How to Set Up Your Mountain Bike Suspension
How to Set Up Your Mountain Bike Suspension for Your Body Weight
Proper mountain bike suspension setup is essential for a smooth, controlled, and confident ride. Dialing in your suspension improves comfort, traction, and performance by adjusting your bike to your weight, gear, and riding style.
Follow this step-by-step guide to set up your mountain bike fork and rear shock for your ideal ride feel.
Step 1: Know Your Suspension Components
Most modern mountain bikes have two key suspension parts:
- Fork (Front Suspension): Absorbs impacts from the front wheel
- Rear Shock (Rear Suspension): Found on full-suspension bikes, manages rear-wheel movement
Each has three main adjustable settings:
- Sag: How much the suspension compresses under your weight
- Rebound: How fast the suspension returns after compressing
- Compression: Controls how the suspension handles impacts like bumps or jumps
Step 2: Gather the Right Tools
Before adjusting your suspension, have the following:
- Shock pump (for adjusting air pressure)
- Sag indicator ring or ruler
- Your full riding gear, including backpack or hydration pack if typically worn
Step 3: Set the Sag
Why Sag Matters
Proper sag helps your suspension track the terrain and stay responsive to small bumps. Most riders aim for:
- 20–30% sag for both fork and rear shock travel
How to Set Fork Sag:
- Bounce the fork a few times to free it up
- Wear your gear and assume your normal riding position
- Slide the O-ring down to the fork seal
- Carefully dismount and measure sag travel
- Adjust air pressure using the shock pump until you reach 20–30% sag
How to Set Rear Shock Sag:
- Sit on the saddle with feet on the pedals
- Use the O-ring or ruler to measure travel
- Adjust the rear shock’s air pressure to achieve 20–30% sag
Step 4: Adjust Rebound Damping
Why Rebound Matters
Rebound damping controls how quickly your suspension returns after compressing. Too fast feels bouncy. Too slow feels sluggish.
How to Adjust:
- Find the rebound dial (usually red with “+” and “–” symbols)
- Compress the suspension and observe how it returns
- Adjust incrementally:
- Turn toward “+” for slower rebound (more damping)
- Turn toward “–” for faster rebound
Aim for a smooth return with no bouncing or hesitation.
Step 5: Fine-Tune Compression Damping (If Available)
Why Compression Matters
Compression damping controls how your suspension absorbs impacts like landings, bumps, or braking forces.
How to Adjust:
- Start with the manufacturer’s recommended setting
- Test on your local trails
- Adjust compression one click at a time to balance comfort, control, and support
Step 6: Test, Ride, and Refine
Take your bike out on familiar terrain and pay attention to:
- Climbing efficiency
- Cornering grip
- Bottom-out resistance on jumps
- Comfort on rough sections
Make small changes to sag, rebound, or compression based on feel. Take notes of your preferred settings.
Pro Tips for Mountain Bike Suspension Tuning
- Recheck your settings after significant weight changes or gear swaps
- Refer to your bike’s or fork/shock manufacturer’s guide for exact specs
- Keep a tuning log for future reference
- Don’t be afraid to experiment — small tweaks make a big difference
Final Thoughts
Dialing in your mountain bike suspension for your body weight transforms your ride. With the right sag, rebound, and compression settings, your bike will feel balanced, planted, and responsive — no matter the trail.