All our recommended spring rates and air pressures are set to sag around 30% while also increasing bottom out resistance over the stock set up. For increased bottom out resistance starting with the recommended shock settings is a good starting point. If you find yourself wanting even more try adding four clicks of LSC.
For air shocks you can safely run at 10 or 20 psi less than recommended and still have better bottom out resistance than with the stock link depending on what you weigh. If you are on the heavier end you can generally decrease air pressure a little more relative the the recommended.
The BB is the same as it is in the low setting with the stock link. This makes the bike feel even more stable than before. With sag properly set pedal strike hasn’t proven to be an issue. If you find you are having a lot of pedal strikes double check your shock settings.
Longer chainstays will make the bike more stable at speed especially through rough terrain. They also make it harder to wheelie out while climbing. However, at +5 mm the added chainstay length won’t be noticeable unless you think specifically about it while riding. Contrary to popular belief they actually can help with cornering by distributing a little more weight to the front wheel.
There is not a grease port on this link. We have found that by the time the bearings need greasing they also usually need to be replaced. We chose to go with sealed Enduro MAX bearings and forgo the grease port because the bearings will last longer in harsh conditions. The bearings are the same size so you can still use the Santa Cruz lifetime bearing replacements, but they just won’t be sealed.