BikeMage Suspension & Upgrades

03/25/2026

2026 Season is coming up fast people! It’s been a while since I’ve posted and I wanted to let everyone know I’m still alive and well ✌️✌️

Posting has never been my thing - as I’ve gotten busier, time has been a premium. I’ve had the busiest off season yet and I want to thank each and every one of you who has trusted me with your components and/or referred your friends and family to BikeMage 🙏 With my lack of posting I did consider finding someone to manage my socials, but as it is, word of mouth has been the best gift and I truly thank you all for supporting me.

If you need to get ahold of me, reach out via BikeMage.ca 🫡

10/31/2024

Don’t Go Looking For That Extra Click (or maybe it was the water bottles fault?)!

Yeah, the FOX DPS Performance that’s found on many bikes can have a “wobbly” compression switch lever if it’s due for a rebuild, but when it can swing past the FIRM or OPEN settings you can run into more issues than just an embarrassing wobble. This particular shock was able to swing past the OPEN setting and go right back to CLIMB. The owner of the shock thought it still functioned properly but just wanted to rebuild this shock (and fork) out of an abundance of caution as it was a used bike purchase. Little did he know that he (as was the previous owner) was always riding the bike on CLIMB (which would explain why it didn’t feel very plush). One of the vids shows how the lockout plate operates when you toggle the lever (his was going right back to 2nd setting after 3rd - shame I didn’t capture that vid, would have been cool to show that!)

One small detent screw later + rebuild and we have a properly functioning shock - better than new 👌

With the season winding down, now is the time to plan your offseason maintenance. Not sure what to do? Reach out and I can help you sort that out 👍

Forks + Shocks + Droppers are the stars of the show but servicing pivots/infinity switches etc are also key to ensuring a new bike feel and that your bike and components don’t fail.

Book your Work Order at BikeMage.ca ❤️

08/15/2024

Little show and tell of some cool collaborations with and the 2 suspension giants

First up are the RE:aktiv models. These are based on the Fox DPS and Rockshox Deluxe platforms. They modified the piston and focused on adding regressive damping. The end result was more pedalling support and when you take a heavy hit, it softens up to absorb the impact.

Next up we have the Thrushaft collaboration. These are not based on the DPS and Deluxe models but have a similar use case. The significant difference between the 2 are that Thrushafts don’t utilize the internal floating piston in the shock body (the shaft literally goes through the shock body to displace oil. This makes them operate very smoothly (IFP can sometimes bind) and their focus is to maintain traction and predictability. The DPS and Deluxe shocks offer more setting customizations however so it really comes down to what you prioritize.

Definitely more proprietary tools to work on these, but still very straightforward and they do offer great benefits to the rider - thumbs up in my book 👍

07/27/2024

Mid’ish Season Check In!

Hope everyone has had a great shredding season thus far 🤙 Love seeing the content you are all sharing and the epic trails you’ve been enjoying! Happy to also report that I was also able to get out to with the family and rip tons of laps earlier this month. Super flowy and fast with just the right amount of tech👌but unfortunately left my GoPro at home 🙃.

Just some quick tips:
-Ensure your suspension isn’t neglected as it can lead to more than just a basic service to get it back on track
-Doing your FORK, SHOCK and DROPPER at the same time will help keep things simple and down time to a minimum
-Good time to check your sag and remember to do so with compression all the way open on your components and all kitted up (can do just before you go for a ride)
-Check your settings and make sure they aren’t too wonky. The dials are just like a water faucet - clockwise is to close (slow rebound or add compression resistance) and counterclockwise is to open (speed up rebound and reduce compression resistance)
1. High Speed Compression: Jumps + Drops = good to keep this one open
2. Low Speed Compression: Small bump sensitivity + pushing into turns/berms + potential for pedal bob = I still recommend to keep this more open than closed especially for a fork
3. Rebound: This is really weight driven. Larger riders need to slow rebound down and lighter riders may need to speed it up. Best to check your mfg specs to get a good baseline

Turnaround times right now are 1-2 days so you won’t be without your trusty steed for long 👍 Don’t settle for poor performance, a functioning damper completely transforms your suspension from a pogo stick to a cadillac 😎 Your body will thank you later 😁

06/29/2024

06/04/2024

05/31/2024

Early Season Rush has come to an end today 🤙 Thank You to everyone for trusting me with their components 🙏 Time for me to get back to posting stuff more regularly to help you pass the time on the toilet 😂

Also a big thank you for your referrals and sharing how awesome your suspension feels, confidence you feel etc, I love my job but that’s the cherry on top 🙌

We are back to 1-2 day turnaround time 👉 if you need some suspension work done but don’t want the down time, reach out to me at BikeMage.ca or DM and let’s get you sorted before your next race or bike trip!

Themes I’ve noticed so far this season:

👉 overuse of volume spacers without attempting to solve issues via damping and rebound control
👉 emphasis on weight to psi rather than weight to rebound tuning
👉 there’s still a lot of tight bushings out there creating performance issues (we will burnish them all 😎)
👉 fork sag is overlooked
👉 dropper post service overlooked and going straight to replacement
👉 lots of headsets needing replacement/attention
👉 shock coils not relative to rider weight
👉 service (lower legs, air can) doesn’t mean rebuild

Do any of the above scenarios trouble you too? Don’t stress out, bikes are meant to be fun! Reach out via DM or at BikeMage.ca for support 🤙