Having your suspension setup properly can make a substantial difference in how your bike feels and performs. This guide runs through the very basics of getting your suspension set up on your mountain bike. There are a lot of adjustments to make on forks and shocks, this guide will help cover how to set up your PSI, and how to adjust your rebound.
Video Tutorial Coming Soon!
What you need
- Shock pump
- Tape measure
Setting up fork and rear shock
1. Sag set-up should be performed in full riding gear. So get equipped with your shoes, helmet, and packs you typically ride with.
2. Set the compression damping to "open" by turning the knob to the open position in a counter-clockwise direction on the fork and shock.
3. Use a shock pump to adjust the shock and forks PSI to an approximate starting point. Often times the fork will have a chart on it for recommended PSI. If it doesn't, a good place to start is with half the rider weight for the fork and the riders weight for the shock.
4. Leave the shock pump attached and push down on the saddle and handlebars to engage the shock and fork. Check the gauge and adjust the PSI again if necessary. Move the rubber o-rings so that it is pressed against the seal
5. Sit on the bike with a friend holding you up, or lean against a wall.
6. Carefully dismount without further compressing the suspension. You can lean the bike to one side to help with this.
7. Measure the distance between the o-rings and the seals. This is the sag measurement. The measurement should be approximately 1/3 of the rear shocks travel.
8. Add or release air as needed to accomplish the correct amount of sag.
9. Set your shocks rebound. The shock's rebound needs to be set quick enough so that the suspension has time to recover, but not so fast that it kicks the rear end of the bike around. It's often safer to start with a slower setting and remove damping if you feel your shock is sitting too low in it's travel. Adjust the rebound by turning the red dial. Find neutral by turning it all the way to open, turn the dial and count how many clicks until it's closed. Divide the number of clicks in 2; start from closed and turn the dial half the clicks to the open side. From there you can set rebound to your preference.
9. Now you're all set up. But remember this is only a starting point. Go for a ride and bring along a shock pump with you to make minor adjustments to your suspension. Adjust the PSI or rebound as needed until your bike feels dialed!