Check out the video below of Rocket Ronnie showing you how to properly set up sag on your bike. For detailed instructions read below the video. If there are any questions please let us! Contact us attech@dvosuspension.com
Why Set Sag? Setting the sag is extremely important when fine-tuning your bicycle just for you. Sag is basically a measurement of how much your suspension compresses when you are sitting on the bike. Setting the sag at 20-25% of the total amount of travel is prime for getting the most out of your fork or rear shock. When it is set up correctly, it ensures your suspension will the work the way it’s designed to, preferably in its “sweet spot”. If your suspension is too soft, you’ll be sitting too far in the travel & the fork or shock cant react properly to the next set of bumps. If your suspension is too stiff or over-sprung, your bike won’t have adequate traction and deliver an overall harsh feeling ride.
So, follow these quick and easy steps to set the sag on your suspension.
Step 1 – If your fork doesn’t have already have an o-ring on the stanchion, attach a zip tie (semi-snugly) around the stanchion tube of the fork. Make sure you move the zip tie to bottom of the leg, so it is touching the oil seal. Note: remove the zip tie after your sag is set, zip ties in conjunction with dirt & mud may scratch the stanchion surface.
Step 2 – Prop your bicycle against the wall or in rack (something to secure your bike) and sit on it. Sit on it how you would normally do in a riding position with your feet on the pedals. Bounce up and down on the suspension to allow the fork and shock to settle into place. Make sure you are wearing all gear you would normally ride in (helmet, shoes, camel back & water bottles full).
Step 3 – Get off your bike and measure the amount of space the zip tie has traveled up the leg. The measurement from the seal to the zip tie is what’s called your current sag. Then measure the total length of the fork. Make sure to write down your measurements in either millimeters or inches.
Step 4 – Time to do some math. You want your current sag measured in percentage, so A is going to be your current sag, and B will be the total length of the fork. To calculate, it’s: A/B x 100. (200mm of travel should relate to 40-50mm in sag)
Step 5 – If you’re lucky, your current sag will be at 20-25%. If not, you’re going to need to adjust the spring’s preload (air pressure or coil) depending on what type of spring system you’re using. If you have too little sag, you want to decrease the preload allowing the spring to compress more. If there is too much sag, you will want to increase the preload, which will reduce the sag amount.
NOTE: If you have a coil system (front or rear) don’t over-preload the spring, if you have more than 5mm of preload on a coil, you might need to bump up to the next available spring rate. When using an air system, increase your pressure by 3-5 psi increments until your sag amount is 20-25%. After setting up your sag, you will also need to readjust your rebound damping. Rebound controls the return rate of your suspension, increasing the preload or spring rate will require slightly more rebound damping to keep ya from getting bounced off the trail. See our rebound & compression section to get the scoop on how to properly set these adjustments up, its really important stuff!