TTEngineer]

Anyone having an issue with the OneUp chain guide?

Mine is rubbing my chain and for the life of me, the only way I see to resolve this is to remove the mount, sand it down, and reinstall so the guide moves closer to the frame.

It barely rubs now but it still rubs and is super annoying. I guess eventually it will self clearance though.

 

[digitale]

Anyone having an issue with the OneUp chain guide?

Mine is rubbing my chain and for the life of me, the only way I see to resolve this is to remove the mount, sand it down, and reinstall so the guide moves closer to the frame.

It barely rubs now but it still rubs and is super annoying. I guess eventually it will self clearance though.

You could just leave it and let it self-clearance? I gotta pull mine and tighten it.

 

[Onetime]

Anyone having an issue with the OneUp chain guide?

Mine is rubbing my chain and for the life of me, the only way I see to resolve this is to remove the mount, sand it down, and reinstall so the guide moves closer to the frame.

It barely rubs now but it still rubs and is super annoying. I guess eventually it will self clearance though.

Yeah, I had an issue with mine, but it was most likely because I was running a Garbaruk chainring and it has a few mm less offset than stock. So it wasn’t rubbing, but it wasn’t centered in the chainguide. There was a larger gap on the outside of the guide and in rough high speed chunk the chain would bend the guide outwards enough to derail the chain onto my crank arm. This past Saturday the chain actually ripped the guide completely off. Destroyed the chain and guide. So I just ordered a new top guide and mounting kit from OneUp. The bummer is they were sold out of black, so I had to order a red one. The good thing is I believe the mounting kit comes with shims, so you’ll be able to adjust it in or out to center it on the chainring. This is what I ordered.

 

[Heckler Sb130]

Anyone using a reach adjustment headset on the rh3? I’m 5’10 with standard inseam and reach. Currently on a 40mm stem with 45mm rise bars and 12 degree back sweep. Thinking of installing the reach and adding 5/6mm to it.

 

[KGA109]

Adding to the gallery quick - here is our RH2 181.2 Plaid we built. This is my personal eMTB for the season. I'm using the reach-adjust headset to try to get more reach out of this, but the fit is still pretty tight for my preferences. Set at 29/29 and a 450mm rear end, the wheelbase is still long enough to not feel small overall.

Only 40 miles on it so far and its been great.

 

[TTEngineer]

Yeah, I had an issue with mine, but it was most likely because I was running a Garbaruk chainring and it has a few mm less offset than stock. So it wasn’t rubbing, but it wasn’t centered in the chainguide. There was a larger gap on the outside of the guide and in rough high speed chunk the chain would bend the guide outwards enough to derail the chain onto my crank arm. This past Saturday the chain actually ripped the guide completely off. Destroyed the chain and guide. So I just ordered a new top guide and mounting kit from OneUp. The bummer is they were sold out of black, so I had to order a red one. The good thing is I believe the mounting kit comes with shims, so you’ll be able to adjust it in or out to center it on the chainring. This is what I ordered.

View attachment 188975

You can only shim it out. Not in. For whatever reason mine is just barely rubbing. I might pull out the Dremel and clearance it a mm or 2.

 

[Lfhao]

Adding to the gallery quick - here is our RH2 181.2 Plaid we built. This is my personal eMTB for the season. I'm using the reach-adjust headset to try to get more reach out of this, but the fit is still pretty tight for my preferences. Set at 29/29 and a 450mm rear end, the wheelbase is still long enough to not feel small overall.

Only 40 miles on it so far and its been great. View attachment 189139

I’m rh2 too but with reach -5mm and 445 rear end. Ooc how tall are u?

 

[Onetime]

You can only shim it out. Not in. For whatever reason mine is just barely rubbing. I might pull out the Dremel and clearance it a mm or 2.

Yeah, I used a piece of sandpaper on the edge of a flat table and sanded my backing plate with the pin off the edge of the table. It worked and it’s centered on the chainring now. I also got a new backing plate so I have that as a spare.

 

[asmvolatile]

Adding to the gallery quick - here is our RH2 181.2 Plaid we built. This is my personal eMTB for the season. I'm using the reach-adjust headset to try to get more reach out of this, but the fit is still pretty tight for my preferences. Set at 29/29 and a 450mm rear end, the wheelbase is still long enough to not feel small overall.

Only 40 miles on it so far and its been great. View attachment 189139

Wouldn’t using a reach adjust to increase reach not really do much if you have a tapered fork not a dual crown? Sure it buys you +5mm of length but then the EC lower cup slackens the HTA and reduces reach since it adds height and pretty sure would end up netting you like maaaybe 2-3mm max in the end? Idk haven’t done the trig. Unless you wanted to slack the bike out a bit I imagine it’s not rly worth it?

 

[John_likes_bikes]

Wouldn’t using a reach adjust to increase reach not really do much if you have a tapered fork not a dual crown? Sure it buys you +5mm but then the EC lower cup slackens the HTA and reduces reach since it adds height and pretty sure would end up netting you like maaaybe 2-3mm max in the end? Idk haven’t done the trig. Unless you wanted to slack the bike out a bit I imagine it’s not rly worth it?

Reach numbers are usually measured along the top tube. In that case you can get the +5mm but effectively you're correct. That's why I never tried one. You're better off going a little longer stem. For me, when descending the long wheel base and CS's make the slightly tight reach when seated something I got used to quickly.

 

[asmvolatile]

Reach numbers are usually measured along the top tube. In that case you can get the +5mm but effectively you're correct. That's why I never tried one. You're better off going a little longer stem. For me, when descending the long wheel base and CS's make the slightly tight reach when seated something I got used to quickly.

That is not correct, reach is the purely horizontal component of distance from the center of the bottom bracket to the center of the top of the head tube. It is most definitely not measured “along the top tube”.

 

[PhoS]

Anyone using a reach adjustment headset on the rh3? I’m 5’10 with standard inseam and reach. Currently on a 40mm stem with 45mm rise bars and 12 degree back sweep. Thinking of installing the reach and adding 5/6mm to it.

Like the others said, try lowering your stack or a Stem before changing the headset. FWIW I'm 6ft on RH3, 35mm stem, 15mm stack spacers, and a 10deg 38mm rise bar. The F/R balance feels spot on for me with the 445cs.

 

[KGA109]

I’m rh2 too but with reach -5mm and 445 rear end. Ooc how tall are u?

I'm 5'9" but I ALWAYS ride an "S3 / Large" with a short stem and much prefer it. The RH3 was not available when I was trying to pre-order this, and given how big / long the 3 is, I thought I would try the size I'm supposed to be on.

In hindsight, I'll never do it again (I also ordered a Druid at the very same time and tried the S2 in that...again being 5/9 I am squarely in the middle of what they suggest for a Size 2...but I couldn't deal with it and sold the frame quickly.

But sizing is really subjective - I've always preferred being at the bottom of the scale on a large rather than the top of a medium.

With all that said, this RH2 really doesn't feel bad..its ok. I have the saddle slid back, a 40mm stem and it does not feel small. I WILL very likely order an RH3 as soon as they are open and sell this.

 

[KGA109]

Wouldn’t using a reach adjust to increase reach not really do much if you have a tapered fork not a dual crown? Sure it buys you +5mm of length but then the EC lower cup slackens the HTA and reduces reach since it adds height and pretty sure would end up netting you like maaaybe 2-3mm max in the end? Idk haven’t done the trig. Unless you wanted to slack the bike out a bit I imagine it’s not rly worth it?

Yeah you're right; I honestly did not realize that this reach adjust kit essentially created an EC out of the lower bearing until after the fact, but since i had it, I ran it.

Then yes it really messes up geo, but I quite like it. I DID lower my stem to compensate for it, and the HTA feels really good.

This bike for me is for exploring steep climbs and hopefully steeper descents; I was afraid it would feel ridiculously slack, but again...the bike really feels good.