Troubleshooting › Steering & suspension

Suspension fork feels harsh, sticky or bottoms out: causes and fixes

Most fork problems are setup (air pressure, rebound) or dirty seals.

Check it on your own bike

1. Air pressure or sag set wrong · Most likely

   Set sag to 15–25% of travel for your weight.

   Fix: Set fork sag

2. Rebound or compression setting · Most likely

   Bouncy: add rebound damping. Harsh on small bumps: open compression.

   Fix: Tune rebound and compression

3. Dirty stanchions and seals · Sometimes

   Wipe the stanchions after every muddy ride. Sticky seals need cleaning.

   Fix: Stanchion clean and seal care

4. Due for a lower-leg service · Sometimes

   Every 50 hours (RockShox) or about 100–125 hours (Fox) the bath oil and foam rings need refreshing.

   Fix: Fork lower-leg service (every 50–125 hours)