I have recently bought new Canyon Spectral AL 5 with 160 mm fork travel and overall I am happy with the bike. The fork however is not as plush as I would hope for. I have close to 80 kgs with all my gear. I first set it up with about 68 psi (a bit lower then fox recommends), rebound 9 clicks from closed, compression damping all the way open and left 2 tokens as it came stock. This felt good on big hits and okay on very small bumps but fast, rooty sections felt very very harsh and stiff. I tried playing with the rebound but it did not help very much.
To remove the midstroke harshness I recently removed one token (so I’m running 1 now) and upped the pressure to 72 psi (still on the lower side of the fox recommendations). I also tried 77 psi but it felt way way too stiff. This feels a bit better compared to 2 tokens but it is still harsh on rockgardens, braking bumps etc.
I would overall describe the fork as too stiff on small and medium bumps but goes near bottoming out on bigger hits, so I can’t really lower the pressure.
I’ve been searching the internet for tips to make the fork more plush. [This](https://nsmb.com/articles/marzocchi-bomber-z1-reviewed/) review of bomber z1 (which should have the same damper) says he basically turned the compression damper even more open. But from this description alone I’m confused how to exactly do that and don’t break anything.
>I’d heard another tip, which was to remove the compression adjuster and try rotating it clockwise on the mating hex (60 degrees). This meant the fork would have less compression damping when returned fully counter clockwise. I found I used this “even more open setting” on high speed, and rough trails, like you often find in the bike park.
Many people are saying that a lot of Fox 36 has excess grease in negative chamber, which reduces the fork sensitivity. For example: [https://www.mtbr.com/threads/excess-grease-in-fox-fork-negative-chambers.1068693/page-6](https://www.mtbr.com/threads/excess-grease-in-fox-fork-negative-chambers.1068693/page-6)
Do you have similar issues? Do you have more tips to make the fork feel more supple? Btw I also rode Fox 34 Rhytm 120 mm with the same damper and it felt very similar. Too stiff but using all of the travel on bigger hits.
by Tricky_Flight4017