Whats the difference between Compression, Rebound and Pre-load adjust?
- Thread starter Trenton
- Start date
Wiki
Low speed compression controls the speed at which the suspension compresses when pedaling, braking, etc. High speed compression controls the speed at which the suspension compresses when hitting bumps, landing jumps, drops, etc.
There are some good articles on wiki, check em out
http://www.farkin.net/wiki/index.php/The_basics_of_suspension_-_terms_and_general_info
Low speed compression controls the speed at which the suspension compresses when pedaling, braking, etc. High speed compression controls the speed at which the suspension compresses when hitting bumps, landing jumps, drops, etc.
There are some good articles on wiki, check em out
http://www.farkin.net/wiki/index.php/The_basics_of_suspension_-_terms_and_general_info
WasabiJim
Likes Bikes
rebound restricts the speed at which a compressed spring returns to its natural state. with no rebound a fork will try buck you off as it works like a po-go stick, or you get that ugly top-out clunk when heaving on the bars. too much and it wont return in time for the next impact getting stuck in a deeper travel point creating a stiff feel (generally). it will affect your cornering aswell, too little - fork will kick too much causing front wheel to wash out. too much does something in corners too, but i forget exactly, understeer i think.
you can do some clever stuff with compression. high speed kicks in on fast "square edge" type impacts, like riding straight into a gutter. it protects long travel forks from botteming meaning u can run a uber plush spring rate where landing a 6ft or 2 ft drop uses the same amount of travel.
you can do some clever stuff with compression. high speed kicks in on fast "square edge" type impacts, like riding straight into a gutter. it protects long travel forks from botteming meaning u can run a uber plush spring rate where landing a 6ft or 2 ft drop uses the same amount of travel.
Tazed
Likes Bikes and Dirt
It's a black art, alright...
So now you have some idea of compression/rebound, etc.
Here's how it's most frequently structured, fork or shock:
Most low-end stuff only has low-speed rebound damping (NOT dampening).
Mid level stuff often has low-speed rebound and compression damping and often lock-out too (so it stops moving all together).
High end stuff now usually has high and low speed rebound and compression damping, and lock-out if applicable (e.g. downhill stuff rarely has lockout) .
Pre-load mainly applies to coil springs (air springs can use a negative spring to the same effect) and simply places some pressure on the spring before you even sit on the bike to make the suspension sit at the right level for your body weight (sag).
All of the above really serves to control how fast the spring moves - how fast it squashes (compression) or returns to unsquashed (rebound).
The spring can be squashed fast or slow (or any speed in between) but we use the terms 'high' and 'low' speed to really differentiate between how the spring moves under the rider's input (body weight/pedalling bobbing - low speed) or impacts from higher speed from the ground (high speed damping).
Hope that also helps a bit...
So now you have some idea of compression/rebound, etc.
Here's how it's most frequently structured, fork or shock:
Most low-end stuff only has low-speed rebound damping (NOT dampening).
Mid level stuff often has low-speed rebound and compression damping and often lock-out too (so it stops moving all together).
High end stuff now usually has high and low speed rebound and compression damping, and lock-out if applicable (e.g. downhill stuff rarely has lockout) .
Pre-load mainly applies to coil springs (air springs can use a negative spring to the same effect) and simply places some pressure on the spring before you even sit on the bike to make the suspension sit at the right level for your body weight (sag).
All of the above really serves to control how fast the spring moves - how fast it squashes (compression) or returns to unsquashed (rebound).
The spring can be squashed fast or slow (or any speed in between) but we use the terms 'high' and 'low' speed to really differentiate between how the spring moves under the rider's input (body weight/pedalling bobbing - low speed) or impacts from higher speed from the ground (high speed damping).
Hope that also helps a bit...