Setting up rebound damping on fox shox float rp2

Hey,

I'm all good for turning the little dial 😉 Just want to know what's the best way to test out the rebound on the shock? I have had the bike set up so I know the pressure I am running is correct.

Are there a few rules of thumbs when setting this up? i.e. this trail is pretty spicy with a few drop offs so I'll dial in about xyz etc?

Every trail is different so I gather it's just a best guess. I do however tend to ride quite hard over roots and rocks so this is the set up I'm mainly looking for.

Any help on understanding this would be great.

Cheers

Rob

The amount of tunable rebound is limited, it's already set at some point from the factory, and that point differers depending on the frame it shipped on.

Generally I'll first test in quite big increments, say full open / full closed to get a feeling of how it feels. Then I'll put it in an open (very little damping) position and start adding a bit of dampening until it does not kick back any more.

But different people have different tastes, I occasionally ride trails with a lot of roots or rocks, and if I don't have the shock in a fast position it can start packing up.

Adjusting damping is a lot more about the rider (their weight specifically) than the trail.
As a rough guide, if you're heavier, you'll need a bit less (faster) rebound damping because your body weight stops the suspension from rebounding too fast and kicking you in the ass. If you're lighter, the opposite applies: You need more (slower) damping to stop it feeling harsh.

One thing – It's useless copying someone else's damping settings. You need to understand what the adjusment does and do it for yourself! 🙂

So, let's say you start right in the middle of the damping range. If it feels harsh or bouncy, slow the damping down (more damping)
If it feels soggy, wallowy or dead, speed it up a bit (less damping)

Go one click at a time, ride for a while and see how it feels, adjust again…. and repeat until happy…. 🙂

As a rough guide, if you're heavier, you'll need a bit less (faster) rebound damping because your body weight stops the suspension from rebounding too fast and kicking you in the ass. If you're lighter, the opposite applies: You need more (slower) damping to stop it feeling harsh.

but they'll also have a lower pressure/spring rate, no?

but they'll also have a lower pressure/spring rate, no?

Once you start changing air pressures you have to adjust the damping to suit yes, then it all gets complicated. However, in this instance, he's already said "I know the pressure I am running is correct" so that rule of thumb applies in my book. I'm 15st, running a fairly high pressure on my RP2 and have the rebound set virtually all the way off/fast. It does work 🙂

And I never said it was gospel, just "a rough guide"….

And I never said it was gospel, just "a rough guide"….

not having a pop, my tactic is "plonk it in the middle and adjust if it feels wrong!"

I just found that as I got fatter (lost 3 stone in my last term at uni…now regained it and then some!) I increased the PSI in my shock and got to a point where I could no longer get enough rebound damping to stop the back end kicking back after hitting something.

How much air pressure you running ? set at 3rd of the stroke

Heavier rider will need more as the spring is harder, PeterPoddy , what you are saying is a complete load of crap i'm afraid!

Rear shocks
To measure the sag start by measuring the distance between the mounting bolts at the top and bottom of the shock from centre to centre, this will give you the eye to eye length of your shock.
You need to know the stroke length of your shock too.
Again sit on the bike in your normal riding position leaning against your immovable object/person and then measure the eye to eye length again.
Refer to the table below to get your desired sag amount.
If you need to put more than 3 to 4 turns of spring preload you probably need a stiffer spring.
.
Eye to eye x Stroke Eye to eye measurement in mm with percentage measurement of sag
20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%
6.5 x 1.5” 165 x 38mm 157 155 153 151 149 147 145
7.5 x 2.0” 190 x 50mm 180 177.5 175 175.5 170 167.5 165
7.875 x 2.0” 200 x 50mm 190 187.5 185 182.5 180 177.5 175
7.875 x 2.25” 200 x 57mm 188 185 183 180 177 174 171
8.5 x 2.5” 215 x 64 mm 203 200 197 194 191 187 184
8.75 x 2.75” 222 x 71mm 208 204 200 197 193 189 186
9.0 x 2.75” 230 x 71mm 218 214 210 207 203 199 196
9.5 x 3.0” 241 x 76mm 226 222 218 214 210 206 203
10.50 x 3.50” 267 x 90mm 249 244.5 240 235.5 231 226.5 222

Sag/Spring rate problem solver
Symptoms: Not using full travel, feels harsh, poor traction while making turns
Causes: Overly stiff spring or compression damping
Solutions: Lower air pressure or soften coil springs; reduce compression damping

Symptoms: Bottoms out, soft throughout travel
Causes: Spring rate too low throughout travel or too little compression damping
Solutions: More air pressure or stiffer coils springs; increase compression damping

Symptoms: Excessive sag, feels soft initially but does not bottom out
Causes: Initial spring rate or preload too low
Solutions: Increase air pressure or spring preload

Symptoms: Harsh over small bumps but uses full travel
Causes: Initial spring rate or preload too high, or too much compression damping
Solutions: Lower air pressure or install softer springs; reduce compression damping; reduce spring preload

Rear shock rebound set up
Again put your rebound to full slow then back it off about one turn or 3 or 4 clicks. What you’re aiming for is for the wheel to track the ground over repeated hits such as braking bump while not being too fast so it kicks the back end upwards when leaving the ground when jumping.
If in doubt set the rebound slower rather than faster when setting up, as it’ll just pack down rather than firing you over the bars. Again it’s trial and error to find the sweet spot that suits you, just increase or decrease a small amount at a time say one click or an1/8 of a turn.
Rebound problem solver
Symptoms: Takes first bump in a series well but harsh over later bumps, poor traction in washboard corners
Causes: Too much rebound damping
Solutions: Reduce rebound damping

Symptoms: Springs back too quickly after bumps, poor traction in bumpy corners
Causes: Not enough rebound damping
Solutions: Increase rebound damping

Compression setup
An explanation of compression can be found on this link.
To start with, for a front or rear shock, set compression fully off.
If you are finding the bike uses all its travel upon braking, flowing bumps or on the landings from smooth jumps you need to increase the low speed compression, remember a little at a time, just a click and then see how it performs.
For square edged bumps and objects which that would require the wheel to move quickly upwards to negotiate smoothly, then increase the high speed compression
Remember it’s the shape of the obstacle you’re going over that defines what type of compression it is not necessarily the speed you are going !

Compression problem solver
Symptoms: Not using full travel, feels harsh, poor traction while making turns
Causes: Overly stiff spring or compression damping
Solutions: Lower air pressure or softer coil springs; reduce compression damping

Symptoms: Bottoms out, soft throughout travel
Causes: Spring rate too low throughout travel or too little compression damping
Solutions: More air pressure or stiffer coils springs; increase compression damping

Symptoms: Harsh over large bumps, but good over small ones
Causes: Compression damping too high
Solutions: Reduce compression damping

Symptoms: Excessive sag, feels soft initially but does not bottom out
Causes: Initial spring rate or preload too low
Solutions: Increase air pressure or spring preload

Symptoms: Harsh over small bumps but uses full travel
Causes: Initial spring rate or preload too high, or too much compression damping
Solutions: Lower air pressure or install softer springs; reduce compression damping; reduce spring preload

NOTE:

This was cut and pasted out of my website text (due to go live in the next week) so some of the tenses my be slighly incorrect, hope this helps.

96kg here without kit and about 195 psi. I set rebound on the slow side otherwise it seems to affect me picking the front up. As I have got better I have flicked it one faster though