The mountain bike suspension guide – Trek Bikes

Whether you’re bombing dicey descents on a full suspension or hammering climbs on a hardtail, the best rides begin with dialed-in suspension. We’ll walk you through different kinds of suspension, how to set yours up, some key suspension terms and essential tech that will help you keep your bike riding at its prime all season long. 

Trying to decide what suspension is best for your next build or are you looking to upgrade your current set-up? Coil and air shocks each bring unique performance benefits to the trail. Let’s break down what sets them apart.

Air
Air shocks are much lighter and significantly easier to adjust than coil shocks. All it takes is a shock pump to adjust your shock for your weight – and you still have further tuning options with damping adjustments and volume spacers. Typically, air shocks are more efficient for pedalling but feel less plush over small bumps and trail chatter due to stiction from all the air seals. If you’re not sure what you want from your suspension, an air shock is the best choice due to its wider range of adjustability.

Coil
Coil shocks give you more traction and require less maintenance. They feel more plush, predictable and responsive because there are fewer stiction-causing seals than with air shocks. However, because they use a literal metal spring (as opposed to air), they are heavier and may require an additional spring purchase to dial in your shock’s performance. Coil shocks are a great option if you already know what you're looking for in suspension behaviour.

Compression
Compression damping controls how quickly your fork or shock moves through its travel when it absorbs an impact. Decreasing the amount of compression damping (turning the knob anti-clockwise or towards the - sign) allows more oil to flow, making the shock feel softer, giving you more control over harsh sections of trail. Increasing the amount of compression damping (turning the knob clockwise or towards the + sign) impedes the flow of oil and makes the suspension feel firmer and more supportive.

Rebound
Rebound damping controls how quickly your suspension extends back to its original position after absorbing an impact. If it rebounds too quickly, it may feel like a pogo stick, resulting in less control. You can increase the amount of rebound damping by turning the knob clockwise or towards the + sign. This impedes the flow of oil and slows down rate of return. On the flip side, if your suspension feels sluggish or doesn’t recover fully between quick hits, you can decrease the amount of rebound damping by turning the knob anti-clockwise or towards the - sign. This increases the flow of oil and allows your suspension to recover faster.

Adjustable leverage rate
Many full suspension Trek mountain bikes come with adjustable leverage rate that can be tweaked with a simple flip of a chip. When running in the less progressive setting, your suspension will feel softer through rocks, roots and square-edged bumps. In the more progressive setting, you’ll find more bottom-out resistance, pedalling efficiency and gain the ability to run a coil shock.