The Tuesday Tune Ep 11 - Adjusting spring rate vs adjusting compression damping

Summary

In this episode of Tuesday Tune, the host discusses when to adjust your bike’s spring rate versus compression damping, offering insights into how each change impacts bike handling and performance. The video explains the effects of both adjustments—how increasing spring rate can create a firmer, livelier ride while increasing compression damping stabilizes the bike and helps prevent bottoming out. The host highlights key factors to consider, such as bike feel, stability, and responsiveness, providing useful guidance for tuning your suspension to suit different riding styles and conditions.

Takeaways

• 😀 Understanding the difference between spring rate and compression damping is key to fine-tuning your bike's suspension.
• 😀 Increasing spring rate results in a firmer, livelier bike, while increasing compression damping makes the bike feel deader and more stable.
• 😀 When adjusting suspension, ask yourself: do you want a firmer or softer bike feel, and do you want it livelier or deader?
• 😀 A stiffer spring can help with climbs and reduce sag, while more compression damping can reduce overshoot and improve stability.
• 😀 A higher spring rate results in less travel usage, making the bike feel firmer but potentially reducing negative travel.
• 😀 Compression damping helps prevent bottoming out, especially during hard hits or jumps, but can make the suspension feel too stiff if overdone.
• 😀 To make the bike livelier, increase the spring rate. To make it feel more stable and controlled, increase compression damping.
• 😀 For steep climbs, increasing the spring rate affects the bike geometry more significantly than adjusting compression damping.
• 😀 Adjusting the suspension involves finding a balance between stability (firmness) and liveliness (softer feel).
• 😀 The interaction between spring rate and compression damping is crucial when balancing the front and rear suspension for overall bike stability and performance.
• 😀 Understanding the role of rebound and compression damping asymmetry helps in refining suspension settings, especially for high-speed impacts.

Q & A

What is the main difference between adjusting the spring rate and compression damping?

Adjusting the spring rate increases or decreases the amount of energy stored by the spring during compression, which affects the bike's liveliness and overall stiffness. In contrast, adjusting compression damping controls the resistance the suspension faces during compression, affecting how much energy is dissipated and making the bike feel either firmer or softer.

When should I increase my spring rate instead of compression damping?

You should increase your spring rate if you want the bike to feel firmer, more stable, and more responsive, especially if you're bottoming out too easily or experiencing too much sag. Increasing the spring rate is also helpful when you want a stiffer feeling, especially on steep climbs, as it helps maintain the geometry of the bike.

What effect does increasing the spring rate have on the bike's behavior?

Increasing the spring rate results in a firmer bike that stores more energy in a given displacement. This reduces sag, increases stability, and can help prevent bottoming out. However, it also reduces negative travel, which might make the suspension less responsive to small bumps.

What does increasing compression damping do to the bike?

Increasing compression damping makes the bike feel firmer and less lively by dissipating more energy when the suspension compresses. It reduces the amount of travel the suspension uses and makes the bike feel more stable, but can also make it feel less responsive and more 'dead,' especially on smaller bumps.

What does the term 'dead' refer to in suspension tuning?

'Dead' refers to the feeling of reduced liveliness and increased stability in the bike's suspension. When the suspension feels too stiff or unresponsive, it's described as dead, as it does not absorb terrain features effectively and is more stable than desired.

What are the main factors to consider when adjusting suspension for bike park use?

When adjusting suspension for bike park use, consider balance between stability and liveliness. A firmer spring rate and higher compression damping can help prevent bottoming out on big jumps and provide more stability. Adjusting the suspension to ensure the bike responds predictably and avoids unwanted pitching or diving is key.

How does adjusting compression damping affect stability during jumps?

Increasing compression damping can improve stability during jumps by reducing overshoot and preventing the suspension from compressing too quickly. It helps keep the bike from diving or squatting excessively, making it more predictable and stable on landing.

What is the effect of a stiffer spring rate on bottoming out and suspension responsiveness?

A stiffer spring rate helps prevent bottoming out by reducing the amount of travel the suspension uses. However, it can also reduce the suspension's ability to follow the ground at higher speeds, making the bike feel less responsive to small bumps or uneven terrain.

What is negative travel, and how does it relate to suspension performance?

Negative travel refers to the portion of the suspension that allows the wheels to drop away from the bike frame to follow the terrain. Increasing spring rate can reduce negative travel, making the suspension stiffer and less capable of absorbing smaller bumps. Proper balance of negative travel is important for maintaining the suspension's responsiveness.

What happens when the front and rear suspension settings are not balanced?

When the front and rear suspension settings are not balanced, it can cause instability, especially during jumps or rough terrain. For example, if the rear suspension is too soft or the front is too stiff, the bike may pitch forward or backward, affecting control and comfort.