Spring rates for 195lb rider with gear, FE570

I would go up a size at least.
Personally I think it is VERY important to get the preload as low as you can for the sag you want, especially with a progressive spring. If you do not, you are possibly preloading it up out of the supple range of the spring (with a progressive).

I'm up to .49s and an 8.2 rear. 205 before gear.

I was going to post along the same subject,so I will just tag along with yours.My local "well known and respected" suspension expert did not even want to sell me heavier springs. I am 205 in street clothes and wanted to go with 46's in front and pds7 in the rear,but he insisted that 44's were more than enough for northwest woods and KTM's and Berg's need at least 4.75 to just over 5.0 inches of sag to ride properly due to the countershaft to rear axle angle in relation to the swing arm pivot and to disregard the owners manual!I did finally get a pds 6 from him but am still pushing 4.75 in. of sag with 15mm preload.Any thoughts on the sag measurement?? Should you run more sag with a progressive spring rate or still shoot for 4.1in? Is this guy out to lunch or should I listen to him?

I am 195 our of the shower. I am running .46 / 8.0. I like the way the forks are working with two turns preload and on the shock I have 7mm preload that gives me a sag of about 106 with 35mm of static.....

I have revalved my forks to ride higher in the stroke.

I have found 106 is MY magic number for sag with my current setup. IT RAILS!

The key statement is MY magic number..... You need to test, test and test. Find a sag that is something you like and good up and down on each side of it. These bikes are VERY sensitive to suspension setup.

flyinbryan said:

I was going to post along the same subject,so I will just tag along with yours.My local "well known and respected" suspension expert did not even want to sell me heavier springs. I am 205 in street clothes and wanted to go with 46's in front and pds7 in the rear,but he insisted that 44's were more than enough for northwest woods and KTM's and Berg's need at least 4.75 to just over 5.0 inches of sag to ride properly due to the countershaft to rear axle angle in relation to the swing arm pivot and to disregard the owners manual!I did finally get a pds 6 from him but am still pushing 4.75 in. of sag with 15mm preload.Any thoughts on the sag measurement?? Should you run more sag with a progressive spring rate or still shoot for 4.1in? Is this guy out to lunch or should I listen to him?

Click to expand...

Same sag with either Straight or progressive.

I don't think he is wrong.... Factory Connection is setting up these bikes with 120 sag which is about 4.72 in. They also shorten the shock a little, so he is not out of line....... Give it a shot and see what you think.

Withh all that sag and a lower shock, how are you guys not blowing the fender right off the bike? It did occur to me while riding yesterday, that running a softer shock might help with the see/saw action I'm getting it the whoops..........

My see-saw action tamed down quite a bit with going stiffer not softer.Much better with the 46's up front and the progressive rate in the rear,however I still feel the need for maybe pds7 in the near future.

Who are you guys getting these bikes to turn with 120-125mm of rear sag and a shock spacer(even a 2mm spacer will add like 7-8mm to that sag number), they must have huge front wheel trail numbers from the slack head angle it must be like trying to turn a truck with no power steering. Do they not also tend to follow ruts and uneven ground and generally go exactly where you don't want them to go when it's soft due to the terrains effect on the front tire actually steering the bike.

As far as Preload or to much off it goes it has never really bothered me, on a PDS I don't like to have the static much under 20mm but to me preload is just a ride hight adjustment and with to to little preload the wheel will not follow the ground near the beginning of the travel when the chassis is unloaded, the spring rate is what is important, I have never understood how preload can make the suspension harsh.

Chris