Good Suspension Setup

[G]

I have done a search but didnt really find anything definative, or anything other than posts saying use the search function.

I feel the suspension on my standard SVs is very soft the front in particular.

I have looked in this link below and it suggests completely stiffening the front up by unscrewing all 5 lines. But says the rear is not adjustable when it clearly is as it has 7 settings unless I'm missing something.

http://www.performancebikes.co.uk/pdf/568/209392.pdf

Any information on how other people have set up theres would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[rictus01]

There are loads of posts on suspension, and I'm not going through it all again.

In brief,

front forks, standard springs are rubbish, you need to change them (search on front springs), when doing it set rider sag (search on sag) then front damping (search on emulators).

Rear shock, is onlt adjustable for preload (as are the fronts) search on rear shock) and will need replacing to upgrade (but if your's is new then set it to the highst it'll go and change it once it's shot).

also checkout "dogbones" for the angle of the bike.

Cheers Mark.

Originally Posted by graemepaterson

I have done a search but didnt really find anything definative, or anything other than posts saying use the search function.

I feel the suspension on my standard SVs is very soft the front in particular.

I have looked in this link below and it suggests completely stiffening the front up by unscrewing all 5 lines. But says the rear is not adjustable when it clearly is as it has 7 settings unless I'm missing something.

http://www.performancebikes.co.uk/pdf/568/209392.pdf

Any information on how other people have set up theres would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Ignore that PB setup sheet. The SV they used had Maxton springs, and it looks like different Dogbones (and I would guess a different rear shock if they claim it had no adjustment) The perils of putting a double page spread as two seperate pages of a PDF

Anyway, if you're looking for a "This is the set up for the SV" you won't find it. Every rider is different, and wants different things. Search for Rider Sag, and set up your bike for your weight, then see how you feel.

Oh yeah, and listen to Rictus

P.S. To "stiffen" (Note the quotes, it's not actually stiffening your suspension) you'd want to screw the adjuster in, not out.

[Sid Squid]

The suspension will only be stiffer if you change the springs.
Preload changes only the suspension's position in it's available travel under any given load.

Originally Posted by Sid Squid

The suspension will only be stiffer if you change the springs.
Preload changes only the suspension's position in it's available travel under any given load.

Well roger me rigid!.. I increased preload on my back sus by two notches(now on four) and it is vastly improved. Feels much stiffer too.

I wound out the forks and found under braking the bike tends to try to sit up a lot more. Took a while to get used to.

[Sid Squid]

Originally Posted by ejohnh

Well roger me rigid!.. I increased preload on my back sus by two notches(now on four) and it is vastly improved. Feels much stiffer too.

Well... It's not stiffer, it may well feel different but it's the same spring under the same load, (unless you coincidentally lost a bunch of weight when you reset the preload of course), in fact as the SV has a rising rate rear suspension linkage - that is; at full extension 'X' amount of suspension movement results in 'Y' amount of shock movement, however at full compression, the same 'X' amount of suspension movement could result in 1.5-2 x 'Y' shock movement - so, the higher your preload the lower you are in the rate of movement curve, thus upping the preload softens the suspension, (for any given point in the suspension's travel), by a weeny amount it's true - but it is true.

The ONLY way to stiffen the suspension, is change the springs for stiffer ones, (or ruin the handling with loads of compression damping - but it's not the same thing really and isn't an option with standard SV shocks and forks as they're not adjustable.

Originally Posted by Sid Squid

Well... It's not stiffer, it may well feel different but it's the same spring under the same load

Not exactly true but I inderstand the point. These compression springs not constant force springs, the spring rate increases as it is compressed (preloaded)

[Sid Squid]

Originally Posted by toonyank

Not exactly true but I inderstand the point. These compression springs not constant force springs, the spring rate increases as it is compressed (preloaded)

Wrong.

Under any given load the spring compresses the same amount, changing the preload changes only your position in the suspension's travel.

It's a dynamic system, the spring is not reduced in length under load by preload changes.

Originally Posted by Sid Squid

Wrong.

Under any given load the spring compresses the same amount, changing the preload changes only your position in the suspension's travel.

It's a dynamic system, the spring is not reduced in length under load by preload changes.

This goes against everything I've ever known about the definition of "preload" explained below:

http://www.uponone.com/howtos/4.pdf