Yay, changed my first suspension setting!

[p.dath]

I've looked at suspension settings many times, and always shied away from making changes because it always seemed like a black art (and still does!). Also, I haven't really had a problem, and a change to a suspension setting is really only needed when you are trying to address some issue.

Well a couple of weeks ago I was practicing emergency braking while someone was watching, and they noticed I was pretty much bottoming out the front end. I got a book from Robert Taylor a while ago about suspension settings, and with screw driver in hand decided I needed to change the front end compression dampening (already sounds dangerous!).

I Googled for the service manual for my mike, and found the factory default setting for front end compression dampening, and made sure it was set back to factory defaults first. Then increased the dampening by a quarter turn.

I went for a test ride on the open road first to see any affect there (nothing I could notice). I then repeated the emergency braking test again. I managed to halve my prior stopping distance, and used about 75% of the front fork travel. I was pretty pleased that such a small tweak had such a massive impact on the stopping distance.


I'm sure this is a pretty trivial thing for you guys in the know, but it was pretty exciting for this suspension newb. Now on to learn more about rebound damping ...

[Gremlin]

For measuring fork travel, you can put zip ties around the fork leg. Don't make it too loose so that it can move on it's own, but also don't make it so tight that it can damage the seal as it travels on the fork leg.

Then you can see how much of the travel you are using.

edit: Also remember that everything needs to operate in harmony. Making one end of the bike stiffer will often require changes at the other end. With the front not diving as much, your rear wheel is also more likely to remain planted on the road surface.

[Robert Taylor]

I've looked at suspension settings many times, and always shied away from making changes because it always seemed like a black art (and still does!). Also, I haven't really had a problem, and a change to a suspension setting is really only needed when you are trying to address some issue.

Well a couple of weeks ago I was practicing emergency braking while someone was watching, and they noticed I was pretty much bottoming out the front end. I got a book from Robert Taylor a while ago about suspension settings, and with screw driver in hand decided I needed to change the front end compression dampening (already sounds dangerous!).

I Googled for the service manual for my mike, and found the factory default setting for front end compression dampening, and made sure it was set back to factory defaults first. Then increased the dampening by a quarter turn.

I went for a test ride on the open road first to see any affect there (nothing I could notice). I then repeated the emergency braking test again. I managed to halve my prior stopping distance, and used about 75% of the front fork travel. I was pretty pleased that such a small tweak had such a massive impact on the stopping distance.


I'm sure this is a pretty trivial thing for you guys in the know, but it was pretty exciting for this suspension newb. Now on to learn more about rebound damping ...

Good on you for going where many fear to tread!

Consider a solid etiquette of ALWAYS adjusting rebound FIRST AND FOREMOST even though many systems are now totally seperated. For those systems that are not fully seperated ( most of them still ) rebound adjustment ''cross talks'' and has a serious affect on compression damping. I.e if you add more rebound you also end up with more compression, whether you want it or not! This is especially so with those accursed and over marketing hyped BPF forks ( Bad Performing Forks )

Conversely, compression adjustment has very little if any affect on rebound damping.

Also consider that many harshness issues can be attributed to rebound damping that is too slow. So again make sure that rebound adjustment is in the zone BEFORE trying to remove harshness by first playing with compression damping

[AllanB]

Good man. Get into it. Small adjustments - write down what you did so you can reverse it if you don't like it.