TEST LIKE A PRO: 4 MUST-DOs FOR DIALING IN YOUR SUSPENSION

Broc Tickle testing for JGR MX back in 2020.

If you want suspension settings that actually make you faster (and safer), beware of the way you test them. Technique and knowledge matter as much as the clicks you turn, guess‑and‑go testing wastes laps and muddies feedback. Below are four must‑do habits—distilled from pro‑level testing practice—to help you run clean comparisons and reach confidence in fewer sessions.

1) Keep Your Technique Identical From Lap to Lap

The most common testing mistake isn’t a “bad” click—it’s inconsistent riding technique. Alter your body position, your throttle timing, or your braking points and the bike will react differently, obscuring whether that change came from your settings or from you. The fix is simple but demanding: ride with the same technique every lap. And when fatigue creeps in, quit the session—tired laps create noise, not insight.

2) Hit the Same Line, at the Same Speed, with the Same Angle

Comparison testing only works if you’re comparing the same inputs. Pick one test lane—ideally the roughest, most revealing line—and hit the same bump, at the same angle, at the same speed every time. This is how elite testers create fast, conclusive sessions instead of chasing “maybes.”

3) Match Impact Conditions—Speed & Load Must Be Cloned

Even if your line is identical, a 3–5 km/h difference at entry or a slightly different preload into a face will change how the suspension responds. Treat speed and loading like lab variables—clone them each lap—so you can actually feel what the adjustment did to compression support or rebound recovery.

4) Test Only on Realistic, Race‑Relevant Sections

Not every part of a track gives useful data. Over‑watered corners or sections that have “gone away” won’t reflect how your bike will feel when it counts. A good tester recognizes when the surface stops being representative and shifts focus to the most relevant sections—exactly where changes will deliver race‑day gains.

Conclusion

Suspension testing isn’t about doing more laps—it’s about doing consistent, focused, and intense laps. Master these four fundamentals and you’ll understand your bike better, reach your best settings faster, and make the most out of every testing session.