Rider weight and suspension travel

What are peoples’ thoughts on whether rider weight has some bearing on the amount of suspension travel needed for what you ride?
I know in theory if you set the pressure required then there should be no difference, but I have found at times that if I set the pressure for the recommended sag that the suspension becomes to incompliant to work well. This then means I get through the travel quite easily. Which in turn made me wonder whether being over 105Kg I would maybe need more travel for a given riding condition than a 70Kg rider?

Just wondered if anyone else had found this, or had any views?

If you’re using a fox shock, an Air Volume spacer kit will help, allows you to run a lower pressure and prevents blowing through travel.

it’s more about shock technology than travel. A lot of air shocks are less sensitive outside of a, errm, normal range – the additional stiction from the higher air pressures creates a platform effect, as you’ve found.

You coudl probably get the shock reshimmed by one fo the service companies and it would be a lot better.

Or get a coil shock with the correct spring weight.

it’s more about shock technology than travel. A lot of air shocks are less sensitive outside of a, errm, normal range – the additional stiction from the higher air pressures creates a platform effect, as you’ve found.

You coudl probably get the shock reshimmed by one fo the service companies and it would be a lot better.

Are you calling me abnormal? 😉

I have had my shock done exactly as you suggest, which helped tome some extent, the forks still run through the travel unless set very hard though.

My question was more related to my thoughts on a new bike.

Lose weight?

fat lads at trail centres always on longer travel bikes. so maybe…

Nice to see the PC replies! 😉

You guys related to my doctor?!

Point taken, that is the plan, though I’m never going to be a 70Kg whippet. I’ve had 2 years of neck, arm and shoulder issues which have kept my riding to a max of 1 hour and only 1-2 times per week. Hopefully sorterd now fater carpal tunnel surgery, so looking forward to riding more, once I am allowed back on the bike.

Firstly I have found that the PSI recommendations (certainly on RS forks) can be a bit misleading.

Take note of the maximum permissible PSI and just adjust to what feels best for you.

I am as near as makes no difference 100kg and have no problems running shorter travel forks. Two of my bikes run 65mm coil forks with no issues.

One bike even has a 0mm fork 😉

Have you actually found that you are bottoming out your fork with lower PSIs?

Have you actually found that you are bottoming out your fork with lower PSIs?

Not hard, but certainly using most the travel on not flat-ish rides i.e. no rocks or drop-offs. More so on the rear though to be honest. Having said that itis only 100mm travle on the rear, so I suppose is meant to do this to some extent. I was under the impression (as that is what I was told when I bought it) that it was 120mm, but it turns out not to be true, so maybe my expactation of travel useage is out.

As I said before though my question was meant on a more genral basis rather tnan me or my current bike.
From what you are saying though, from your prespective then no you go for the travel that suits your riding type and style with rider weight not really affectingthat?

If you’re a biffer then the chances are you’ll need less travel since you’ll be mincing along much slower than a light weight athletic type.

If you’re a biffer then the chances are you’ll need less travel since you’ll be mincing along much slower than a light weight athletic type.

I’m sure there’s a polite reply to that, but I can’t think of one right now. 😛
Of course we all know that those 95Kg to 100Kg rugby wingers are slow and not athletic at all…

That’s gotta be 300Kg!!

If you are not bottoming out hard or very often I would just add a few more PSI and see how things go.

Its pointless having more travel and then not using it.

Changing the oil viscosity can make a significant change to the suppleness of the fork.

On one of my Reba forks I use a lighter oil than std. This makes the fork feel a lot plusher (to me) but still means I can run a decent PSI whilst getting full travel.

Just a thought.

Oh and to add we cannot all be 50kg racing snakes 😉

tall folk need longer travel due to their height, preferably with 29″ wheels.

This is despite everything being relatively smaller to them than the rest of us.

If you sit in the saddle on the descents (like most fatties do :lol:) you will need a large travel bike. If you descend out of the saddle and choose the right lines you just need as standard travel bike

If you sit in the saddle on the descents (like most fatties do :lol:) you will need a large travel bike. If you descend out of the saddle and choose the right lines you just need as standard travel bike

If I sit on the descents the seat post gets banged back down into the frame! In only sit when I need to pedal.
Anyway, everyone knows it is not the descents that are a problem for us “fatties”, it is the climbs!!
Surely by you argument then nobody needs long travel?

Just to clarify I am trying to decide bertween 100mm or 120mm of rear travel, not talking massive ammounts.

It probably should corelate, longer travel means longer shocks which means fatties can use the same damping and spring rates and skinny fold would use on shorter travel designs.

So you could use the same travel, you just need a better leverage ratio, but that’s not usualy available so the nevt best thing is the same leverage ratio, but a longer shock (thus more travel)?

I’d rather take 100mm of appropriately sprung and well damped travel than 120mm of poorly damped/badly setup travel – at any body weight.

length of travel is not the only (some might even say least important) factor to consider.

Get a bike designed for the type of riding you do, that fits you properly, and you like the colour of, then get the shock setup properly for your weight and riding style, with professional help if needs be.

More travel = less peddling efficiency so the slower you go on the ascents.

Excessive travel is just a skills compensator, if you can ride a bike properly you don’t need lots of travel.

Amount of travel depends on what you are riding. Anything more than 100-120 at a trail centre = “I’ve been reading too many mountain bike mags”

So, generally the consensus is, no rider weight has no real impact on travel requirement, but skill may!
And from the other corner, that I am a fat b—ard and should lose weight!

So, sounds like I’m looking at the right sort of thing then at 100-120mm.

Rider weight has an impact on the setup, the terrain you ride impacts on the travel you need.

Just remember that there is both PSI and rebound to tune.