How to adjust your mountain bike’s suspension?
To proceed with the adjustment, you will need a high-pressure pump as well as your entire biking outfit.
1- Set yourself up as if you were going out for a bike ride. (with your entire outfit: apparel and gear – not like you see in pictures), this way your weight will more representative.
2- Adjust the little plastic ring: On top for the rear suspension and at the bottom for the front one.
3- Slowly get on your bike and sit down, allowing the suspension to lower...
4- On the rear suspension, the plastic ring should have been lowered by about 20-30%*. If that’s not the case, you need to add or remove air from the suspension.
5- Make sure to note down the specific pressure setting of your suspension, it will allow for an easier adjustment next time.
*Depending on your preferences, the pressure level can be modified. For cross-country, a 15-20% drop while at a stop can be acceptable while Enduro or DH riders will usually aim for 20-30%.
Tip
This kind of adjustment must be done on a monthly basis. The exterior temperature can also have an impact on the suspension’s pressure. During summer, air will expand so you can lower the pressure by about 5%. During winter, the opposite happens and air will compress. Which is why a 5% increase is suggested.
