I've been lent a Quarq ShockWiz

[steve_sordy]

I have bought my 12-year old grandson a new bike for Xmas and the ShockWiz will help with setting up the Manitou Mattoc Comp Boost fork. It has rebound & compression damping and also it has the Dorado air spring with IVA (4-step Incremental Volume Adjust). I can set the static sag for him and make a guess at the other required settings, but to be honest whenever I make any change he always tells me it's better! As an experiment on his current bike, I once changed his %sag from 25 to 30, then to 25, then to 20 then back to 25. Every single time he said it was an improvement! (Fantastic, Brilliant, Amazing!....)

But come to think of it he was only ten at the time and lately, he has been getting better at giving feedback. He now tells me when his brakes are getting worse or his shifting is giving problems! But he still fails to notice any difference in tyre pressures. Too busy having fun I guess!

 

[aarfeldt]

With a 92% shock tuning score, the ShockWiz was not suggesting that I do anything in particular next. .

Strange....if I'm not at 100%, it allways tells me what it needs (like jumps, large hits, etc).

 

[steve_sordy]

I finally went out on the bike again today to test the latest settings. I increased the shock pressure from 220 to 230 psi, reset the ShockWiz from the start (as required), then went for it.

After getting a 96% trail score and a 86% confidence level, it suggested that the HSC needed firming a bit (I can't do that). Every other factor was OK, previously it had suggested that the LSC needed firming a bit, but it was now OK. I'm assuming that the extra spring pressure reduced any low speed compressions. The dynamic sag was now down to 30% which I was pleased about. Climbing was a bit easier with less wandering. I had a look at the events and there was insufficient data to report on "packing down". All else was fine except it reported that the shock was pogo-ing a bit. What's that? The ShockWiz says pogo-ing is uncontrolled low speed rebound. But the slow speed rebound had been reported as OK, so it must be marginal. Anyway, I added one click of extra rebound damping and cleared the readings on the ShockWiz. The extra spring pressure will have given rebounding more force, hence the need for a little bit more damping.

I repeated the trails I had just done. This time I got 94% trail score and a 76% confidence level. The HSC still needed firming a bit, but every other factor was OK. I'll call that it.

I might ask the suspension tuner to add a bit of HSC damping to the shock when it goes in for a service.

The ShockWiz was asking me to do still more bumpy trails, meaning roots and rocks. I had done loads of them! Its hard not to in a forest!

How has it been? Would I recommend the use of a ShockWiz? Yes, it has been useful, I doubt that I would have added any further rebound damping. And increasing the compression damping on the fork just felt wrong - but it worked. It was an interesting exercise to take part in, even if it had ended up with no changes required (because at least you know).

I'm done with the ShockWiz now, I really don't believe that I'm going to get any more from it. But I will be using it on my grandson's new bike.

 

[RickBullotta]

I finally went out on the bike again today to test the latest settings. I increased the shock pressure from 220 to 230 psi, reset the ShockWiz from the start (as required), then went for it.

After getting a 96% trail score and a 86% confidence level, it suggested that the HSC needed firming a bit (I can't do that). Every other factor was OK, previously it had suggested that the LSC needed firming a bit, but it was now OK. I'm assuming that the extra spring pressure reduced any low speed compressions. The dynamic sag was now down to 30% which I was pleased about. Climbing was a bit easier with less wandering. I had a look at the events and there was insufficient data to report on "packing down". All else was fine except it reported that the shock was pogo-ing a bit. What's that? The ShockWiz says pogo-ing is uncontrolled low speed rebound. But the slow speed rebound had been reported as OK, so it must be marginal. Anyway, I added one click of extra rebound damping and cleared the readings on the ShockWiz. The extra spring pressure will have given rebounding more force, hence the need for a little bit more damping.

I repeated the trails I had just done. This time I got 94% trail score and a 76% confidence level. The HSC still needed firming a bit, but every other factor was OK. I'll call that it.

I might ask the suspension tuner to add a bit of HSC damping to the shock when it goes in for a service.

The ShockWiz was asking me to do still more bumpy trails, meaning roots and rocks. I had done loads of them! Its hard not to in a forest!

How has it been? Would I recommend the use of a ShockWiz? Yes, it has been useful, I doubt that I would have added any further rebound damping. And increasing the compression damping on the fork just felt wrong - but it worked. It was an interesting exercise to take part in, even if it had ended up with no changes required (because at least you know).

I'm done with the ShockWiz now, I really don't believe that I'm going to get any more from it. But I will be using it on my grandson's new bike.

FYI, temperature will affect both compression and rebound behavior as the fluid changes viscosity. I tweak my settings for summer and winter.

 

[steve_sordy]

FYI, temperature will affect both compression and rebound behavior as the fluid changes viscosity. I tweak my settings for summer and winter.

I'm assuming that you put less damping in the winter than the summer?

What sort of temperature range do you get where you live in the USA?

The coldest air temperature I have ridden in (several years ago now) was -6degC (21degF). The hottest is +28degC (82degF). We don't seem to get the really cold winters anymore in central UK where I live. Both extremes are rare, for me at least. I know that oil gets more viscous as the temperature falls, but I also know that the oil in the fork and shock will warm up as the suspension works. And of course the more viscous the oil the faster it will warm up. I've had slush collect on my frame but never on my suspension. So I'm not sure what the working temperature range actually will be. The only time I noticed any change in the suspension behaviour was when it was really cold, but it didn't last long. So either I got used to it, or the suspension warmed up.

Another thought. Are the oils used in suspension multigrade to any extent? By that I mean like those in your car engine. They behave like low viscosity oils at external temperature (so you can start the car), but like higher viscosity oils at working temperature (so they protect the engine).
To answer my own question. I guess they are not, because either it doesn't matter, or if it does matter then there would be products on the market. Alternatively, I suppose that the vast majority of bike riders either don't notice the difference, or do notice but have a solution they are happy with (like you), or maybe they just don't ride in extreme temperatures.

Uh Oh, my absence has been noticed! Merry Xmas!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[118]

Are the oils used in suspension multigrade to any extent?

Fork oils only come in one specific weight.

Merry Christmas

 

[RickBullotta]

Fork oils only come in one specific weight.

Merry Christmas

To clarify, they’re straight weight oils, but you can buy fork oils of a variety of weights/viscosities, generally from 2.5W to 20W.

 

[118]

To clarify, they’re straight weight oils, but you can buy fork oils of a variety of weights/viscosities, generally from 2.5W to 20W.

Sorry, that's what I meant - there's not a range within one oil weight.

 

[aarfeldt]

öhlins TTX claims they are temperature independant.
But not many uses TTX anyway

 

[Sapientiea]

Very interesting read Steve_sordy! I make a living designing acadamic experiments and this Shock-wiz and the comments here got me thinking. The problem is indeed the rider input level (full-on agressive or relaxed) when the shock-wiz is recording and the type of terrain you are going to ride (DH or trails). The metrics it measures are just that. I have to assume they are correct...otherwise why bother. But let's assume they are. I think it would benefit if there were some standardized testing like; state tire pressures at moment testing, ride a bump xcm (curb?) seated and non seated, try to fully compress, with body weight, the suspension, bike xkm/h and front brake as hard as possible etc. Like this it would set the ability of the person riding and some data can be gathered that is more standardized. I have not had a Shockwiz before and since it quite expensive I do not want to buy one for this alone. But I think setting up some tests that everyone can do and link that to the setting up of the suspension. Obviously not all data needed can be acquired like that. I also have to think about it some more.