Static Sag ?

[Pool Boy]

I'm sure I've read somewhere that the Static Sag on a bike's suspension should be about a third of the total available travel.

Is that right or am I dreaming ?
And does it vary from bike to bike (model to model?) or is it a universal truth ?

Owner's handbook gives travel as 137mm front and 130mm rear so it should be 46mm front and 43mm rear (or thereabouts)
Just trying to get the preload right before fiddling with the damping

What do our suspension experts think ?

 

[marthy]

Aim for around 40 front and 35 rear, rider sag. I won't bother too much about free sag. Stock suspension?

 

[PaulMT-09]

It all depends how you ride where you ride, it's completely subjective. I have my rear static sag set up at 10mm and rider sag at 35mm. And rebound damping set accordingly.
My front static sag I have set at 25mm and rider sag at 40mm although I may soften this up a bit.
It works well for me and I'm 250lbs and 6"2'.
The key is when it's all set up and you sit on the bike it should squat equally front and rear. I'm no expert but have been riding 21 years and still alive lol. Hope this helps.

 

[Kinjane]

I'm sure I've read somewhere that the Static Sag on a bike's suspension should be about a third of the total available travel.

Is that right or am I dreaming ?

It's a good benchmark to start with, but it's 1/3 of the compression travel. The manufacturers usually quote total travel which is compression and rebound combined .

Main thing is to keep the laden and unladen stance of the bike the same. Too much added at the rear or too little at the front and visa versa can be detrimental and sometimes dangerous.

I'm running 40F, 33R but that's my personal preference. you could weigh exactly the same as me but run with something softer or firmer.
But whatever you do now will need tweaking as some point later as the suspension wears in

Subjective is definitely the word of the day when it comes to suspension