Complex seals and oil circuits, handling pumps and metre sticks: the suspension is one of the most complex components on a modern mountain bike. We know from numerous tests: A bike can only realise its full potential if everything is perfectly adjusted. This is no easy task, as most bikers will probably only understand the high-speed compression damping at the latest.
That's why there are so many tools on the market that are designed to make the right setup a little easier. The problem is that although these tools are often successful, they can either only be used for this specific application - such as air pressure tables on suspension forks - or are technically very complex and very expensive, such as the Shock Wiz from Quarks.
Sagly - setup guide and service tool as an app
With the Sagly app, two Austrians have now created a universal, easy-to-understand and inexpensive setup aid. The idea: the app is a setup guide, notepad, lexicon for suspension Latin and service reminder all in one. For example, the app is designed to help you create a good basic setup with instructions or optional video guides.
The user still has to measure and inflate the tyres themselves, but the explanations help. Sagly also explains the most important terms relating to suspension elements and tyres if required. The created setup and the changes made are displayed in a history. This makes it easier to return to a basic setup if you have made an unfavourable adjustment.
Error analysis: "What do I do if..."
The knowledge shown in the app is not new per se, but Sagly aims to bundle it and present it in a particularly user-friendly way. A registered account is required, but you only need to provide an email address and no other personal data.
Nice idea: After creating a basic setup, you can use the "What do I do if..." function to call up further tips to avoid the most common suspension setup mistakes. For example, if the bike tends to kick the rear when jumping and the front sinks too low, Sagly quite rightly recommends trying out a slower rebound setting in the shock.
Without in-depth error analysis, these suggestions are rather rudimentary, but can help beginners to refine the setup and promote understanding of how the mountain bike suspension works, so that the user can ideally help themselves in the end.
AI will be used to further improve the setup recommendations. If you connect the app to Strava, you can view information on maintenance intervals after a user-definable period of use. However, many of the advanced functions can only be fully utilised with a premium account. The costs here are 3 euros per month or 30 euros per year.
Adrian Kaether
Editor
