Vid/Interview - Arthur Says Part II

I had my suspension set up by arthur a couple of months ago. I'd picked up a new bike and was having way too much trouble getting it dialed. One hour with Arthur, and my riding has returned to what it was like on my previous bike, which was stolen. In fact, it's better. I only wish I'd gone to see Arthur about this years ago. My particular problem was running everything too soft. I didn't realize it happening over time, but i was running the shock on my old SX softer and softer every time i got it serviced. In response, I was running my fork softer and softer, until it just got very difficult to ride. Arthur recognized this very quickly and got it set up better than any bike i'd ever ridden. He also made some recommendations (a suspensionwerx rebuild, which was due, a stiffer spring, and the fancy new fox seals), in addition to a bar height adjustment. I went from suspension that was better than any i'd experienced to something even greater. The bike has small bump compliance, but more importantly, a lot of support mid-stroke. Best of all, Arthur was able to put into words the preferences which I'd been unable to describe or configure. Before our appointment, i thought i knew suspension, but i was way off. I learned a lot about the way i ride, and the way i need to bike to be set up. I won't claim that I'd be able to grab a new bike and set it up like Arthur, but I'd definitely get closer than I did that last time around.

this service is well worth it. Arthur is awesome and stands behind his work. he's been very explicit in stating that if i have questions or need a tweak, to fire him an email and talk it out.

Many good points were brought up.

Boomforeal -
By communicating with my clients before hand, I am able to assess the condition of their equipment and whether or not the basics are met to justify a set-up. Having done many set-ups now, I am quite familiar with what bikes come with a proper rear shock tune from the factory, and what bikes/rider combinations could use a re-tune for best performance. On some bikes, it is not worth me doing the set-up until the shock is properly tuned (either by SuspensionWerx, or by Fox Canada/OGC). On others, a slight re-tune can be done at time of set-up (change in Boost pressure for example). This is something I will inform a client of on a case by case basis. Now, if during a set-up it is obvious that the shock needs to be re-tuned to suit the application. I would choose to postpone the set-up until the shock is re-tuned, at no cost to my client (only the inconvenience of having to re-schedule).

If need be, I will have a baseline setting chart complemented by an alternative setting chart. If a front or rear suspension component will drastically change in performance after a service, I will indicate, in the alternative setting chart, what settings the fork or shock will have to be set at, after their next service. This ensures my client's set-up is valid when their suspension is working optimally, not just until the next service of either their fork or shock.

morgman -
You are correct. As an example: setting up Ryan Vanderham's Rocky Mountain Flatline for a season of competitive downhill racing. I performed an initial set-up on Ryan's bike pre-season. From understanding his weight placement on the bike, the nature of the terrain he will be racing/riding, characteristics of the bike he was on and the suspension components he was using (Fox 40 / RC4), I was able to establish baseline settings (fork height, bar height, bar tilt, fork and shock spring rates and damper settings). From there he rode the bike five to eight times, before providing me with feedback on the work we had done. I was able to suggest minute adjustments over the phone or by email to tailor our base settings to his needs. In one set-up and three back and forth email/phone exchanges (over the course of three weeks), I created a baseline setting that he used 90% of the time, and an alternative setting that was used for specific courses and terrain only, over the course of a BC/Canada Cup season.

This is the principle I apply to all of my set-ups. Baseline setting that will allow a rider to familiarize him/herself with how their bike is meant to feel, with the option over time to better suit the set-up to potential variables (different terrain, growing rider experience and confidence, variation in rider weight, ….). I like that this encourages a higher level of bike-to-rider connection, as most clients will naturally start to pay attention to how their bikes react in different circumstances (and will have someone to help them make sense of it). A better bike-to-rider connection creates a better rider overall, without a doubt.