It Makes A Bigger Difference Than You'd think | How To Setup A Mountain Bike Shock

So you have your fork dialed in, now it's time to setup your rear shock. Christina Chappetta runs us through a simple guide to setting up your rear suspension and achieving perfect sag, rebound and compression to get your mountain bike running like it should.

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[griffithd]

With all the stuff being thrown and tossed in and out of frame, we're going to NEED the bloopers please.

[PeloMR]

The hardest part of setting up suspension for me is actually understanding what I am feeling on the bike. When I am changing PSI or knob twiddling, most of the time I don't know how to tell what the difference is.

[ls]

I have a Santa Cruz and I’m like Henry so it’s a little tough to setup my rear shock but I’m gonna use this information to set it up correctly. Thanks Christina.

[GraemeVeivers]

Good info I learnt something and I will have a go thank you

[MTMXBL]

can you make a detailed vid on how you can modify your shim stacks to tune your suspension? especially on bikes without HSR and HSC dials? Thanks

[micheandmikey]

Nice one Chappetta! Sure would like to get my hands on some only 💸💸right?!

[Eric.V.]

I absolutely love my Rallon! Great video😎👍

[lyntonblair]

is a well set up mountain bike (dual suspension) more comfortable for use on normal rides (on roads and gravel tracks)?

[terr]

I switched to coil and it annoyed me getting the right sag so I bought a springdex. Never looking back

[mikecarlogarcia]

Good evening . im following your journey and because of you i also purchase Ohlins rxf36 160 mm travel and ttx2 150 mm travel.. we have a common riding style but dont know how to setup my psi and rebound.. im 64 kilograms.. I Hope that you can help me with the Setup.. Even how many clicks and psi for my weight is a big Help.. 🙏.. i hope you can read my messages...

[mitchsargent]

She's a great host. Nice content too PB!

[johnhouston]

6:15 Kashima T-Handle?! Where? Great little series, always appreciated.

[TheLeesto]

Anyone know what the zip off pants she's wearing at 1:41 are? haven't seen zip off mtb pants and they look sick

[jokermtb]

The hardest part is getting off of the bike without jostling it further into the suspension travel…..(gotta say having the sag % marks on the shaft, ala Rockshox, is not having to use a delicate caliper measuring device)

[MightyFireL]

So you set up shock sag standing on the pedals? Other how to articles or videos says to set it seated.

[EarthSurferUSA]

Here is the difference for setting shock sag between a Mt. bike and a Motocross/dirt bike. It is best, like with the forks, to measure the sag at the axle travel, (which you do directly at the fork tubes for the telescopic forks). With a dirt bike, you measure from the axle to a point on the rear fender, but you don't have a rear fender on a Mt. Bike. You could make a tool that has a horizontal rod (mimicking a rear fender), from your seat post, making a point on the rod vertical from the rear axle that you can measure to. The reason why that would be more accurate. (how much more accurate depends on your shock linkage design), is because the movement of your axle is not a linear ratio to the movement of the shock shaft, (because of the linkage). For example, 30% of the shock shaft will not be 30% of the axle travel, so you will have some error there. I would be willing to bet the linkage is the "rising rate" kind. Which means as the axle goes through it travel, the shock shaft in relation to the axle moves further, (per equal incremental axle movement), the more it is compressed. I would have to do the math for different linkages, but it would not surprise me that a shaft sag set at 30% of the shaft stroke, would be as much as 35-40% at the axle for its travel, depending on the linkage rising rate design. The rising rate, (or falling rate is possible with some designs), will be different for each different linkage. But if you made the rod tool, you can set the rear sag as repeatable at the rear axle, (where the bike geometry is directly affected), as you do for the forks for every bike. There is an "arc" for the rear axle too, so some manufactures do pick a different point on the fender to measure from, (most are measured up in a vertical line from the axle.), but nobody has made a way to fix that bit of error. To measure the rear sag on a motorcycle, it usually takes 2 people: One sitting on the bike in full gear, and one measuring the differences from full extension to the sag. There is a comp-0any called Motool called 'The Slacker", that allows one person to set the sag with a digital read out velcro-ed to your handlebar.
Now, should you sit on your seat, or stand in your attack position to set the rear sag. I say use your attack position, but some sit. On the digital read out, I do see a couple mm difference. Doug in Michigan

[davidgeiger]

I am "shocked"😮
I searched it on my Laufey and couldn't find it😱😅😅😅

[andreasm]

Love you videos. So one of my issues when setting up my rear shock is the the fact when I unscrew the pump it looses air. I find myself pumping the rear shock up with 20-30psi more just to compensate for the air I loose when I unscrew it. Do you have a good way of doing this and not loosing air? Are some shock pumps better than others? Maybe you can do a video about this issue. Thanks again

[a.k]

Nice, ima go do this right now...oh wait there still 1 meter of snow outside :(

[stevenparisi]

whoa dude, why you coming at Henry like that