What you’re feeling is pretty common on modern MX forks, especially when learning and landing flat. Here’s what’s likely happening with your forks:
Why it feels harsh part-way through the stroke
- Mid-stroke harshness → The fork valving has a “mid-speed” circuit that controls damping when the fork moves into the stroke under higher shaft speed (like a flat landing). Even if you’re not bottoming, the fork can “spike” if the damping is too firm in that range.
- Spring rate vs. rider speed → Modern inverted fork springs on the are aimed at aggressive intermediate/pro riders ( Manufactures are leaning towards firmer spring rates, Hence Race Ready Slogans. For an average rider, they can feel stiff in the mid-stroke even if bottoming resistance is good.
- Fork angle on flat landings → Jumping to flat transfers more load straight through the fork. Instead of gradually compressing into a downslope, all the energy hits at once, making the fork feel harsher even if you’re within travel.
- Rebound interaction → If rebound is too slow (not returning fast enough), the fork may ride a bit lower in the stroke before the next impact, so when you land it’s already sitting in the “stiffer” mid-valve zone.
Things to try before revalving or respringing
- Compression clicker
- You’re already 14 out (pretty soft), but try going out another 2 clicks (16) just to test. Sometimes even small changes help on sharp hits
- Rebound adjustment
- You’re at 16 out (soft). Try going out 2 clicks more (18) and see if the fork “rides taller” before the landing, giving it more cushion.
- Too soft rebound can feel bouncy, but too slow rebound makes harshness worse
- Fork height
- If your forks are set high in the clamps (5mm+ showing), try dropping them 2–3mm. That gives the fork a little more room to work on landings
- Riding style / technique
- Even for pros, landing flat on the CRF is harsh. Focus on landing with knees bent and letting the rear wheel take some of the hit first if possible
If it still feels harsh
- Spring rate check → Refer to owners manual for spring rate chart, they may be too stiff and you’re not getting enough sag/travel engagement before the mid-valve kicks in.
- Revalve → Give Click Suspension a call for advise and maybe we can soften the mid-valve stack slightly, which is exactly what fixes this “harsh mid-stroke” feeling for average riders.
- Oil height → Dropping oil level 5–10cc in each leg reduces ramp-up and can smooth the hit without hurting bottoming resistance.
👉 So in short: what you’re describing isn’t bottoming — it’s mid-stroke harshness from damping and spring balance. Try a couple more clicks out on compression/rebound and maybe lowering fork oil slightly.