Mountain bikers - suspension pre-load question.

[Bry Nylon]

My front fork has an adjustment for pre-load - a dial which can be turned to a plus or minus setting. Which setting (+ or -) should deliver maximum travel on the fork? I've tried riding in each setting, but can't say I've noticed any dicernible difference?

 

[Uncle C]

If its anything like a motorbike then pre-load is used to set the machine up for the weight of the rider.

Light rider = little preload, heavy rider = more preload.

Lets look at the case of the heavy rider. When he sits on a bike the suspension will sink a lot. In order to avoid this happening and upsetting the balance of the bike the preload is used to partly compress the spring, so its initial travel is stiffer and the bike will not sink so much when the rider sits on it.

You have not changed the spring rating (just altered its initial travel), so maximum travel is not affected. I am guessing that + will add preload.

There is more to it, but this should help.

 

[Zamora For England]

You won't notice a difference unless you had a lock-out seen on more expensive models of forks. This is a physical switch that can make the forks rigid or as normal. As Uncle C says, the dial you can see is just for basic preload.

 

[Muhammad - I’m hard - Bruce Lee]

have you tried switching it off and back on again?

 

[Pantani]

If its anything like a motorbike then pre-load is used to set the machine up for the weight of the rider.

Light rider = little preload, heavy rider = more preload.

Lets look at the case of the heavy rider. When he sits on a bike the suspension will sink a lot. In order to avoid this happening and upsetting the balance of the bike the preload is used to partly compress the spring, so its initial travel is stiffer and the bike will not sink so much when the rider sits on it.

You have not changed the spring rating (just altered its initial travel), so maximum travel is not affected. I am guessing that + will add preload.

There is more to it, but this should help.

This. Although you should have a manual that came with your bike that will explain things, it is worth reading them as far as suspension forks are concerned to get the best out of them in terms of performance and longevity.