Advice on front suspension on hybrid

[gillelive]

bit of advice please, i use a spec crosstrail for my work commute and mostly have the front suspension locked out, today i have been fiddling with the bike while off work.....

adjusted my seat position and altered a few other settings after reading plenty of threads on here - some great advice, much better than a manual...

anyway i was taking a closer look at the front suspension which I must admit i have not really bothered with before, just locked out mostly...

my questions:

1. do you have to lock out the suspension at full height or can you lean on the front to lower it a little then lock out? hope this makes sense... if you can do this what would be the benefits or where would it come in handy?

2. not sure what the pressure dial is actually doing, it doesn't seem to make any difference if i turn to + or - am i doing somthing wrong and in fact do i need to be adjusting it at all?

Cheers

 

[native son]

Good question, I have similar bike and would be interested if someone in the know could answer.
Thanks

 

[Cyclist33]

Hi

I don't have the same bike or fork, but basically you should use the lockout with the fork at full stretch. I think it would just re-extend anyway and then lock out if you leaned on it first.

The + - dial is crap on budget forks, even on my slightly more ambitious Recons it doesn't do much, but basically + winds the spring up so it's tighter and stiffer, the - makes the bounce more slushy.

Set it most of the way to complement the lockout and you will get the bike as stiff as you can. Set it most of the way in the minus direction and remove the lockout if you're going off the beaten track.

By all accounts the Crosstrail is a fine bike!

Stu

 

[HLaB]

My guess, it would be best to lock it out at the fully extended position; usually things that are compressed for a long time stay slightly compressed and never straighten out, hence you are better to avoid that.

 

[gillelive]

thanks for that, yes the crosstrail is a good ride, couple of pics below, i have no complaints but considering getting a spec secteur to join the family...