Forks or Shock which is more important?

DanS

Sponsoring Member
Dec 6, 2000
203
0
I used to concentrate on getting the forks right because that's what I felt the most plus you see them work. Then I finally broke down and had my shock revalved and sprung properly. The difference it made was 2X what any fork mods have ever done. With the shock set up as close to perfect as possible it makes the forks work better. I can't say the opposite is true and I've been there. For the type of riding I do the shock is slightly more important than the fork.
 

Michelle

Sponsoring Member
Oct 26, 1999
1,245
0
FWIW, when I got my KDX, the guy I'd bought it from had had GV's
installed in the forks, but had put the stock springs back in. He'd
also put the stock shock spring back on. I contacted Jer about what
rates I should be using and went with his suggestion. The forks I
left alone, but put a lighter spring in the rear. Admittedly the KDX
is unbalanced stock, but the difference after installing the rear
spring was night & day. Hence I voted shock, but admit the bike
should be balanced to start with. My husband would rather ride a too
softly suspended bike, than put the stock spring back in and have it
unbalanced (he was using it while I couldn't ride).
 

wizard69

Member
May 3, 2001
251
0
I think they are the same because when I had no oil in my forks jumping felt so bad but little things were ok then when I changed my seals the rear was to soft so when I jumped I got whiplash .
now that I changed compretion damping 4 cclicks it feels better.
 

marcusgunby

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jan 9, 2000
6,450
2
I have thought about this question alot as it has got the brain cells stirred up.Heres my virdict.IMO the slower the rider the more they want the front to be good,this is i believe because they spend more time feeling what the front is doing(ie throttle off)a very fast rider will have the throttle wide open for say 30% of the time and so the weight transfer will be to the rear more and so they will want the rear to work well-also they will steer more with the rear than the slower riders so again the rear is important.However most riders who fall inbetween(75% of riders i guess) will be after a confidance inspiring setup which will be both ends as important.Im finding that balance is very important as far as my friends/my bike is concerned.:eek:
 

Jeremy Wilkey

Owner, MX-Tech
Jan 28, 2000
1,453
0
Marcus,
A well stated answer. I often find myself saying most riders feel the forks but ride on the shock. This has been a very cool string.

Regards,
Jer
 

HiG4s

~SPONSOR~
Mar 7, 2001
1,311
0
Well if for slower riders the fork becomes more imporant, I shouldn't need a shock at all.:confused:
 

marcusgunby

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jan 9, 2000
6,450
2
I had a 99 KTm dump all the shock oil and still finished in the top 10 of a local race so does that make me fast or slow:confused: funny thing was that shock tracked unreal with no oil in it.;)
 

KDXDan

Member
Oct 17, 2000
186
0
Forks

With a bad shock setup you can still ride. No as fast but you can get a day in if you legs are strong. Without a fork your done immediatly. All the suspension would be in your arms. Thats why I picked forks. A good hardtail MTB can stay with a good full suspension MTB but a rigid fork is left behind.
 

homey

Member
Aug 7, 2001
68
0
The shock actually has more tasks to perform (My opinion!). I have seen one member talk about chain tension. The shock spends a lot of time compensating for this. The chain tension will cause the rear end to sag whenever throttle is applied to the rear tire. Also, the rear end of the bike will tend to lock out under braking to the point where you will have no suspension at all. Oh yeah, the shock also has to perform its job of soaking up the bumps! The fork, on the other hand, has to compensate for brake dive, constant front end geometry changes, and soaking up bumps like the shock. I origionally voted "c" but I think the shock has more work to do. Both play an equal part in the overall handling of the bike when it comes down to it!
 

cujet

Member
Aug 13, 2000
826
5
there is no question that the shock is far more important. As one who regularly blows out the Pro Action Showa suspension on my bike. I will tell you that a shock damping reduction makes the bike unsafe. While the same loss of damping in the forks gives an uneasy feeling, it is generally controllable. Think about how crashes in whoops occur, the rear end starts going all over the place and wham!

Chris
 

xrsforever

Member
Nov 2, 2000
249
0
I had both front& back revalved by Thumper/Scotts,and commented to them "well the front seems plusher/smoother and I use all of it,but the shock seems much smoother and doesn't bonce around in the whoops or roots."Their comment was it seems as though it was set up properly.I think they are both important,but that the shock is definitely the most neglected.With the last statement I'll say the shock is slightly more important.:cool:
 

FMX_novice

Member
Jan 5, 2001
161
0
I think the feel of the forks is more important, if your forks are off, too little or too much compression, rebound or spring rate your going to feel it right in your arms and it will result in arm pump making you entirely less aggressive.
The shock characterizes the bikes turning and balance. If your shock sinks into turns and resists bottoming when landing big kickers and rebounds fast enough for the next whoop but not too fast to throw you over the bars its good. Defects in fork setup are probobly more easily noticed, since you have your knees to correct the shocks defects before the rest of your body gets it you wont notice problems as easily.
 

podia

Member
Aug 31, 2000
187
0
From my point of view, the fork setting is more critical than then shock

As the rear follow the front(wheel), where you place your tyre is very important. The rear wheel will just follow adsorbing.

Normally I got into trouble is when my front end hit something nasty
or in the wrong place. And armpump is what I always got from the front too.

Just my 2cents:)
 

EZ

Member
Jul 18, 2001
24
0
Kinda like saying which is more important 4 walking,Ur right foot or Ur left? The ball or heel of Ur foot? A balanced,just so-so setup,will work better than great valving on both ends with the springs out of balance (or anything else about the "great setup" being out of balance). As Ecclesiastes preaches,balance is the key to life. :)
 
Last edited:

ktmboy

~SPONSOR~
Apr 1, 2001
2,474
0
Well, as much as I believe a balanced suspension is the best scenario, I voted the shock most important because in off-road situations you can live with a bad fork, (especially on an open bike), but a bad shock will spit you off, will not allow the rear tire to hook up, and will even adversely affect braking.
 

steve125

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Oct 19, 2000
1,252
0
For me it's the forks!,if their set up bad and pound my arms i'm done.:scream: As for the shock i can always stand up more and get away from it's problems,but in the end a balanced suspension is the only way to go.
 

grsh

Member
Dec 10, 2001
28
0
i had bith ends done at the same time . i noticed as sone as i turned that thing on the right, i almost looped out, due to the rear hooking up. it was like a different engine, for this i have to say the shock made the most improvments for me and i have to say is more improtant. although the forks play an important role aswell.
 

MrMXer327

Back in the saddle and having a blast !
LIFETIME SPONSOR
For me, The faster I go, the more I depend on the shock. When I am fresh and haulin (A rare occurance) I need a shock that can handle anything I throw at it. If the fork is firm enough that it doesn't blow thru the stroke, plush enough not to deflect or cause arm pump and doen't rebound like a Pogo stick, I'm happy. The shock on the other hand has to stay hooked up no matter what ! No deflection, No blowing thru the stroke, Very controlled rebound with no packing and since I am a Vet.. It has got to suck up those nasty acceleration bumps. The back just doesn't take kindly to them anymore. But here is the catch... The package still has to save me from my bonehead moves.. Over jumping that tabletop, Overjumping the double and landing into the face of the triple and trying to run the pace of Billy Who for a lap or two at DirtWeek. Hey Jeremy, Can you hook me up with some stacks to accomplish this for a 200lb Vet B rider on a 01 426F? :cool:
 

kciH

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jan 28, 2002
225
0
When I first got my bike, and didn't have the back shock adjusted properly, it was far more noticable than the difference in the forks between the way it came and the way it is now. My vote is for the shock, it can make the bike do unnerving things when it's not right.
 

Lorin

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jun 25, 1999
948
0
I used to think the forks were more important, but the difference in traction, etc., from the rear shock being done is incredible! Balance is crucial - I just wish I had done them both at the same time instead of waiting almost two years to do my shock.
 
Top Bottom