sag for Fox forks

JPark

JPark

Well-Known Member
The Fox manual is telling me I should only run 20% sag on 170mm fork.
Shouldn't it be more like 25-30% for a fork that size? I've only had Rockshox before this and they recommend more sag than 20%.
 
JPark said:
The Fox manual is telling me I should only run 20% sag on 170mm fork.
Shouldn't it be more like 25-30% for a fork that size? I've only had Rockshox before this and they recommend more sag than 20%.
Click to expand...
The manual that came with my '22 Pivot Trail 429, Fox 34 130mm says 15-20% sag. However there is some information that the recommended air pressure setting is too high to achieve full travel. Your results may vary.

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JDurk said:
The manual that came with my '22 Pivot Trail 429, Fox 34 130mm says 15-20% sag. However there is some information that the recommended air pressure setting is too high to achieve full travel. Your results may vary.

View attachment 185059
Click to expand...
I haven't been using enough of my travel either.
So at least the Pivot people are thinking what I'm thinking and they know what they're talking about.
Though I was originally thinking about removing a volume spacer instead of less air pressure.
Maybe I'll try more sag first, much easier than removing a spacer!
 
JPark said:
I haven't been using enough of my travel either.
So at least the Pivot people are thinking what I'm thinking and they know what they're talking about.
Though I was originally thinking about removing a volume spacer instead of less air pressure.
Maybe I'll try more sag first, much easier than removing a spacer!
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I have found the fox recommended pressures are way high and I run 25-30% and run the air spring more progressive.
I have a 160 34 and run 56psi and I am around 170lbs
 
JPark said:
The Fox manual is telling me I should only run 20% sag on 170mm fork.
Shouldn't it be more like 25-30% for a fork that size? I've only had Rockshox before this and they recommend more sag than 20%.
Click to expand...
do you have a firebird with a 38 on it? I just saw pivot and 170mm, so I was wondering.

I havent been able to get my 38 sorted yet. Its not terrible, but doesnt feel anywhere near as nice as the manitou mezzer i have on my bronson.
 
JPark said:
The Fox manual is telling me I should only run 20% sag on 170mm fork.
Shouldn't it be more like 25-30% for a fork that size? I've only had Rockshox before this and they recommend more sag than 20%.
Click to expand...
I have a 170mm Rockshox Lyrik and the recommended sag is 15%. I've always gone 20% for the simple reason that it's the midpoint of the etching on the fork. At 20%, I can achieve full travel, though it usually takes some kind of jump or drop.

Ignore any air pressure recommendations and go by sag. Pressure is just a starting point; how do you know your gauge is even accurate?

Removing a spacer on a Fox fork is very easy. But, yes, experimenting with lower sag is easier. You can always be one of the cool kids and try to borrow somebody's Shockwiz. Never tried it, but have heard good things.
 
FWIW - I'm 215, riding a Switchblade with a Fox 36, just put a Luftkappe on the air spring. I run it at 70 PSI for about 25 - 30% sag. At 15 - 20% sag the thing is harsh as hell even with the Grip2 damper almost wide open. Only get full travel if I'm more aggressive on jumps or bigger drops. Otherwise I usually get around 80% travel on a normal ride.
 
UtahJoe said:
do you have a firebird with a 38 on it? I just saw pivot and 170mm, so I was wondering.

I havent been able to get my 38 sorted yet. Its not terrible, but doesnt feel anywhere near as nice as the manitou mezzer i have on my bronson.
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Not me
 
goldsbar said:
I have a 170mm Rockshox Lyrik and the recommended sag is 15%. I've always gone 20% for the simple reason that it's the midpoint of the etching on the fork. At 20%, I can achieve full travel, though it usually takes some kind of jump or drop.

Ignore any air pressure recommendations and go by sag. Pressure is just a starting point; how do you know your gauge is even accurate?

Removing a spacer on a Fox fork is very easy. But, yes, experimenting with lower sag is easier. You can always be one of the cool kids and try to borrow somebody's Shockwiz. Never tried it, but have heard good things.
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You'd think the Shockwiz would be a great rental item for shops or bike parks. You really just need to use it once.
 
Imo sag is useful for setting up bike on day 1 then go by feel from there on out . I couldn't tell you what any of my bikes sag is front or back . I also recently got a digital pump and couldn't believe how inaccurate my old rs pump was at higher psi almost 20psi off from actual .
 
Ryan.P said:
Imo sag is useful for setting up bike on day 1 then go by feel from there on out . I couldn't tell you what any of my bikes sag is front or back . I also recently got a digital pump and couldn't believe how inaccurate my old rs pump was at higher psi almost 20psi off from actual .
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Maybe the manufacturers recommendations are correct and shock pumps are off? I feel like my air pressure is about 20 psi lower than recommended.
 
ChrisG said:
Some shops do have a rental available for Shockwiz, as I understand it.
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I have one for rent.

Pivot is right at the base of south mtn in Tempe az. Think chunky, square edged rocks and pretty unforving terrain where everything wants to kill you. The settings they use might be high for say allaire, 6mr Clayton etc

The DW link bikes work best at the sag they indicate on the sag-o-meter they send in the rear shock. .as for the front. I’d go lower on the psi till you use all the travel at the roughest park you ever ride. Also use the least amount of dampening you can, and remember that more is not better.. just slower moving.
 
Personally, I think the best way is to put in more air than you think you need, then take out little by little until it feels good for you. Just like I do with tire pressure. It doesn’t matter if your gauge is off. Just use the same gauge every time.
 
soundz said:
Personally, I think the best way is to put in more air than you think you need, then take out little by little until it feels good for you. Just like I do with tire pressure. It doesn’t matter if your gauge is off. Just use the same gauge every time.
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Ding ding. Sag, not psi. Cause pumps suck.
 
I have one of these i carry around in my pocket since all the shock pump gauges suck
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jdog said:
I have one for rent.

Pivot is right at the base of south mtn in Tempe az. Think chunky, square edged rocks and pretty unforving terrain where everything wants to kill you. The settings they use might be high for say allaire, 6mr Clayton etc

The DW link bikes work best at the sag they indicate on the sag-o-meter they send in the rear shock. .as for the front. I’d go lower on the psi till you use all the travel at the roughest park you ever ride. Also use the least amount of dampening you can, and remember that more is not better.. just slower moving.
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So far, I've been experimenting with the pressures on the Fox fork, using the chart to start, then moving based on the Pivot recommendations. The Sag-o-meter on the shock has been right on the money. Adjusting and experimenting with rebound damping is easy to deal with while on a ride.
 
jdog said:
I have one for rent.

Pivot is right at the base of south mtn in Tempe az. Think chunky, square edged rocks and pretty unforving terrain where everything wants to kill you. The settings they use might be high for say allaire, 6mr Clayton etc

The DW link bikes work best at the sag they indicate on the sag-o-meter they send in the rear shock. .as for the front. I’d go lower on the psi till you use all the travel at the roughest park you ever ride. Also use the least amount of dampening you can, and remember that more is not better.. just slower mov
Click to expand...
awesome. I'll definitely rent it from you at some point this summer.
 
Here to comment about my observations with the Fox 34 130mm on the '22 Pivot T429 v3 last week at TSE. I'm right around the 180lb mark and was using between 72-77psi. Even slamming into rocks all week, I was only using about 100mm of the travel. Was running the recommended rebound setting from full open for my weight, but actually felt it was a little too fast, so went 1 more click slower.

I plan to try between 68-72psi next or lower, which would run more sag, but wondering if I should just remove some or all of the volume spacers and keep the pressure. If removing volume spacers, I'll need to get a chamferless 26mm socket.

Comments and suggestions please and thanks.
 
JDurk said:
Even slamming into rocks all week, I was only using about 100mm of the travel. Was running the recommended rebound setting from full open for my weight, but actually felt it was a little too fast, so went 1 more click slower.
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Routinely slamming into rocks or did you have any of those "oh shit" moments? Any small drops? Seems like you should be getting a bit more travel, but I've found I don't get actual full travel at recommended sag settings unless I'm hitting something I really didn't mean to or there are small drops involved. YMMV.
 
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