Welcome to MTB Graphs, a platform where mountain bike enthusiasts can gain in-depth insights into the kinematics
of their rear suspension system. Our user-friendly interface enables you to enter information about your bike,
such as geometry and suspension travel. By selecting various key points and using the entered information, you can access critical metrics such as Leverage
Ratio, Anti-Squat, Anti-Rise, and Pedal Kickback, providing valuable information to help optimize your bike's performance on
the trail.
These insights can be used to inform component decisions, such as selecting an air or coil shock, selecting spring rate, or adjusting the size of your
chainring to optimize pedaling efficiency. Additionally, our platform provides a dynamic animation of your bike's suspension
movement, helping you to visualize how it functions in real-time.
If you would like to learn more about what the outputed values such as anti-squat and anti-rise mean, click on the buttons below
Leverage Ratio: The Leverage Ratio is a critical factor that determines how a rear suspension system will perform.
It refers to the ratio of rear wheel movement to shock movement, and it is generally preferred to have a leverage ratio that decreases as the suspension
gets deeper in travel. This results in a stiffer platform that reduces bottom-out harshness and provides more support in the mid-stroke. You can calculate
the progressivity of your bike by subtracting the final leverage ratio from the initial one and dividing it by the initial ratio. Generally, a progressivity
of 0.1 is the minimum amount required to run a coil shock, and bikes with lower progressivity perform better with air shocks due to the natural
progressivity of an air spring.
Anti-Squat: Anti-Squat is a percentage value that ranges from 0 to 100 and represents the degree to which the force from your
chain affects the rear suspension of your bike during pedaling. Values closer to 0% mean that the force has no effect, while values closer to 100% mean that the
force counteracts the inertial force of the rider, resulting in no shock movement. However, values above 100% can induce shock extension during pedaling, which
is undesirable. It is generally thought that values above 100% are preferable, but values that are too high (over 200%) should be avoided.
Anti-Rise: Anti-Rise is similar to Anti-Squat, but it helps to prevent the pitch induced by braking. Like Anti-Squat, it is expressed
as a percentage ranging from 0 to 100, where 0% means that the moment from your rear brake has no effect on the rear suspension during braking, resulting in shock extension.
Conversely, 100% means that the moment from your rear brake counteracts the inertial force of the rider, resulting in no shock extension. The desired values for Anti-Rise
range from 20% to over 100%, depending on the rider, terrain, and riding style.
Pedal Kickback: Pedal Kickback refers to the degree to which the rear suspension causes the cranks to rotate, expressed in degrees. This
effect is caused by chain growth during compression, and changes in the wrap angles around the cassette and chainring, and it is generally experienced during large compressions
at low speeds or fast impacts at high speeds. Lower Pedal Kickback is generally preferred, but in bikes without an idler, it can be a tradeoff for having moree anti-squat.
If you need help, click on the Tutorial button below which is linked to our Youtube Channel
1. Enter your bicycle parameters
(approximate) (approximate) (Input value between 600 and 700 if unsure)
(Currently only works with fixed idlers) (Leave blank if no idler)
Is your shock displaced by the lower link (link close to your bottom bracket), upper link, or both links?(NA for single pivot and linkage driven single pivot)
2. Upload picture of your bike, then select required points shown in top left corner
Take a picture of your bike from at least 5 feet away, centered slightly behind your bottom bracket to get most accurate results