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RockShox Pike setup

Most Pikes leave the shop set for someone else. Put in your weight for your starting pressure, straight from RockShox’s own chart.

Your weight with gear
Travel (mm)
Start at
75psi
Sag check
Not needed
Max pressure
163 psi

Pump to 75 psi. RockShox says this air spring needs no sag check.

Rebound, spacers and limits
  • Compression: Low-speed and high-speed compression both at the middle setting.
  • Rebound: RockShox does not print rebound clicks in its manuals or spec sheets. It sends you to RockShox Trailhead (trailhead.rockshox.com) for the starting rebound for your fork. While you set air pressure, RockShox has you turn rebound fully open (counterclockwise), then set it to the Trailhead number afterward. No Trailhead number? Start open, ride, and add damping a click or two at a time until the front wheel stays planted without bouncing. More air or more tokens speeds rebound up, so add damping after either.
  • Sag: the chart pressure is the setting. If you measure anyway, expect roughly 28–42 mm (20–30%).
  • Volume spacers at 140 mm: ships with 0, max 5.
  • E-bikes add 10 psi. A 2024 Pike (C1) runs about 5 psi lower.
  • Source: RockShox 2025–2027 Front Suspension Specifications (sram.com)
Your damper (for the fixes below)
Ultimate and Select+. Two stacked compression dials on top of the right leg (big high-speed dial with the small low-speed dial on top) and a rebound dial at the bottom of the right leg.

Fix what you feel

Tap what your fork does. Fixes are for your Charger 3 / 3.1 RC2. Change one thing at a time, then ride the same section again.

Harsh over roots and braking bumps

Too much air, too much compression, or rebound too slow.

  1. Check pressure against the chart for your weight first. Well above it means too much air.
  2. Open high-speed compression 1–2 clicks (counterclockwise). If small bumps still feel hard, open low-speed compression 1–2 clicks.

Dives under braking and on steep roll-ins

Not enough low-speed compression, or too little air.

  1. Add low-speed compression 1–2 clicks (clockwise).
  2. Still diving? Add about 3–5 psi.

Bottoms out hard on drops and big landings

Not enough high-speed compression, or the spring does not ramp up enough at the end.

  1. Add high-speed compression 1–2 clicks (clockwise). Still bottoming? Add one Bottomless Token.
  2. Stay within RockShox’s max token count for your travel (6 on 120 and 130 mm, 5 on 140 mm).

Never uses full travel, even on big hits

Too much air, too many tokens, or too much compression.

  1. RockShox says the fork should reach full travel at the right pressure. Let out about 3–5 psi and ride it again.
  2. Pressure already on the chart? Remove one Bottomless Token.
  3. Open high-speed compression 1–2 clicks.

Bouncy, or the wheel pogos off bumps

Rebound is too fast.

  1. Add rebound damping 1–2 clicks (clockwise).
  2. Just added air or a token? Both speed rebound up, so add a click.

Rides lower and lower through rough sections

Rebound is too slow, so the fork stays compressed.

  1. Open rebound 2 clicks (counterclockwise).
  2. If it still sits low, check pressure against the chart and add air.
Still not right after a ride?

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Full RockShox Pike reference

For the 2025-and-newer Pike with DebonAir+ (Ultimate, Select+, Select, Base). RockShox’s 2025, 2026 and 2027 spec sheets match. RockShox’s 2024 sheet lists the earlier Pike about 5 psi lower in every row, so use your own year’s sheet at sram.com/service if yours is 2024 or older. Pressure on 120 mm forks runs 10 psi higher than on 130 and 140 mm.

RockShox Pike air pressure chart

lbkg120 mm130–140 mm
under 120under 545545
120–14054–646555
140–16064–737565
160–18073–828575
180–20082–919585
200–22091–10010595
220–240100–109110100

psi. Source: RockShox 2025–2027 Front Suspension Specifications (sram.com).

RockShox Pike rebound setting

RockShox does not print rebound clicks in its manuals or spec sheets. It sends you to RockShox Trailhead (trailhead.rockshox.com) for the starting rebound for your fork. While you set air pressure, RockShox has you turn rebound fully open (counterclockwise), then set it to the Trailhead number afterward. No Trailhead number? Start open, ride, and add damping a click or two at a time until the front wheel stays planted without bouncing. More air or more tokens speeds rebound up, so add damping after either. Turn the rebound dial clockwise for more damping (slower return) and counterclockwise for less (faster return). Fully counterclockwise is fully open. Push the fork down hard and let go. If the wheel pogos off the ground or the bars kick up, rebound is too fast. If the fork stays low through back-to-back bumps, it is too slow.

RockShox Pike compression settings

DamperStart at
Charger 3 / 3.1 RC2Low-speed and high-speed compression both at the middle setting.
Charger RCCompression dial fully open (counterclockwise).
Rush RCCompression dial fully open (counterclockwise).
Charger 3.1 Flight AttendantControl Module on OPEN with low-speed compression at the middle setting (5 or 6), set through the Flight Attendant system.

RockShox Pike volume spacers

TravelShips withMax
140 mm05
130 mm06
120 mm16

RockShox calls them Bottomless Tokens. They change how hard the fork ramps up at the end of its travel, not its pressure. Add one if you bottom out, remove one if you never get near full travel. Adding tokens can speed rebound up, so add a click of rebound damping after.

Which RockShox Pike damper do I have?

  • Charger 3 / 3.1 RC2: Ultimate and Select+. Two stacked compression dials on top of the right leg (big high-speed dial with the small low-speed dial on top) and a rebound dial at the bottom of the right leg.
  • Charger RC: Select. One compression dial on top of the right leg and a rebound dial at the bottom of the right leg.
  • Rush RC: Base. One compression dial on top of the right leg and a rebound dial at the bottom of the right leg.
  • Charger 3.1 Flight Attendant: Ultimate Flight Attendant. Battery-powered Flight Attendant Control Module instead of compression dials, plus the rebound dial at the bottom of the right leg.

Ultimate has Charger 3.1 RC2 (Charger 3 RC2 in 2023–24), Select+ has Charger 3 RC2, Select has Charger RC, Base has Rush RC.

RockShox Pike service interval

RockShox recommends a lower leg service every 50 hours and a damper, spring and lower leg service every 200 hours.

Questions

What air pressure should I run in my RockShox Pike?

Start from RockShox’s chart for your weight with gear. A 170–180 lb rider starts at 70–80 psi on a 130 or 140 mm Pike and 80–90 psi on a 120 mm Pike. E-bikes add 10 psi. Never go over 163 psi. RockShox has you fill to 50% of that, cycle the fork slowly to 25% travel five times, fill to 100%, cycle five more, then top up to 100% again.

How much sag should a RockShox Pike have?

RockShox sets DebonAir+ and Linear XL pressure from its chart and says the sag procedure is not required. As a check, its general guide is 20–30% sag, which is 28–42 mm on 140 mm of travel. Measure with the dampers fully open, dressed to ride, weight spread across saddle, bars and pedals.

How many clicks of rebound on a RockShox Pike?

RockShox does not publish a rebound click count. Its manual points to RockShox Trailhead for the number for your fork. Set rebound fully open while you set pressure, then use that number, and add damping if the fork feels bouncy.

Does this work for my older RockShox Pike?

Only if it is a 2025-or-newer Pike. RockShox’s 2024 sheet lists the earlier Pike about 5 psi lower, and older Pikes with DebonAir and Charger 2 or 2.1 dampers have their own charts at sram.com/service.

Related guides

Sources · last checked 2026-10-09

Starting points from the manufacturer’s charts, not a substitute for your fork’s manual. Always confirm with a sag measurement and stay under the max pressure.