Shock/Fork Settings for Rock Gardens

[DemitriN]

I've recently started riding the black route (downhill) at my local biking trail. It has some darn sketchy adrenaline-inspiring sections with football sized rocks and splattered with roots. My bike is a Trance FS, and I weigh in at around 68kg. Presently I'm running my shock at around 150psi, and the fork at 70psi with med rebound. but wondering if I can improve on this for better handling. Are these good settings? Should I go softer or harder for these kinds of trails? And a second question: What tyres do you guys recommend that are esp. good for riding over rock, gravel & sandstone (dry conditions)? I've been considering nobby nics. Thks. D

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

[Sidewinder.]

I would up the rebound close to max for a really rocky trail at speed.

[jawn]

Nobby Nics are particularly bad.  Another bad one is WTB Vigilante.

 

I like my Hans Dampf up front. 

[Skylark]

Nobby Nics are particularly bad. Another bad one is WTB Vigilante.

 

I like my Hans Dampf up front.

Trailstar or Pacestar compound?

How old/how is it wearing?

[Capricorn]

To the OP, unless the whole trail is of a certain rocky character, you can't set your suspension for just one small section of a track or trail.  Its often a case of run what you brung. If your suspension is set for downhill racing, then it will suffice for the rock gardens. if your suspension is set for cycling efficiency for XC type riding, then you just going to have to manage the rock gardens as best you can by choosing a line you think will correspond with either the size of your nads, or the suspension, or both. 

One thing to keep in mind: suspension starts from the rubber up. Tyre air pressure contributes massively to the overall response of the bike.

 

I would up the rebound close to max for a really rocky trail at speed.

IMO, no. if there is a lot of trail chatter, you do Not want the wheel to follow every last undulation in the trail. That's a sure fire way of making the ride super rough, not to mention slower, as each hit translates forward momentum into suspension movement. That is, you waste speed. 

If you set it on the slower side, it will give your suspension chance to not react quickly, thus skipping over stuff. Forward speed of course helps in this regard, but a slightly slower rebound can assist with skipping over the rough.

 

My sentiments aside, suspension settings are highly subjective and personal to each rider. It really is best to just hit a section with one set of suspension settings, go back, change the settings, and hit that section again. Rinse repeat. it really is an iterative process, and extremely rare that one set of settings fits all riders under all conditions.

[droo]

To add to Cap's post - slightly slower rebound also helps you not to eject into the scenery if you have a full travel moment.

 

Find the setting that makes your suspension pack down slightly on repeated hits, then dial it back a click or two. I also prefer to run the front one click faster than the back - it helps to keep the front slightly higher in its travel on the steeper stuff.

[JXV]

I would up the rebound close to max for a really rocky trail at speed.

Sorry...don't agree. Fork/shock designed for a wide range of rider weights and suspension leverage.....so for any given rider weight ( = air pressure) only 2 or 3 of the 18 or so click stops in your rebound adjuster will be in the correct range for that rider. Some good articles on pinkbike and mtbr.

 

If the bike is running OEM suspension - these often gave customised valving so go to bike manufacturer's website and look for a tuning guide.

If bike is running non OEM suspension then go to the fork/shock makers website and follow their guide.

 

General method summarising many different guides

1) set negative air or spring to riders weight if applicable ( not all suspension )

2) set sag to recommended settings

3) Rebound not so clear cut. Empirical methods only: adjust rebound from full open until compressing the fork/shock and releasing it causes just noticeably slower response often accompanied by onset of hissing / sighing sound. Open up 1 or 2 clicks faster from there and test ride.

 

On your test ride ...ride over an obstacle like a small log repeatedly. Open or close the rebound one click at a time until fork rebounds and settles in one cycle and for rear shock until it stops throwing the tail up hard as you go over the log and on the 1st bounce after you land. When you ride over a hole in the trail at moderate pace your fork should not push the wheel fully down into the hole.

 

Hope this helps and I dont have it too far wrong☺

[Headshot]

I would up the rebound close to max for a really rocky trail at speed.

 

It depends what you actually meant :-) The problem is all settings are a compromise and a super slow rebound on a fork will result in serious packing up on repeat hits and some serious comfort issues while super fast rebound will be a bit like a pogo stick. Try an experiment. Ride a section of trail with very very slow rebound - preferably a longish dh run. See how your hands feel afterwards. Then repeat with a middle of the road setting. I did this recently - the slower setting led to sore hands...

 

OP, experiment a bit - If you are not bottoming out, reduce pressures out back first and see how the extra sag feels. Reducing the rear air will give you a slacker head angle which may well make make the steep stuff easier. Run some extra compression damping on the front to firm it up - generally as Droo says, you want a fork riding higher in its travel rather than lower.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

To add to Cap's post - slightly slower rebound also helps you not to eject into the scenery if you have a full travel moment.

 

Find the setting that makes your suspension pack down slightly on repeated hits, then dial it back a click or two. I also prefer to run the front one click faster than the back - it helps to keep the front slightly higher in its travel on the steeper stuff.

Yep. I had rebound set too fast recently... ejected me straight off the front on a tech section. You do NOT want it too fast when you up your speed in a tech section...

[Hairy]

And yet ones body is still the best suspension around.....Well if you soak up the bike on rough trails that is.

[Trance Dance]

Also be careful of tires that are too soft. I ride my minions super soft and I kakked off on a very rocky flat section in Jonkershoek the other day. The front one worked like magic on the steep stuff but was bouncing too much on short rocky section. Not changing set up though!

[jawn]

Trailstar or Pacestar compound?

How old/how is it wearing?

 

Trailstar up front and pacestar is in rear.

 

I run hans dampf on two bikes.  On the longer travel Trance its great and grippy. On the Anthem 29er I do not have any wear problems even though I ride tar out to Jonkershoek.

[DemitriN]

Thanks for all the excellent advice. Working through it... Also considering the HD tyres!

[Skylark]

HD's at easybike, R500 a pop, not sure how long that price is going to last for, very good.