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Questions and answers about sports

Hitting bumps on a locked out suspension fork

5 min read

Asked by: Robin Simpson

Can you lockout suspension while riding?


Quote from video: So open you want to use that when you're just riding sort of routine rough trails where you just want a suspension to give you the maximum control and grip out.

What is the purpose of lockout fork?

Fork Adjustments



Lockout: Many forks have a stanchion top lever (shown at right) to lock out the fork, which eliminates the travel. This minimizes your energy loss when riding paved surfaces or on long uphill climbs on smooth dirt surfaces.

What is the benefit of having your suspension locked on a bicycle?

Many rear shocks (as well as front forks) have a lockout feature, which essentially stops it from compressing, and “locks out” the shock in a fixed position. This is used to at specific times when riding to help prevent wasted pedalling energy in the form of bobbing of the suspension.

How does suspension lockout work?

A Lockout is a small switch placed atop the front right stanchion of your MTB/Hybrid Bicycle’s suspension which when engaged decreases the low speed compression rate of the front fork, adjustable to the point of being fully rigid. This switch can also be routed to the handle bar which is called as a remote lockout.

Are lockout forks worth it?

You definitely don’t need a lock-out on your fork. On steep smooth climbs where you’re out of the saddle a lock-out is nice – as it prevents the front end from bouncing up and down. However it’s not necessary, and unless you spend a lot of time out of the saddle it isn’t important at all.

How do you fix a suspension lockout?

Quote from video: You can use a pair of needle nose pliers just reach in and carefully grab it by either side and lift out just like that.

When should I lock my suspension?

The best time to lock out the suspension on your mountain bike is when you are doing a long non-technical trail climb or riding a long distance on a flat surface. Lockouts are typically used at specific times to help prevent wasting pedaling energy in the form of bobbing of the suspension.

Do I need suspension lockout?

If you don’t need the suspension, it’s going to be much more efficient to be able to disable it. If you know that you’re never (or close to never) going to be riding the bike on paved surfaces then you probably won’t need the lockout, but if that’s not the case, then you almost certainly should favour the lockout.

Can you add lockout to a fork?

Though I agree that most forks can’t add a lockout without you designing one on your own. Cheap discs are worse than the cheapest V brakes, its likely the bike the OP is talking about has the cheapest discs available. Any V brake can be upgraded by installing better pads.

Does bike suspension slow you down?

Conclusion. Now to make things simpler if you want to ride on the road or on smooth country roads, yes suspension will slow you down (mostly on climbs and sprints).

How does MTB fork lockout work?

A lockout is a small switch placed atop the front right stanchion of your mountain bike’s suspension which when engaged decreases the low speed compression rate of the front fork, adjustable to the point of being fully rigid. This switch can also be routed to the handle bar.

Do coil shocks have lockout?

For the Super Deluxe Coil RCT shock this lock-out is via a lever on the shock body. For the Super Deluxe Coil RT Remote it’s done via a bar-mounted remote. In a sense, it’s bringing XC-style bar-mounted lock-outs to trail and enduro disciplines too.

What is hydraulic lockout?

Hydraulic energy Lockout devices use positive means such as a lock and key to keep the associated energy isolation device in the safe position and prevent equipment energization. Typical hydraulic energy lockout devices are outlined in the Valve Lockout page.

How do I know if my mountain bike shocks are bad?

Quote from video: Positive into a negative chamber. Though is recording a really high pressure actually there won't be much pressure in the positive. Right so therefore feels very soft. And quite linear.

When should you lock your suspension?

The best time to lock out the suspension on your mountain bike is when you are doing a long non-technical trail climb or riding a long distance on a flat surface. Lockouts are typically used at specific times to help prevent wasting pedaling energy in the form of bobbing of the suspension.

Do I need suspension lockout?

If you don’t need the suspension, it’s going to be much more efficient to be able to disable it. If you know that you’re never (or close to never) going to be riding the bike on paved surfaces then you probably won’t need the lockout, but if that’s not the case, then you almost certainly should favour the lockout.

Do coil shocks have lockout?

For the Super Deluxe Coil RCT shock this lock-out is via a lever on the shock body. For the Super Deluxe Coil RT Remote it’s done via a bar-mounted remote. In a sense, it’s bringing XC-style bar-mounted lock-outs to trail and enduro disciplines too.

What does a speed lock do on a bike?

What is a Lockout Suspension on a Mountain Bike Fork? A lockout is a small switch placed atop the front right stanchion of your mountain bike’s suspension which when engaged decreases the low speed compression rate of the front fork, adjustable to the point of being fully rigid.

How do you remove speed lock on a bike?

To remove it you will need to reflash the ecu (just like a software update on a phone), to remove the speedlock, but then whatever happens to the engine is completely on you, the manufacturer won’t take the responsibility.

How do you stiffen a front forks mountain bike?

Quote from video: Turn the preload adjustment knob clockwise to stiffen in the direction of the plus sign and counterclockwise to soften in the direction of the minus sign it's that easy adjust your suspension fork.