Mountain biking offers an exhilarating way to explore the outdoors, tackle challenging trails, and enjoy the thrill of the ride. However, to make the most of your mountain biking experience, it’s crucial to ensure your bike’s suspension is properly serviced. Suspension servicing not only enhances performance but also ensures safety and comfort. In this guide, we’ll explore why you should service your mountain bike suspension, how often to do it, and the signs and symptoms indicating it’s time for a tune-up.

Tasks: Check air pressure, lubricate seals, and inspect for any obvious wear or damage.

Reason: Regular maintenance keeps your suspension performing well and can prevent minor issues from becoming major problems.

Tasks: A full service involves a complete teardown, cleaning, inspection, and replacement of worn parts.

Reason: Over time, seals, oil, and other components degrade, affecting performance. A full service ensures everything is in top condition.

Tasks: Before every ride, quickly check the suspension for proper air pressure, look for leaks, and ensure everything feels smooth.

Reason: These quick checks help catch any issues early and ensure your bike is ready for the trail.

Symptom: Your bike feels less responsive, with poor handling and reduced traction.

Cause: This could indicate that your suspension needs tuning or that components are worn and need replacement.

Symptom: Clicking, knocking, or squeaking sounds coming from your suspension.

Cause: These noises often signal that something is loose, worn, or needs lubrication.

Symptom: Oil or air leaks around the suspension seals.

Cause: Leaks indicate that seals are worn and need to be replaced to maintain proper function.

Symptom: Your suspension bottoms out too easily or feels harsh over bumps.

Cause: Incorrect air pressure or damping settings can cause these issues, signaling a need for tuning.

Symptom: Incorrect sag setting, where the suspension compresses too much or too little under your weight.

Cause: This can affect your bike’s handling and comfort, indicating a need to adjust air pressure or spring tension.

Shock pump

Suspension setup guide (often provided by the bike or suspension manufacturer)

Allen keys or wrenches

Measure and adjust the sag according to your weight and riding style.

Typically, sag should be 25-30% of the total suspension travel for most mountain bikes.

Set the rebound damping to a middle setting and test ride. Adjust incrementally until the suspension returns smoothly without bouncing.

Start with a middle setting for both low-speed and high-speed compression damping. Test ride and adjust to find a balance that handles both small bumps and larger impacts effectively.

Make small adjustments and test ride after each change. Pay attention to how the bike handles different terrains and tweak settings accordingly.

Nice Work. Time to hit the trails.