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Anyone do it?
My default setup I'd probably call a trail centre setup - quite poppy/responsive, hip pack and a bottle of water, optimised really for shortish stints of pressing-on type riding on predictable and well-known trails. That's where I set it up, and where anything non-optimal is more likely to be noticable or a problem. It works ok for days out in the hills too (steeper, rougher, but not pressing-on so much); the extra weight of a backpack sags it down a bit more, I just add a bit more tyre pressure.
I'm wondering what's worth doing to get more out of it for rides (or a period of a few rides) in the hills and mountain passes. I think the shock is ok (due to the weight thing I mentioned), but I've heard of people running rebound fully open for easier hops - obviously this has some risk if you forget and hit a natural jump. With the fork I usually have a fair bit of unused travel (last quarter) on such terrain but also read that a higher frontend is good for steeper descents. So it's a bit of a dilemma on whether to add or remove air, or add some spacers under the handlebar (which isn't going to help with climbing on a short chainstay bike).
Also read some will open their dampings in winter to compensate for the less viscous oil.
It's good enough as it is really now, to the extent that I'm not inclined to fiddle with it when I'm out, but still leaves me thinking in my idle time on if it's the best it could be.
apart from choosing different wheels and tyres, and if I'm carrying water on the bike and going packless
that's as far as i go
the only suspension tweak i might decide is to chuck the for in pedal rather than open.. i don't want to be messing with stuff, and opening up the possibility of forgetting to do something, id rather have more shock damping and not being chucked OTB than not enough etc etc so once its set it stays
Yeah - I fit different wheels on a couple of my bikes and will run either rigid or front suspension depending on the prevailing terrain.
Different wheels and either locked out or open front suspension (HT so nothing to adjust for the rear). I used to flip the clutch on the mech but I don't bother now as the type of riding I do is not likely to cause the chain to jump. I've got about 4 saddles on the go at the moment trying to find the "Goldilocks" one so change that sometimes. I'm no where near good enough a rider to notice subtle tweaks to stuff.
Bigger tyres and a coil shock for uplift riding
Easier pedaling tyres for bike packing.
Other that I would a different bike.
Mostly I stick with one suspension set up. The coil shock is fine for all-day rides, just a bit heavy and Bobby if I'm out for a full 8h ride. Changing it probably makes no difference other than in my mind!
Life's too short. Sure it’d make a small difference but i buy, set up and ride. Cant be doing with faff. Plus I find i usually adjust to how the bikes set up anyway.
I went through a phase of always adjusting and trying different setting and bike fit but was forever getting used to the change which negated any benefit.
Now i just ride and enjoy the ride without worrying about it. Sure, big changes like tyres make a massive difference but i know what i like and what works so fit em and forget. Same for stem length and bars.
But i never buy an off the shelf bike. I buy frame, build the spec i want then Set sag. Set rebound based on approximations provided previous fork service. Go ride.
Hardtail for winter and anything not trail centre. Full bouncer for shorter not trail centre rides or trail centres.
Yeah – I fit different wheels on a couple of my bikes and will run either rigid or front suspension depending on the prevailing terrain.
I think I believe you, and it isn't actually sarcasm. You do change the fork on your bike(s) for different rides.
trying to find the “Goldilocks” one
I've a bit of an obsession with this. Components and adjustments all perfectly fine, keep thinking if something different, or a different pressure/length/spacers etc. would be better.
I went through a phase of always adjusting and trying different setting and bike fit but was forever getting used to the change which negated any benefit.
Now i just ride and enjoy the ride without worrying about it.
I'm at step 1 of this and hope to eventually get to where you are 🙂
Like the OP, my preference is to have the bike a bit more poppy on trail centres. On natural trails I prefer my suspension to track the ground more, it's more comfy this way.
@bikesandboots - not sarcasm.
I have two forks for my fatbike - Blutos and some rigid Treks. When it's properly snowy I might take the Blutos off and take advantage of the weight reduction knowing I won't need any more bounce than the tyres provide.
I also have two forks for my main "bikepacking" bike - Rebas and rigid. I also have two sets of wheels for it - 29er and B+. It normally lives in Reba/B+ mode but I might changes forks and/or wheels depending on how much road riding there is going to be. It only takes 5 minutes.
Just in case it wasn't an error - Compression fully open, not rebound, you'll be bucked off the first jump if you have rebound at full tilt!
Things i do for different rides:
2 sets of wheels - summer tyres and lightish wheels, the other are a bit sturdier with enduro tyres.
Shocks i set up for what i'm doing, all i tend to change is compression, and just sticking to the basics on that for both low and high speeds.
Tyres are a big thing for different rides, it's why i have 2 sets of wheels and about 10 spare tyres, shortys for mud, assegai/DHR/DHF/Mazza for enduro stuff and so on. Tyre pressure are the other thing, you tend to know what suits you over time and rides.
Just in case it wasn’t an error – Compression fully open, not rebound, you’ll be bucked off the first jump if you have rebound at full tilt!
I guess you're referring to this?
running rebound fully open for easier hops – obviously this has some risk if you forget and hit a natural jump
It wasn't an error. If you're doing wheels on the ground terrain with no jumps, have the rebound damping fully/more open so it's easier to hop obstacles.