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Best way to warm up suspension before a race run?

Wa-Aw

Wa-Aw

Monkey
Jul 30, 2010
354
0
Philippines
This may be specific to my suspension bits but it seems to be the case for plenty of bikes I've owned in that past. The squishy bits feel so much better and more predictable after a run down the mountain.

It can't just be the cycling lubing the seals and the o-rings because you can cycle it a few times at the top and it still feels "cold" for about a minute or two.

I would think the best way would be to sneak some runs down in between riders before your run but this isn't usually legal.

Anyone have tips for getting suspension feeling 100% before a run?
 
Tedman

Tedman

Monkey
Oct 27, 2009
112
0
Lebanon, PA
If your suspension is healthy it doesn't need a "warm-up" or more specifically cycling of the fluids thru the vavling. You should study up on suspension. They aren't like car racing tires. They work the same all the time except in possibly freezing conditions.
I think this "better feel" is your body warming up, not the bike.
 
J

jutny

Monkey
Jan 15, 2009
306
0
Montclair, NJ
Tedman said:
If your suspension is healthy it doesn't need a "warm-up" or more specifically cycling of the fluids thru the vavling. You should study up on suspension. They aren't like car racing tires. They work the same all the time except in possibly freezing conditions.
I think this "better feel" is your body warming up, not the bike.
Click to expand...
Because we all know oil viscosity definitely doesn't change with temperature. Neither do clearances/tolerances... not possible. ;)
 
numerik

numerik

Monkey
Jul 22, 2005
473
8
Slovenia, Europe
Wa-Aw said:
This may be specific to my suspension bits but it seems to be the case for plenty of bikes I've owned in that past. The squishy bits feel so much better and more predictable after a run down the mountain.

It can't just be the cycling lubing the seals and the o-rings because you can cycle it a few times at the top and it still feels "cold" for about a minute or two.

I would think the best way would be to sneak some runs down in between riders before your run but this isn't usually legal.

Anyone have tips for getting suspension feeling 100% before a run?
Click to expand...
Are you serious?
 
Fool

Fool

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Sandwich

Sandwich

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May 23, 2002
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gently stroke each stanchion for 5 minutes. start slow and gradually get faster. don't go too fast right away or the fork fluid will immediately come out. twist the compression knob just a little to really get the orifice nice and lubricated. finally, when you think it's ready, push the stanchion into the slider and go for it.
 
Udi

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
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Sandwich said:
gently stroke each stanchion for 5 minutes. start slow and gradually get faster. don't go too fast right away or the fork fluid will immediately come out. twist the compression knob just a little to really get the orifice nice and lubricated. finally, when you think it's ready, push the stanchion into the slider and go for it.
Click to expand...
 
SkullCrack

SkullCrack

Monkey
Sep 3, 2004
705
127
PNW
IH8Rice said:
oh man, is that a fork cozy or electric fork warmer
Click to expand...
I believe it's an electric fork warmer. The photo is from the Mt. Sainte Anne World Championships in 2010. I remember reading more about it somewhere but I couldn't find the article. Maybe it was on Vital or Dirt. I failed at Google.
 
Fool

Fool

The Thing cannot be described
Sep 10, 2001
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Sandwich said:
gently stroke each stanchion for 5 minutes. start slow and gradually get faster. don't go too fast right away or the fork fluid will immediately come out. twist the compression knob just a little to really get the orifice nice and lubricated. finally, when you think it's ready, push the stanchion into the slider and go for it.
Click to expand...
And don't look at it. DON'T LOOK AT IT.
 
Kanye West

Kanye West

220# bag of hacktastic
Aug 31, 2006
3,741
473
I can't tell if this is serious or not. I'm betting not. Regardless..

Slightly thinner oil if you want it to feel more active earlier in the run. Lots of moto guys have the opposite problem - the suspension fluids heating up and the rebound getting faster and compression softer as they get a few laps in. They remedy this by leaving the adjusters a lot more closed off than normal so it starts feeling decent as they're getting up to speed for the majority of the moto.

I could see this being a problem if you're riding Whistler or something equally as long, especially if it starts off way cold up top or something.
 
Wa-Aw

Wa-Aw

Monkey
Jul 30, 2010
354
0
Philippines
It's probably not a problem for these other guys who never ride but I am 100% sure the suspension is much more supple at the end of the run than at the start. The difference in stiction(sp?) is very noticeable and it's only after being beaten up a little I can say that I can feel much of the compression damping working, especially low speed. Not really a problem on fun rides but during races where you wait at the top of the hill for ages before finally getting on track, makes you feel a lot better (and faster) when the suspension feels 100% right out of the gate.

May also have to do with me on a relatively "crappy" fork, 2010 Totem 2-step, but it's in very good condition and it works great after a little warm. Feels like crap when you walk out the front door in the morning. It's recently been serviced too. I notice changes in the rear too but not as pronounced as the fork.

It probably has to do with oil not being totally clean or slightly seals, but I can't afford to take my fork apart as often as I should.
 
no skid marks

no skid marks

Monkey
Jan 15, 2006
2,511
29
ACT Australia
The suspension defiantly works better when warmed.
Grease becomes less viscous when warmed, oil thinner, seals less sticky makes sense. Not sure how much different it gets. First run the bike always does feel worse though. I'm not sure how much is me, and how much is the bike but.
 
Udi

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
Tedman said:
If your suspension is healthy it doesn't need a "warm-up" or more specifically cycling of the fluids thru the vavling. You should study up on suspension. They aren't like car racing tires. They work the same all the time except in possibly freezing conditions.
I think this "better feel" is your body warming up, not the bike.
Click to expand...
That's definitely not true.
On a cold day in the alps (certainly not snowing or freezing), you can notice more damping and more seal drag at the top of the mountain. I notice it more in the shock, perhaps because my fork damper is sealed and separate from the stanchion/lower.

The oil used in sealed dampers has a relatively high viscosity index (i.e. minimal viscosity change over a temperature range), however if you look at the numbers you'll notice that even a high VI fluid has drastic changes in viscosity within the operating temperature range.

Thus the OP's question is totally valid, even if a little over the top. :)

Wa-Aw said:
Not really a problem on fun rides but during races where you wait at the top of the hill for ages before finally getting on track, makes you feel a lot better (and faster) when the suspension feels 100% right out of the gate.
Click to expand...
Since you haven't got many serious replies here, I'd suggest you just give the suspension a good few pumps while in the start hut. You'll look like a douche but a lot less so than if you bought fork warmers. You could also back off a few clicks of damping if it's a particularly cold day, maybe test it earlier so you can see if still supports you further down the run.
 
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