How stiff should front forks be?
Optimum sag is somewhere between a quarter and a third of the total fork travel – on a 100mm travel you’ll want around 25-35mm of sag. Run more sag if you like a soft, plush ride, less if you like things firmer. If it’s wildly out, you’ll need to make some spring adjustments…
How do I stiffen my front suspension?
One can get oil-based shock absorbers filled with higher viscosity oil (thick oil) that make the ride quite stiff. Or you could get new gas filled shock absorbers that also provide a slightly stiffer ride. There are race / rally based shock absorbing systems that will make the ride stiffer as well.
Why are my forks stiff?
Preload is HOW STIFF is the suspension, and it’s related to how much force must be applied to compress it. More preload means you need more force (apply more weight) to compress the fork by a given distance or travel. Speed Rebound is HOW FAST the fork return to it’s uncompressed size after absorbing a shock.
What can I use to stiffen my front fork?
You can stiffen up you fork action with heavier weight fork oil. If your spring has sagged a bit, or you want stiffer springing, you can make a spacer out of a piece of 3/4″ CPVC hot water plastic pipe. Just cut it to the length you want and put it on top of the spring, under the top fork bolt.
How to fix stiff suspension on a bike?
When you find a happy place, do the same with the front fork (though a lot of what we perceive as too stiff or too soft comes from the rear end of the bike). Basically, play with the adjusters in a logical way, and you might get lucky. Write down all your changes, easy to do with a note in your phone.
Can a fork spring be unscrewed on a motorcycle?
The trouble is that this bolt has been in there awhile and is screwed into what is called a damper tube. This tube can turn, so it needs to have something to keep it from turning. Most times, the tension from the fork spring will hold it enough that you can unscrew the bolt.
Why is my fork not coming out of my bike?
If the leg does not want to come out and you have the bolt and circlip out, the problem is a bushing under the fork seal. Push the fork leg in and then pull it out sharply. You may have to do this several times. This will slowly work the seal and bushing out of the fork leg.
What are the functions of a suspension fork?
Suspension has two main functions: Shock Absorbing and Dampening. Shock absorbing is what the fork does by compressing, allowing the wheel to travel upwards. In this process, kinetic energy from the shock is used to compress either a coil spring or an air spring.
Why is my fork not bouncy on my bike?
Honestly, there’s not a whole lot you’re going to be able to do with it to make it “bouncier”, especially if you’re a lighter rider. If you’ve turned up the preload, turn it all the way back down. Turning up the preload is only going to make the fork stiffer.
What happens if your Fork is too soft?
If you set your fork to be too soft (likely not an issue with your current setup) you’re likely to end up with poor pedaling efficiency, unresponsive steering, and even the risk of bottoming out your fork which can not only damage the fork in extreme cases, but it will also throw you off of your line, if not your bike.
What happens when you put too much preload on a fork?
More preload means you need more force (apply more weight) to compress the fork by a given distance or travel. Speed Rebound is HOW FAST the fork return to it’s uncompressed size after absorbing a shock. If you feel that it takes too much force to compress your fork, it means you have too much preload.