Cold and wet riding season is well and truly upon us.
We're guessing, like us, you like to change your riding gear this time of year and throw on a few more layers and maybe even some waterproof socks.
But do you give as much thought to tweaking your bike set up for the winter?
Jim takes us through a few key things to think about to make your ride a little more Winter ready.
1- Should you look to add/take a little air out of your suspension to compensate for softer ground conditions?
No. You don’t really want to be changing spring rates(air pressures) unless your weight changes (quite likely after Christmas 😬), you should actually change your compression damping settings. Softening your LSC will help increase grip, but if you can, increase HSC at the same time to maintain support at higher shaft speeds (reducing the LSC will also reduce HSC to a degree, depending on the product).
However, it is very important to check your air pressure at the ambient temperature, as your air pressure will significantly decrease in colder conditions.
A shock pump to check air pressure at the start of a ride is a great thing to have. Also worth adjusting air pressure if you ride with more clothing and/or kit in your bag – any additional weight will affect sag and subsequently your dynamic geometry.
2- Should you be servicing your Suspension ahead of winter riding?
At the bare minimum a lower leg service, (we have a great selection of service bundles available to make sure you have the best components to do the job properly). This will help to clean out all the summer dust and make sure the forks are well lubed for the gloopy riding ahead.
It's also worth getting in some Interflon Fin Super to keep stanchions and seals lubed and clean after every ride – this will extend service life dramatically.
If you've had a busy summer riding and want to give your suspension some real TLC, then get it booked in with us for a full service and tune
3- What about a mudguard?
Well this isn't going to impact on your suspension settings, but not only will it reduce the amount of mud that sticks to your frame (and let's not forget a build up of mud WILL increase the weight of the bike and this will impact on suspension performance) it will also keep the mud out of your face.
So whether you go for the value option such as one of our custom J-Tech Mudguards or one of the new era of custom mudguards for your Fox or Rockshox suspension, this fairly inexpensive piece of kit could have a significant impact on your winter riding.
4 - Looking to really increase your grip?
Coil Conversions are the thing for you. They do an incredible job of increasing grip, due to less friction, and this will really show through in the slippy winter conditions.
The new Vorsprung Smashpot V2 coil conversion kits are now available and provide a fantastic uplift in performance and grip
5 - Oh and of course don't forget a nice warm hoodie and cap to keep you toasty and looking stylish post ride!
So there you have it, just a few tips to help you get the most out of your suspension set up this winter.
What have we missed? Let us know in the comments below 👇