Suspension can feel mysterious — knobs, clicks, air pressure, leverage curves — but it doesn’t have to be. This spring, we’re breaking it down piece by piece in a hands-on Suspension Series at Cyclepath PDX. From basic theory to on-trail bracketing and frame kinematics, this is designed to help you understand what your bike is doing and how to make it work better for you.

Whether you’re new to suspension or just want to ride faster and smoother, this series will give you the tools — and confidence — to dial it in.

📅 Suspension Series Lineup

1. Intro to Suspension

March 4 - 6-7pm |📍Cyclepath NW

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We’re starting with the fundamentals. What is damping? How does spring rate affect ride feel? What do rebound and compression actually do?

• Air vs. coil springs

• Spring rate & sag basics

• Rebound and compression damping

• High-speed vs. low-speed compression

• What your fork and shock knobs actually control

Perfect for riders who want to understand the “why” before touching the settings.

 

2. Suspension Setup

March 25 - 6-7pm |📍Cyclepath NW

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Time to put theory into practice. Bring your bike and we’ll walk through:

• Setting sag properly

• Adjusting rebound

• Setting baseline compression

• Following manufacturer recommendations

• Creating a starting-point setup sheet

You’ll leave with a properly set-up bike and a clear understanding of where your adjustments are starting from.

 

3. Suspension Bracketing On Trail

April 5 - 10am-3pm |📍 Rocky Point

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Now we ride. We’ll go through structured bracketing — intentionally running through the full range of settings to feel what each change does on trail. We’ll cover:

• How to test one variable at a time

• Recognizing too-fast vs too-slow rebound

• Compression tuning for support vs traction

• Dialing in settings for Rocky Point terrain

This is the clinic that turns “educated guess” into real understanding.

 

4. Suspension Kinematics

May 6 - 6-7pm |📍 Cyclepath NW

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Not all suspension designs feel the same — and here’s why. We’ll break down:

• Leverage ratio & progression

• Anti-squat & pedal efficiency

• Anti-rise & braking performance

• Axle path

• How frame design affects shock setup

If you’ve ever wondered why two bikes with the same shock feel completely different — this is your session.

5.  Suspension Bracketing On Trail w/ Ochain

May 13 - 5:30-7:30pm |📍 Rocky Point

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Curious about drivetrain feedback and chain growth influence on suspension?

We’re hosting an Ochain demo ride at Rocky Point. Participants will drop off their bikes the week prior — we’ll install an Ochain system — and bring them out for a dedicated test ride session. Feel the difference in:

• Reduced pedal kickback

• Improved traction

• Smoother suspension feel under load

This is your chance to experience how drivetrain dynamics interact with suspension performance.