| Author | Message | ||
     Mikemax |
I've been starting to tweak my suspension and I am confused about the fork preload settings. My 2006 Ss has 7 lines showing but the owners manual only lists settings of 6.5 or 7 for all weights of rider, but lists a range of about 3 lines for the other models. What's up with that? I am right below the cusp of the two settings and have been fighting a harsh ride over potholes. I tried lowering the compression damping 1/2 turn and it seems the same. I haven't measured the sag yet but the forks look like they could be low when I'm on it and maybe I'm just bottoming out... if so, I doubt that moving from 7 to 6.5 lines will totally solve it? The liberals in Marin seem to use a holistic approach to road repair... spray paint circles around the holes and assume they will magically heal themselves. In over a month it doesn't seem to have helped yet, in fact I notice a few big ones that aren't circled now. Hard to miss 'em all. | ||
| M1combat |
Spring preload will have less effect on a harsh ride than will your damping settings. Preload affects ride height ONLY. NOT static spring tension. Sidenote... ADDING spring preload on the front will actually transfer a hair of weight towards the rear... thereby REDUCING static spring tension "just a tad" on the front  . Not enough to worry about unless you have a transponder though. Try turning the compression damping out 1/8 or 1/4 of a turn. Do so at your own risk though. If that doesn't work, put it back and then do the same with the rebound damping. Which adjustment fixes the problem will be dependent upon what's happening to the tire when you hit a bump. It could be that the tire hits the bump and transfers too much energy into the frame. It could also be that the suspension absorbs the bump just fine (tranferring some energy into the frame of course) and then drops back to the pavement too quickly. Both feel roughly the same as far as bumps are concerned, but the different adjustments will have very different effects mid-turn. Reducing rebound damping will allow the front to "settle" a little higher mid turn and reducing compression damping will allow the front to settle a little lower mid turn. Both have their consequences... It's always a tradeoff. The point of a suspension isn't to be "supple" (unless that's of primary importance to YOU). It's point is to keep the tire patch in contact with the ground. From my point of view the ride can be as harsh as it would like to be as long as the tires stay firmly planted on the tarmac on both sides of a bump. That said... If you can achieve that AND have a supple ride you're doing good . Our low unsprung mass helps us to accomplish the "supple yet effective" thing on the front end, a brilliant thing to be sure . It allows the amplification of feedback without sacrificing performance or amplifying negative feedback. (Message edited by M1Combat on July 12, 2006) | ||
| Slaughter |
Measure preload directly - those lines only get you in the ballpark. get a buddy (better 2) to help you. Pull the front wheel off the ground (full fork extension) measure the axle position from a fixed point (this is "ZERO") Now with all your gear, sit on the bike, wiggle a bit, and while sitting still, have your buddy measure the axle position. You should have 30-35mm "sag" or preload. Adjust accordingly. | ||
| Mikemax |
Thanks. I wanted to verify the pre-load because I was guessing that I might be bottoming out since lessening the compression damping didn't help. I hadn't thought about too little rebound damping being the culprit. My back has been getting sore from some of the higher speed pothole hits. | ||
| Slaughter |
use a tie-wrap tightened around one fork leg. Because it slides, it tells you how far down the forks compress. You'd have to sorta ignore it for pot-holes but use it as reference for fork compression under braking. Cool performance device for less than a dime. (Message edited by slaughter on July 13, 2006) | ||
| Mikemax |
Smart cookie... I can use it to measure the sag w/o having to phone friend first. I should be able to slide it up after settling the bike in while I'm on it (with a hockey stick?) and then measure the distance from the top of the tie to the bottom of the tube. If sag is the measure of vertical change rather than compression of the fork it is just a little trig to convert... Cool! |
