Health & Fitness

Bike Suspension Sag Calculator

Updated Aug 27, 2026 Reviewed Aug 27, 2026
Calculate fork or rear-shock target sag, compare measured displacement and estimate one cautious air-pressure or coil-rate adjustment.

Measure, adjust once, measure again

Set suspension sag from the O-ring

Manufacturer setup and limits come first
Use full riding equipment, follow the exact measuring procedure and change one variable at a time. The next setting is a proportional experiment, not a universal setup chart.

Result

Calculation summary

Enter values to see the result

Your result, breakdown, assumptions, and warnings will appear here.

Live suspension preview

Target travel before damping

Target sag

30 mm

Measured sag

22%

Next setting check

94 psi

The O-ring displacement is compared with a target percentage, then one spring-setting iteration is shown.

How to use this calculator

  1. 1Enter manufacturer travel or shock stroke and target sag.
  2. 2Measure O-ring displacement in full riding equipment.
  3. 3Enter the current spring setting, make one controlled change and remeasure.

Formula

sag % = displacement ÷ travel × 100

Next setting is a proportional iteration from the current measured setup.

Calculation steps

  • Calculate target millimetres.
  • Compare measured sag.
  • Scale one air-pressure or coil-rate iteration.

Worked example

A 150 mm fork at 20% targets 30 mm; 33 mm at 85 psi suggests checking near 94 psi next.

Assumptions

  • Sag follows the maker's procedure.
  • Rider wears normal gear.
  • Spring response is approximately proportional for one iteration.
  • All manufacturer limits take priority.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Is this a model-specific pressure chart?

No. Begin with the exact manufacturer chart and refine using measured sag.

When should I tune rebound?

After spring support and sag are established.

Can it choose a coil spring?

It only scales a known current rate; confirm every hardware and preload requirement.

Why remeasure?

Friction, air chambers, leverage and rider position make proportional estimates imperfect.

Cycling Tire Pressure Calculator
Estimate separate front and rear bicycle tire pressures from total system weight, load split, measured tire width, surface, casing and tube setup, with user-entered tire and rim limits.
Bike Fit Frame & Saddle Calculator
Estimate a frame-size range, saddle-height starting point, pedal-axis comparison, standover clearance and reach profile from body measurements and bicycle type.
Bike Frame Geometry Comparison Calculator
Compare two bicycle frames by stack, reach, wheelbase, rear-center, angles, BB drop and calculated steering trail.
Cycling Climb & VAM Calculator
Analyze one or more cycling climbs with route distance, elevation gain, time and repetitions to calculate exact average grade, VAM, ascent speed and totals.