Quote:
Originally Posted by Bibio
......
can you understand now?
|
To be brutally honest, no. Our experiences and views may well be different but that is not to say either is right or "better" but I've generally found trying to measure, let alone adjust, suspension on a bike without the rider sat on it is pretty much irrelevant. Sure, you don't want them on it when lifting to get a measurement for extension, but everything else needs the bike to be in the trim it's going to be ridden in, so unless you're worried about how it will handle after you're fallen off.........
I'll offer some evidence on that, both my TDR250 and my SV (ZX10 rear shock) pretty much top out without a rider on, and are both bikes that are built to go fast specifically on very bumpy roads...
I deliberately avoided using the term "static" sag as some people take that to mean unladen, whilst others see it as stationary (as in the suspension isn't moving). It's safer to think of sag as simply the amount the suspension compresses when no other forces are acting on it. The general accepted measurement for both front and rear sag for road use is around 30mm. This means there is enough extension in your suspension for it to cope with dips in the road surface whilst still leaving enough compression movement in most systems to deal with bumps.
Spring rates are important when trying to achieve this, but on most production bikes you can get close enough with stock set up to cope with most riders. The OP on his MT09SP is pretty much testing that theory to the extreme end as he's about as light as it gets on a bike that comes with a reputation for a stiff set up, but I think he can still get a whole lot closer with some perseverance than he appears to currently be.