How to Adjust Your Dampening
LOCATION OF ADJUSTERS
First, buy the video from Fineline Suspension -- it's only $30, and both shows and tells you how to tune for both comfort and control.
Next, adjust the Rider Sag and check bike sag to ensure you’ve got the correct Spring
Then check the pressure in both tires, and bleed the air pressure in both forks.
Finally, load your bike, ride out to your favorite spot, and do it, but note these tips...
Shock Rebound
Ride through rocks, roots or bumps leading into and out of a corner. If the rear wheel hops when braking for the corner or accelerating out of it, soften RD a few clicks and try again.
Ride over a log, ledge or rock. If the rear kicks up badly, stiffen RD a few clicks.
Ride through some deep whoops on hard ground. If your bike doesn’t track straight and the rear wheel doesn’t extend to the bottom of each whoop before the next one, or swaps badly, soften RD and try again. If that doesn’t help, stiffen CD a few clicks, and try again.
Shock Compression
Ride a trail with small rocks, roots and bumps. If the rear end feels harsh and bouncy, soften the CD. If it wallows, you’re riding the spring -- add CD.
Ride off your biggest jump. If your shock bottoms badly, add two clicks of CD. If it still bottoms badly, and your bike is not equipped with a Hi-Speed adjuster, try a stiffer spring.
Fork Rebound
Ride a short, sweeping turn. If your bike resists the turn, understeers, drifts to the outside, or the tire loses steering traction and washes out, add RD. If it oversteers, turns too quickly to the inside, or the tire bites too hard and knifes into the ground, decrease RD.
Fork Compression
Ride a trail with small rocks, roots and bumps. If the handlebars feel harsh, soften the CD. If not, add CD until they do feel harsh, then back off a click or two.
Jarring => harsh ride in the handlebars on relatively small but sharp bumps
Packing => harsh ride in handlebars on larger bumps
Headshake => front wheel ocsillates side to side, especially in soft stuff
Oversteers => bike turns too quickly, goes inside the turn, front wheel knifes
Understeers => bike turns too slowly, drifts wide -- front wheel pushes, washes out
Kickup => rear wheel hops straight up, seat pops you in the butt
Swapping => rear wheel hops side to side in hard to loamy whoops
Braking Hop => rear wheel hops excessively when braking for bumps or a corner
Acceleration Hop => rear wheel hops badly on rough ground during acceleration
Acceleration Spin => the rear wheel loses traction under heavy acceleration