Tuning Variables
All riders are different. Therefore, bicycle suspension needs to be able to adjust to the different needs and desires of different riders. The following
factors should be considered when adjusting the suspension of a Noleen fork:
Rider Weight
Lighter riders need to have softer springs in order to take full advantage of the travel of the fork. Heavier riders need to use stiffer MCU springs to
keep the fork from bottoming out. You may need to adjust the stiffness of springs in your fork for your body weight. See
Suspension Variables:
Spring Rate
for the correct springs to use.
Type of Riding
A suspension fork used for high-performance off-road riding should have stiffer suspension than one intended for recreational road use. The severe
impacts and high speeds of serious off-road riding demand stiffer springs, while more casual riding is more comfortable with softer springs. In
general, the fork should be set up to maximize the use of suspension travel in the conditions to be encountered.
Personal Preference
New suspension riders often prefer stiffer suspensions that feel more like a rigid bikes. However, suspension forks work best when a rider adapts
their style to use the suspension fully. A spring that feels soft at first may be exactly what you want after a week of riding.
Tuning Adjustments
Once you have an understanding of the variables affecting suspension tuning, you can now move on to actually adjusting your
suspension to fit your needs. The Tuning Adjustments of your Noleen Chubby suspension are:
Spring Rate
The Spring Rate of a spring is the amount of load required to compress that spring one inch. This definition applies mainly to coil springs and not
to MCU springs. Since the Chubby and Chubby LT use a combination of MCU springs and a coil spring, the spring chart below refers to combina-
tions of MCU springs and not actual spring rates. We suggest different spring rates for our bikes and forks because different riders place different
loads on bicycles.
Spring selection is also affected greatly by rider preference. More aggressive riders may desire their springs to be stiffer, while a more recreationally
oriented rider may like a softer ride with softer springs. Experimentation with different spring rates may be necessary to find the correct set up.
Spring Selection Tables
Consult the tables below to select the spring set that’s best for you. Remember, these are recommendations. You
may wish to try stiffer or softer springs than recommended due to the terrain you ride, your riding style, and personal preference.
Rider Weight
Chubby (each leg)
Chubby LT (each leg)
up to 140
3 Blue, 3 Tan
4 Blue, 4 Tan
130-170
1 Blue, 5 Tan
2 Blue, 6 Tan
160-200
6 Tan
8 Tan
190-230
5 Tan, 1 Pink
7 Tan, 1 Pink
over 230
4 Tan, 2 Pink
6 Tan, 2 Pink
Replacing Springs on the Chubby and Chubby LT
The Chubby comes equipped with six elastomers and one coil spring per leg, and the Chubby LT has eight MCU springs and
one coil spring.
NOTE: Aftermarket forks are supplied with two additional pink Springs for modification of your Chubby. Your Chubby can be
stiffened by replacing a standard tan spring with a stiff pink spring. To change springs, simply follow the instructions below.
1.
Loosen upper triple clamp stanchion bolts.
2.
Unscrew preload adjusters with the Chubby Wrench and remove spring stack.
3.
To change springs, pull stack apart and replace MCU springs with harder springs towards the top of the stack.
SUSPENSION
TUNING
In this section:
•
Tuning Variables
•
Tuning
Adjustments
Changing MCU Springs
6
