Nitrons, Gaz or Ohlins?
Discussion
Hmmmm, what a descision to make, Nitrons, Gaz or Ohlins? Having some work done on my car next month including a decent suspension set up.
I appreciate you get what you pay for, but would a mere normal driver like myself appreciate Ohlins? I don't mind spending the money if they're that good, but the way I see it is like this.
Nitrons are twice the price of Gaz, so are they twice as good? Then if you're spending £1200 on Nitrons why not blow the extra too and get the Ohlins? So are the Ohlins 3 times as good as the Gaz?
I know I've not even mentioned the Red Rose set ups yet either, But what do you guys recon? I'm having drop links fitted too and a proper set up by APM, but what would be the best value for money?
Cheers,
Andy
I appreciate you get what you pay for, but would a mere normal driver like myself appreciate Ohlins? I don't mind spending the money if they're that good, but the way I see it is like this.
Nitrons are twice the price of Gaz, so are they twice as good? Then if you're spending £1200 on Nitrons why not blow the extra too and get the Ohlins? So are the Ohlins 3 times as good as the Gaz?
I know I've not even mentioned the Red Rose set ups yet either, But what do you guys recon? I'm having drop links fitted too and a proper set up by APM, but what would be the best value for money?
Cheers,
Andy
You're right about the prices. Nitrons fill the gap between the ordinary budget dampers from Gas, AVO, Spax etc and the seriously expensive kit from Ohlin, Penske and so on.
The difference in performance between budget dampers and Nitrons is quite noticeable and I would suggest going for the best you can afford. I've driven a car with Ohlins and it didn't feel noticeably different to mine on Nitrons. No doubt a professional racing driver would tell the difference and if you're spending tens of thousands chasing a podium a few thousand quid extra on dampers may be money well spent, but I think for most of us Nitrons represent the best bang-per-buck.
The difference in performance between budget dampers and Nitrons is quite noticeable and I would suggest going for the best you can afford. I've driven a car with Ohlins and it didn't feel noticeably different to mine on Nitrons. No doubt a professional racing driver would tell the difference and if you're spending tens of thousands chasing a podium a few thousand quid extra on dampers may be money well spent, but I think for most of us Nitrons represent the best bang-per-buck.
Gazzab said:
What are the Red Rose set ups?
I would go with the most you can afford!
I think they're called Red Rose? I met a guy who sells them on some TV filming I was covering and they looked pretty good. I can't remember his name but he does geometry set ups too? Price wise I think they were around the £700 mark?I would go with the most you can afford!
I have a pair of three way adjustable Nitrons that I'd be willing to sell if you're interested? They are off a race car and have 1000lb springs, so they'd need new springs and re-valving. New springs are about £40, and rebuild and re-valve at Nitron is about £70 a damper I believe. These are the full monty Nitrons though, maybe over the top for just normal road use, but great if you're planning track use as well. Email me through my profile if you're interested.
completely transforms the handling and ride tried cheaper shocks did not last very long Depends on what your budget is I guess. I know I would struggle to pay over a grand for suspension, let alone another £500 for Ohlins. Put another way, if I did buy entry level Nitrons for £1200, the extra £500 I could have spent on Ohlins would be spent having the car set up and corner weighted properly. Would I miss the difference between the Nitrons and Ohlins? For road use I doubt it.
Unless you are racing and a very good driver you will not notice the difference between Ohlins and Nitrons. I have tried both over the years.
Bear in mind that the Nitrons have 1 knob adjustment which makes it very simple whereas the more advanced shocks have 2 or 3 different adjustments. Again unless you really know what you are doing it is very hard to get it right with the more complex shocks.
I am winning the TVR Speed championship this year on 5 year old single way adjustable Nitrons - they are very good for the money. I personally would not go down the Gaz etc route unless the money is very tight, although they are streets ahead of the standard TVR shocks.
As has been said the set is as important as the shocks. Go to a well know indie race team - I use Topcats, APM are also good etc who will get the geometry right and corner weight it. Without that bit you are wasting your time.
Bear in mind that the Nitrons have 1 knob adjustment which makes it very simple whereas the more advanced shocks have 2 or 3 different adjustments. Again unless you really know what you are doing it is very hard to get it right with the more complex shocks.
I am winning the TVR Speed championship this year on 5 year old single way adjustable Nitrons - they are very good for the money. I personally would not go down the Gaz etc route unless the money is very tight, although they are streets ahead of the standard TVR shocks.
As has been said the set is as important as the shocks. Go to a well know indie race team - I use Topcats, APM are also good etc who will get the geometry right and corner weight it. Without that bit you are wasting your time.
Depends on budget - the ProTechs were about £550.
I used Joo to ensure geometry set OK, then it's drive it and see what feels right. We adjusted them almost immediately to be much firmer, then started playing with the settings a bit. Still not perfect, but I's still learning how to handle the car. MUCH better than the state of the standard shocks it came with....
Maybe once I'm more used to the car and start to push it nearer it's limits then a more expensive set-up would be VFM, but I think I've a way to go before I get there yet.... (BTW am used to what quality suspesion feels like from bikes - have fettled Ohlins on my RSV Mille, ProTech on ZX12R)
I used Joo to ensure geometry set OK, then it's drive it and see what feels right. We adjusted them almost immediately to be much firmer, then started playing with the settings a bit. Still not perfect, but I's still learning how to handle the car. MUCH better than the state of the standard shocks it came with....
Maybe once I'm more used to the car and start to push it nearer it's limits then a more expensive set-up would be VFM, but I think I've a way to go before I get there yet.... (BTW am used to what quality suspesion feels like from bikes - have fettled Ohlins on my RSV Mille, ProTech on ZX12R)
Considering we recently removed a set of relatively new Gaz Golds from NOISY's tuscan, and every single one had cracked through the aluminium.
To be fair to Gaz, they didn't quibble and replaced all four with a newer type with much thicker surrounds. A much sturdier looking affair.
I think the moral of this story is if you are going to buy Gaz, get the new thick ones and don't go for a pair of older type. By older I mean more than a few months
I've had nitrons on mine for four years, and am very happy still with them.
Perhaps an even more important question is what spring rates are you opting for?
To be fair to Gaz, they didn't quibble and replaced all four with a newer type with much thicker surrounds. A much sturdier looking affair.
I think the moral of this story is if you are going to buy Gaz, get the new thick ones and don't go for a pair of older type. By older I mean more than a few months
I've had nitrons on mine for four years, and am very happy still with them.
Perhaps an even more important question is what spring rates are you opting for?
I put nitrons on mine because my Indie knew them, installed them on lots of other vehicles and was happy with them & setting them up. They were the cheapest ones he'd recommend, based on my odd track day habits. I had eibach springs, the bushes and drop links done at the same time, and the nitrons have nice rosejoined links. Transformed the handling from the old, worn out shocks etc.
julian64 said:
Perhaps an even more important question is what spring rates are you opting for?
Whatever Andy at APM recomends, IU've got laods of old coliover springs sat in my garage but I want things to be perfect. Judging by what I'm reading above I think I'll be going for Nitrons, Drop links and a good geo set up.Cheers all, Keep the info coming..........
I had to twist Andy's arm, but he fitted Gaz Golds to my Cerb for me.
Have to say way better than the old originals and I have now got the front where I want it.
I have set the back a bit softer for comfort.
However, front wheel alignment adjustment has transformed the feel of the car.
Going to do the bushes when I come back from LE MANS, so I would be controversial and say you won't notice any difference unless the bushes and geo are correct first.
However!
Modern sports bikes have multi adjustable suspension and 90% of riders never move them from the factory setting! Those that do adjust them correctly gain much improved handling.
In the long run for road use, it will always be a compromise, and I am more than happy with my Gaz Golds.
Just to throw another spanner in the works, tyre pressures their construction, size and profile are all variables that will affect the damping performance. So one what works for one, may not work for another.
Steve
Have to say way better than the old originals and I have now got the front where I want it.
I have set the back a bit softer for comfort.
However, front wheel alignment adjustment has transformed the feel of the car.
Going to do the bushes when I come back from LE MANS, so I would be controversial and say you won't notice any difference unless the bushes and geo are correct first.
However!
Modern sports bikes have multi adjustable suspension and 90% of riders never move them from the factory setting! Those that do adjust them correctly gain much improved handling.
In the long run for road use, it will always be a compromise, and I am more than happy with my Gaz Golds.
Just to throw another spanner in the works, tyre pressures their construction, size and profile are all variables that will affect the damping performance. So one what works for one, may not work for another.
Steve
VPower said:
However!
Modern sports bikes have multi adjustable suspension and 90% of riders never move them from the factory setting! Those that do adjust them correctly gain much improved handling.
I always have to do mine. They seem to set bikes up for the average bloke who must be 3-4 stone heavier than me. I always have to soften them up.Modern sports bikes have multi adjustable suspension and 90% of riders never move them from the factory setting! Those that do adjust them correctly gain much improved handling.
Humle-pie head on.
I spent much time thinking, and saying that Nitron were a budget shock, and that Ohlins or Penske were the way to go if you wanted a real quality product.
My race car needed shocks last year and we approcahed Ohlins who did not seem too interested, and when they could be coaxed, wanted 3500GBP for 2 way adjustable shocks (valved for the car and with springs). The long lead time to provide them was what killed Ohlins as a choice.
I was talked into trying 2 way Nitrons and I have to say at the time I was not realy happy to go in that direction. I'm very glad I listened - they are first class. As others have said the 2 way adjustment is a bit much for most people and the single adjustment would be fine for road and track day use
In summary, a good quality product and an excellent back up from the chaps at Nitron if you ever need things rebuilt.
I spent much time thinking, and saying that Nitron were a budget shock, and that Ohlins or Penske were the way to go if you wanted a real quality product.
My race car needed shocks last year and we approcahed Ohlins who did not seem too interested, and when they could be coaxed, wanted 3500GBP for 2 way adjustable shocks (valved for the car and with springs). The long lead time to provide them was what killed Ohlins as a choice.
I was talked into trying 2 way Nitrons and I have to say at the time I was not realy happy to go in that direction. I'm very glad I listened - they are first class. As others have said the 2 way adjustment is a bit much for most people and the single adjustment would be fine for road and track day use
In summary, a good quality product and an excellent back up from the chaps at Nitron if you ever need things rebuilt.
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