Suspension Preload Setting 2

[Phil]

How do other engineering disciplines set their suspension preload up.<br>
<br>
There are a number of bikers who suggest that it should be set at about 10% sag. But would it not be better to have it set at 50% sag so it could fill holes just as well as it absorbs bumps?<br>
<br>
Cheers<br>
<br>
Phil

 

[Nigel]

Mountain bikes are prone to shock and vibration due to varying speed and terrain. With conventional manually-adjusted shocks, mountain bike suspensions are a compromise: set hard, the shock performs poorly in trail chatter; set soft, the shock wastes energy and bottoms-out on high speed impacts. So, it realy depends on the kind of riding you want to do.&nbsp;&nbsp;Once you set it, you're stuck - unless you get off the bike to change it. ACX has solution to this dilemma it is the Smart Shock. It uses technology previously found only in advanced military applications and provides advantages found in Formula One race cars. The Smart Shock automatically and continuously adjusts the bike's suspension to optimize performance across all speeds and terrains.<br><br>You can find out about this at <A HREF="

http://www.acx.com/cool_smartshock.html"

TARGET="_new">

http://www.acx.com/cool_smartshock.html</A><br><br>Hope

this helps! <p>Nigel Waterhouse<br><a href=mailto:n_a_waterhouse@hotmail.com>n_a_waterhouse@hotmail.com</a><br><a href= > </a><br>A licensed aircraft mechanic and graduate engineer. Attended university in England and graduated in 1996. Currenty,living in British Columbia,Canada, working as a design engineer responsible for aircraft mods and STC's.

 

[BreezerNate]

I enjoyed reading about the smart shock technology.&nbsp;&nbsp;I wonder how long each automatic adjustment takes to complete?&nbsp;&nbsp;Is it seconds or milliseconds?

 

[GazT]

Most Preload Setup is around 10% as most of the work the shock should do is absorbing impact and shock (Positive) any more than this and you will bottom out of smaller hits.

However the setup should be such that it does bottom out on the largest compression it is likley to encounter. this way you will get the best use from the travel available.

Also 5th Element make a progressive shock which is designed not only to get harder with greater downforce but will also limit bobbing caused by the action of peadling.

Gaz