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Importance of shock "Factory Tuning"?

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Importance of shock "Factory Tuning"?

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flag aaron-oban
Posted: Oct 8, 2019 at 20:47 Quote
How much difference does rear shock factory tuning make? In the Buy/Sell no one lists the factory tuning of the rear shock they are selling. Even the manufacturer of my bike did not include tuning info when I asked for specs on the rear shock. Is it because it doesn't mater or everyone plans on getting their used shocks re-tuned?

To be clear by factory tuning I mean in-depth, usually mechanical changes not just adjusting air sleeve pressure or adding a spacer.

If this has already been asked and answered I'm sorry and would appreciate being pointed in the right direction.

Im new to cycling and posting. Any advice is appreciated.
flag fthrdrt
Posted: Nov 28, 2019 at 13:17 Quote
My guess is factory tuned shocks are set up to cover most riders. I recently took the Fox Perf DPS shock off and replaced it with a Factory DPS. With Fox there's a code on the shock that denotes the shock tune. My stock shock was tuned: compression low and rebound low. The Factory shock is: compression medium and rebound medium. Both firmer valving. At 200 lb I felt the firmer shock tune might be of benefit to me. Granted its a Factory shock with more adjustment, but it is a definite upgrade all around. And the firmer tune is allows me to run slightly less air pressure and still take the bigger hits in the trails I ride. All while allowing for good compliance on the chattery tree roots I constantly ride over going up and downhill.
flag onyxss
Posted: Dec 27, 2019 at 3:08 Quote
aaron-oban wrote:
How much difference does rear shock factory tuning make? In the Buy/Sell no one lists the factory tuning of the rear shock they are selling. Even the manufacturer of my bike did not include tuning info when I asked for specs on the rear shock. Is it because it doesn't mater or everyone plans on getting their used shocks re-tuned?

To be clear by factory tuning I mean in-depth, usually mechanical changes not just adjusting air sleeve pressure or adding a spacer.

If this has already been asked and answered I'm sorry and would appreciate being pointed in the right direction.

Im new to cycling and posting. Any advice is appreciated.
Factory tuning is usually set to fit to bike where it comes on and average rider. You need different tune if you are outside averge phisically (heavier or lighter than average Joe) or your riding style is very aggresive.
In case of used shocks if it goes to other bike with different leverage ratio than it originaly was etc. it can also need different shim stack or simmilar. But usually i think you don't need different factory tune (you can solve issues with PSI, tokens etc.) if you are in 80% of riders - like most of us posters on PB are, although we think we are above average Big Grin
flag jamesashton
Posted: Dec 27, 2019 at 7:51 Quote
the factory settings a just a place to start, and then you adjust it from there, whether you want it softer or harder. and so that you don't throw 500psi in it and it explodes.
flag just6979
Posted: Nov 30, 2020 at 15:44 Quote
Depends on the frame and the tune in question. Some suspension designs really need the internal tune in order to get the external adjustments into a usable range. Other designs are suitable to use the basic aftermarket tunes. (ie: RockShox' M/M tune is usuually the only thing available aftermarket on Monarchs and Deluxes. Fox is similar but I'm not sure what they call it).

At the same time, different bike manufacturers want different things out of their bikes, to even if the suspension kinematics are similar between different frames, the factory tune can be used to get the baseline shifted to where the manufacturer wants it.
flag cjeder
Posted: Dec 1, 2020 at 10:48 Quote
The factory tune can be pretty important. How much depends on the design (kinematic) of your frame's suspension, the shock you are replacing it with, and whether and how you are trying to improve the ride of your bike. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Check the shock your bike comes with. A RockShox rear shock will list compression and rebound tunes as a light (L), medium (M) and firm (F). Fox use a four letter code that you can enter into their website here. Also, its good to know if the suspension is linear (the high and low speed compression circuits are similar) or regressive (the high speed circuit is requires less force than the low speed circuit). This can play a big role in how the bike rides.

Are you buying a shock that is adjustable? If you're buying something that has independent high and low speed compression adjustments, you're probably fine provided you or your bike doesn't need exceptionally heavy or light damping. The less adjustable your shock is, the more important the internal valving becomes. For some brands (eg Fox, DVO, Formula) there are aftermarket valve assemblies that allow a service center to tune the shock exactly how you like it. From what I can tell, Rock Shox doesn't list different valve assemblies under their parts list.

What is the ride you're looking for? Most brands have one tune for all sizes, then use the shock's adjustments to tailor the damping to rider weight. This is great if you like your current tune, but if your exceptionally light, heavy or an aggressive rider, you might want to depart from your factory tune. If you're lucky enough to have a local suspension servicer, they can certainly help you out finding a tune that works for you. If not, ask around for a good tuner at a LBS, there is typically at least one suspension guru around town.
flag jjeansonne
Posted: Sep 27, 2021 at 6:53 Quote
Does anyone know what the Rockshox Compression tune "L1" and "LC" designators mean? The other ones are pretty obvious L = Low, M = Medium, H = High. I can;t find any documentation on what L1 and LC are.

https://www.sram.com/globalassets/document-hierarchy/tuning-manuals/rockshox-rear-shock-piston-tuning-guide.pdf

Thanks,
Jeff
flag Bladin
Posted: Feb 8, 2022 at 10:56 Quote
jjeansonne wrote:
Does anyone know what the Rockshox Compression tune "L1" and "LC" designators mean? The other ones are pretty obvious L = Low, M = Medium, H = High. I can;t find any documentation on what L1 and LC are.

https://www.sram.com/globalassets/document-hierarchy/tuning-manuals/rockshox-rear-shock-piston-tuning-guide.pdf

Thanks,
Jeff

I would also like to know this?
flag discophil
Posted: Mar 16, 2022 at 13:30 Quote
jjeansonne wrote:
Does anyone know what the Rockshox Compression tune "L1" and "LC" designators mean? The other ones are pretty obvious L = Low, M = Medium, H = High. I can;t find any documentation on what L1 and LC are.

https://www.sram.com/globalassets/document-hierarchy/tuning-manuals/rockshox-rear-shock-piston-tuning-guide.pdf

Thanks,
Jeff

Also keen to find this out, does anyone know? Smile
flag chize
Posted: Mar 31, 2022 at 8:17 Quote
discophil wrote:
jjeansonne wrote:
Does anyone know what the Rockshox Compression tune "L1" and "LC" designators mean? The other ones are pretty obvious L = Low, M = Medium, H = High. I can;t find any documentation on what L1 and LC are.

https://www.sram.com/globalassets/document-hierarchy/tuning-manuals/rockshox-rear-shock-piston-tuning-guide.pdf

Thanks,
Jeff

Also keen to find this out, does anyone know? Smile
It's odd that Rockshox hasn't provided any explanation anywhere, but based on the shim stacks L1 looks like its an "extra light" tune and LC looks like an "extra-extra-light tune" in most cases but in certain shocks (Deluxe Ultimate) it looks like the LC tune may have progressive second stage (ie more damping on harder hits). Back when the deluxe was the monarch Rockshox used to have L3,M3, and H3 tunes that were progressive in addition to the platform L,M,H tunes. You could call RS if you want to know more, their customer service is generally pretty helpful.
flag discophil
Posted: Apr 20, 2022 at 3:10 Quote
chize wrote:
discophil wrote:
jjeansonne wrote:
Does anyone know what the Rockshox Compression tune "L1" and "LC" designators mean? The other ones are pretty obvious L = Low, M = Medium, H = High. I can;t find any documentation on what L1 and LC are.

https://www.sram.com/globalassets/document-hierarchy/tuning-manuals/rockshox-rear-shock-piston-tuning-guide.pdf

Thanks,
Jeff

Also keen to find this out, does anyone know? Smile
It's odd that Rockshox hasn't provided any explanation anywhere, but based on the shim stacks L1 looks like its an "extra light" tune and LC looks like an "extra-extra-light tune" in most cases but in certain shocks (Deluxe Ultimate) it looks like the LC tune may have progressive second stage (ie more damping on harder hits). Back when the deluxe was the monarch Rockshox used to have L3,M3, and H3 tunes that were progressive in addition to the platform L,M,H tunes. You could call RS if you want to know more, their customer service is generally pretty helpful.

Thanks for the info Chize, that does make sense for the extra light and extra extra light L1/LC tunes, that was my assumption. Interesting what you say about the LC having a more progressive second stage on the deluxe ultimate.

I've just changed my rear shock from a deluxe select+ to a super deluxe ultimate. My bike is a 2021 Vitus Escarpe CRS (AM/trail) and the deluxe select+ had an LC compression tune. The bike has 140mm rear travel and 60mm on the shock so a leverage ratio of 2.33 and is a rising rate (progressive)

I've finally managed to source some shim tune kits and planning to retune my Super deluxe ultimate myself to either LC or L1. but cant decide which is best.

My old shock was an LC tune so it makes sense to use that but the deluxe select+ is quite a different shock to the super deluxe ultimate. So I also asked someone who had a 2021 Vitus Sommit (enduro) bike with very similar frame as mine. Their has 150mm rear travel with rising rate progressive leverage curve with ratio of 2.5. Their tune was an L1 on the super deluxe ultimate that came with their bike.

I guess I'll just try LC tune, unless anyone thinks I would be better to try the L1 tune?

lol... learning all about this from scratch just recently so probably dont know what im talking about!? Apreciant all advise from anyone in the know! :-)
flag chize
Posted: Apr 21, 2022 at 11:00 Quote
discophil wrote:
chize wrote:
discophil wrote:


Also keen to find this out, does anyone know? Smile
It's odd that Rockshox hasn't provided any explanation anywhere, but based on the shim stacks L1 looks like its an "extra light" tune and LC looks like an "extra-extra-light tune" in most cases but in certain shocks (Deluxe Ultimate) it looks like the LC tune may have progressive second stage (ie more damping on harder hits). Back when the deluxe was the monarch Rockshox used to have L3,M3, and H3 tunes that were progressive in addition to the platform L,M,H tunes. You could call RS if you want to know more, their customer service is generally pretty helpful.

Thanks for the info Chize, that does make sense for the extra light and extra extra light L1/LC tunes, that was my assumption. Interesting what you say about the LC having a more progressive second stage on the deluxe ultimate.

I've just changed my rear shock from a deluxe select+ to a super deluxe ultimate. My bike is a 2021 Vitus Escarpe CRS (AM/trail) and the deluxe select+ had an LC compression tune. The bike has 140mm rear travel and 60mm on the shock so a leverage ratio of 2.33 and is a rising rate (progressive)

I've finally managed to source some shim tune kits and planning to retune my Super deluxe ultimate myself to either LC or L1. but cant decide which is best.

My old shock was an LC tune so it makes sense to use that but the deluxe select+ is quite a different shock to the super deluxe ultimate. So I also asked someone who had a 2021 Vitus Sommit (enduro) bike with very similar frame as mine. Their has 150mm rear travel with rising rate progressive leverage curve with ratio of 2.5. Their tune was an L1 on the super deluxe ultimate that came with their bike.

I guess I'll just try LC tune, unless anyone thinks I would be better to try the L1 tune?

lol... learning all about this from scratch just recently so probably dont know what im talking about!? Apreciant all advise from anyone in the know! :-)
I would stick with LC unless you felt like the bike was blowing through the travel on hits that generated a high shock shaft speed (ie. square edges, drops to flat, or plowing into a rock garden. Important to note that shock shaft speed is not the same as bike speed.) or if you are heavier than average (like more that 200lbs).
Generally a softer high speed tune will give you more traction and better absorption of chatter bumps, the rising rate of your frame leverage curve and natural progressiveness of an air shock should help keep you from packing up the shock.
flag discophil
Posted: Apr 22, 2022 at 2:17 Quote
chize wrote:
discophil wrote:
chize wrote:

It's odd that Rockshox hasn't provided any explanation anywhere, but based on the shim stacks L1 looks like its an "extra light" tune and LC looks like an "extra-extra-light tune" in most cases but in certain shocks (Deluxe Ultimate) it looks like the LC tune may have progressive second stage (ie more damping on harder hits). Back when the deluxe was the monarch Rockshox used to have L3,M3, and H3 tunes that were progressive in addition to the platform L,M,H tunes. You could call RS if you want to know more, their customer service is generally pretty helpful.

Thanks for the info Chize, that does make sense for the extra light and extra extra light L1/LC tunes, that was my assumption. Interesting what you say about the LC having a more progressive second stage on the deluxe ultimate.

I've just changed my rear shock from a deluxe select+ to a super deluxe ultimate. My bike is a 2021 Vitus Escarpe CRS (AM/trail) and the deluxe select+ had an LC compression tune. The bike has 140mm rear travel and 60mm on the shock so a leverage ratio of 2.33 and is a rising rate (progressive)

I've finally managed to source some shim tune kits and planning to retune my Super deluxe ultimate myself to either LC or L1. but cant decide which is best.

My old shock was an LC tune so it makes sense to use that but the deluxe select+ is quite a different shock to the super deluxe ultimate. So I also asked someone who had a 2021 Vitus Sommit (enduro) bike with very similar frame as mine. Their has 150mm rear travel with rising rate progressive leverage curve with ratio of 2.5. Their tune was an L1 on the super deluxe ultimate that came with their bike.

I guess I'll just try LC tune, unless anyone thinks I would be better to try the L1 tune?

lol... learning all about this from scratch just recently so probably dont know what im talking about!? Apreciant all advise from anyone in the know! :-)
I would stick with LC unless you felt like the bike was blowing through the travel on hits that generated a high shock shaft speed (ie. square edges, drops to flat, or plowing into a rock garden. Important to note that shock shaft speed is not the same as bike speed.) or if you are heavier than average (like more that 200lbs).
Generally a softer high speed tune will give you more traction and better absorption of chatter bumps, the rising rate of your frame leverage curve and natural progressiveness of an air shock should help keep you from packing up the shock.

Thanks Chize!

I think I'll do that, stick with LC then and see how it goes, thats the one that makes mose sense anyway as previous shock was LC. My bike is an XL frame and i'm 6'2" with riding weight of about 190lbs. Bike didnt seem like it was blowing through travel on the old shock with LC tune so should be OK. If not then i can always try the L1.

Thanks again Smile

I'll report back on my finding ones ive retuned it
flag ke116ngc
O+
Posted: May 21, 2023 at 7:49 Quote
discophil wrote:
chize wrote:
discophil wrote:


Thanks for the info Chize, that does make sense for the extra light and extra extra light L1/LC tunes, that was my assumption. Interesting what you say about the LC having a more progressive second stage on the deluxe ultimate.

I've just changed my rear shock from a deluxe select+ to a super deluxe ultimate. My bike is a 2021 Vitus Escarpe CRS (AM/trail) and the deluxe select+ had an LC compression tune. The bike has 140mm rear travel and 60mm on the shock so a leverage ratio of 2.33 and is a rising rate (progressive)

I've finally managed to source some shim tune kits and planning to retune my Super deluxe ultimate myself to either LC or L1. but cant decide which is best.

My old shock was an LC tune so it makes sense to use that but the deluxe select+ is quite a different shock to the super deluxe ultimate. So I also asked someone who had a 2021 Vitus Sommit (enduro) bike with very similar frame as mine. Their has 150mm rear travel with rising rate progressive leverage curve with ratio of 2.5. Their tune was an L1 on the super deluxe ultimate that came with their bike.

I guess I'll just try LC tune, unless anyone thinks I would be better to try the L1 tune?

lol... learning all about this from scratch just recently so probably dont know what im talking about!? Apreciant all advise from anyone in the know! :-)
I would stick with LC unless you felt like the bike was blowing through the travel on hits that generated a high shock shaft speed (ie. square edges, drops to flat, or plowing into a rock garden. Important to note that shock shaft speed is not the same as bike speed.) or if you are heavier than average (like more that 200lbs).
Generally a softer high speed tune will give you more traction and better absorption of chatter bumps, the rising rate of your frame leverage curve and natural progressiveness of an air shock should help keep you from packing up the shock.

Thanks Chize!

I think I'll do that, stick with LC then and see how it goes, thats the one that makes mose sense anyway as previous shock was LC. My bike is an XL frame and i'm 6'2" with riding weight of about 190lbs. Bike didnt seem like it was blowing through travel on the old shock with LC tune so should be OK. If not then i can always try the L1.

Thanks again Smile

I'll report back on my finding ones ive retuned it

Hey Discophil - Any updates here? I ask because I have a 2023 Escape Amp that came with a 2022 Deluxe Ultimate with the LC Tune, linear. I just upgraded the shock to a 2023 Super Deluxe Ultimate with an L tune, linear. I'm a 5'10", 215 lbs rider.

I reached out Vitus about any info on the L vs LC tune for the Escarpe and they said it was really rider preference but they put the LC tune on all their Escarpe model line shocks because they felt it best matched 80% of all riders needs. My gut tells me that moving from the LC to L is probably fine, especially given my weight. Did you get yours tuned down to an LC or an L1? What was the result?
flag henryi
FL
Posted: Jan 28, 2025 at 9:00 Quote
Hi quick question. I just sold my Vitus rapide (great bike) and am looking at an Vitus escape 290 amp frame however it comes without a shock so I need to find out what compression and rebound tune I need. If anyone know how to find this out it would be deeply appreciated.

Thanks
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