What does rider weight change?

Spring rate first, then the valving that controls how the suspension moves through its stroke. A fork or shock sprung for a 200-pound rider will feel harsh and over-sprung to someone at 140 pounds, and the reverse blows through the stroke and bottoms out. Weight is the starting point every other adjustment is built around.

How do I know my suspension needs service?

Fork oil breaks down and loses its damping characteristics over time even without a leak, so a fork can need service before it visibly leaks. Wandering damping, a harsh feel that was not there before, or oil residue on the lower fork legs are the usual signs. Seals and oil on interval keep the internals from wearing prematurely.

Do you set up for a specific track or terrain?

Yes — setup is built around discipline, typical terrain, and pace, not a generic baseline. Tell us where and how you ride and the setup gets targeted at that, not at an average that fits no one.

Service 04

Set up for you. Not for the box.

A dirt bike leaves the factory with suspension set for an average rider on average terrain — nobody who actually rides one fits that description. Rider weight, pace, and terrain all move the target, which is why a bike that feels wrong under one rider can feel exactly right under another with no parts changed.

Fork and shock service

What wear feels like before it shows on the bench.

Seals and oil are the routine side of fork and shock service — oil breaks down, seals harden and start to weep, and both change how the suspension feels well before either looks obviously worn. A fork that has gone harsh, inconsistent, or vague over a season is usually telling you this before it ever leaks in the driveway.

From the saddle that shows up as damping that feels different lap to lap, a fork that dives more than it used to, or a shock that packs down over successive hits. On the bench it is measured — oil condition, seal drag, shim stack wear — and matched against what you have been feeling before anything gets revalved or replaced.

Setup and revalving by discipline

What each discipline asks of the suspension.

A dirt bike suspension setup built for one discipline is often wrong for another, even on the same bike. Here is what changes.

Motocross and track

A track pace loads suspension hard and fast — compression and rebound need to control repeated hits without packing down, and a setup that feels plush in the parking lot will wallow the moment the pace comes up.

Enduro, off-road and hare scramble

Terrain changes constantly and speeds are lower, so the setup favors traction and control over square-edge hits rather than outright holding up under a jump landing. Long days also mean consistency matters as much as outright performance.

Trail, recreational and dual-sport

Comfort and predictability matter more than outright performance — a trail or dual-sport setup should absorb the small stuff without feeling harsh, since most of the ride is not spent at race pace.

Youth and kids' bikes

Lighter riders need softer springs and a valving curve to match, not just a smaller bike. A youth suspension set up on adult settings will feel harsh and unpredictable no matter how good the components are.

A suspension revalve in Colorado also has to account for altitude and terrain the bike actually sees along the Front Range, not just discipline in the abstract.

Chassis

Suspension gets blamed for what chassis slop causes.

Steering head bearings, wheel bearings, and worn linkage pivots all introduce play that feels like a suspension problem — vagueness in the front end, a rear that feels loose over chop, handling that got worse gradually enough that no single moment stands out. Chasing that with clickers and spring rates fixes nothing when the actual play is in a bearing.

Chassis work covers steering head and wheel bearings, brakes, and wheels — the parts that hold the suspension's geometry where it is supposed to be. A chassis inspection is part of any suspension evaluation for exactly this reason: fixing the wrong end of the bike wastes money and never resolves the actual complaint. Routine wear-item checks on these same components also happen under maintenance & service.

Where this goes next

Suspension is one piece of how a bike performs.

Suspension setup is often the first step toward a bike that performs the way a rider wants, not the last. Where mapping, power delivery, and handling get tuned together is covered under performance & custom.

Start a service request

FAQ

Suspension and chassis questions

What does rider weight change?: Spring rate first, then the valving that controls how the suspension moves through its stroke. A fork or shock sprung for a 200-pound rider will feel harsh and over-sprung to someone at 140 pounds, and the reverse blows through the stroke and bottoms out. Weight is the starting point every other adjustment is built around.
How do I know my suspension needs service?: Fork oil breaks down and loses its damping characteristics over time even without a leak, so a fork can need service before it visibly leaks. Wandering damping, a harsh feel that was not there before, or oil residue on the lower fork legs are the usual signs. Seals and oil on interval keep the internals from wearing prematurely.
Do you set up for a specific track or terrain?: Yes — setup is built around discipline, typical terrain, and pace, not a generic baseline. Tell us where and how you ride and the setup gets targeted at that, not at an average that fits no one.