Fork shock pressure?

[Paulfromfourways]

Hi Guys,

 

Brand new to MTB and I want to do a bit of XC, I am 90kgs on a titan hard tail.

 

Should I buy a shock pump? If so how do i figure out what pressure to pump it up to? (I accidentally let it all out because i thought it was too firm).

 

Or should I just take it to the shop and let them pump it?.

 

Thanks

[Psyrax]

Hi. Welcome to the MTB world. Although there is nothing wrong in taking your bike to the shop to get some pressure in your fork, you don't want to go there every time you want to do it?

 

So yes, buy a shock pump. They not that expensive and jus tlook after it - it will last a very long time.

 

Go then on the fork manufacturer website, if it's a good fork, then download all the info you need.

 

Good luck

[Jewbacca]

I'm waiting for the 'what area are you based' question.... hahahaha

 

IMHO get a shock pump, use the manufacturers recommendation as a start, then play with small increments re rebound and pressure to find your sweet spot.

 

'feel' is the important thing with a fork, so our set ups will all vary as well as change as our riding evolves.

[Butterbean]

Yeah man get a shock pump. And get one that has a deflation valve on the pump so you can be more accurate and much less time consuming.

 

Your weight in Pounds is a good starting point, but you should be aiming for 30% sag. Add or remove air to achieve this. You test this by getting on the bike, gently, putting your weight on the pedals, standing on them, with hands on the bars and weight centered. Don't Bob or bounce. Check where the shock travel is at that point. You want 30% there.

 

Then, ride your bike. If you do your typical kind of ride, and you use all your travel too often or you bottom out, go to 25% sag instead. If you find, after all your normal riding, you don't touch the last 2cm of travel, go for more sag and enjoy pusher rides...

 

I think it was one of the Fox Corporate engineers who felt you should use 100% of your travel at least once on your normal riding route... Other feel you shouldn't go close.

 

This is all a starting point, there's loads more to learn, but this is where you can start and tune it to you.

 

Rebound comes next, but get the pressure right first.

[RobertWhitehead]

In my opinion take it to a shop and let them inflate it for you. If you do not fiddle too much with the air pressure in the fork you end up only using the pump a handful of times. So if you're not really a fiddler then don't bother getting one for now. You can always keep it on your radar and if a special pops up then pull the trigger 

[NotSoBigBen]

Yeah man get a shock pump. And get one that has a deflation valve on the pump so you can be more accurate and much less time consuming.

 

Your weight in Pounds is a good starting point, but you should be aiming for 30% sag. Add or remove air to achieve this. You test this by getting on the bike, gently, putting your weight on the pedals, standing on them, with hands on the bars and weight centered. Don't Bob or bounce. Check where the shock travel is at that point. You want 30% there.

 

Then, ride your bike. If you do your typical kind of ride, and you use all your travel too often or you bottom out, go to 25% sag instead. If you find, after all your normal riding, you don't touch the last 2cm of travel, go for more sag and enjoy pusher rides...

 

I think it was one of the Fox Corporate engineers who felt you should use 100% of your travel at least once on your normal riding route... Other feel you shouldn't go close.

 

This is all a starting point, there's loads more to learn, but this is where you can start and tune it to you.

 

Rebound comes next, but get the pressure right first.

'your weight in pounds' I assume you are meaning take your body weight in kilograms and pump that amount of pressure in PSI into the fork... i.e not convert your weight into pounds [emoji12]

[JacBrand]

Get a shock pump. Of my bike tools it is one of the most used items.

[arendoog]

Hi Guys,

 

Brand new to MTB and I want to do a bit of XC, I am 90kgs on a titan hard tail.

 

Should I buy a shock pump? If so how do i figure out what pressure to pump it up to? (I accidentally let it all out because i thought it was too firm).

 

Or should I just take it to the shop and let them pump it?.

 

Thanks

Buy a floor pump and a shock pump and also get a bottle of Stan,s and a 20ml syringe and one of those little devices to  unscrew the valve core 

Edited September 15, 2020 by arendoog

[Butterbean]

'your weight in pounds' I assume you are meaning take your body weight in kilograms and pump that amount of pressure in PSI into the fork... i.e not convert your weight into pounds [emoji12]

Jesus yes good catch... Late night responses...

[DavidOWright]

Check out the following video - will be a good guide (by a fellow South African)

 

[andremtb1]

do not just pump to your weight, manufacturers have tables that tell you what pressure for what weight, rockshox and fox differ, not sure about suntour..