Forum home› Mountain biking forum› MTB beginners

Front suspension travel...

notxalckramnotxalckram Posts: 104
edited October 2013 in MTB beginners
I've got a Cube LTD Pro 26 2013 model and the forks are 100mm Manitou Marvel TS Air, when i got the bike the shop owner who I was dealing with had set them up for my weight (12 1/2st). What i've noticed though is that since i've had the bike (3 months) my suspension hasn't reached 100mm, the maximum they have reached is 60/70mm.

Is this normal?
«1

Posts

  • nicklousenicklouse Posts: 81,520 Lives Here
    how much sag have you got? sounds like too much air.

    read the manual and do as it says.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • notxalckramnotxalckram Posts: 104
    Well the shop owner said he set the sag up for my weight. I don't have the pump etc to set up the forks myself, thinking of taking to my local bike shop to see if they can set it properly for me.
  • BarrelmakerBarrelmaker Posts: 188
    When you say the shop owner set it for your weight, were you actually on the bike? Quite a few people find the suggested pressures on lots of forks don't work for them. I run both my forks with lower than suggested pressure. It may be worth buying a shock pump, you may not use it much but it saves faffing around taking it to a shop to get the pressures adjusted.
    456 Evo
  • notxalckramnotxalckram Posts: 104
    No he set it without me being present. He just 'assumed' my weight and was surprisingly correct. I think I will, for now i'll have to rely on the bike shop.
  • cooldadcooldad Posts: 32,601
    Buy a shock pump and do what Nick/the manual says. The guide is just that, a guide.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • notxalckramnotxalckram Posts: 104
    Yeah, will look at getting a pump, thanks for the advice.
  • JayKay3000JayKay3000 Posts: 163
    You might also notice the shock never hits the bump stops every ride. My 120mm fox forks for instance have gotten close (90%), but I'm told from m8s who have 160's and sometimes take their bikes on dh tracks that the last bit of travel is often only used under extreme situations such as a big jump where you're going to be putting a big load on the fork.

    The bike shop will sit you on the bike and set you up if they're good.

    http://forums.mtbr.com/shocks-suspension/should-your-forks-shock-ever-bottom-out-745399.html

    This link says the same stuff too.
  • notxalckramnotxalckram Posts: 104
    Thanks for that, I see what you mean. I'll see how it goes at my local bike shop next weekend.
  • WoodmonkeyWoodmonkey Posts: 412
    Get a shock pump and play around with different pressures, I was recommended at a bike shop to run mine at about 150 psi, after months of playing with different pressures I run them at 90 psi! Big difference but that's where they feel right
    pity those who don't drink, the way they feel when they wake is the best they will feel all day


    voodoo hoodoo
  • slickmouseslickmouse Posts: 155
    notxalckram wrote:
    I've got a Cube LTD Pro 26 2013 model and the forks are 100mm Manitou Marvel TS Air, when i got the bike the shop owner who I was dealing with had set them up for my weight (12 1/2st). What i've noticed though is that since i've had the bike (3 months) my suspension hasn't reached 100mm, the maximum they have reached is 60/70mm.

    Is this normal?

    it rather depends what your doing with the bike, it should only get into the last 20mm of travel if you giving it some quite big hits, if you doing gentle trails its unlikely you use more than 60 % of the travel. but as above, there does seem a tendency for people to have them set far to hard, which really spoils most of the advantage of having an air shock,

    put a cable tie round the fork leg hard against the fork body, sit on it, and then get off, the tie should have moved about a third of the potential travel, if not its probably set too high
  • cooldadcooldad Posts: 32,601
    Not quite - stand in your normal 'attack' position and then measure the sag. It helps to have someone to hold the bike, or use a wall. Correct sag maybe somewhere between 20% and 30% of travel, start around 25% and experiment.
    A third is a bit much.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • notxalckramnotxalckram Posts: 104
    Well today was the bikes biggest test off road and I would probably say it should of reached more than it did.

    Yeah i'll see if I can test the sag before next weekend.
  • slickmouseslickmouse Posts: 155
    cooldad wrote:
    Not quite - stand in your normal 'attack' position and then measure the sag. It helps to have someone to hold the bike, or use a wall. Correct sag maybe somewhere between 20% and 30% of travel, start around 25% and experiment.
    A third is a bit much.

    and 20% far too little for most normal use, fine if your jumping of 5ft rocks, that what people keep doing, forgetting they are dealing with air forks which are not Linea in operation. ie the more you compress the fork during operation the more air pressure there is resisting further compression, eventually it just becomes ''rigid whist there is still a fair amount of travel left
  • Chunkers1980Chunkers1980 Posts: 8,035
    Yet again you argue against generally regarded fact. Experiment.
  • slickmouseslickmouse Posts: 155
    Chunkers1980 wrote:
    Yet again you argue against generally regarded fact. Experiment.

    No mate generally regarded OPINIONS, there not FACTs coz they are not it seems provable
  • Chunkers1980Chunkers1980 Posts: 8,035
    Either way. You agree with me .
  • slickmouseslickmouse Posts: 155
    Chunkers1980 wrote:
    Either way. You agree with me .

    you made a fundamentally flawed statement, which I corrected, how you can possible have come to the conclusion Im agreeing with you is completely beyond me

    You seem to be one of a few folk on here that just repeat what they have been told, contradict me, but dont have the wit to explain why they think im wrong, beyond its not what someone told them. thats how urban myths perpetuate
  • cooldadcooldad Posts: 32,601
    slickmouse wrote:
    Chunkers1980 wrote:
    Either way. You agree with me .

    you made a fundamentally flawed statement, which I corrected, how you can possible have come to the conclusion Im agreeing with you is completely beyond me

    You seem to be one of a few folk on here that just repeat what they have been told, contradict me, but dont have the wit to explain why they think im wrong, beyond its not what someone told them. thats how urban myths perpetuate
    I believe you, I'm sure you can count to potato as well.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • ThewaylanderThewaylander Posts: 8,767
    Gonna say on my bike back is advised to sit between 35-40% and the front needs to sit at about 30% or so to match the bike :)

    experiment, till you feel its about right.

    I take mine to FOD ride a few of the rougher down hill tracks then set it to just bottom on one of those if i ride like a D~{k seems about right.
  • Kowalski675Kowalski675 Posts: 4,412
    slickmouse wrote:
    Chunkers1980 wrote:
    Either way. You agree with me .

    you made a fundamentally flawed statement, which I corrected, how you can possible have come to the conclusion Im agreeing with you is completely beyond me

    You seem to be one of a few folk on here that just repeat what they have been told, contradict me, but dont have the wit to explain why they think im wrong, beyond its not what someone told them. thats how urban myths perpetuate

    Did I mention that I removed my headset using just my fingers yesterday? No blowtorch... :wink:
  • slickmouseslickmouse Posts: 155
    Kowalski675 wrote:
    slickmouse wrote:
    Chunkers1980 wrote:
    Either way. You agree with me .

    you made a fundamentally flawed statement, which I corrected, how you can possible have come to the conclusion Im agreeing with you is completely beyond me

    You seem to be one of a few folk on here that just repeat what they have been told, contradict me, but dont have the wit to explain why they think im wrong, beyond its not what someone told them. thats how urban myths perpetuate

    Did I mention that I removed my headset using just my fingers yesterday? No blowtorch... :wink:

    well theres something very wrong with your frame then, do you suppose someone has knocked it in cold and damaged it ?,
  • cooldadcooldad Posts: 32,601
    I've just invented a new headset fitting tool. Think it'll sell?
    How-Flamethrowers-Work-2.jpg
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • slickmouseslickmouse Posts: 155
    cooldad wrote:
    I've just invented a new headset fitting tool. Think it'll sell?
    How-Flamethrowers-Work-2.jpg

    I see you've got your head protection one there, well done you might hit a ''BIG ONE""
  • TheNorthernTrainTheNorthernTrain Posts: 1,049
    slickmouse wrote:
    cooldad wrote:
    I've just invented a new headset fitting tool. Think it'll sell?
    How-Flamethrowers-Work-2.jpg

    I see you've got your head protection one there, well done you might hit a ''BIG ONE""

    Well, you wouldn't go in with head protection two would you?

    Still, I suppose the lucky thing is that he does have a helmet, albeit slightly discoloured, must have been playing with his toy in some dirty alleys.
    MmmBop

    Go big or go home.
  • slickmouseslickmouse Posts: 155
    TheNorthernTrain wrote:
    slickmouse wrote:
    cooldad wrote:
    I've just invented a new headset fitting tool. Think it'll sell?
    How-Flamethrowers-Work-2.jpg

    I see you've got your head protection one there, well done you might hit a ''BIG ONE""

    Well, you wouldn't go in with head protection two would you?

    Still, I suppose the lucky thing is that he does have a helmet, albeit slightly discoloured, must have been playing with his toy in some dirty alleys.

    Someone PMed me and said he had a dirty helmet, wonder if this is what they meant ?
  • Kowalski675Kowalski675 Posts: 4,412
    cooldad wrote:
    I've just invented a new headset fitting tool. Think it'll sell?
    How-Flamethrowers-Work-2.jpg

    Possibly only to Slickmouse. :lol:
  • Kowalski675Kowalski675 Posts: 4,412
    slickmouse wrote:
    Kowalski675 wrote:
    slickmouse wrote:
    Chunkers1980 wrote:
    Either way. You agree with me .

    you made a fundamentally flawed statement, which I corrected, how you can possible have come to the conclusion Im agreeing with you is completely beyond me

    You seem to be one of a few folk on here that just repeat what they have been told, contradict me, but dont have the wit to explain why they think im wrong, beyond its not what someone told them. thats how urban myths perpetuate

    Did I mention that I removed my headset using just my fingers yesterday? No blowtorch... :wink:

    well theres something very wrong with your frame then, do you suppose someone has knocked it in cold and damaged it ?,

    :lol: I guess you'd have to go to the Merida factory and ask them... :lol:
  • BigAlBigAl Posts: 3,122
    cooldad wrote:
    I've just invented a new headset fitting tool. Think it'll sell?
    How-Flamethrowers-Work-2.jpg

    Thanks for that, I needed cheering up. Will it work on a carbon frame or should I just leave it out in the rain?
    Anthem (now without bar ends)
    Duster
    My Bianchi
  • slickmouseslickmouse Posts: 155
    Kowalski675 wrote:
    slickmouse wrote:
    Kowalski675 wrote:
    slickmouse wrote:
    Chunkers1980 wrote:
    Either way. You agree with me .

    you made a fundamentally flawed statement, which I corrected, how you can possible have come to the conclusion Im agreeing with you is completely beyond me

    You seem to be one of a few folk on here that just repeat what they have been told, contradict me, but dont have the wit to explain why they think im wrong, beyond its not what someone told them. thats how urban myths perpetuate

    Did I mention that I removed my headset using just my fingers yesterday? No blowtorch... :wink:

    well theres something very wrong with your frame then, do you suppose someone has knocked it in cold and damaged it ?,

    :lol: I guess you'd have to go to the Merida factory and ask them... :lol:

    well actually i suggest you do, you seem quite chipper for someone with a defective frame, wait till the thing starts flopping about, you might change your tune a bit

    is that why you were changing it coz of excessive play, dont think the new one will last so long
  • rglinianyrgliniany Posts: 753
    slickmouse wrote:
    Kowalski675 wrote:
    slickmouse wrote:
    Kowalski675 wrote:
    slickmouse wrote:
    Chunkers1980 wrote:
    Either way. You agree with me .

    you made a fundamentally flawed statement, which I corrected, how you can possible have come to the conclusion Im agreeing with you is completely beyond me

    You seem to be one of a few folk on here that just repeat what they have been told, contradict me, but dont have the wit to explain why they think im wrong, beyond its not what someone told them. thats how urban myths perpetuate

    Did I mention that I removed my headset using just my fingers yesterday? No blowtorch... :wink:

    well theres something very wrong with your frame then, do you suppose someone has knocked it in cold and damaged it ?,

    :lol: I guess you'd have to go to the Merida factory and ask them... :lol:

    well actually i suggest you do, you seem quite chipper for someone with a defective frame, wait till the thing starts flopping about, you might change your tune a bit

    is that why you were changing it coz of excessive play, dont think the new one will last so long

    Slickmouse.... are you fredblob/andrewgrundill?
    It's a boy , It's a boy , I Shouted Running Into The Street With Tears Running Down My Face.....

    That's The Last Time I Holiday In Thailand

    URL Pinkbike
Sign In or Register to comment.