Shocks

How to Adjust and Care for Your Shocks Congratulations. You've got the tricked-out bike with the cool, new suspension. But like the car you drove when you were 16, suspension is not just about having it, but using it and taking care of it. Here's how. Some Light Reading Your bike should come with a manual that explains how to adjust and care for your suspension. Learn it, know it, live it. If you acquired your suspension secondhand, the manual may be missing. If so, visit the manufacturer's website and see if you can download the manual. Most manuals come in PDF files, so you'll need Adobe Acrobat to access the file.

Get Adjusted

Suspension systems are adjustable. They're adjustable because weight and riding style varies from person to person. Your shock should bottom out about once every third or fourth ride. If it isn't (or if it's bottoming out too often) you may need to adjust the travel. To do this, change out your elastomers or coils or click the dials at the top of the shock. You can also change the oil weight or air pressure, depending on the type of shock you have. Preload You sit on a bike with shocks and feel it sink; you've just experienced sag. Preload prevents sag by setting the tension placed on a spring so that the spring needs more energy placed on it before it will start to give. How much do you need? Your shock should only allow about 1 inch of sag. If more, tighten it up. If less, loosen it. Heavier riders will notice sag more. But what if you've tightened the preload all the way down and there's no more room for adjustment? Then it's time for a sturdier spring. Different coil springs are available and can be swapped out. If you've just bought the bike from REI, your local REI shop can take care of the swap for you. If you're a lighter rider and you're getting no sag, then you need to go with a less sturdy spring. The same principle applies to other suspension systems. Here are the basic suspension guidelines. Heavier riders: Heavier-weight oil More air Stiffer coil Stiffer elastomers Lighter riders: Lighter-weight oil Less air Relaxed coil Relaxed elastomers Elastomer or Coil Replacement These systems rely on the inherent springiness of the material to soak up the bumps. The material compresses and then snaps back into place. If your elastomers or coils are bottoming out all the time and you've got the preload adjuster (the dial on the top of the shock) all the way in, then you need some new springs. This often happens to the Clydesdale class of riders. Bikes, and the shocks that go with them, are mainly built for persons weighing 170 lbs. or so. If you exceed this weight, then your shocks are probably not optimally set for you. Fortunately elastomers and springs are easy to replace. All you need is a denser elastomer set or a thicker or stronger coil. You can change it yourself (refer to your manual) or take your bike to a qualified REI Master Tech. Oil/Air Adjustments Heavier oil or more air equals less travel. Lighter oil or less air equals more travel. Usually the shock will have a port or valve to make these kinds of adjustments. When changing the oil or air, make sure the area around the adjustment valve is clean. Fine dust can muck up the works like bits of eggshell in a cake. It's just a bad thing all around. Damping When your shock compresses, it stores energy. When it unleashes that energy, it can do so rather forcefully. This is called pogoing and you want no part of it. To cure the pogo blues, most shocks come with a method of damping the rebound. In coil systems this most often comes in the form of oil. For air or oil springs, a mixture of air or oil is used to dampen the bounce. Most shocks require you to tighten up the preload (see above), change the oil weight or add air to adjust the damping. Again, refer to your owner's manual. How do you know when the damping is right? On a hard climb your shocks should compress only slightly as you leverage the handlebar for added power.

Get Clean

Most suspension systems are designed to be relatively maintenance-free. However, whenever moving parts are involved, things can become gummed up, worn down or broken. That's why it's a good idea to regularly check your suspension to make sure it's operating optimally. The easiest way to ensure smooth operation for your shocks is to clean them after every ride. You don't want to give dirt any reason to stick around your shocks. If dusty: Use a clean, damp towel to wipe down the fork (you can buy cheap terry-cloth shop towels at any autoparts store). Gently lift up the boot and clean around the seals. If muddy: Spray the fork with a hose (not a power sprayer, though) to remove excess mud and grime. Be sure not to get any water in the works; dry the fork after you've cleaned it. Gently lift up the boot and clean around the seals with a clean, damp towel. About once a week, or every eight to 10 hours of riding, clean and oil all the parts that are hidden from view but don't require a screwdriver or Allen wrench to access. The manual that came with your shocks will recommend the best type of lube for your shocks. In general, though, a Teflon-fortified oil applied very lightly—2 to 3 drops—is the best lube to use.

Get Serviced

Periodically (about once a week or so) check for slop in the fork. Slop is fore and aft or lateral play in the shock and indicates that a bushing (which is usually made of plastic) has been worn down by the motion of the shock. This is normal. Most bushings and seals can be replaced with little problem with the help of a standard set of tools. However, if you're not mechanically inclined, you may want to take the shock to an REI Master Tech.