We will distribute bicycles according to the type of suspension.

This is a completely rigid bike without suspension. On such a bike, the ride is less comfortable, but the lack of suspension allows you to transfer the maximum amount of energy from pedaling to the rear wheel. Rigids are road, track, city, cyclocross and BMX bikes. As well as bicycles with a fixed gear - fixed and single speeds. Due to the lack of shock absorbers, it is lighter and more unpretentious, and therefore cheaper. Disadvantages - hard riding and a lot of stress on the bike itself.

Hardtail

A hardtail is a bicycle with a suspension fork. Most often, this suspension design is found on mountain bikes. Compared to a rigid tail, a hardtail transfers less power to the wheel when pedaling, but provides a more comfortable ride. Some types of suspension forks have a travel lock that allows you to use the bike on a good road as a rigid. The damping characteristics of the fork increase the grip of the front wheel with the road surface. Due to the more complex design of the wiki, the weight of the bike increases slightly. Suspension fork requires service.

Softtail

The difference between a softtail and a hardtail is the design of the rear chainstays of the frame. The chainstays flex slightly under load, which softens impacts and improves ride comfort. Following the terrain of the road, the rear wheel "plays", maintaining good contact with the ground. Pedaling power is transferred just as well as on a hardtail.

Sometimes a rear shock absorber with a small stroke is installed on a softtail. It is usually located on the top feathers. This design is not very effective on very rough terrain, but it works fine on moderate terrain.

Full-suspension

Full suspension is a bicycle with a suspension fork and a rear wheel suspension system with a large shock absorber travel. This suspension arrangement is installed mainly only on mountain bikes. The rear shock absorber can be of various designs and depends on the purpose of the bike.

On difficult terrain - maximum comfort. I design shock absorption systems in such a way as to ensure maximum grip of tires with the ground in any conditions. The suspension components of such a bike absorb the energy of pedaling, so the front and rear suspension is often set to lock the suspension for riding on flat surfaces.

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The bike suspensions provide improved handling, traction and comfort on roads with lots of roots, rocks or potholes. This is one of the many factors that makes the ride enjoyable.

This article covers the basics of bike suspension for buyers or those who decide to upgrade their bike. Then we will move on to a more detailed description of how the suspension works.

Full suspension or bike with front suspension fork?

A bicycle suspension (typically a mountain bike) has 1 or 2 shock absorbers designed to cushion the impact of rough terrain by compressing and retracting the suspension.

Buying a new mountain bike? You have to choose between a bike with front suspension (a bike with a front suspension fork) or full suspension (front and rear).

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Note A: Bicycle manufacturers don't make their own suspensions. Instead, they turn to big brands like Fox, ROCKSHOX, Marzocchi, Manitou, DT Swiss, SR Suntour and X-Fusion, to equip their bikes.

Suspension upgrade

Axis compatibility Q: Does the front wheel have a standard 9mm quick release? Or 15mm or 20mm through the axle? Select the correct axle size for the wheel.

Travels A: Many bike frames are designed to work with a suspension fork for a certain number of rides. The amount of travel will change the handling characteristics of the bike. A mountain bike may have an 80mm fork, which is hard to come by these days. A 100mm fork might be an acceptable replacement, but a 120mm fork would change the geometry of the bike significantly at the expense of safety.

In addition, some rigid bikes come with the correct frame geometry angle to convert to a suspension fork. Always check with the bike manufacturer for fork replacement recommendations.

steering tube: Standard steerer tube is straight with 1-1/8" diameter. Very old bikes may have 1" tube diameter; new bikes may have a tapered or oversized head tube. Make sure the new fork is compatible with the head tube.

Brake type: Most mountain bikes now have disc brakes. If you want to replace a fork that has rim brake mounts, then the choice will be limited to some basic suspension models (unless you upgrade the wheels and brakes).

Pay based on performance

Buying a new bike? The quality of the suspension has a significant impact on its price. Replacing an existing fork? You will find a wide range of options and prices.

Less weight: primarily achieved by moving from a fork to air springs.
Additional settings: Compression and rebound adjustment allows you to fine-tune the suspension to suit weight, riding style and terrain. Such " regulated travel» allows you to adjust to a shorter trip for climbing and less rough trails. The blocking function is normally enabled.
Build quality: High quality models have superior engineering design, construction and longer service life with regular maintenance and repair.
Ride quality: Look for suspension that responds to a smooth ride. How to find out? Comparing prices is a fairly reliable way. A more expensive fork outperforms an inexpensive one.

Front Suspension Explained

Almost all mountain bikes are equipped with front suspension, as well as some hybrid, comfort bikes and bikes for children.

• pendant on mountain biking offers a wide range of adjustments to fine-tune your ride. Changes include the type, number of trips, reliability and terrain, as well as adjustments that can be made.
• pendant on hybrid and children's bikes offers minimal basic functions or no adjustment.

Types of pendants

The most common type of front suspension is " fork". It consists of 2 racks that attach the front wheel to the head tube of the frame. One exception is the single strut suspension design " Lefty. "Lefty often causes distrust and skepticism, but it is an established and proven design.

steering tube: Attaches the fork to the frame.

Crown: Connects 2 props together.

Racks: each moves in and out of the slider; internal mechanisms consist of a spring or air chamber, a damper rod, oil, valves.

Sliders: each joins at the bottom to the front wheel. They are also connected to the brakes.

Brake mounts: for rim, disc or both.

Frame overlay: holds the wheel axle.

Drive

It all depends on the distance the suspension will move before it fully compresses. Since the front suspension is telescopic, its travel is equal to the resulting wheel travel.

• Suspension for short trips(less than 120mm) delivers all-round performance with a focus on smooth trails and climbing uphill.
• Suspension for long trips(over 120mm) is best suited for descending rough terrain at high speeds with more control. The longer the journey, the stronger the emphasis towards the descent.

Some front forks feature adjustable stops for more flexibility: You can shorten it when riding uphill and lengthen it for long or steep downhill sections. The adjustment not only affects the cushioning ability of the bike, but also the steering and control.

On a short journey, the bike is more responsive to steering. On a long journey, it has slower steering that feels more stable when going downhill.

Support diameter

The ideal fork absorbs vertical impacts without excessive lateral flex that can take attention away from the steering and the bike. The diameter of the prop tubes affects this lateral stiffness.

A narrow tube will bend more under the same force than wider tubes. On the other hand, wider tubes will be heavier and stiffer to absorb the big impacts received at high speeds over rough terrain.

Bicycle manufacturers choose a fork that is suitable in diameter, stiffness for the intended ride, purpose, and specific bike model.

Spring system

coil spring(steel coil wound) provides a linear rate of compression that gives smooth, consistent shock absorption throughout the spring travel range. Coil springs are available with different drag rates and are matched to the size of the fork on the frame. If your coil spring is too soft or too hard for the weight and riding style and the available settings have not corrected the problem, the shop is able to replace the current springs with a softer or harder version (if available for the model).

Air spring(compressed air in the chamber) has a progressive compression ratio, meaning it is softer in the first part of the journey and then becomes stiffer as it compresses more. The main benefit of air spring suspension is light weight, resulting in less pedaling effort, especially uphill.

The choice of materials, design and manufacturing quality contribute to the fork's performance. For example, a low cost coil spring will not provide the same ride quality as a more expensive one.

Fork adjustment

The fork may not be adjustable or may have one or more knobs and dials for adjustment.

blocking: Many forks have a top arm stay for a lockout that eliminates travel. This minimizes energy loss when riding on paved surfaces or on long climbs on smooth, muddy roads. Upgrade option for some steering fork arms for remote control via cable.

Spring preload: A spring fork often has a knob on the top of one of the stanchions for medium spring tension to increase or decrease.

Air pressure: the air fork does not have a preload adjuster; instead there is a valve Schrader to regulate the air pressure and therefore the firmness of the fork. This requires a special shock pump»; Do not use a conventional tire pump. The valve can be either at the top of the rack or at the bottom of the slider.

damping: In addition to the coil or air spring, the fork contains a damper and oil reservoir that adjusts the rate of compression and rebound to smooth out the ride. Adjustments can be made for both compression and rebound. The setting of the damping parameters is called " fork tuning". Without proper damping, you can feel the spokes in the wheels.

• Compression damping controls how fast the shock is absorbed by the spring.
• lights out controls the speed at which the fork re-travels after compression.

Rear suspension

Rear suspension is only found on full-suspension mountain bikes and is commonly referred to as rear shock or "shock" for short. It allows the rear wheel to cushion impacts, helps keep the tires in contact with the ground, increases rider control and reduces rider fatigue.

The triangle rear frame that holds the rear wheel has one or more anchor points to keep the wheel moving through its range of motion. The rear suspension itself is housed within the main triangle frame, with one end attached to the main triangle and the other end attached to the pivoting rear triangle.

There are various rotation designs and configurations. Each has its own pros and cons depending on how it affects the quality of the bike ride. Bottom line: they all perform well, and the average rider is unlikely to notice significant differences in suspension performance.

Like the front fork, the rear suspension models have a travel change, spring system and adjustments.

Travel progress: how much the rear shock absorber compresses. It's relatively small, 1.5 to 3. Rear suspension at the short arm end of the frame and rear wheel at the long arm end, so actual wheel travel will be much more than indicated.

Wheel travel: The actual amount will be close to the amount on the front wheel (the amount depends on the type of bike). On a full suspension bike, the rides for the front and rear wheels are similar.

Spring system: Is it coils or air. Air-operated rear suspensions are common on cross-country and trail; coil spring rear suspensions are often used on freeride and downhill.

Adjustments: Similar to front suspension, customization options vary by model.

On older models, the rear shocks are called "pedal bob" - this means a continuous cycle of compression / recovery, which reduces pedaling efficiency. This problem has been largely eliminated through design advances and the choice of 2 or 3 ride setups.

Basic suspension settings

Make sure the suspension is properly adjusted. Please note that not all settings described here are available on all suspension devices. Refer to the manufacturer's manual (usually found on their website) for the specific model.

Sagging is how much the suspension compresses with the total weight of the rider on the bike. Adjust the spring preload or air pressure coils to achieve the recommended amount of sag for the front and/or rear suspension. Sag is expressed as a percentage of total suspension travel and varies by bike style.

The slack allows the wheel to more effectively follow bumps in the ground. More sag equals a softer ride.

lights out is the most important damping parameter. Everything comes out backwards first, and then gradually added until the suspension compresses and rebounds only once, when it returns to normal curb sag.

Low compression damping keeps the suspension higher in its travel range to keep some compression in reserve when doing steps, G passes or stepped drops. This is what sets the platform to the rear shocks.

High compression damping- best set to all the way if you don't feel the landing when jumping.

Suspension maintenance

• Prevent or reduce scratches on props. They get scratched by rocks or tools, a rough edge can rip the boot and bushings off, and reduce suspension performance and life.
• Clean the supports after each ride with a soft cloth and mild cleaning solution, floss around the tube and down to the seal at the top of the downstream.
• Check the user manual for other necessary regular maintenance that can be executed by the owner. Some of them recommend applying a light machine oil around the dust seal at the top of the sliders.

Advice: Completing a teardown/inspection/rebuild is generally not available to all riders as suspension structures become more sophisticated.

Everyone knows that these bikes are cheap and, if earlier it was the coolest bike, now they are called "auchan bikes". Why exactly ""? Because in the supermarket "Auchan", they began to sell two-suspensions of terrible quality, which soon simply fell on the go. But that's not the point.

There are many types of bi-suspension bike frames - there are even replicas of brand bike frame geometries. And so, the other day, we had the opportunity to cure one double dewlap.

The problem is widespread, which is why it makes sense to talk about it.

Azimuth came to us with a single-lever suspension (single-hinge). A feature of this type is that during depreciation, the wheel moves in a circle relative to the main hinge. There are many options for placing the hinge. In this frame, the hinge is located behind the carriage.

Advantages of a single-lever suspension: simplicity of design, rigidity, maintenance can be performed at home.

Disadvantages: Pedal wobble, as the bottom bracket is on a triangle that constantly floats, suspension locks during braking, constantly changing flail tension due to suspension travel.

Personal opinion: the usual type of suspension for people who do not need the properties of a super bike. Ride comfortably around the city and through the pits is enough. But, ashan, he is ashan.

Owner's opinion: I like the bike for its cheapness, simplicity and the fact that there is a rear shock absorber. It is easy and convenient for me to travel, I don’t need anything else to travel on personal matters.

What happened to the suspension, and what kind of jamb did we fix?

The problem got out after several hundred kilometers (which is not strange for Azimuth brand bikes) - there was a lateral play of the rear triangle, extraneous squeaks, knocks, etc.

What have we done to remedy the situation?

To begin with, we went through all the small hinges, lubricated them with silicone grease and assembled them back. Backlash has decreased by an order of magnitude, but not all. The next step is to disassemble the main hinge, which is located near the carriage.

First we needed a set of hexagons and a connecting rod puller.

To begin with, with a 14 head with thin walls, the connecting rod clamping bolt was unscrewed. Then they inserted a connecting rod puller and unscrewed (squeezed out) the connecting rod with. Despite the fact that the bike is relatively new, it was not easy to remove the connecting rods, because at the factory no one thought to give lubrication to the place where the square of the axle and the connecting rod were connected. Well, okay.

Be sure to unscrew the shock absorber, or at least weaken it. Next, you need to figure out where to support the frame when we unscrew the hinge so that it does not fall.

The next step is to remove the plugs on the hinge, select the necessary hexagons, and begin to unscrew with one hexagon, and with the other to hold the sleeve from scrolling. Since the hinge was also not lubricated, we had to work hard to unscrew it. We advise you to do this work with a partner.

We unwrapped it and this is what we got:

Look at the photo, there is a clear measure of wear on the bushing in the hinge. Since they were not ready for this, they simply greased it well and clamped the hinge into place. As a result, the second week of moderate driving, and the hinge does not creak and is tightly clamped.

Of course, factory parts do not shine with quality and it is quite logical to replace the hinge bushing with a better one. Moreover, this size of the hinge is just used in the frames of well-known brands.

What lubricant to use? We decided to try a silicone-based liquid lubricant, and so far we have not failed. Time will tell. Why not give it a thick one?

Yes, because the gap between the bushing and the frame is small, the grease will come out and collect dust on itself. Oh, and we also, of course, greased the square under the connecting rod so that the next time we could disassemble it without any problems.

In fact, such bikes require good maintenance, constant replacement, etc. But they are ideal for those who need a bike just as a transport to get from point "A" to point "B". You can't expect more from a bike like this.

And that's all. We wish everyone good luck!

The function of the front fork of a bicycle is de facto one, it is the absorption of road irregularities from small asphalt defects to bumpers and steps when jumping. Of course, this does not apply to fixed forks, familiar to us from childhood on Soviet bicycles and current road models, but they do not require special attention to themselves.

The fork is the second most important part after the frame in terms of price, cost, and weight. The quality of the fork determines how comfortable the ride will be. Not only depreciation properties are important, but also the flexibility of settings, the conformity of the type and class to the style of riding. For example, a rigid spring fork is great for riding in the city, but a short trip into the forest can be fatal for both the mechanics and the cyclist.

Suspension fork types

Spring

Base level suspension forks. They are put on cheap models of bicycles, and are sold at retail according to the residual principle. They are commonly used as spare parts for overhauls. Due to their design, they do not act as a damper, skipping small irregularities in full.

At the heart of such a fork is a conventional spring, closed in the connecting rod under rubber or other protection. It is usually assembled quite roughly and deteriorates from ingress of dirt during operation. Opportunities for maintenance are low - usually only the replacement of the spring itself. There are no settings either, only blocking.

Spring-elastomer

The mechanics do not differ from the previous ones, but instead of a spring, a polymer rod is used that acts as a damper. Unfortunately, it all depends on the properties of the material, but usually they are far from perfect. The damping function is slightly replaced by a damper function, keeping the overall low comfort of using the fork.

Spring and elastomer front forks are not recommended for use in winter, as the degradation of properties at low temperatures is too strong.

Air

The purely air-cushioned design is very advantageous in terms of both cost and maintenance. Compressed air pumped into a sealed chamber acts both as a shock absorber and as a very good damper. The ride is very comfortable, comparable to many more expensive designs, but in the case of a mountain bike, it is worth choosing a more enduring mechanism.

Minus air - preparation and service life. The adjustment is made only by pressure in the chamber, since it is quite narrow, you have to pump up very often, and the overall service life of such a mechanism, especially with aggressive skating, is small.

Oil-air

In oil-air forks, the functions of the shock absorber and damper are separated between the air chamber and the oil cartridge. If the behavior of the air "spring" is clear and similar to the air fork, then a lot depends on the oil block. The main choice is based on the structure of the cartridge and the brand of oil.

This type of construction is great for cross-country and regular riding, but fails under heavy loads on mountain slopes. In addition, the service life is expectedly lower than that of spring mechanisms.

Oil-spring

The recognized professional type of front fork is a device that combines an oil cartridge and a steel spring. It is these forks that are found on the best sports bikes, but, depending on the cost, oil-spring structures are replaced by oil-air ones.

Usually, the tuning possibilities are lower than those of air springs, but the spring, especially from modern materials, allows you to work for a very long time and with the required stiffness.

Both oil and damper springs have gone through a lot of development and together they make the best sporting combination. At the moment, the bicycle industry cannot offer this combination of possible competitors.

The main parts of a bicycle fork

Conventionally, the front fork can be divided into four component blocks:

• shock absorber - the part that takes on the main load on the damping of bumps and the course of the bicycle, in some models it is a spring, in the other it is a sealed chamber;
• damper - cushioning of small irregularities that must be worked out quickly;
• body - what carries the main load: head tube, inner tubes (rods), crown connecting the steering and inner tubes, legs (lower cushioning block, which includes the connecting rods), gorilla (jumper connecting the legs);
• fittings - switches and settings on the crown, legs, a set of mounts for the wheel axle and brakes, anthers and cuffs to protect the mechanisms.

Bicycle fork parts

Setting

The set of settings depends on the type and manufacturer. Let's consider all possible. A single type of switch has not been developed, so each front fork will have to be adjusted according to the manufacturer's instructions.

LockOut - blocking the move

There is a lock on almost any fork. This switch is most often used not in preparation, but in the process of riding, for example, before a hill or a high-speed section on asphalt. The function should not be abused. Significantly saving strength, it is easy to get a serious blow to the hands on the slightest bump and break the switch. In addition, for a bicycle, such a move also does not bode well.

Preload is usually adjusted with an external switch, but can be (on the cheapest and most expensive models) by simply changing the springs. Affects depreciation, and specifically - on the real stiffness of the spring, by tightening it. In sports kits, when adjusting by replacing the spring, the different levels of stiffness are marked in color.

Compression & Rebound - compression and rebound speed

Tuning is found on good level forks. Responsible for the speed of return and resistance to compression, the switch is usually on both sides - on the legs. Most often, it is the return that is regulated - for jumps and downhill slower so that it does not fly out faster, for riding faster so that traction is not lost, and the pedaling energy does not go into frame distortion.

Extension control - stroke length

Extended blocking option - several positions are added that fix the departure along a certain length. For example, at the level of 100 mm with a maximum travel of 150 mm for straight sections instead of jumps. The risks of using such switches are similar to blocking. With active load, the switch can be broken. In any case, the setting is in demand quite little, so it is found only on single models.

What fork travel do I need?

The best choice is 100 mm. The gold standard for almost everything.

Fluctuations within +/- 20 mm of travel are permissible. If you ride something else, then you already understand why you need a long travel fork. There is another 80 mm, but this is about budget and teenage models. And you remember that budget surebets do not work.

Rigid forks

Rigid (from English rigid - solid) - a type of bicycle that does not have either a front or rear shock absorber. This is the oldest classic bike design that was in widespread use until the global mtb revolution that began in the late 70s.

Two different rigid forks

Therefore, the fork on such a bike is rigid. They are made in a variety of shapes and materials. The most common: aluminum, steel and carbon.

Pros of a rigid fork:

Cons of a rigid fork:

• Difficulty driving on strong off-road, especially for beginners;
• In the case of a rigid fork, it is necessary to absorb bumps with your hands, which requires some habit and proper fit. If the elbows are fully extended, it will become difficult to soften the blows. The video is designed to break the stereotypes of the indispensability of mtb bikes on the roads. Discipline - cyclocross;
• Carbon rigid forks are afraid of strong side impacts and chips.

What are hard forks?

Aluminum

The most common and affordable material today, it is used to make the frames and forks of most modern bicycles in the entry to mid-price category. Aluminum forks are light, stiff and best at transmitting all vibrations and shocks, so try not to take an aluminum fork!

Steel

Steel is much more ductile than aluminum, so it absorbs vibration much better. Of the minuses, one can note the highest weight and increased susceptibility to corrosion. The heavy steel frames and forks of cheap Auchan bikes are best avoided, but lightweight Cr-Mo steel forks (chromoly) and frames are the accepted standard among cyclists: good vibration dampening, guaranteed reliability and reasonable weight for a reasonable price.

Titanium

One of the most expensive materials along with carbon, the lightest among metal analogues, it dampens vibrations perfectly, is not afraid of corrosion and is very durable. No painting required, looks great. Titanium forks, frames and racks are highly valued among cyclists for the greatest reliability and lightness. Minus one: high price and low distribution. Titanium structures are often made to order.

Carbon

New generation material: the lightest, excellent vibration damping. Used in professional bikes ranging from road to downhill. It is reliable under the “correct” loads, however, it is fragile to stone impacts, when falling, it is afraid of chips. All nuts and clamps must be tightened very carefully so as not to break the attachment point.

However, carbon fiber production technologies are constantly improving, many cyclists appreciate carbon parts. The manufacturer of this carbon is of great importance - in the video you can watch a video about the strength of a branded carbon frame, while no one promises you the quality of Chinese carbon.

Rear suspension for bike

The rear suspension on a bicycle is a system of a spring (spring) and an element that dampens vibrations - a damper. The spring is a metal spring, or, if the light weight of the bike is important, it is an air cartridge.

This is what the rear shock absorber looks like

Metal springs are used in cases where a fast reaction of the structure is required when moving at high speed, because. they have the ability to instantly compress and straighten. As dampers, an oil or air cartridge is used. According to the type of cartridge, the rear suspensions are divided into air-oil and spring-oil.

The oil cartridge slows down the speed of the shock absorber's response to loads. Damping quality is the main characteristic that distinguishes quality bikes from cheaper ones. In expensive models, there may be a system for adjusting the speed of shock absorber response.

Rear suspension types

Rear suspensions are of three types:

1. Cantilever suspension is the very first type of suspension system to appear. It is a structure of a pendulum attached to the frame with one axle and directly connected to the shock absorber. Such a system is easy to manufacture and has good functionality. However, it has a small stroke compared to the others (about 200 mm).
2. Multi-link suspensions differ in the way the swingarm is connected to the shock absorber. For this, a hinged lever system is used, which each individual manufacturer may have its own. Such designs are more difficult to manufacture, they increase the cost of the entire bike and quickly become loose - but they give much more suspension travel than cantilever ones.
3. The triangle type differs from the previous two in the location of the transmission, which is entirely attached to the rear swingarm, and due to this it remains elastic when moving. This type is very common today.

suspension travel

How much rear suspension travel a bike has will determine how “soft” it will be when moving, as well as how difficult it will be to accelerate it on climbs and in normal horizontal movement. On cross-country bikes, it is less than 130 mm - which makes it sensitive to bumps from bumps, but makes it easy to climb uphill.

Models designed for extreme riding, high speed descents and big jumps have more than 150mm of travel. This design removes unnecessary stress from the joints and spine - but makes it difficult to drive on a flat road.

On average, if you want to combine both regular cross-country trips and not very steep descents and uphills, it is better to choose a suspension with a travel of 130 to 150 mm.

How to choose a bicycle fork and what to look for

Price: We have already told why good forks are expensive. If you have ridden a bike and have already killed your elastomer, and you want to ride a lot, and you like it, buy a good fork. For the price, it will be the same as buying a bad one 2-3 times, and the service life of good forks with proper care is much longer.

We have also already talked about comfort, and another world of riding possibilities. If you just ride in the park and everything suits you, you don’t want to grow up, repair the elastomer. If you already have a good fork, but want an even better one - and you don’t know where else to spend your money - you can invest in an upgrade, but at the same time you must clearly understand what it gives you, and why you need to lighten the bike for these 200 gram for N dollars.

Common bicycle fork sizes

If you intend to race, a good and expensive fork will help you win something.

Riding style: There are two options here: for riding and for more aggressive riding with jumps. In the mountains you need a good fork, on the ground you need a good fork, when jumping, good depreciation is indispensable. And technique. If you don’t know how to ride technically, the fork does not solve. But if it is not there, it is very difficult to drive technically. Therefore, choosing a fork, you already understand where and how you want to ride. If you still don’t understand, take a good entry-level fork, in which case, sell and buy what you need.

Rider weight: If you weigh within the average norm, there will be no special problems. If you're light and frail, air-piston forks allow you to adjust the weight to your liking.

If your 100kg is briskly moving down the rocks at high speed, don't buy lightweight forks with thin legs. It is necessary to choose models that have a large margin of mechanical strength.

Typically, forks are rated for a maximum of 110kg, so be sure to check these specifications before purchasing. You need to take thick legs, control the stiffness, pump it up correctly, the main thing is that it does not break through (the situation when the fork is pressed in completely and at the end you can hear the characteristic sound of hitting the feet on the fixed parts, the situation is fraught with the fact that you can damage the inside of the fork, and repair difficult and expensive, and not always possible).

Popularity and ease of maintenance: a strange criterion, but so far, in our conditions, expensive forks are rarely imported to us, and there are not so many specialists who could repair them. Therefore, try to choose popular models, so you guarantee yourself that in which case you will find a master who has seen and knows how to use such a plug, and you can buy spare parts for it in our country.

Congratulations on your new Transition bike with GiddyUp suspension. To get the best performance from your bike and get the most out of your riding experience, please read our GiddyUp Basic Suspension Setup Guide.

There is no "absolute" one-size-fits-all setting, all of our recommendations may vary slightly depending on various factors, such as air temperature, the accuracy of your pump gauge, and riding style. It's important to keep your suspension settings constant by setting it up once, check the settings every time you ride. Keep an eye on your bike's settings, and the longer you ride at those particular suspension settings, the better you'll get a feel for how any setting changes affect the bike's performance.

It is impossible to set the suspension perfectly the first time. This instruction is only a starting point and sets the right direction for tuning. We will try to help you understand the basic operation and suspension settings of your bike. When setting up your suspension, remember a few important points:

• Don't forget to move the rubber ring on the shock stem towards the boot to see how much travel your suspension is getting on the trail. Regardless of riding style, the ideal suspension setting should hit the entire travel once or twice per descent. If this does not happen, you are not using your suspension to 100 percent. But suspension breakdowns should be expected. If the suspension engages all the way too often, it means you haven't inflated the air spring enough, or you haven't set the compression damping properly, which will affect the ride quality. Deploying the suspension all the way will move the indicator o-ring to the very end of the shock absorber rod or even push it off the rod.

Suspension does not work all the way. The suspension works all the way.

• In general, we recommend setting the sag a little more than other trail bikes, so don't be surprised by the numbers in the table. We have extensively tested everything and found that these settings work best for most riding styles.
• When setting up and checking the suspension sag, make sure the tires are inflated to working pressure and the bike is on a level, smooth surface. Put on all the gear you would normally wear and a fully packed backpack, remembering to fill your hydration pack with water. In the quick bike setup chart, "rider weight" is exactly your weight with full gear.


• Try to always use the same high pressure pump to set the air springs. Even two pumps of the same model can be calibrated differently. Don't expect the ideal sag pressure reading from your pump to be universal when pumped with any other pump.
• Your bike has a Rock Shox rear shock with a Debonair air spring. Models with Debonair differ from conventional Monarch shocks in the increased volume of the negative chamber. With each serious change in pressure in the air chamber, it is necessary to compress and decompress the suspension several times, then check the established pressure. If you skip this step, the pressure gauge reading will be incorrect. After increasing or decreasing the pressure in the shock absorber, disconnect the pump and squeeze the suspension 5-10 times to equalize the pressure in the shock chambers, then reconnect the pump and check the pressure gauge. Quite a lot of fun, and besides, everyone around you will think that you are very serious about suspension tuning.

Fork setting
Start with the manufacturer's recommended settings for your weight, usually the recommended values ​​are on the label on the right leg of the fork. If your fork does not have a label with recommended settings, please refer to your fork manual for recommendations on how to adjust your fork sag. Usually sag values ​​are in the range of 20-40%.

Checking the rear suspension sag and shock absorber
1. Take care that all compression settings are in the open (minimum) position.
2. Set the shock rebound speed control to a relatively fast position. Ideally, if you compress the suspension with your hands on the saddle and pull the saddle up sharply, the wheel should not have time to leave the ground (before the shock absorber is completely unclenched). Try not to set the rebound too slowly. At this stage, the faster the better, a more open and quick rebound setting will allow the shock to absorb bumps better.

Indicator o-ring near the shock absorber boot.

3. Raise the red indicator o-ring up the stem until it contacts the boot on the shock airbox. Sit in the saddle, move around a bit on the bike. Then bend over and lift the o-ring up to the shock boot again. Then sit on the bike in a neutral position and get both feet off the ground. Carefully get off the bike, try not to compress the suspension further.
4. Check where the red o-ring is left on the stem.

A properly tuned sag is 35%.

5. This is the sag of your pendant. If the shock does not have a sag scale, use a ruler to measure: the sag will be determined as the ratio of the distance of the o-ring from the boot to the full stroke of the rod (in percent).
6. If the sag is greater than the recommended value, pump up the air spring a little. If the percentage value is less than recommended, you need to release excess pressure from the shock absorber.


Shock Sag Adjustment
1. Screw the pump to the shock absorber inflation nipple. If you have a digital pressure gauge on your pump, make sure it is turned on before connecting the pump to the shock. If your shock's sag was slightly less than the recommended value, you will need to bleed some air from the shock's airbox. If you miss the sag quite a bit, drop 5-10 psi. If you miss the setting pretty badly, you can drop 20-50 psi straight away. To bleed pressure, use the dedicated air release button by pressing gently and slowly.
2. After adjusting the pressure, disconnect the pump from the inflation nipple and squeeze the suspension several times to equalize the pressure in the positive and negative chambers. Repeat the steps for checking the sag, if the value is still not within the recommended value, readjust the pressure in the air spring again.
3. By setting the correct pressure in the shock absorber, you can get on the bike and ride. Don't forget to put a protective cap on the shock inflation nipple and take your high pressure pump with you to fine-tune your suspension when you're trail riding.

Shock rebound speed setting
1. Within reasonable limits, the rebound speed setting is a personal preference for the individual rider. Rebound speed also depends on the pressure in the air spring of the fork or shock. The less pressure in the spring, the less noticeable the effect of each click of the rebound adjuster on the speed of suspension expansion. For example, at a particular rebound adjuster setting, the rate of shock expansion will be slower at 140 psi spring pressure than at the same rebound adjuster setting at 170 psi spring pressure. It is important to remember that the clicks of the rebound speed setting are always measured from the fully closed (slowest) position of the adjuster, never from the fully open position.
2. A good guideline for the initial rebound setting is the following procedure. Stand on the side of the bike and squeeze the fork and suspension with your hands, then try to get the wheels off the ground. You shouldn't be able to do this until the fork and shock are fully decompressed.
3. If the rebound is too slow, the shock will not have time to decompress to its original state after compression from a bump or impact. This phenomenon is called "suspension folding", it is especially felt on a series of repeated impacts of medium strength, the suspension seems blunt, and sometimes it may even seem that it has stopped working. In this case, turn the rebound adjuster counterclockwise to increase the rate at which the damper expands.
4. If the rebound is too fast, you will feel like you are riding on a spring. The rear wheel will kick out over every bump, it will jump erratically over a series of obstacles because after compression, the suspension returns too quickly and the wheel hits the next obstacle with even more force. In this case, you need to turn the rebound adjuster clockwise, slowing down the rate of expansion of the shock absorber, until you feel that the suspension is working as it should.

Now let's go for a ride
Check your settings and make sure everything works as it should. Before riding down the trail, move the indicator o-rings to the dust boots on the shock and fork (at the start of travel). After going down the trail, look at how much travel your suspension has been working, the position of the rings on the fork leg and shock stem will show the maximum suspension compression. This is the best way to know if you are using the full potential of your bike's suspension. If you look like this guy in the photo, you've successfully tuned your Transition's suspension.

Giddy Up Suspension Quick Adjust Chart

Example: A 170 lb rider might start with a shock pressure of 160 psi on the Patrol, 175 psi on the Scout, and 155 psi on the Smuggler. Remember that these numbers are not a dogma, and to set up the perfect sag, you may need to pump a little more or a little less. However, if you have measured everything correctly and set up the bike within the limits we recommended in the instructions above, you are ready to hit the trails.

We did not make a detailed plate for any rider weight, since there are so many variables that affect the settings, different types of shock absorbers, differently calibrated pumps, environmental conditions, and so on, we simply cannot take it all into account. It seems to us that it is best to start with the basic suspension settings that we described above, and fine-tune the bike's suspension directly while riding. We want you to know as much as possible about your new bike and how its suspension works. And the best way to achieve this is to teach you how to tune the bike yourself.

Based on materials