"Topping out" the suspension

[dellhem]

What's the opposite of bottoming out the suspension? Topping out? Like when I compress the suspension and jump so it decompresses fast, I hear a metallic clunk when it "tops out" that sounds a bit unpleasant.

Is that normal (and OK?), or do I need to I increase the pressure in the negative chamber? I'm 80kg and am currently using the recommended +120/-60 PSI.

[Denny Paul]

Yeah that’s the exact term for it.

topping out generally can be addressed by adding more pressure in the negative chamber. But I’m your exact weight, and I run 40psi in the negative chamber, 120 in the positive.

If you’re testing your suspension by jumping on it with locked knees, yeah you can basically always get your suspension to pogo you off and top out. But if you’re still topping out in real conditions, with limber and loose knees, that would be surprising at 60psi. I tried 60 once, and the rebound felt too sluggish. 

[mrelwood]

On 3/24/2021 at 10:15 AM, dellhem said:

Is that normal (and OK?)

For specifically the V11, it is normal and ok. It has a stopper at the inner side of the pedal bracket that stops at the top and bottom edge of a slot in the black suspension rails. The stopper does have a rubber bumper, but the bumper is quite hard, causing the bang when the suspension tops out.

If your sag is too small, you will hear the bang more often. It also increases the chances of being pogoed up. I would recheck your sag, and if it’s still 3-3.5cm, you can relax and try to take the bang as a natural component of your riding. 😜

For tips on measuring the sag and testing the shock pressures, check my video: