When it comes to suspension service, and especially tuning, a Dyno is the tool that helps take you to the next level.
For those of you who don’t know what a Dyno is, its full name is Dynamometer. A dyno measures force, torque or power in relation to displacement or velocity. In the case of suspension, it is almost always Force vs Velocity or Force vs Displacement. Force is the push or pull interaction between objects that can change an objects speed, direction or shape. Velocity is the rate of change of an objects position with respect to a frame of reference and time. Displacement is the in an objects position, defined as the straight line distance and direction from its initial to final point.
Now that the definitions are out of the way, what are the benefits of using a dyno for suspension service and tuning.
First off, a dyno can give us a base line for tuning. What I mean by this is we can take a shock or fork and run it through the dyno to get a “base line” readout of unit (what the curve looks like of the force vs displacement, in different damper settings). Once we have this base line, and some other info like, rider weight, height, type of riding and what they would like to accomplish with a tune. We know have a good idea of what valving changes can be made to get the rider to their optimal suspension setup. We can replace shims int he damper to provide better small bump compliance while keeping a stiff top end, or we can a firmer low end to give you a linear feel through the stroke. Once we make these changes we can run the unit on the dyno to get an “after tune” readout and overlay it on the “base line” readout to see exactly where the tune changed.
Secondly, a dyno can help greatly to determine what is wrong with a shock or fork that needs repair. By running a “broken” unit on a dyno we will get a readout that is not a smooth curve on the compression or rebound stroke, or maybe the rebound is smooth but the compression isn’t, or vice versa. This information wells us if a service is needed or if repair parts are needed. We can again, run the freshly serviced/repaired unit on the dyno to confirm that everything is functioning as intended throughout the stroke and at various speeds and forces.
Third, a dyno gives you, the customer, a piece of mind that work was actually done on your suspension. This is especially true when you are on top of your services. Even if you do an annual service every year, but only rider 75 hours, you will see a clear difference on the dyno showing how the suspension performs after service.
I have been spending many hours researching dynos. What makes and models are other shops using and why, what are the limitations or benefits of different makes and models and which will allow us to grow and keep tuning as riders demands keep getting more and more progressive.
There are two main dyno manufacturers that sell in the USA and those are Andreani and LabA7. Both make fabulous machines and have great support. Andreani manufactures two machines for use with bicycle suspension and LabA7 makes 4. Both of these are companies that are exclusive to the suspension service and tuning world.
The main difference between the two companies is the software that they use. Ultimately they will all show you the same information but in different formats and different ways of finding the reports.
The bottom line:
A Dyno is in our future, very near future. I wanted to take the time to help explain the importance of a dyno and why making the correct choice is paramount. Stay tuned for our decision!
MTB Shock Lab Team