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Suspension setup question

anoycepersonanoyceperson Posts: 66
edited July 2008 in MTB beginners
Hi Guys,

I have just been for a ride and have noticed something with my suspension. (I have only had the bike a few weeks). Basically I was hooning down a hard and fairly bumpy (small rocks) track and the front suspension didnt seem to really be doing any damping. It was bouncing about all over the shop.

Is this something to do with the setup of my suspension, ie rebound / preload?

I have got a set of "RockShox Tora 302 80mm travel withTurnKey lockout" (on this bike.. http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.p ... 1b0s2p1265)

Is this something that I can adjust out of it?

Posts

  • nicklousenicklouse Posts: 50,675 Lives Here
    add or remove some rebound adjustment, bottom of right leg.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • anoycepersonanoyceperson Posts: 66
    nicklouse wrote:
    add or remove some rebound adjustment, bottom of right leg.

    So is it just a case of adjusting, trying again, adjusting it a bit more etc?
  • nicklousenicklouse Posts: 50,675 Lives Here
    yep that is it.

    but first set your sag with the correct air pressure. If it is the air version.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • anoycepersonanoyceperson Posts: 66
    nicklouse wrote:
    yep that is it.

    but first set your sag with the correct air pressure. If it is the air version.

    Its the spring coil version so that air isnt an issue. I will check the sag tomorrow, I am pretty sure that I checked that before but I will double check. Needs to be set at about 10% of the travel doesnt it?

    Just to check, the further towards the "rabbit" symbol that decreases the rebound damping which means the fork reacts quicker (ie shoots back out again)?

    So I am guessing if its too far this way then this can cause the front of the bike to shoot back up too quick and cause the type of issue I am experiencing. What happens if you go to far the other way?
  • dave_hilldave_hill Posts: 3,877
    anoyceperson wrote:
    Just to check, the further towards the "rabbit" symbol that decreases the rebound damping which means the fork reacts quicker (ie shoots back out again)?

    So I am guessing if its too far this way then this can cause the front of the bike to shoot back up too quick and cause the type of issue I am experiencing. What happens if you go to far the other way?

    More or less! :D

    The less (faster, hare) rebound damping you have the quicker the fork will extend to its original length after being compressed. This is when you feel like the front end is "pinging" off everything. If you have more (slower, tortoise) rebound damping, the fork reacts more slowly and is likely to "pack down", resulting in a harsh ride.

    It's just finding the right balance between the two. You'll probably find that you've got four full turns on the rebound damper adjustment from fully open to fully closed. Set it about mid-way between the two and start from there.

    If in doubt, READ THE MANUAL. If you haven't got one, download it from Sram's technical support website.
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  • anoycepersonanoyceperson Posts: 66
    dave_hill wrote:

    More or less! :D

    The less (faster, hare) rebound damping you have the quicker the fork will extend to its original length after being compressed. This is when you feel like the front end is "pinging" off everything. If you have more (slower, tortoise) rebound damping, the fork reacts more slowly and is likely to "pack down", resulting in a harsh ride.

    It's just finding the right balance between the two. You'll probably find that you've got four full turns on the rebound damper adjustment from fully open to fully closed. Set it about mid-way between the two and start from there.

    If in doubt, READ THE MANUAL. If you haven't got one, download it from Sram's technical support website.

    Well I had read the manaul just wasn't 100 percent clear on what it was saying. don't think it helps its the generic one for the range of forks as well. (had an interesting conversation wit the guy in the bike shop asking him how to adjust the air pressure on the forks for him to tell me it was the spring version! not embrassing at all! :] )
  • nicklousenicklouse Posts: 50,675 Lives Here
    the reason for the generic manual is that they are all the same. IE: they all have the rebound damper in the same place. If they are U-trun it is in the same place.........

    One has to be aware of what your fork is.

    EG in your case the Tora 302 it could be one of 3 versions.

    And bike specs are allowed to change.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • anoycepersonanoyceperson Posts: 66
    nicklouse wrote:
    the reason for the generic manual is that they are all the same. IE: they all have the rebound damper in the same place. If they are U-trun it is in the same place.........

    One has to be aware of what your fork is.

    EG in your case the Tora 302 it could be one of 3 versions.

    And bike specs are allowed to change.

    makes sense to me. just me being a bit of a spanner. ah we'll u live and learn!

    just trying to get to grips with how everything works. gone from an old rigid bike with cantelever brakes to a hardtail with hydraulic disks! think I am getting there though, albeit slowly.
  • beskibeski Posts: 542
    Its the spring coil version so that air isnt an issue. I will check the sag tomorrow, I am pretty sure that I checked that before but I will double check. Needs to be set at about 10% of the travel doesnt it?

    If the sag is not right (or your not happy with the softness/bouncyness of the fork) to adjust this you'll have to change the spring, the website gives you the approx weight of rider for the different spring weights
    Giant Defy 4 2014
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    Specialized Hardrock 1989
  • anoycepersonanoyceperson Posts: 66
    [quote="beski"
    If the sag is not right (or your not happy with the softness/bouncyness of the fork) to adjust this you'll have to change the spring, the website gives you the approx weight of rider for the different spring weights[/quote]

    ah right I see. am I right in thinking that the "preload" adjustment on top of the fork gives me some control over that? its just if I can't adjust it far enough I would need to swap springs? if it came to it is that a costly thing to do and would I be able to swap them over myself or do u have to get a qualified person to do it to not void warranty?

    EDIT: another question, you say the rebound should have about 4 full turns on it, however the knob only seems to go about half a turn before it bits the side. however it does pull out and u can put it back in, do u literally move it round, pull out, spin round , put back in then spin a bit more etc till u go as far as u want? also will it just hit a stop point at either end or is it possible to turn it too far if ur not careful?
  • beskibeski Posts: 542
    Sorry I thought you had the U-Turn version, you change the spring for them.
    Yes with the Tora 80 you turn the adjuster clockwise to increase the spring preload (ie stiffen the spring), decreasing sag. Turning the adjuster anticlockwise decreases spring preload, increasing sag

    You can still change the spring if you want to make the fork even stiffer
    Giant Defy 4 2014
    GT Avalanche Expert 2006
    Specialized Hardrock 1989
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