Mountain bike set-up

Now that you have all the equipment you need, it’s finally time for a ride, right? Well… not just yet. To get the most enjoyment out of your bike, you’ll need to have an optimal set-up. And while the perfect settings require trial and error (and depends on personal preference), we did get you some guidelines.

INSTALLING PEDALS

Attaching a set of pedals might seem like a straightforward task. However, there is one common mistake often made by mountain bikers. In your set, one pedal is a ‘left pedal’ and the other is a ‘right pedal’. This is because the pedals need to be screwed on in a certain direction. By screwing the pedals in the direction towards the front of the bike, the rotational force when you’re pedalling will tighten the pedals and prevent them from unscrewing. There is usually an indication on the pedal to indicate whether it is a right- or left-side pedal (such as an “R/L” symbol).

Screw the pedals towards the front of the bike. Sometimes a left-sided pedal is indicated with a mark on its spindle.

Besides your pedals you’ll need a fitting wrench or Allen key and some bike grease. By applying some grease on the screw of the pedals, it will be easier to unscrew them later. Some pedals also include ‘pedal washers’ which are small rings that go onto the screw and also function to make unscrewing the pedals easier.

So how come fixing a pedal on the wrong side is such a common mistake? Most people without a bike stand will flip the bike upside down to keep the bike stable and make the process easier. However, this also flips the sides of the bike!

Here’s a final step by step rundown of the process:

1. Check the indication, usually a little “L” or “R” written on the pedal.

2. Add the pedal washer (optional) and a little grease.

3. Insert the pedal on the correct side of the bike.

4. Use an Allen key or wrench to screw the pedal in, screwing towards the front of the bike.

5. Check to make sure the pedal is screwed in firmly, but do not overtighten them (remember that the rotational force will automatically tighten the pedals even firmer, making it impossible for them to unscrew accidentally).

SADDLE POSITION & HEIGHT

Setting your saddle in the right position and at the right height can make your ride more comfortable, safer and increase your pedal efficiency. There are three main points of adjustability: saddle height, saddle position on the rails and seat angle.

Saddle height

Let’s start with the most obvious one, saddle height. Generally speaking the higher your saddle, the easier it becomes to pedal. However, the lower your saddle the safer for off-road riding, as the saddle won’t be in the way when you move around on your bike. Dropper posts are convenient as you can adjust the saddle height with the touch of a button. Which allows you to choose the right height for every situation. If you don't have a dropper post, you can use the steps below to adjust your saddle height accordingly.

1. Wear the shoes you’d normally ride when mountain biking (the height of the sole matters).

2. Position your bike next to something you can lean on, like a table or wall, and sit on the saddle.

3. Pedal backwards until your dominant foot is at its lowest part of the stroke and put your heel on the pedal.

4. Check if your leg is completely locked out. If not, adjust the height of the seatpost with either the quick release or an allen key (whatever your bike uses) until it does lock out.

5. When you change from putting the heel on the pedal to the ball of your foot (the proper foot position for pedalling) your leg should be slightly bent.

6. Finally, slightly (1 to 2 centimetre) lower the seatpost. This will give you enough clearance to move around on your bike and prevent the saddle from hitting your behind when you ride over bumps.

Example of a saddle with quick release:

Saddle Position

The saddle is situated on rails and can be moved either forward or backward. As mountain bike frames vary in geometry there is not really an accurate method that finds the perfect setting for every type of bike and rider. There is usually an indication on the rail telling you the maximum range in which you can safely move the saddle. Position the saddle in the middle of this range and try shifting the saddle around until you find the most comfortable setting.

Seat Angle

Finally, you can change the angle of your saddle. By angling it downwards you’ll be able to pedal more efficiently when climbing uphill. However, too far down and your body weight will lean on your wrists, resulting in sore wrists. Angling the seat upwards will be more comfortable for downhill riding. But setting the angle too far up will result in too much pressure on your bottom which can be uncomfortable and even lead to medical issues.

Assuming that you’ll start by riding relatively flat terrain, try keeping the saddle flat as well. When you start riding terrain with more up- and/or downhill sections your saddle might get uncomfortable. Once this is the case, try very slightly adjusting the angle and see if it gets better.

BRAKES POSITION

When you loosen the bolts that keep your brakes attached to your bar, you’ll be able to move the brakes along the bar as well as adjust the angle.

Disc brakes have powerful levers that allow you to brake with just your index finger and use the other four fingers to hold onto your grips. To get the most leverage your index finger should be positioned at the end of the lever. Use this knowledge to slide the brakes along the bar for the optimal position.

Having your brakes in the right angle can prevent your wrists from overextending. To find the best angle sit on your bike and hold the brake levers. Then angle the brakes so they’re in a straight line with your forearms. You might want to change the angle when you ride some rough downhill trails, but for now you should be fine.

All you have to do now is fix the brakes in their position by tightening the bolts. Do check the recommended torque settings. Brakes should not move when you’re riding, but do not overtighten them either.

Notice how the rider only places one finger on the brake lever:

TYRE PRESSURE

The amount of tyre pressure you run is one of the most important factors to influence the way your bike behaves. Having the right tyre pressure can significantly improve your performance. Finding the right tyre pressure can be quite tricky however. Many factors influence how much pressure you should put into your tyres, like rider weight, type of bike and the terrain you’ll be riding.

Before we dive into how you can find the right tyre pressure for you, we’ll take a look at how lower or higher pressures influence your riding. Tyre pressure impacts the performance of the tyres in two primary ways: grip and rolling resistance.

Grip

Grip is important to prevent your bike from sliding out. Simply put, the more contact the tyre makes with the surface the more grip. An over-inflated tyre will have a “bouncy” character. Thus when you ride over rough surfaces, like rocks, your tyre loses contact with the ground. A lower pressure means the shape of the tyre can conform to the shape of the surface you’re riding on and thus provide more grip. However, run too low pressures and you’ll have a higher chance of slashing your tyres.

Grip is especially important when cornering:

Rolling Resistance

How does your bike move forward? By rolling your wheels of course! Apart from gravity, you roll your wheels by pedalling. You, the rider, provide energy and the drivetrain will convert this into a rolling motion of the wheels. The wheels make contact with the surface and will experience a rolling resistance, reducing the energy conversion. To put it simply: the lower the rolling resistance the further you’ll go on a single pedal stroke. The amount of resistance depends on the surface (tarmac vs off-road), but also the amount of contact the tyre makes with the surface. A lower pressure means more contact, thus more resistance. However, your wheels need something to roll on. So an over-inflated tyre also increases rolling resistance as it bounces off the surface instead of rolling on it.

All kinds of obstacles, such as rocks and roots, can increase rolling resistance when riding trails:

Determining the right tyre pressure

Tyre pressures are measured in either PSI or BAR. Typically the pressures in both tyres range from 22psi (1.5 bar) to 35psi (2.4 bar). There are some websites with tyre pressure calculators online, but each with a slightly different calculation and always with the disclaimer that a certain outcome may work for one rider but not for the other. In the end, it comes down to experimenting yourself. Take a pump and tyre gauge with you to your local trail and try different pressures to find your preference. To help you on your way, here are some general tips:

Start off by checking the side of your tyres, there is usually an indication of the minimum and maximum pressure the tyre can take. Never exceed these.

Think about the terrain you’ll be riding. If you plan on doing cross country rides (with appropriate tyres) you’ll want to go for higher pressures than when you’re doing all-mountain since you’ll need less grip on smoother terrain.

Did it just rain and are the trails very wet? Consider lowering the pressure for more grip.

If your tyres have an inner tube (so not tubeless) you’ll want a higher pressure than optimal to prevent pinch flats.

Heavier riders will need higher tyre pressures. If you weigh 85 kilograms or more, consider adding a few PSI.

Add 1 to 3 PSI to your rear tyre as it needs to support more of your weight than the front.

If you really have no clue on where to start, run 24 PSI in the front tyre, 26 PSI in the rear and use the tips above to adjust accordingly. Also, if you're riding new trails, keep a pump and tyre gauge close to you so you can always change the pressure depending on the terrain. Check your tyre pressure before every ride, as the tyres will slowly lose air over time.

SUSPENSION SET-UP

The suspension on your mountain bike can make even the roughest trails feel a lot more comfortable. Whether you have a hardtail or a fully, your suspension needs to have the right setup for it to function properly. There are three points of adjustment on your suspension: compression, rebound and sag.

Compression, rebound & sag

When your bike hits rocks, roots or makes a drop the suspension compresses to absorb the impact, preventing your body from taking the hit. The damping of the compression can be adjusted. However, too much compression and you’ll lose an unnecessary amount of pedal efficiency. Too little compression and absorbing impacts will feel very rough. On smooth roads or trails you generally need less compression, while on rough sections you need more.

Rebound is the damping applied when the fork or shock returns from compression. A ‘slow’ rebound means the suspension takes longer to return to its original state after absorbing an impact. When the rebound is too slow your suspension will not have enough time to return to its original state before absorbing the next impact, meaning the suspension can compress less. If the rebound is too fast, your bike can jump up like a pogo stick, losing contact between your tyres and the ground.

Sag is the amount the suspension compresses under the combined weight of your body, clothing and gear when you just sit on the bike. You need the right amount of sag in order for the suspension to do its job properly. If the suspension is too stiff it will not compress enough. If the suspension is too soft, it will compress too much, which means you pedal less efficiently.

Adjusting compression & rebound

The compression and rebound on both a fork and shock suspension can be adjusted with either a dial or lever. Where to find these dials and levers and how to exactly operate them depends on the design of your suspension, so check the manufacturers manual on how to adjust them. However, here are some guidelines that apply to most suspensions:

The compression dial is usually marked blue and the rebound with red. Some shock designs do have this the other way around though.
The compression valve for your suspension fork will most likely be located on top of a leg and rebound at the bottom.
Adjusting the damping: Clockwise adds damping, counter clockwise removes damping. Usually on a compression dial you’ll see a lock symbol in one direction, which means that when you turn the dial in that direction the suspension will ‘lock out’ (maximum damping). Near the rebound you’ll sometimes find a turtle (slow rebound) in one direction and a rabbit (fast rebound) in the opposite direction.

Adding or removing damping influences the way your suspension and bike behave. The rougher the trails the less damping you want, but it ultimately comes down to personal preference, trail conditions, weather, etc. Try experimenting to find what works for you.

Adjusting sag

The process of adjusting the sag is fairly similar for both the suspension fork and the shock. Here is the step-by-step process:

Make sure you have the following tools/items:
- A shock pump
- A measuring tape
- Instruction manual of your suspension
- Wear all the clothing and gear you’d normally use when you go out for a ride, this influences your total weight.
- Zip ties (optional)

Start by fully unwinding the compression and rebound to remove all damping and prevent it from affecting the sag setup.

Depending on your weight and the type of trails you ride you’ll have to set a certain percentage as the amount of sag. Check the manual of your bike’s manufacturer for the most accurate pressure guidelines. Usually the percentage is between 20% to 30%.

Check the amount of travel in the manual, or measure it yourself, and apply the percentage. Time to do some math:
- Let’s say the travel is 50 mm and you’re looking for about 25% sag. That equals to 12,5 mm sag. Write this down.

Your suspension will most likely have an O-ring. If not, your suspension probably has a different method to determine the sag, so check the manual. The O-ring will move when your suspension compresses, allowing you to measure the sag.

How to measure sag:

Rear/shock suspension: Find a flat surface and sit on the bike. Bounce up and down on the bike to warm up the shock. Get back into a sitting position and move the O-ring all the way up. Carefully dismount the bike without moving the suspension any further.

Fork suspension: Find a flat or slightly uphill surface. Mount your bike and bounce up and down while leaning towards the front of your bike. Put one pedal down and put all your weight on it (do not use your other foot to stand on the ground). Lean forward and move the O-ring to the bottom of the suspension fork. Carefully dismount the bike without moving the suspension any further.

The O-ring will have moved and you can now measure the distance. If it’s not where you’d like it to be, you’ll have to adjust this. You can do this by adding or removing air.

How to adjust sag:

Both fork and shock suspension will have a Schrader valve. On a fork the valve can usually be found on one of the legs after you remove a cap.

If you have too much sag you’ll have to add air, which you can do by pumping.

If you have too little sag you can remove air slowly by pressing a special button located on most shock pumps. Don’t try to remove air by pressing the valve as all air will rush out.

Repeat the whole process until you find the right amount of sag.

In the beginning you can experiment with different amounts of sag to find your personal preference. After that you might want to check your sag every few months or so as the suspension can slowly lose pressure.