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Suspension


jonny beta
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What is the best suspension setup on a pro for someone who is 12stone?

12 stone (that's 168 lbs for we here in the U.S.) is right in the "normal" range for the spring and damping settings on the Pro suspension.

There are a lot of variables when it comes to suspension set-up, so "the best setup" will work for one rider perfectly, but be a problem for another. Riding style, engine displacement, level of talent, type of obstacles encountered, ambient weather conditions (mud can take a different setting than dry rock and temperatures can have an effect on damping rates, for instance) etc.

I think the best thing for you to do is to pick several different sections and try different settings (one at a time to isolate the variables in testing) and see what works for you. I'd start with the end ranges of damping (full hard, full soft) to get an adea of what they feel like. Then pick an approximate spot in between those "end ranges" that you feel you may like and fine tune the setting from there.

Be very careful when changing the damping setting adjusters, use a very light touch and never bottom out a set screw with any force, they are delicate, on any type or brand of suspension.

If your Pro has any time on it, I would first service the forks and shock linkage. Poorly maintained suspension will not work well under any range of settings.

It takes time to learn what's right for you, just remember, professional racers probably spend at least 20+ hours testing suspension settings on their practice track for each hour they spend racing in front of an audience.

Jon

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What does the screw at the bottom of the rear shock do. it was the whole way in and i turned it the whole way out but didnt see a big difference in the feeling of it. Also by turning the rings at the top of the shock what difference will that make?

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What does the screw at the bottom of the rear shock do. it was the whole way in and i turned it the whole way out but didnt see a big difference in the feeling of it. Also by turning the rings at the top of the shock what difference will that make?

The rings at the top of the shock, I assume, are the spring preload adjusters.

The damping adjusting screw generally affects the rebound, but has a proportional affect on compression to a degree. You will usually not to be able to tell a big difference by bouncing on the bike or riding a simple section. Compression and rebound damping, in most shocks, is set by the "shim stacks" on the piston (a series of various thickness washers arranged in a particular way according to their diameter) and are not adjustable. The adjustment screw usually fine-tunes the "high-speed" portion of shock travel (often a pressure release type of valve is involved). That refers to the speed of the piston shaft, not the bike, and you will notice a difference when the shock takes the "big hit", which is why bouncing on the bike on the driveway will not give you an idea of what's really happening.

Jon

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