How do you know if you bottom out your suspension?

xterra
xterra Posts: 117
edited November 2010 in MTB beginners
How do you know if you bottom out your suspension? and is it damaging to your bike etc...

Comments

  • Chunkers1980
    Chunkers1980 Posts: 8,035
    Repeated bottoming out is not good - may make a noise on coil forks.

    Forks these days mostly work in 2 ways - coil sprung or air sprung.

    Air:

    If you bottom out a lot then you don't have enough air pressure, check sag settiings. If you are at the max pressure of the fork and are still bottoming out - lose weight (body) or very good question.

    As it's more difficult with air fork - use the band on the stanction (or cable tie) to regualy check how much travel you are using...

    Coil:

    Bottoming these tends to make a mopre pronounced noise that you can recognise easily - your choices would be sort the damping out or chane the spring to a stiffer one.
  • xterra
    xterra Posts: 117
    thnx Chunkers
  • toasty
    toasty Posts: 2,598
    Given the weather, you can probably see where the mud tide line is on both ends.
    Stumpy FSR 29er
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    If you're not using all the available travel on big hits though, there's no point having that travel available.
  • xterra
    xterra Posts: 117
    yeehaamcgee wrote:
    If you're not using all the available travel on big hits though, there's no point having that travel available.

    agreed, its more the other way i am thinking.. i.e. is my 100mm enough or do i need more or a different bike.. I am sure it is enough (as i aint no downhill speed demon) and that what i am feeling is just the actual ride and motions of bumps and lumps..
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    You will ALWAYS feel the bumps, even if you have a 10-inch travel super-fork.
    Suspension just reduces the impact, it does not eliminate it.
  • FSR_XC
    FSR_XC Posts: 2,258
    xterra wrote:
    How do you know if you bottom out your suspension? and is it damaging to your bike etc...

    The way I noticed was the fork stopped 'diving' allowing me to leave the seat and launch myself over the bars into a hedge.

    Once I go myself out of the hedge, the mud line confirmed it.

    That'll teach me to try peddling a fast bumpy slope as quick as I can using 7yr old 80mm travel Axle's in desperate need of a service.


    In answer to 'is 100mm enough?'
    In most cases for most people it is. That is, as long as the fork is set up correctly for your weight etc and you are not taking 3 foot + drops and riding rock gardens at speed regularly.
    Stumpjumper FSR 09/10 Pro Carbon, Genesis Vapour CX20 ('17)Carbon, Rose Xeon CW3000 '14, Raleigh R50

    http://www.visiontrack.com
  • thebikeschool
    thebikeschool Posts: 39
    Make sure your rebound setting isn't too slow.
    If the forks don't have time to extend between 'hits' they will start to 'pack down' and eventually you will run out of travel.
    (your forks should have some damping or rebound control)

    100mm is plenty of travel. Is your 'sag' set right? When you are rolling in a neutral position on the bike you should 'sag' around 30% of the travel. Too much sag and you will bottom out too often. You can measure sag by putting a zip tie round one fork leg.

    If the sag is right can you slow down the compression speed? This may help.

    If your forks are too soft add more air (and more rebound as you have just changed the spring rate) or if they are coil forks, get a stiffer spring.

    Harry
  • xterra
    xterra Posts: 117
    my fork is a Fox F100 RL, 100mm travel

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