The Ultimate Guide to Dialling In Your Mountain Bike Suspension
When it comes to mountain biking, getting your suspension setup right is one of the most impactful things you can do for performance, handling, and comfort on the trails. A correctly tuned suspension doesn’t just improve grip and control—it lets your bike work with you, rather than against you.
Modern suspension systems are designed to be highly adjustable, offering a wealth of dials and settings to fine-tune your ride. But with all those knobs and options, figuring out the optimal setup can feel daunting. This guide breaks down the process, step by step, so you can find the settings that suit your weight, style, and the trails you love.
Understanding Sag: The Foundation of Suspension Setup
Sag is the amount your suspension compresses under your weight when stationary. It’s your starting point because too little sag leaves you with poor grip, while too much can make your ride feel sluggish and unpredictable.
Start with the Basics: Check your manufacturer’s recommended air pressure for your fork and shock based on your weight. This is often printed on the fork leg or in the manual.
Gear Up: Wear your typical riding kit (including helmet and pack) for accuracy.
Bounce to Balance: Bounce on the bike to equalise the air pressure in the negative spring.
Measure: With a friend holding the bike, sit or stand in your usual riding position. Use the rubber O-ring on the stanchion or shock shaft to measure how far the suspension compresses. Compare this against the recommended sag percentage:
Forks: 15-20%
Shocks: 25-30%
Adjust Air Pressure: Add or remove air to hit your target sag. Small tweaks can dramatically affect performance, so fine-tune until it feels just right.
Mastering Damping for Control and Confidence
Once your sag is dialled, damping adjustments refine how your suspension responds to impacts and recovers after compressions.
Rebound Damping
Rebound controls how fast your suspension returns to its original position after a hit.
Too Slow: Your bike feels sluggish, struggling to recover for the next obstacle.
Too Fast: You’ll bounce off bumps and lose grip.
The Sweet Spot: Start with the rear shock and adjust until it settles quickly after a big compression (like rolling off a curb) without oscillating. Match your fork’s rebound to your shock for balanced performance.
Compression Damping
Compression settings determine how easily the suspension compresses under force. This is often divided into:
Low-Speed Compression (LSC): Useful for controlling movement during pedaling, cornering, or braking.
High-Speed Compression (HSC): Designed for absorbing big hits like jumps or rocky descents.
Begin with manufacturer recommendations, then tweak on familiar trails. Adjust one setting at a time and take notes to understand how each change affects your ride.
Fine-Tuning with Volume Spacers
Volume spacers allow you to adjust the progression of your air spring. If you find yourself bottoming out too often, adding spacers can make the suspension ramp up more firmly towards the end of its travel. Conversely, if you’re not using full travel, removing spacers can help.
Record Baseline Settings: Note down your current air pressures before making changes.
Trial and Error: Install or remove spacers one at a time, then test on trails to assess the difference.
Balancing Front and Rear Suspension
For optimal handling, your fork and shock should work in harmony. An overly stiff fork paired with a soft rear shock (or vice versa) can throw off your bike’s balance, making it harder to control. Test adjustments on flat ground, bouncing the suspension together, and aim for a consistent feel in compression and rebound.
What About Coil Suspension?
While air suspension dominates the market, coil shocks and forks are still a favourite among certain riders. Setting up a coil system follows similar principles but with a few differences:
Adjust Spring Rate: Instead of adding air, you’ll need to swap to a firmer or softer coil spring to adjust sag.
Preload with Caution: Adding preload doesn’t change spring stiffness—it simply reduces sag and can harm suspension sensitivity. Use it sparingly.
The Benefits of Custom Tuning
If you’ve nailed the basics but want to push your setup further, professional suspension tuning services can modify the internal components of your fork or shock. Custom shims, pistons, and oil can tailor the damping circuits to your exact preferences, delivering unmatched performance on your favourite trails.
Ride, Test, Tweak, Repeat
Setting up your mountain bike suspension isn’t a one-and-done process. Trail conditions, riding style, and even the weather can influence performance. Take the time to understand your suspension and experiment with adjustments to unlock its full potential.
Got your own tips or stories about suspension setup? Share them in the comments below! If you found this guide helpful, pass it on to your riding crew—because every cyclist deserves a smoother, faster, and more controlled ride. For more tips, check out our suspension maintenance guide or explore our bike setup checklist. Happy shredding!
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