Since 2001, Santa Cruz bikes have been rocking the Virtual Pivot Point, or VPP™, suspension design to bring you the ultimate combo of pedal efficiency and all-out bump-chomping prowess. It's tough, reliable, and works like a charm. But how do you set up your VPP suspension to get the most out of it? With a little bit of knowledge, it’s not that complicated. Once you dial in the best settings for your riding style, you’ll enjoy more grip, speed, and overall stoke out on the trail.

The Basics

Sag: This is how much your suspension compresses under your weight. You adjust this with air pressure for air shocks, or by changing the spring weight for coil shocks.

Shock Stroke: For rear shocks, this measures the total travel in millimeters. It's different from the bike's travel. For example, the Hightower v4 has 145mm of rear travel, but the shock itself has 55mm of stroke. Knowing your shock’s stroke helps you measure sag correctly.

Damping: This controls how oil moves through your suspension, affecting how your bike handles impacts. Compression damping controls how fast the suspension compresses, while rebound damping controls how fast it returns to its original position.

Setting Your Sag: Sag is the most crucial setting for your suspension. Nail this, and you’re 90% there. All Santa Cruz bikes come with recommended pressures fine-tuned by their engineers. Using the Hightower v4 example, if you weigh around 80 kg kitted up, start with 185 psi for a sag range of 28-30%, or 15-17mm of your rear shock’s 55mm stroke.

Here’s how to get that number:

1. Find the o-ring on your rear shock shaft. This little rubber band measures your sag. Grab a ruler and let’s get started.

2. Wear your full riding kit and gear—everything you normally carry, like a backpack with water, helmet, and riding shoes. Make sure your shock lockouts are open. Stand by a wall or get a friend to help you.

3.Get on your bike and assume a balanced, descending position. Bounce a few times to settle the suspension, then carefully push the o-ring up against the shock body. Dismount slowly without bouncing and measure the distance between the o-ring and the shock seal. Divide that number by your shock’s stroke length for the sag percentage. If you get 16mm on a 55mm stroke, that's 16/55=.29, or 29% sag.

4. Adjust air pressure and repeat the measurement until you hit your target sag.

Damping Adjustments

Your suspension has at least two more adjustments: rebound and compression. High-end components might have four adjustments—high/low-speed rebound and high/low-speed compression. These settings don’t relate to the bike’s speed but to the suspension movement speed. Low-speed impacts come from rolling terrain, braking forces and rider input, while high-speed impacts come from rocks and roots. Think of these adjustments like a tap: turning clockwise makes it harder for fluid to flow (more damping), and counter-clockwise makes it easier (less damping).

Rebound: Rebound is the setting that controls how fast or slow your suspension returns. It’s a critical component that allows your suspension to recover from hits. On most suspension components, rebound is marked by a red dial located on the shock body. Some higher-end components feature both high and low rebound settings, others offer control over only the low-speed rebound. If your rebound is too fast, your ride will feel like a pogo stick. Conversely, if it’s too slow, the suspension won't recover properly, causing it to pack up and feel stiff. Keep in mind that less rebound damping equals a faster return speed, while more rebound damping slows it down. A faster rebound (less damping) is ideal for small, chattery bumps where the suspension needs to recover quickly to keep the tire planted. A slower rebound (more damping) allows the suspension to settle lower in its travel, offering a more predictable ride quality. The goal is to find a happy medium. Santa Cruz’s engineers recommend settings based on spring rate. For a Hightower XO1 build, if you weigh 80-90 kg, start with five clicks of LSR on your Rockshox Super Deluxe Ultimate. Adjust based on how your bike feels—if it’s skipping off rocks, slow down the rebound; if it feels harsh and isn’t returning fast enough, speed it up.

Compression: This controls how squishy your suspension feels. Compression adjustments are typically blue dials or levers found on your shock body. Your shock may have compression levers, sometimes called lock-outs or pedal switches, quickly firm up the suspension to reduce movement during pedalling. Other compression adjustments, such as high-speed and low-speed compression, allow for fine-tuning of the suspension. When talking about high and low speed compression, it’s important to note that it’s referring to shaft speeds and not riding speeds. High-speed compression adjustments deal with things like braking bumps, rough trail chatter or other obstacles that cause the shaft to move quickly. Low-speed compression adjustments deal with slower suspension movement such as pushing through berms, heavy braking or a rider moving their weight around on the bike. By adding more compression, riders can firm up the suspension to stay higher in its travel and offer a more supported ride. Less compression offers a plusher or softer suspension feel. Start with small amounts of compression damping and add more based on terrain or preference. For a Hightower XO1 build, a 80-90 kg rider should start with the Rockshox Super Deluxe Ultimate in the middle at three clicks. If you’re losing traction or chattering in braking bumps, decrease compression damping. If you’re bottoming out often, increase it.

With these tips, you’re well on your way to getting the most out of your VPP suspension. If you need any more help on bike setup, pop in store or give us a call - our super knowledgeable staff will be more than happy to help you get your bike dialled in and ready to hit the trails! Need more info? Check out the vid from Santa Cruz below!