Suspension set up

Suspension setup is critical to get the best performance out of your new Saracen. Here’s how you get to your base settings for front and rear suspension, using air pressure/spring rate, rebound (high and low speed) and compression (high and low speed). We will also discuss volume spacers.

When starting suspension setup, place all adjustments into their middle setting. Run any compression lever in the open setting and remember to deactivate any lockouts.

You can find our recommended settings for your rear shock in our specification sheets. 

Manufacturer setup guides - Downloads

Fox 34 Fork
Fox 38 Fork
Fox 40 Fork
Fox Float DPS Shock
Fox Float X Shock
Fox Float X2 Shock
Fox DHX2 Shock

Marzocchi Bomber DJ / Z1 Fork
Marzocchi Bomber Z2 Fork
Marzocchi Bomber CR Shock

X Fusion 32 Fork
X Fusion O2 Shock 

If you have another Fox fork or shock, you can find their model-specific setup guides here.

If you have a RockShox fork or shock, you can find their model-specific setup guides here.

Tools required
-Shock pump
-Tape measure/ruler
-Multi-tool
-Brand-specific socket
-Notepad and pen
-An assistant makes this a lot easier as well

Initial setup – suspension fork

When starting suspension setup, place all adjustments into their middle setting. Run any compression lever in the open setting and remember to deactivate any lockouts.

Setting sag
Sag is where the suspension sits, when on level ground, with the rider in full kit on the bike, in a neutral position. This can be standing or seated, but whichever you choose keep it consistent whenever making further adjustments.

A sag measurement is taken by measuring the distance between the dust wiper and the o-ring on the fork stanchion.

Your sag should measure around 15-20% of the total travel of your fork. For a 160mm travel fork, this means that the sag measures 24-32mm.

If you have too much sag, then slightly increase the air pressure with the shock pump. If you have too little sag, then slightly decrease the air pressure with the shock pump.

When inflating your Fox rear fork and with the shock pump attached, be sure to slowly cycle your fork through 25% of its travel for around 10 times. This equalises the pressure between the positive and negative air chambers and will change the pressure displayed on the pump gauge.

Continue this process until sag measures 15-20% of the total travel of your fork. Make a note of what you did, your weight and your final setting and don’t forget to replace the air valve dust cap.

Volume spacers
Many forks now come with the option to add or remove volume spacers. These change the rate at which the fork ramps up.

Step-by-step
1. Remove the appropriate top-cap to open up the fork. Pull out all the volume spacers (if there are any), count them and make a note. Reassemble. Please refer to your fork manufacturers manual for in-depth instructions on how to complete this task.
2. Put the fork stanchion o-ring up against the dust wiper.
3. On flat ground, ride along slowly and bounce/bunnyhop the bike to replicate a heavy compression.
4. Carefully step off the bike and determine the amount of travel you’ve used by measuring the distance between the dust wiper and the o-ring.

As a ballpark figure, the fork should have used around 80-85% of its travel. If it has used less, then remove a volume spacer. If it has used more than add a volume spacer.

Compression (high and low speed)
A good starting point to set high and low speed compression is to leave them in the middle setting that you started with at top of this process. If you didn’t do that, you’ll want to start over and read each step more carefully!

Rebound (high and low speed)
A good starting point to set high and low speed rebound is to leave them in the middle setting that you started with at top of this process. If you didn’t do that, you’ll want to start over and read each step more carefully!

From here, with the bike on level ground, stand next to the bike and quickly and firmly compress and release the fork to make it rebound. Repeat this several times. Keep increasing rebound speed until the front wheel starts moving slightly off of the ground. At this point the rebound is too fast.

Continue slowing it down one click at a time, until the wheel remains more stable.

Initial setup - rear shock

Setting sag
Sag is where the suspension sits, when on level ground, with the rider in full kit on the bike, in a neutral position. This can be standing or seated, but whichever you choose keep it consistent whenever making further adjustments.

A sag measurement is taken by measuring the distance between the shock dust wiper and the o-ring on the shock shaft.

Step-by-step
1. Remove the air valve dust cap.
2. Attach the shock pump and get a reading of the air pressure in PSI. Make a note of it.
3. Position the bike on flat ground, next to a solid object like a wall/tree/assistant.
4. Get onto the bike in your complete riding kit – including helmet, bag, water, tools etc
5. Get your balance and lean against the wall/tree/assistant.
6. Release your brakes.
7. Bounce lightly on the bike so that the shock moves slightly.
8. Move into your neutral riding position
9. Have your assistant move the o-ring on the shock shaft, so it is against the edge of the dust wiper.
10. Get off of the bike, taking care not to further load the suspension or bounce on it.
11. Take your ruler and measure the amount of sag that you have.

Your sag should measure around 30% of the total stroke of your shock.

If you have too much sag, then slightly increase the air pressure with the shock pump. If you have too little sag, then slightly decrease the air pressure with the shock pump.

When inflating your Fox rear air shock and with the shock pump attached, be sure to slowly cycle your shock through 25% of its travel for around 10 times. This equalises the pressure between the positive and negative air chambers and will change the pressure displayed on the pump gauge.






Continue this process until sag measures 30% of the stroke of your shock. Make a note of what you did, your weight and your final setting and don’t forget to replace the air valve dust cap.

If you have a coil shock rather than an air shock, then the same principles apply. However, to increase or decrease the sag you need to add or remove spring preload. If you need to adjust this significantly you will need to run a different weight spring. A variety of springs are available from the original suspension manufacturer.

Volume spacers
Many shocks now come with the option to add or remove volume spacers. These change the rate at which the shock ramps up.

Step-by-step
1. Open your shock to find out how many volume spacers it contains. Count them and make a note. Reassemble. Please refer to your shock manufacturers manual for in-depth instructions on how to complete this task.
2. Put the shock stanchion o-ring up against the dust wiper.
3. On flat ground, ride along slowly and bounce/bunnyhop the bike to replicate a heavy compression.
4. Carefully step off the bike and determine the amount of travel you’ve used by measuring the distance between the dust wiper and the o-ring.

As a ballpark figure, the shock should have used around 80-85% of its travel. If it has used less, then remove a volume spacer. If it has used more than add a volume spacer.

Compression (high and low speed)
A good starting point to set high and low speed compression is to leave them in the middle setting that you started with at top of this process. If you didn’t do that, you’ll want to start over and read each step more carefully!





Rebound (high and low speed)
A good starting point to set high and low speed rebound is to leave them in the middle setting that you started with at top of this process. If you didn’t do that, you’ll want to start over and read each step more carefully!

With your initial suspension setup dialled, it’s time to head to the trails to assess how your suspension works.

Suspension testing

Now you’ve got your suspension setup at home, it’s time to head to the trails for some real-world testing. You shouldn’t be making any major changes at this point. The secondary setup is to best match the base settings to the demands of the trail.





For this reason, you want to choose a short section of trail (1-2 minutes) that best reflects the kind of riding you’re going to be doing.

Do this stage of setup where you are usually riding – whether that’s your local woods, or a bikepark.

After a couple of runs to get used to the way the suspension feels, you’ll be using a technique called bracketing.

This is where you make small changes either way of a base setting, to assess what feels better or worse. As this point that’s the only answer you’re looking for.





Pick a setting and move the dial 2-3 clicks. Complete a run and decide if it was better or worse. If it was worse, revert back to the original setting. If it was better, go further and adjust by another 2-3 clicks in that same direction, until things get worse.

Start with compression and then move on to rebound. If you have a separate high and low speed setting, then adjust these individually.

Finally move onto volume spacers, using the same bracketing technique.





This completes your first suspension setup. Make a note of every setting that you have, along with your weight, the trail, temperature and conditions.

These notes serve two purposes – first they can get you back to a base setup if you ever lose your way. Secondly, they are the starting point for moving on to advance suspension setup.

Advanced suspension setup

Just because you’ve now set your suspension doesn’t mean it’s job done! There is now the rabbit-hole of suspension puzzling to delve into and once you’re inside, it’s hard to figure a way out.

Advanced suspension setup simply means that instead of asking if bracketed settings feel better or worse, you start to ask why that may be.

To do this, you want to head back to a test trail with your baseline setup. Now make one change, noting if it was better or worse. Continue to find improvements by adjusting every possible setting and making notes along the way.

Once you have made all the improvements you can, it’s time to start assessing those notes to try and figure out why certain changes may have felt better or worse.





There are a huge amount of variables on this; where are you riding, what are the conditions, are you looking for the fastest possible setup – or the most comfort?

None of these elements are exclusive and while it would be easy to say everything can be solved by the turn of a dial, that’s simply not the case. Then you have to consider that bike fit, positioning, tyre and wheel choice/setup can all effect how the suspension works and how the bike tracks the terrain.

Once you have all of these answers, then it will be possible to set your bike up to perform optimally for your needs and the trail conditions.

It is though perhaps worth considering that the biggest variable of all remains the rider. You’ll find a far greater ceiling when it comes to improving rider performance through fitness, skills training and knowledge than there is from suspension, so don’t forget to invest where it really counts, rather than have one turn of a knob ruin your ride!




 

Suspension servicing

To ensure optimum performance, your suspension will need to be serviced at regular intervals. The exact information relating to how often your fork and shock needs to be serviced will be included with your bike.