RACE SAG FOR YOUR FORK: MR KNOW-IT-ALL
Dear Mr. Know-It-All,
I’ve heard how important sag is and found a lot of information on rear sag, but, surprisingly, little on fork sag. Could you please trickle down some of your vast knowledge on this subject? As an example, I have a 2021 KTM 300XC-W and ride mostly beatup single- and double-track in the forest. I am 185–190 pounds full gear. Thanks in advance.
Steve Baum
Great query, Steve. Improper fork sag and spring preload can unhinge the handling traits of your machine. I buzzed Dick Wilk, a suspension guru, for his take on setting front sag:
“Like the rear, the static sag is the most important and should be 25–35mm. Unlike the rear, this is generally not adjustable from the outside, and therefore not a lot of information is available. What is possible is setting the static sag on the shock and then tuning the front by raising or lowering the forks in the clamps to find a comfortable handling setup. Note: The fork spring preload should be between 3–7mm. This is crucial, as over-preloading can destroy the front’s ability to absorb small chatter, hold a line and snare a tight, rutted corner.”
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