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sEtting UP thE sUsPEnsion
To make the best of your suspension bike, it
must be set up to take your own individual
weight and riding style into consideration.
The objective is to adjust the strength of the springs so that when you put
your weight on the saddle, the bike sinks down or sags about thirty per cent
of the total spring travel. That is the total distance that the forks or the rear
triangle will move.
The only problem with suspension on bikes is that over big bumps, all the
spring travel can get used up. The moving part will then crash into the fixed
part - a situation called bottoming out. This will destroy the suspension if it
happens too often, so avoid crashing into potholes. It-can also happen when
the front of the bike pitches upwards and it reaches the other end of the
suspension travel. This is called rebound. However, adjusting the suspension
for thirty per cent sag minimises the amount of bottoming out because it
allows for the rebound.
Where only the forks have suspension, again go for the thirty per cent sag.
When you adjust the forks, whether the bike has sprung forks only or full
suspension, make sure you adjust both legs equally. If you don’t, the legs will
wear unevenly and become distorted.
As for riding technique, try to develop a smooth pedalling style to stop the
bike bobbing around. And when climbing hills, change to a lower gear earlier
than you would otherwise. That way, you should be able to stay in the saddle
and so keep the back wheel glued to the ground, not bumping around in
mid air, wasting a lot of effort.
Select one convenient point on the
fixed part of the forks and another on
the lower, moveable part and measure
the distance between them. Then,
while someone holds the handlebars
level, check that your riding position is
roughly right.
Bounce up and down to settle the
suspension, then measure the distance
between the two points. Take that figure
away from the first one to give you the
amount the suspension goes down
(sags) when you sit on the bike.
The amount of sag should be about
30% of total fork travel. If it’s less, the
forks are too stiff and you should turn
the adjusters anti-clockwise. Do the
opposite if it’s well over a third. Then
repeat steps one and two to check the
adjustment.
Suspension forks
If there’s not enough adjustment to get the right amount of sag, talk to your retailer
about fitting alternative springs. In addition, get your retailer to grease the forks
every six months, or sooner if the corrugated gaiters get damaged.
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