Suspension

TUNE E-BIKE SUSPENSION

On any bike, setting up the suspension correctly will improve its performance, and therefore your enjoyment. E-bikes are no different, but because of the added weight and inertia, you’ll likely need to adjust your usual air pressures and settings to suit. If set up poorly, the extra mass of the bike will work against you. To cope with these increased forces, e-bike forks are beefed-up, with solid crowns and thicker walls. Set-up follows the same steps as for regular suspension.

FLAT PEDALS SUSPENSION

INITIAL SETUP IS KEY

Achieve the correct sag by adjusting the air pressure or spring rate. Only use any compression adjustment for fine-tuning. High-speed (HS) damping controls how the bike reacts to trail feedback (braking bumps, landings). Adding HS compression damping makes the suspension harder and reduces fork dive (which negatively affects handling on steep tracks under braking), but inhibits oil flow, so use it sparingly. Low-speed (LS) damping controls how the bike reacts to rider inputs (pumping, pedalling). Small increases in LS compression damping can help you carry speed. Set the rebound damping fast enough that the suspension doesn’t pack down, but not so fast that the bike pings off obstacles.

SIMPLE SUSPENSION TUNING

Your e-bike will come set up to cater for a wide range of rider weights and riding styles, but there’s an easy way to make it work better for you as an individual. If you find the fork or shock bottoming-out or diving too much, you can reduce the internal air volume to increase progression. This is done by adding volume spacers, so you can avoid increasing air pressure and sacrificing small-bump sensitivity. Similarly, if you find you’re not getting full travel, think about removing a spacer. Changing the volume spacers in a fork or shock is easy and instructions are readily found on manufacturers’ websites. It can be a simple, cheap and effective way to transform your e-bike’s ride.

PROFESSIONAL REVALVE & SERVICE

Some e-bikes come fitted with shocks that haven’t been specifically tuned to handle the extra motor and battery weight, and if you buy an aftermarket damper, it likely won’t have been optimised for your bike’s specific leverage ratio. If you can’t achieve an optimal set-up using the basic steps or you find yourself at the extremities of the external adjusters, then consider a professional revalve. Not only will a service centre be able to refresh the oil and seals and make them feel like new, they can also adjust the valves or shim-stack to suit. Let them know your body weight, what bike you ride and your riding style, and they’ll be able to work miracles (within reason) and give you the perfect suspension set-up.