How to set up your shock and fork suspension on the bike?
Ideally for an XC set-up, you want to start with 25% sag. Push the rubber O-Rings down the base of the shock and fork. Have your friend hold up your bike facing you and holding the handlebars with the front tire between their knees.
What to look for in a bike suspension set up?
Either way you want enough compression damping to ensure that you don’t smash though the shock’s movement when you hit bumps, and enough rebound damping that the bike isn’t bouncing like an excited puppy, but not so slow that the shock hasn’t returned for the next bump.
What happens if your suspension set up is bad?
A bad suspension set up can turn your bike into an uncompromising and unpleasant machine, whereas getting it right can improve your riding dramatically and progress your skills to the next level. Just a quick ‘cover-all’ here – always check the manual for your bike before making any adjustments OK
Where is the shock absorber on an off road bike?
At the rear of the machine, most off-road bikes will run an external spring on a single centrally mounted shock absorber, commonly actuated through a linkage system. Damping is inside the structure of the unit, and again commonly there is an external reservoir to the damping system.
How are shocks or struts hold up a vehicle?
Q. Shocks / Struts will hold up my vehicle or change it’s height…. A. Shocks (or Struts) do not really hold up a vehicle. For example, if you ever took shocks off your pickup-truck or RWD car before, you know when you set it down off the jack, it sits pretty much the same as it did before you took the shock off.
How can I tell if I have a suspension problem?
The easiest way to diagnose spring problems is by pushing down on the trunk of the car or truck, releasing, and listen to how the suspension reacts. If you hear a creaking or squealing sound, you’ve definitely got a suspension problem with the shocks, springs, bushings or related parts.
Is there a limit to how much a shock absorber can help?
There is a limit to how much a shock can help (for instance, just changing shocks on a half-ton pickup truck will not automatically make it a one-ton model.) The primary uses of these type products is to keep the rear of the vehicle level with the front, so you have a more balanced suspension while driving or towing.
Can a blown shock cause a car to lower sitting height?
A blown shock may cause an overcompression of the spring and lower sitting height. A blown shock doesn’t have a direct impact on height, but it will make a car react poorly in bad road conditions. The easiest way to diagnose spring problems is by pushing down on the trunk of the car or truck, releasing, and listen to how the suspension reacts.