100 PSI ok for the King Song S18 Suspension?

[RoboFixIt]

Testing out an S18 and it's my first time using suspension wheel. King Song recommends deflating it first but I didn't realize the pump at the gas station wouldn't work... The new air pump I just bought broke so now I have to see if I can return it. I decided to use my old bike pump and I got the Top Valve and Bottom Valve up to 100 PSI

Is that enough to ride safely with it for a week?

I wont be taking any cubs or going off road, just bike lanes so should be ok right?

[OldFartRides]

Probably not. But you can lock out the shock with a turn of the blue lever.

[Tawpie]

I would also let some of the air out of the bottom chamber, it should be about 1/2 the pressure of the top. Make sure you get a shock pump!

While you’re waiting, view some mountain bikers videos on suspension setup. It’s crucial to set it up properly! Hopefully the suspension linkage works smoothly, some do but some need varying levels of rebuild to function properly.

Edited May 29, 2022 by Tawpie

[sunstrong]

I was just learning about suspensions too just so that I could set up my S18 properly yesterday.

Without using any specific numbers, here’s what I learned (correct me if I’m wrong):

1. It’s always a balance between support with big bumps vs sensitivity to smaller bumps

2. top chamber is the shock, like the spring on non-air suspensions. Controls how much the suspension compresses. Less air pressure means it reacts quicker with less force / weight, higher pressure means it takes more force / weight but less sensitive to small bumps.

3. the lower chamber is the damper, controls how much the suspension rebounds. I’m not sure but I think too much pressure means it’s not gonna rebound well, but too low then makes it like a pogo stick?

4. the knob controls the rebound speed, pretty easy to test it out…

Take some time to test it out is the best, choose a setting that makes you comfortable, uses most of the suspension travel for your preferred trails/paths, and not bottoming out the suspension

[Tawpie]

3 hours ago, sunstrong said:

I was just learning about suspensions too just so that I could set up my S18 properly yesterday.

Without using any specific numbers, here’s what I learned (correct me if I’m wrong):

1. It’s always a balance between support with big bumps vs sensitivity to smaller bumps

2. top chamber is the shock, like the spring on non-air suspensions. Controls how much the suspension compresses. Less air pressure means it reacts quicker with less force / weight, higher pressure means it takes more force / weight but less sensitive to small bumps.

3. the lower chamber is the damper, controls how much the suspension rebounds. I’m not sure but I think too much pressure means it’s not gonna rebound well, but too low then makes it like a pogo stick?

4. the knob controls the rebound speed, pretty easy to test it out…

Take some time to test it out is the best, choose a setting that makes you comfortable, uses most of the suspension travel for your preferred trails/paths, and not bottoming out the suspension

That's all in line with my understanding... set the sag using the rubber band, that allows you to use the full stroke of the shock. 15% sag is 'nominal', maybe 20% if you're off roading. The lower chamber is mostly to overcome stickshun in the shock seals, the dial sets the rebound speed. I set it by turning it all the way fast then going very slowly off a curb and noting how it pogo sticks (might help to have a camera in slo mo). Then click by click until the pogo sticking just barely stops.

BTW, there's lots of debate about the brick... in my mind, it's used only so that the suspension is in a set configuration when you pump it. Then and only then can you 'use the psi' to reset the pressure, otherwise the numbers don't matter. It's about sag and damping, to heck with the absolute numbers (until you need to set it up again).