The link between air pressure and rebound damping

Lee,

I own a new OEM 2008 Fox TALAS RL 32. The rebound has 14 clicks. The slowest rebound takes about 2 seconds – very SLOW. The fastest rebound is just “normal.”

I would expect a very bouncy feel – but no. Others have written that their fastest setting just knocks them off the bike. Is my rebound circuit in need of service despite it being new? Is this normal for FOX forks? How do I test to make sure my rebound is working properly?

I weight 195 pounds geared, and my fork has 70 PSI. That gives 25% sag. How much correlation is there with air pressure and rebound?

Thanks, James

Hey James,

Your rebound damping controls the return of your air spring. The higher your air pressure, the stronger the return, and the more rebound damping you need. Put simply:

More air pressure = more rebound damping

Less air pressure = less rebound damping

With those 14 clicks of rebound adjustment, FOX has to account for the full range of expected air pressures. As you can see in this chart, your FOX TALAS is designed to work with 50-125 psi.

At 70 psi, you’re near the lower end of the range. This would explain why your fork feels like it’s rebounding slowly. According to the FOX chart, you should be running about 90 psi. If you add air, you’ll find that the fork rebounds faster in all settings. As long as you can find a “normal” setting, you’re all good.

BTW: Whenever you change your air pressure, you oughta check your rebound as well.

Rip it,

— Lee