# Front Fork Rebound



## gmcunni (Oct 7, 2008)

while investigating a derailleur problem i had my bike upside down on my workbench labled "rebound" on the bottome of the front fork. There is a dial that turns about 150 degrees. they show a rabbit on one side and a turtle on the other.  it was set about mid way.  a turtle setting causes the front fork to slowly release after compression and the rabbit (you guessed it) causes a fast release.

i did a little googling and all the references seem to be related to makes changes to this for jumps/drops.  does anyone have practical experience on good settings for general XC riding?  i'll obviously play with the setting to see how it goes but in all honesty, i'm still adjusting to my bike rather than adjusting my bike to me.


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## MR. evil (Oct 7, 2008)

gmcunni said:


> while investigating a derailleur problem i had my bike upside down on my workbench labled "rebound" on the bottome of the front fork. There is a dial that turns about 150 degrees. they show a rabbit on one side and a turtle on the other.  it was set about mid way.  a turtle setting causes the front fork to slowly release after compression and the rabbit (you guessed it) causes a fast release.
> 
> i did a little googling and all the references seem to be related to makes changes to this for jumps/drops.  does anyone have practical experience on good settings for general XC riding?  i'll obviously play with the setting to see how it goes but in all honesty, i'm still adjusting to my bike rather than adjusting my bike to me.



You typically want your fork to rebound as fast a possible to absorb the next bump. But you don't want it so fast that its jarring. Its something you have to play around with until you find what is right for you.


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## Greg (Oct 8, 2008)

What ^^ he ^^ said. I like to set the fork so it's as plush as possible. I don't need/care if it fully rebounds, as long as I don't bottom it out.


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## bvibert (Oct 8, 2008)

Greg said:


> What ^^ he ^^ said. I like to set the fork so it's as plush as possible. I don't need/care if it fully rebounds, as long as I don't bottom it out.



That's not what he said.  He said that it should rebound as fast as possible without jerking the front end up.  The rebound dampening has nothing to do with how plush it is, or how quickly it compresses, that would be the compression dampening.  Rebound dampening only controls how fast the fork extends after being compressed.

Gary, its a personal thing, you'll just have to play with it to see how you like it.


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## Greg (Oct 8, 2008)

bvibert said:


> That's not what he said.  He said that it should rebound as fast as possible without jerking the front end up.  The rebound dampening has nothing to do with how plush it is, or how quickly it compresses, that would be the compression dampening.  Rebound dampening only controls how fast the fork extends after being compressed.



My "what he said" comment was confirming the initial goal is to get the fork to extend again in time before the next hit. Whether that's fully extended quickly is personal preference like you said. The overall feel you get out of the fork via compression and rebound dampening is all sorta linked though. A fast/stiff rebound doesn't feel "plush" since it's forcing you back up quickly so my rebound is set on the slow side. The compression dampening on my fork is also as off as it can be and the result is a soft feeling fork both compressing and rebounding, vs. a stiff springy fork.


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## cbcbd (Oct 8, 2008)

Greg said:


> I don't need/care if it fully rebounds, as long as I don't bottom it out.


Greg, I think it's this statement that is confusing... the rebound adjustment doesn't/shouldn't affect your bottoming out - especially on regular bumpy terrain (constant small compressions and rebounds) vs drops (one big compression and rebound). If you're bottoming out on regular bumpy terrain then your compression should go up.


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## Greg (Oct 8, 2008)

cbcbd said:


> Greg, I think it's this statement that is confusing... the rebound adjustment doesn't/shouldn't affect your bottoming out - especially on regular bumpy terrain (constant small compressions and rebounds) vs drops (one big compression and rebound). If you're bottoming out on regular bumpy terrain then your compression should go up.



It's my understanding that if your rebound is too slow on continually bumpy terrain, the travel can shorten with each bump if it doesn't rebound enough, and then if you take an unexpected big hit, you might not have enough travel left. Sure, adding compression is a solution. That demonstrates how they work together. I wouldn't think you would want a really fast rebound with slow compression, or vice versa though. Maybe I just don't get it.


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## bvibert (Oct 8, 2008)

Greg said:


> It's my understanding that if your rebound is too slow on continually bumpy terrain, the travel can shorten with each bump if it doesn't rebound enough, and then if you take an unexpected big hit, you might not have enough travel left. Sure, adding compression is a solution. That demonstrates how they work together. I wouldn't think you would want a really fast rebound with slow compression, or vice versa though. Maybe I just don't get it.



No, you're right, I could see that happening.  Good point.  You'd have to be moving pretty fast over some pretty bumpy terrain for that to happen, I'd think.


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## Greg (Oct 8, 2008)

bvibert said:


> No, you're right, I could see that happening.  Good point.  You'd have to be moving pretty fast over some pretty bumpy terrain for that to happen, I'd think.



Right. And a light rider like myself, it's probably pretty unlikely unless I was to smash into a straight rock or log at a high rate of speed after a bumpy trail and if that happens I probably got other things to worry about like my teeth from going OTB. :lol: A bigger guy like you might see shortening travel as a bigger concern. Of course you could add more air or use stiffer springs. Delicate balance for sure.


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## cbcbd (Oct 8, 2008)

Greg said:


> It's my understanding that if your rebound is too slow on continually bumpy terrain, the travel can shorten with each bump if it doesn't rebound enough, and then if you take an unexpected big hit, you might not have enough travel left. Sure, adding compression is a solution. That demonstrates how they work together. I wouldn't think you would want a really fast rebound with slow compression, or vice versa though. Maybe I just don't get it.


Ok, I see what you mean. It would have to be some pretty gnarly bumpy terrain... 

But yeah, the rebound you just gotta mess around with...


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## JD (Oct 8, 2008)

Greg said:


> It's my understanding that if your rebound is too slow on continually bumpy terrain, the travel can shorten with each bump if it doesn't rebound enough, and then if you take an unexpected big hit, you might not have enough travel left. Sure, adding compression is a solution. That demonstrates how they work together. I wouldn't think you would want a really fast rebound with slow compression, or vice versa though. Maybe I just don't get it.



Absolutely correct.  For a single big drop you slow down the rebound so you don't bounce.  for trial riding, faster rebound w/o having a pogo stick.  Slowing the compression damping down with stop you from bottoming out on a single big hit, but will eliminate some small bump sensativity.


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