The Ultimate Suspension Setup Explainer - GMBN Tech’s School Of Shock

Knowing how to setup your mountain bike suspension is important for all disciplines of MTB. From Downhill, Enduro, Trail riding, or a crazy 24-hour endurance event such as The Old Pueblo. Rich Payne explains how to setup your fork and shock to get your bike running like a dream!

Watch Rich take on the 24-hour race that almost killed him...

⏱️ Timestamps ⏱️
00:00 - Intro
01:39 - Compression
04:24 - Rebound
05:27 - Setting Up Sag
08:50 - Setting Up Compression
10:59 - High And Low Speed Compression
13:17 - Setting Up Rebound
15:42 - Fine Tuning

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[Milessongs]

Well done, Rich! The attitude you kept throughout was inspiring; positive, cautiously optimistic, and determined. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[Velo]

This is a great topic. In the recent months I purchased a 2024 Fox34 Performance fork from my local pro bike shop. I have really enjoyed this new awesome fork but setting it up for the trails I ride is challenging, but at the same time fun because how it can be tuned.

[TrailsandScales]

I really needed this as I might be getting my first air fork

[uriteruel]

I love to adjust the SAG at the minimum % so I have more travel in the downhills (less travel used when I'm just sitting on the bike gives me a little bit more travel when it compresses).
I usually set my rebound pretty fast, I do prefer a fast rebound than a sluggish one.
And the compression in between, biased towards a point softer than harder.
This vid explains the setup perfectly, nice guide Rich.

[chinguyen]

Nice tech piece Rich, good explanation

[Alan-]

I had a manitou mcload rear shock on my old 2008 giant reign. Best rear shock ive had, it was so supple.

[LawrenceMacMacster]

Legend says if you put the manitou lowers the right way you'll be faster up hill!

[davegravitt]

The old R7. No sag. I had to tweek the pressure. The same as the Markhor with ABS

[sandiegoson]

WTF! I was in Arizona 3 days ago and it was 118 degrees. Dang Rich I'm glad you okay

[BaldBloke]

Volume spacers ordered... 'postman stalking mode enabled' 😅

[Freerider-----l]

After x amount of attempts at getting consistent sag readings your version of not slamming down into the saddle or bouncing a lot up and down is the only thing that worked for me. I especially had up to 4-5mm variations in sag readings from the fork if I tried to bounce it a bit up and down, and then push the o-ring down to the bottom.
It even says in the suspension guidelines from the bike brand I got that you should sit down *_hard_* into the saddle before adjusting the o-ring, and that just frustrates me so much. Without consistency there's no point in any of the measurements really, so I just wish people who should know these things would actually teach the right way of doing it.

I'm at least glad now that I've tried different token options, different pressures, and went through a full bracketing procedure as well as having written down everything. My impression now after it all is that there simply cannot be a setup that will work great in every situation, which is why I've ended up with a more firm setup because I came to the conclusion I simply need to work on my own input through the bike to get the best experience. A firm setup will not automatically mean it is harsh, that relies on your own inputs.
I now like the suspension to sit higher in its travel, and with less geometry changes in general, because that to me feels safer especially when speed picks up.

It's helped a lot in my confidence just to get a general understanding of how things should work given I have made all the changes myself and noted what felt better and what felt worse. Before this I just didn't know. My bike also feels way better now that I've gained understanding of what it can do and what it cannot do.
Highly recommend going through this process because it's pain not knowing what is wrong with a setup.

[exothermal.sprocket]

Ah all the wizardry of getting suspension setup and adjusted properly. Same goes in the motorcycle world, people just have no idea what the knobs and dials do, or how it's supposed to make their lives better rolling down the highway.

[monkeyflower]

Wait a minute you other suspension video said about compression low speed is small bumps and high speed is big bumps you said the opposite?

[Tazz]

#AskGMBNTech My remote lockout(front forks) is sticking when you disengage it but it only happens when I'm riding my bike, if I lock/unlock using the remote when I'm not on the bike it works perfectly🤔
Odd but can anyone help with this?
Thanks

[LKnight]

As soon as he got HSC/LSC explanation backwards i turned this video off 😂

[graham]

So why doesn't the shock lever just say open and closed instead of party and work? Just a way of adding confision imo. And why do Manitou use the opposite colours for compression and rebound to most other manufactuers? Again, more needless potential for confusion.

[matthewvale]

Giving you a thumbs down for using the term down county 😜