[jacksonpt]

OK, I know I'm working with sub par components, but humor me...

Any tips for dialing in forks and shocks? I think I've got my fork set pretty well. I went on an average ride this morning and used zip ties to check how the travel was being used.

There's about 1/2" above that zip tie... like I said, it was an average ride. On some of the more difficult/aggressive trails, the zip tie would probably be a bit higher.

The rear shock is where I need the most help (I think). Like I said, I know I'm not runner top of the line gear here, but I want to make sure I'm getting the most out of my suspenstion. My rear shock is a RockShox Deluxe, with a 550x1.5 coil (I'm pretty sure it was 550, maybe 500 - I don't remember for sure). Anyways... when I first got the bike, there was a ton of pedal bob, so I played with the dampening some (slowed down the rebound) and that helped a lot. I preloaded the coil a little and that helped a lot. Now, I don't notice any bob during seated climbs (still, lots of bob when I leave the saddle and mash the pedals). But by preloading the spring, have I lost any significant suspension? Is preloading the spring a good thing to do to eliminate pedal feedback? If I'm just sitting on my bike in the driveway, the coild compression approx 1/4-1/3 of the way (just by eyeballing it).

Any tips for getting the most out of my suspension... especially the rear shock?

 

[NAUGHTY SHORTY]

For your rear shock,How heavy are you?, if your about 200 you should be using a heavier spring like a 700.if your putting more than 5 to 7 full turns of preload on the spring and she still bobs badly ,you need a heavier spring. What you have to watch for when increasing your preload is coil bind. If you put more pre load on, it shortens the lenght of the spring and the coils will hit each other before the shock reaches it's full travel. Not good as you will damage yourself and/or the bike.Your sag when sitting on the bike sounds about right,but measure it using the actual shock stroke rod,this should sag about 1/4 to 1/3 of it's travel. Do you have the rubber bump stop on the rod? ideal to measure sag ,just move it to the bottom of the rod and sit on the bike and it will show you how much stroke you are using. More sag = less preload ,less sag = more preload, but watch for coil bind.
As for rebound you usually adjust it to suit the conditions. Choppy/rough/downhill stuff = Quick rebound ,but not too quick that it "bucks" you off, quick enough to keep the back wheel in contact with the ground. Smooth dropoffs/jumps/trails = slow rebound. This works for me but you will have to experiment a bit.

 

[bikeCOLORADO]

Well put...

I'd also check with Mongoose Bikes and check the Rockshox site for specific setup tips for your shocks and the bike. Rockshox has fantastic setup guids right on the site.