[gat3keeper]

I saw a guy online claiming that volume spacers improved the ride feel of his bike. If that's the case, do we really need it ? Or it's only for heavy person?

I think one of the videos I saw from Santa Cruz Syndicate, they are adding volume spacer for Greg Minnaar's bike. I have no idea what it does. All I know it just help you not bottoming out.

 

[thatalexguy]

Volume spacers tune air spring ramp up at the end of the stroke. More spacers, stronger ramp up, less spacers less ramp. DH guys like Greg use lots of spacers because they ride big drops where they need a lot of ramp to avoid bottoming out. If you have your shock psi set correctly to your weight and are bottoming out on drops, etc use a slightly larger spacer. There are lots of YouTube videos that explain how spacers work and when to use them.

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[LMN]

We actually ask a lot of our suspension on a bicycle, a volume spacer is just a tool that we can use.

A good example is the wet we often ride with a soft touch and want our suspension to be supple and move with smallest forces. But at the same time we don't want it to bottom out harshly when send a drop. In these conditions reducing air pressure and adding spacers gives us this range.

The trick is to find what is right for the conditions. Sag to travel use is a good starting point. If you have minimal sag and are still bottoming then adding a spacer might be an option. If you have to run a lot of sag to use full travel then you might want to remove a spacer. The complexity is compression dampening can also added or reduced to achieve the same results. Which is best is one of those things you do with experimentation.

 

[Cary]

Very simply:

• Air pressure is used to set initial spring rate and how the fork feels in the first 1/2 of travel.
• Volume spacers should be added if after setting the initial spring rate, you are experiencing bottoming on a regular basis.

 

[eshew]

Depends on the shock, the rider and the use case. If you never bottom out and it's supple off the top, congrats!

Ive found it helps if you're about right in the sag department but are still bottoming out. Just another arrow in the tuning quiver.

 

[Tainight1985]

A few years ago, I bought an ex-demo frame that didnt come with the right shock. It had a heavy coil one. So I swapped it out to a more generic air one, but not exactly the same as OEM and not the same tube/air can volume for sure.

I could never get the bike to ride right. If I made it have small bump response, then I'd bottom it out. If I set to not bottom out, then it rode like a hardtail.

Volume spacers worked a treat! I could have (probably should have) sent it off to PUSH or Mojo etc for a new air can and custom tune as soon as I purchased it, but I didn't.

So if you're riding a bike with the shock it was designed for, and riding the sorts of trails it was designed to ride, and you weigh about the middle of the range of rider it was designed for, then you probably don't need them. However, they are so cheap, and if you have time to experiment with them, they're quite interesting.

When you get your suspension set just right for you and your riding, it is a real lightbulb going off and angels singing type of event.

 

[thatalexguy]

Before I bought my mountain bike with sophisticated suspension I watched YouTube videos about suspension tuning etc and was a bit bewildered. Now I have a suspension with high and low speed compression adjustment, high and low speed rebound, etc and I think I am finally getting the hang of it by trial and error and asking questions.

You will start getting the hang of it sooner than you realize. Whatever you buy, set it up first to the mfg recommendations and start adjusting the clickers from there. If for some reason you can't get it how you like using the adjustment nobs then start playing with spacers.

The terms high and low speed refer to the movement speed of the shock itself (frequency) and not your moving speed on the bike. Low speed whatever has a greater affect on the fist 1/3rd or so of travel helping to control brake dive, off the top suppleness, ride height and high speed affects more the last 2/3 of travel. High and low speed adjustments are not fully independent and have some overlap as well as some influence on each other.

From the mfg baseline adjust one thing at a time. Some tips you will find online is to get a feel for what each nob does by adjusting to full open/fast and experience the difference and then go full closed/slow and experience the difference and then find a happy medium.

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[gat3keeper]

From the mfg baseline adjust one thing at a time. Some tips you will find online is to get a feel for what each nob does by adjusting to full open/fast and experience the difference and then go full closed/slow and experience the difference and then find a happy medium.

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This is a good tip. I will try this.

Before, I don't care bout suspension settings. Ill just tell the bike shop to put psi base on my weight. Lolz.

I tried my friend"s bike and it rides like motorcycle in terms of suspension. I mean the small roots, rocks, bumps almost feel nothing compare to my bike. Is the the term "plushy"?

With my bike, I can instantly feel the small bumps in my arms and butt. As if lot of vibration being transferred. But have to consider that he is using Fox Factory and I only have Recon. So I guess it has something to do with it.


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[thatalexguy]

This is a good tip. I will try this.

Before, I don't care bout suspension settings. Ill just tell the bike shop to put psi base on my weight. Lolz.

I tried my friend"s bike and it rides like motorcycle in terms of suspension. I mean the small roots, rocks, bumps almost feel nothing compare to my bike. Is the the term "plushy"?

With my bike, I can instantly feel the small bumps in my arms and butt. As if lot of vibration being transferred. But have to consider that he is using Fox Factory and I only have Recon. So I guess it has something to do with it.


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High end suspension has more things to adjust and has more advanced damper and air spring designs. Even with lower end stuff, a bit of patience and trial and error will go a long way. Another thing I found that increased my comfort is to relax and let the suspension and bike work. I realized I used to ride with stiffer arms and not allow the bike and suspension to work effectively buy trying to control it's movement under me. Looser arms, looser but secure grip and let the bike move and buck under you to follow the terrain while you stay about level. Grips with more cushion can also help with vibrations to the arms and hands. Certain carbon bars can also help.

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[gat3keeper]

Guys I have a question.

So my new bike arrived last night. The default rear suspension's PSI is 150 but the sag is 40%+ (take note this is out of the box). I like the feel though when sitting on the bike.

Now, I set the sag of my rear suspension to 25%-30% (170 PSI). Which is ideal right? However, I feel the bike is kinda stiff. When I tried to pump the bike with my butt (I mean while sitting), I feel there's so much resistance. Does it mean I need volume spacers to emulate the "soft" feel? so I can put it back to 150 psi with 30% sag?

I haven't tried it on trails though coz it rained hard this morning. But I would like to get your inputs.

 

[gat3keeper]

By the way.. shock is Fox Float DPS with rebound adjustment. Compression I think is 1 stiff, 2 medium, 3 full open.

 

[The_Bob]

Make sure the shock is in the open position. If so, the negative air spring might not have equalized properly

 

[gat3keeper]

Make sure the shock is in the open position. If so, the negative air spring might not have equalized properly

How do I fix the negative spring?

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[The_Bob]

Let the air out of the shock slowly with the pump connected and using the air release button. you'll probably see it suck down into its travel. When it is empty, extend the shock to full travel. I do this by keeping my foot on a chainstay an pulling up on the top tube (if you cannot get it to full extension, pump the shock up to 50PSI and try again). You will hear the air transfer when you extend the shock. Once that is done, pump the shock up to 50PSI, disconnect the pump and cycle the shock through to at least 30% of its travel around 10 times. Do this cycle until you reach the right pressure for the sag you want. You have not said what bike it is, so 30% is a good place to start. You can also do this procedure to the fork to make sure the air spring in it is also properly balanced

 

[gat3keeper]

Let the air out of the shock slowly with the pump connected and using the air release button. you'll probably see it suck down into its travel. When it is empty, extend the shock to full travel. I do this by keeping my foot on a chainstay an pulling up on the top tube (if you cannot get it to full extension, pump the shock up to 50PSI and try again). You will hear the air transfer when you extend the shock. Once that is done, pump the shock up to 50PSI, disconnect the pump and cycle the shock through to at least 30% of its travel around 10 times. Do this cycle until you reach the right pressure for the sag you want. You have not said what bike it is, so 30% is a good place to start. You can also do this procedure to the fork to make sure the air spring in it is also properly balanced

Alright. I will try this. Thank you.

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[The_Bob]

Let us know if it helps

 

[Dougal]

Most volume spacers are used incorrectly. In the mid-stroke they change the relationship between pressure, spring-rate and ride-height. This is best used to get both the frequency and ride height you need.

1 Page Suspension Setup Guide - Suspension Setup - Technical | Shockcraft

www.shockcraft.co.nz

 

[angieri918]

Most volume spacers are used incorrectly. In the mid-stroke they change the relationship between pressure, spring-rate and ride-height. This is best used to get both the frequency and ride height you need.

1 Page Suspension Setup Guide - Suspension Setup - Technical | Shockcraft

www.shockcraft.co.nz

would you say tokens are a set and forget thing or track dependent??

 

[PhillipJ]

Set and forget.

 

[Dougal]

would you say tokens are a set and forget thing or track dependent??

Set and forget. With well setup suspension there is no need to change settings unless your tracks are hugely different. Example being XC vs Park riding.