So what does rebound speed adjuster do?

[grimpeur]

Rock Shox forks have a reboud speed adjuster... maybe all do... but how do I know what's a good setting for a specific terrain?

[Sharkie 2]

Rock Shox forks have a reboud speed adjuster... maybe all do... but how do I know what's a good setting for a specific terrain?

Its all bout your riding, how quick or slow do you prefer it to return to its normal travel

[grimpeur]

Thank, but does that mean on a fast rocky track I'd speed it up or slow it down to absorb maximum shock?

[bikemonster]

Thank, but does that mean on a fast rocky track I'd speed it up or slow it down to absorb maximum shock?

 

Think about it this way...

 

If you were riding over short, sharp corrugations and the rebound was at its slowest, you'd be hitting the next corrugation before the fork (or shock) had returned to its resting state. And the one after that would be worse still, so the fork would be more compressed with each corrugation.

 

If you adjusted the fork to rebound as fast as possible, the fork would feel a bit like a pogo stick, returning to its resting state too fast for comfort, which might be great on corrugations, but less great on more rolling irregularities.

 

So there is an element of compromise - too slow and the fork compresses, too fast and it feels harsh. You need to play around until you find a setting that feels right for your riding style and the terrain you are riding on.

[Johan Bornman]

Thank, but does that mean on a fast rocky track I'd speed it up or slow it down to absorb maximum shock?

 

Bikemonster's explanation is spot-on. There is no right or wrong place for the setting and whatever you do, you're bound to encounter different terrain a couple of meters down the track and your setting will be non-optimal again. It is a little bit like the Doom for Flying Insects vs Doom for Crawling insetcs joke. What to do when the cockroach starts to walk?

 

Put it somewhere between the two extremes and forget about it.

 

 

Note that rebound settins have absolutely nothing to do with "abosorbing shock" or more accurately put, the speed at which the fork compresses. This is a function of compression damping, if your fork has such a setting. It is even more obscure than rebound damping. The cherry on the cake of obscurity must go to slow and fast compression damping. A very, very small percentage of owners of such forks know what it is all about.

[Capricorn]

it does depend on your riding style, the terrain and your speed over the terrain. If u a slower rider, crank it up to keep the wheel planted, but it does make for a fairly rough ride as every bit of chatter under the wheels will be accomodated, ie the wheel will tend to follow the terrain more faithfully, which does increase fatigue. You can accomodate for the very small bumps with a lower tyre air pressure (gets u more grip too) and reduced compression damping. But keep in mind that reducing compression damping will make for a bit more dive when going over step downs and rolling down steep terrain due to your forward weight bias.

 

The advantage of a slower rebound setting (does not follow terrain accurately, and does what bikemonster described) is that u can skip over corrugated/rooty types of terrain for a much smoother ride. But, it does require quite a bit of speed.

 

Again, its' rider preference. But if you just starting out, then the middle setting will do until your riding style matures and u start knowing what you want your bike to do for you.

[LazyTrailRider]

The advantage of a slower rebound setting (does not follow terrain accurately, and does what bikemonster described) is that u can skip over corrugated/rooty types of terrain for a much smoother ride. But, it does require quite a bit of speed.

 

You know what, I've never really thought about it that way... It was always interesting comparing fellow racers' setup "feel" back when I raced DH, and now that I think about it, I was usually surprised by how slow people were riding their forks. Mainly, it was because the cool kids back then actually *had* rebound damping adjustment, and I didn't

 

I've started riding my setup a bit slower lately, mainly because I hate the feeling of top-out, but I'm going to try it even slower as an experiment away from the midway I've gotten used to over the years. You may have a point, I tend to "skip" (preload, jump and float) over roots in general, so it may work in my favour!

[Capricorn]

MH: the slower rebound works wonders in rock gardens with lotsa babydome-like rocks. Just pin it and u sail over most of the gnar. But if u dont commit to a high entry speed, my god the suspension dive will have u tossed OTB in no time.

 

On my bike, the rebound is higher in the fork than in the rear shock: doesnt stop from preloading and skipping over the the rough, but mostly keeps the front high in the travel more often, while the rear is slower to stop the envitable near-bucking that does occur when u trying ot skip over stuff: just takes one nice square edge coupled with some nice high rebound in the rear to send u OTB as well.

 

At least that's been my experience with my frame and riding style.

Edited October 23, 2010 by Capricorn

[LazyTrailRider]

Cap: I hear you. Generally I prefer the rear a bit slower too, quite keen to try it out in Tokai now... I need to find time to go!

[Fitter]

Rebound damping is also determined by rider weight - or more accurately the air-spring chamber pressure the component is pumped to. Heavier riders will use a higher pumping pressure to properly set sag on their suspension - this will mean greater compression of the component and a faster return on rebound, so heavier riders using higher sag pressures will need to run higher rebound damping for the same relative return speed.