SP1 suspension settings

[JohnD]

OK, so my limited experience of my new SP1 tells me that the standard suspension settings are too hard

Does anyone have an idea of what base settings I could start with?
(I am a 12.5 stone rider all geared up).

Any help gratefully appreciated

cheers

John

[Dmac]

I would say the standard settings would be OK if we weighed 20 stone

I am no expert on suspension and I dont have a SP1 but if it is anyway like the SP2 I think you should set the spring preload / sag first.

I think is is usually about 25mm front and rear.

Try this and then back the compression and rebound damping off, then and add to taste!

Just to start the confusion, the front fork has quite limited travel - so to get more travel you could increace spring preload to raise the bike at the front. Now the front is too hard you say - so reduce the front compression damping and you should have more useable suspension travel.

Hopefully someone with a SP1 will give you better advice! - youtube has some good videos on set up too

Tyre pressure also has a big effect, I use about 6 psi less in the rear and 3less in the front. - tyres warm quicker too.

For more than you ever wanted to know about bike suspension and set-up, search "dave moss suspension" on youtube - Guy really knows his onions

[JohnD]

Well I was at Brands GP doing a trackday today, and I got my suspension setup professionally by Colin at '100% suspension'.

He started off with a base setting by setting the static sag etc, then made adjustments after each session to fine tune it to how I wanted it to behave.

I can safely say it has TRANSFORMED the bike (i.e. bike turns in quicker and holds it's line well) - some of the best money I have spent on the bike so far!

Now I realise that each bike is slightly different, we all ride different etc etc blah blah, but I thought I'd share my settings with you all just in case anyone needs any guidance in this dept (it was information I was looking for when I first bought the bike:)

(BTW i'm about 12.5 stone rider inc. kit)

Front
Preload - 4 lines showing
Compression - 10 clicks out from fully in
Rebound - 6 clicks out from fully in

Rear
Preload Position 2 of 9
Compression - 6 clicks out from fully in
Rebound - 1.75 Turns out from fully in

These are obviously track settings, however they also work well for the road.... the only thing you might consider changing for the road would be to reduce the front/rear compression by a click or two to tame the beast over bumps !!!

cheers

John

[Sppete]

Well done John,
and some lovely weather for a track day too. Were your base settings very far off to start with? I found the same thing regarding the road vs track settings. Once you've got a good base setting normally just a click either way depending on track or road and you're set
Just out of interest what did Colin charge?

Pete

[JohnD]

Base settings (near to factory standard) were a bit off to start with, although static sag was perfect with front preload at 4 lines (27mm sag) and rear at 2 (7mm sag). This means the geometry of the bike is correct to start with!

The thing that visually made the most difference when he was going through everything to start with was the backing off of the rebound damping on the rear to 1.75 which meant that after being compressed it rose at a controlled rate (it rose far too slowly to start with). The thing with the SP1 is that a few clicks/turns of an adjuster actually makes a massive difference!

He charged £45 for the service and he spends to whole day with you.... and he explains everything extremely well too, which I found massively important!

He does all the no Limits Track days and his website is here:

http://www.100pcsuspension.co.uk

John

[Sppete]

Cool,
and not a bad price for that sort of service It's amazing how quick a professional can get done what would take us mare novices all summer

[steelsey]

I set my bike up today... I weigh 76kg fully kitted.... I have wound the preload in all the way and still only getting 50mm of sag on the rear, its on the softest setting and I'm getting 20mm of sag!!

[Sppete]

Sounds like you need to start hitting the pies.
I've always thought they are a bit undersprung on the front and over sprung on the rear.

Pete