Adjust suspension fork & shock
A fork is the component that is installed on the front of the bike and is the connection between the handlebars and the front wheel.
The suspension fork absorbs shocks and unevenness of the ground and relieves your arms.
A distinction is made between:
- Steel suspension forks are found on everyday bikes (cross bikes, trekking bikes, entry-level mountain bikes). These have steel springs inside the fork that do the suspension work. A turning mechanism at the top of the fork can be used to adjust the hardness of the damping.
Harder suspension - turn to +
Softer suspension - turn to - - Air suspension forks have air chambers that make the fork work and move. The air pressure can be regulated via a valve that sits on the top left of the fork and is protected by a cap. The cap can be turned down counterclockwise.
Via a so-called damper pump you change the air pressure and release some air or fill the fork with more air pressure.
How do I adjust the suspension fork & shock?
- Set all damping settings to neutral (turn out). Start with the rebound damping (also called rebound) and turn the knob, located on the bottom of the suspension fork, all the way back counterclockwise until it stops.
Then bring the compression stage on the top of the suspension fork to the lowest setting (neutral position) by turning the lever counterclockwise.
- Determine suspension travel
To do this, push the rubber ring (O-ring) or a cable tie on the fork all the way down and sit on the bike.
- Sit very loosely on the bike, your feet do not touch the ground. It is best to have someone hold the bike.
- Compress the fork with full force and release it again. Before releasing, pump up the fork with about 30 - 40 PSI.
- Read the difference between the O-ring and the seals of the suspension travel. You need this value to be able to determine the optimal negative spring travel.
- Inflate suspension fork
Now the suspension fork is inflated according to the manufacturer's instructions. Most forks have a corresponding indication (scale) directly on the fork. As a rough guide, you can translate your own body weight (plus any luggage) 1:1 in PSI. Say: 80 kg rider = 80 PSI
Then it is important to convert the PSI into bar. For the conversion to bar, you should refer to a conversion table from the Internet.
- Adjusting negative travel
Negative travel is the distance the suspension fork travels on the bike without any further action from the rider's weight alone. It is determined by getting on the bike and then measuring the distance between the O-ring and the seal.
- Cross-country bike: 20% of the previously determined suspension travel.
- All-mountain touring bike: 25%
- Enduro: 30%
If the determined value deviates, either air must be released or pumped up.
- Check and adjust residual spring travel
To prevent the fork from bottoming out, there should always be a residual travel of 1 cm left on the fully compressed fork between the maximum travel and the O-ring after bicycle suspension fork adjustment.
The suspension should now sink under you to a maximum of a quarter of the total available travel.
If the pressure is too high, the bike's traction will deteriorate in critical situations.
If the pressure is too low, the mountain bike feels spongy - the fork sinks too low too quickly.
- Rebound adjustment
The tire should not lose contact with the ground when the fork springs out without a rider.
- Deflection rate (on the top of the fork) determines how much the fork bobs under load or how quickly it compresses.
FAQs
What is a rebound?
The rebound defines the speed of the return of the fork to the starting position.
This setting is important for mountain bikers who ride in rough terrain and master fast passages on uneven surfaces.
The rebound is adjustable on every high-quality suspension fork in the mountain bike Fully range. It is regulated via its own oil circuit.
What is compression damping?
The compression stage or compression is the compression speed that a suspension fork has. The compression stage is regulated via its own oil circuit and you adjust it with a blue dial.
If the compression stage is fully up, the suspension fork compresses very slowly. This makes the suspension tight and feels direct.
Cheap suspension forks do not let you adjust the compression stage.
What is a Lowspeed compression damping?
The Lowspeed compression damping regulates slow passages where the fork is stressed, such as larger bumps and long curves.
You make the Lowspeed compression stage harder by turning the Lowspeed compression stage dial to + and your suspension becomes firmer.
Only higher quality suspension forks in the mountain bike sector have this adjustment option.
What is high-speed compression damping?
The high-speed compression damping controls fast, sudden loads on the suspension fork, such as root sections and jumps.
You set the highspeed compression stage harder by turning the dial for the highspeed compression stage to + and your fork hardens faster. Now you have more traction between tire and ground, but it is more strenuous for arms and upper body.
Only higher quality suspension forks in the mountain bike sector have this adjustment option.
What is a SAG?
The SAG is the negative suspension travel of a bicycle: it is the part of the suspension travel that is compressed by the rider's weight alone. The optimal SAG is about 20-30% of the maximum available travel on the bike.
If you ride with less SAG, the suspension feels firmer and harder. You don't swallow as much speed, but it feels spongier.
If you ride with more SAG, your upper body and arms are relieved more, but use too much suspension for intense passages.