Setting Up Your New Dirtlab Bike: First Ride Checklist

Congratulations on your new DIRTLAB bike. Before you hit the trail, take 30 minutes to set up your bike properly. A well-set-up bike is safer, more comfortable, and significantly more fun to ride. Here's your complete first-ride checklist.

1. Suspension Setup

Fork

Set your sag to 25-30% of total travel. For a 150 mm fork, that's 37-45 mm of sag with you in riding position, wearing your gear and pack. Use a shock pump — never a floor pump. Start with the rebound damping at the midpoint and adjust from there: too fast and the bike feels bouncy; too slow and it packs down on successive hits. Compression damping should start fully open (fastest) and add clicks only if needed.

Rear Shock

Target 28-32% sag. Sit on the bike in your normal riding position, bounce gently, and settle. Measure the O-ring position against the total stroke length. Our K-Volve suspension is designed to run slightly more sag than some competitors, so don't be alarmed if 30% feels correct — it should.

2. Cockpit Adjustment

Set your saddle height using the heel method: sit on the saddle, place your heel on the pedal at the bottom of the stroke — your leg should be fully extended. When you clip in or ride on the ball of your foot, you'll have the correct slight bend. Saddle fore-aft position should place your knee directly over the pedal spindle when the cranks are horizontal.

Handlebar roll: loosen the bar clamp and rotate the bars so the controls fall naturally under your hands when you're in your riding position. Brake levers should be set at an angle where your wrists are straight when braking — typically 25-35 degrees below horizontal.

3. Critical Torque Specs

Over-tightening is the number one cause of component damage on new bikes. Use a torque wrench for these critical fasteners:

• Stem bolts: 5-6 Nm (check your specific stem)
• Handlebar clamp: 4-5 Nm
• Seatpost clamp: 5-7 Nm (carbon post: use carbon paste, 5 Nm max)
• Brake rotor bolts: 6.2 Nm (Torx T25)
• Thru-axles: 12-15 Nm (rear), 8-10 Nm (front)
• Suspension pivot bolts: refer to your specific frame manual

4. Tire Pressure

Start with these baselines and adjust based on feel:

• Rider under 70 kg: Front 20-22 psi, Rear 23-25 psi
• Rider 70-85 kg: Front 23-25 psi, Rear 25-28 psi
• Rider over 85 kg: Front 25-28 psi, Rear 28-32 psi

If using tubeless (recommended), you can run 2-3 psi lower than these numbers. Lower pressure gives more grip but risks rim strikes; higher pressure rolls faster but reduces traction.

5. Safety Checks

Before every ride: squeeze both brakes and check for firm lever feel with no sponge. Spin both wheels and check for brake rub. Bounce the bike and listen for any creaks or rattles. Check that your thru-axles are tight and your quick-release seatpost collar is secure. Carry a multi-tool, tire lever, spare tube or plug kit, and a pump or CO2 inflator.

If anything feels off during setup, contact us at sales@bikelab-inc.com — we're happy to walk you through it.