For curious mountain bikers

Technical Guides

Master mountain bike setup and maintenance with expert guides on suspension tuning, brake setup, tire selection, and more. Get the most from your build.

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Beginner

Brake Bed-in

The essential process for achieving maximum braking power.

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Beginner

Brake Bed-in

The essential process for achieving maximum braking power.

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Beginner

Chain Maintenance

Essential tips for cleaning, lubrication, and extending component life.

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Beginner

Chain Maintenance

Essential tips for cleaning, lubrication, and extending component life.

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Beginner

Component Compatibility

Avoid expensive fit mistakes between forks, wheels, tires, and cockpit parts before you buy.

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Beginner

Component Compatibility

Avoid expensive fit mistakes between forks, wheels, tires, and cockpit parts before you buy.

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Beginner

Pre-Ride Safety Check

A 5-minute routine to catch mechanical issues before they happen.

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Beginner

Pre-Ride Safety Check

A 5-minute routine to catch mechanical issues before they happen.

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Beginner

Setting Sag

How to properly set up your suspension sag for optimal performance.

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Beginner

Setting Sag

How to properly set up your suspension sag for optimal performance.

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Advanced

Brake Bleeding

System-specific bleed procedures for Shimano, SRAM, and Magura — eliminate lever sponginess and restore full power.

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Advanced

Brake Bleeding

System-specific bleed procedures for Shimano, SRAM, and Magura — eliminate lever sponginess and restore full power.

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Advanced

Cockpit Setup

Dialing in your handlebar, stem, and controls for comfort and control.

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Advanced

Cockpit Setup

Dialing in your handlebar, stem, and controls for comfort and control.

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Advanced

Compression Damping

Controlling how your suspension compresses

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Advanced

Compression Damping

Controlling how your suspension compresses

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Advanced

Derailleur Indexing

Fine-tune cable tension, limit screws, and B-gap for crisp, accurate shifting under load.

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Advanced

Derailleur Indexing

Fine-tune cable tension, limit screws, and B-gap for crisp, accurate shifting under load.

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Advanced

Dropper Post Setup & Maintenance

Lever ergonomics, cable tension, internal bleeding, and IFP service to keep your dropper crisp and reliable.

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Advanced

Dropper Post Setup & Maintenance

Lever ergonomics, cable tension, internal bleeding, and IFP service to keep your dropper crisp and reliable.

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Advanced

Rebound Damping

Mastering the art of return speed for better control and traction.

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Advanced

Rebound Damping

Mastering the art of return speed for better control and traction.

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Advanced

Tire Inserts

When inserts help, what they cost in weight and feel, and how to choose the right level of support.

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Advanced

Tire Inserts

When inserts help, what they cost in weight and feel, and how to choose the right level of support.

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Advanced

Tire Selection & Setup

Choosing the right tread, compound, and pressure for your terrain.

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Advanced

Tire Selection & Setup

Choosing the right tread, compound, and pressure for your terrain.

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Advanced

Tubeless Maintenance

Keeping your tubeless setup reliable and performing

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Advanced

Tubeless Maintenance

Keeping your tubeless setup reliable and performing

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Advanced

Wheel Maintenance

Truing, spoke tension management, and hub service — keep your wheelset race-ready and fatigue-free.

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Advanced

Wheel Maintenance

Truing, spoke tension management, and hub service — keep your wheelset race-ready and fatigue-free.

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Pro

Suspension & Rear Shock Service

Service intervals, maintenance schedules, and DIY vs professional guidance.

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Pro

Suspension & Rear Shock Service

Service intervals, maintenance schedules, and DIY vs professional guidance.

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Seasonal

Bike Washing & Deep Cleaning

Proper techniques that protect bearings, pivots, and electronics — clean your bike without destroying it.

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Seasonal

Bike Washing & Deep Cleaning

Proper techniques that protect bearings, pivots, and electronics — clean your bike without destroying it.

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Seasonal

Weather & Conditions Adaptation

Setup adjustments for wet, muddy, dry, and cold conditions — tires, suspension, drivetrain, and brakes.

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Seasonal

Weather & Conditions Adaptation

Setup adjustments for wet, muddy, dry, and cold conditions — tires, suspension, drivetrain, and brakes.

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More Guides Coming Soon

We are constantly adding new technical articles and manuals to help you maintain your dream build.

Air Spring
Suspension that uses compressed air instead of a coil spring. Lighter weight and easily adjustable, but can feel harsher than coil.
Bed-In (Brakes)
The process of transferring brake pad material onto the rotor surface to maximize braking power and eliminate squealing.
Boost Spacing
A hub standard with 148mm rear and 110mm front spacing (vs. 142mm/100mm). Allows for stiffer wheels and better tire clearance.
Bottom Bracket
The bearing assembly that connects the cranks to the frame. Common standards include BSA, PF30, and BB92.
Cassette
The cluster of gears on the rear wheel. Modern MTB cassettes range from 10-52 teeth for maximum range.
Chainring
The toothed ring attached to the cranks that the chain runs on. Modern MTBs typically use a single chainring (1x drivetrain).
Chainstay
The frame tubes that run from the bottom bracket to the rear axle. Shorter chainstays make the bike more playful and maneuverable.
Coil Spring
A metal spring used in suspension, offering linear spring rate and excellent small-bump sensitivity. Heavier than air but more consistent.
Compression
The speed at which your suspension compresses when hitting bumps. Can be adjusted separately for low-speed (small bumps) and high-speed (big hits) compression.
Damping
The resistance to movement in your suspension, controlled by oil flowing through valves. Prevents uncontrolled bouncing and oscillation.
Dropper Post
A height-adjustable seatpost controlled by a handlebar lever, allowing you to lower the saddle for descents and raise it for climbing.
Head Angle
The angle of the head tube measured from vertical. Slacker angles (62-64°) are more stable at speed, steeper angles (66-68°) are more agile.
HSC (High-Speed Compression)
Damping that controls how fast the suspension compresses during big, fast impacts like landing jumps or hitting square-edge bumps.
HSR (High-Speed Rebound)
Damping that controls how quickly the suspension extends after a big, fast compression.
LSC (Low-Speed Compression)
Damping that controls how the suspension reacts to slow inputs like pedaling, braking, and cornering forces.
LSR (Low-Speed Rebound)
Damping that controls the overall speed at which the suspension returns to full extension after compression.
Modulation
The ability to finely control braking power. Good modulation allows precise control between light braking and maximum stopping power.
Preload
The initial compression applied to a coil spring. Should only be used for minor sag adjustments; the correct spring rate is more important.
Reach
The horizontal distance from the bottom bracket to the top of the head tube. A key measurement for determining bike fit and handling.
Rebound
The speed at which your suspension extends after being compressed. Controlled by a damper that prevents the suspension from bouncing back too quickly.
SAG
The amount your suspension compresses under your body weight in riding position, measured as a percentage of total travel (typically 20-30%).
Seal Head
The top of a rear shock where the air valve is located. Contains seals that prevent air from escaping the positive and negative chambers.
Stack
The vertical distance from the bottom bracket to the top of the head tube. Determines how upright or aggressive your riding position is.
Stanchion
The upper tubes of a suspension fork that slide through the lower legs. Typically coated (Kashima, black anodized) to reduce friction.
Torque
The rotational force applied to bolts, measured in Newton-meters (Nm). Critical to follow torque specs to avoid damage or failure.
Travel
The total distance your suspension can move from fully extended to fully compressed, measured in millimeters (e.g., 160mm travel).
Tubeless
A tire setup that uses sealant instead of an inner tube, reducing weight and allowing lower tire pressures for better traction.
Volume Spacer
A plastic insert added to air shocks to make the spring curve more progressive, reducing air volume and preventing harsh bottom-outs.
Wheelbase
The distance between the front and rear axles. Longer wheelbases are more stable at speed, shorter ones are more maneuverable.