[Jeff_MdR]

Chatman - are you saying that when a rider claims that at '4' the suspension transmits more shock and vibration that it bothers his back, but at '2' he can ride comfortably for hours, is imagining these differences?? If not, what do you mean by the "overall result is nada"?

 

[Jeff_MdR]

Here's how I "understand' it in my English major brain (I may have the science of it completely wrong and may be misunderstanding entirely how suspensions work).

I think it has to do with inertial force (a bump in the road at one end and the load [rider] at the other) and the progressivity of the spring. Let's say setting #1 is an uncompressed spring and it will respond (begin to compress) to a force of 1 pound. Setting #2 slightly compresses the spring, it 'stiffens' it because now it needs 2 pounds of force before it begins to compress. If the load remains the same, what happens at #2 when only 1 pound of force is applied? It's dissipated via shock or vibration which may be absorbed by the seat cushion (or cushion + my butt, or cushion + butt + spine).

Fortunately, it doesn't matter too much if my brain doesn't understand it, because I leave it to my ass and my back to make the final decision.

 

[Jeff_MdR]

At the confluence of Science and Fruit we have Sir Isaac Newton and his apple, and now Chatman128 and his banana. We'll done , sir!

 

[Jeff_MdR]

Why have preload adjusters at all?? Here's why:

(from a good preload explanation at http://fixbroke.tumblr.com/post/39188918110/spring-preload-and-sag-what-does-it-really-do