What is wrong with my suspension settings?

If it's packing down so there's less travel to blow through then speed up the rebound damping. If spring rate is correct as measured and rebound is sufficiently fast to avoid packing down then try volume spacers.

If you have high speed compression damping try that too as volume spacers only add progression to the end of the travel.  I would also er on the side of more air pressure too so there is more support throughout the stroke.

Volume spacers should help, worth remembering that there isn't a "correct" psi or sag figure. A 25-30% sag figure is a starting position and should be adjusted to suit your riding style and preferences.

Pro riders will run much higher psi and lower amounts of sag for their given weight than an amateur rider, there isn't a one size fits all approach.

I have the correct psi for my weight

The figures they give you are only a starting point. It varies by what you ride and your preference. I change the sag to tune the geometry or weight distribution how I want it for a particular bike .

What frame is it? On my Norco Sight I couldn't run anywhere near the recommended pressures and when I set 25-30% sag I'd use all the travel everywhere, it was horrible.

Firstly, if you have rebound too slow the shock might not be able to fully recover to fully extended before you hit the next bump. So you’ll gradually pack down further and further into your travel - so you’ll see this as blowing through your travel potentially.

So firstly have a play with the rebound and see if that makes a difference.

I think most super deluxe shocks have low speed rebound and compression adjustment so you can’t use hsc (without a custom tune) to slow the shock down on fast shaft speed hits to the suspension. But you can use your air spring - either by running higher pressure or adding positive tokens to the air spring.

Sag isn’t an exact measure to get suspension setup correctly - it’s just a ballpark initial setting to work from for most people.

So I’m your case try less rebound first and see how that goes. If it still blows through the travel then try upping pressure until you’re at say 25% sag. If you’re still going through it then I’d pop in a token.

Is it the original shock for the bike ?

I ask as a couple of years back (mid covid and limited supplies) I swapped my original for a newer shock that happened to have more volume (rush purchase after blowing the original shock) ... and it was a total disaster.  It either walled through the travel, or if pumped up enough to not bottom out and be wallowing and bouncing in the middle, was then harsh and horrible. Even dicking about wirh volume spacers didn't solve it.

Once the original shock was rebuilt, all back to normal.   Lesson learnt !

worth remembering that there isn’t a “correct” psi or sag figure.

As above, the recommended settings are just a starting point. You need to experiment to find the settings that suit you and the trails that you ride. If you're blowing through the travel, adding tokens is an obvious thing to try.

I think it's original yeah.

Thanks for the ideas. I runa slow rebound as I don't like the effect of a faster one when jumping. I will increase pressure and give it a little less rebound damping and see how it goes. Thanks.

I runa slow rebound as I don’t like the effect of a faster one when jumping.

IME it would have to be really fast for that to be an issue, surely? Or you're doing gigantic jumps? Your legs are still doing most of the work. The only reason for slow rebound would be if you're doing Red Bull Rampage or if you are seated pedalling over big bumps.

I will increase pressure and give it a little less rebound damping and see how it goes.

only change on  ed thing at a time

i agree with the others who suggest that you speed up your rebound

as an aside, i thought multi pivot bikes relied on a certain amount of sag to work as intended, certainly VPP. don’t they use chain tension/growth to get the smooth pedalling characteristics?

I have the correct psi for my weight, good sag

This doesn't help as there is no such thing.  I would put some more air in it 5-10psi and reduce your LSR some.  Use the kerb test to set it initially and then fine tune on the trails.

See if you can borrow a ShockWiz. You’ll be surprised at the suggestions it makes (especially around faster rebound) but it makes a big difference.

I've found this with my Super Deluxe as well, bottomed out on some pretty tame stuff despite 25% ish sag. For now I'm just trying 20% sag and seeing how I get on before I start faffing with volume spacers.

IME it would have to be really fast for that to be an issue, surely?

Not at all. I have always been rigid or HT until recently for MTB so little rear suspension knowledge but my BMX mates suggested slow rebound as they said as I ride BMX I might being too "active" on the bike

Has anyone said 'blown damper' yet?

Also, packing down is usually felt as a lack of compliance/roughness through the suspension rather than wallowy/blow through.

Does it not have low speed compression?

Interesting __tom__ thanks.

Some more good points thanks.

I am a set up and just ride guy when it come to bikes so tend avoid fettling as I get obsessed and it removes enjoyment

I am a set up and just ride guy when it come to bikes so tend avoid fettling as I get obsessed and it removes enjoyment

Me too, can't be bothered obsessing with settings! Fwiw I have more experience with basic coil shocks and I've found these much easier to set up than the 2 air shocks I've had. Just get the right weight spring (or the next one up if you like it firmer), wind on a bit of preload and set rebound to where it feels right. I never had one with HSC/LSC so that might complicate things further. Not saying you need to rush out and buy a coil shock but definitely wishing my bike came with one!

my BMX mates suggested slow rebound as they said as I ride BMX I might being too “active” on the bike

I wouldn't have said that. If you're active and mobile on the bike you'll be able to respond on jumps. But if you set it too slow you won't get any benefit on rocky descents.

Well I have found being more passive on the jump helping. I think they were referring to pushing through or pulling up (jump depending obviously).

Faster (normal) rebound is fine for jumping, you just need to learn to preload the suspension before you hit the ramp and let it extend to chuck you back up into the air a bit more. It'll feel natural in no time. I rode a hardtail for the first time in years this summer and I had to remember how to do it the hardtail way 🙂

Yeah I am getting more comfortable with it, just such a change from jumping little bike. I always used to keep MTB for long pedals but now seem to be bike parking it.