Not trying to flog a dead horse or anything, but your comments regarding the use of damping vs dampening, got me questioning my grasp of the english language, so I looked up the online webster.
used as a transitive verb in reference to suspension motion, dampening would appear to be valid.
Dampening - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary
transitive verb
1: to check or diminish the activity or vigor of : deaden
The online oxford dictionary also concurs
dampen: definition of dampen in Oxford dictionary (British & World English)
verb
2 make less strong or intense:
reduce the amplitude of (a sound source):
slider switches on the mixers can dampen the drums
Damping on the other hand is a noun
damping: definition of damping in Oxford dictionary (British & World English)
noun
[mass noun]
1 technical a reduction in the amplitude of an oscillation as a result of energy being drained from the system to overcome frictional or other resistive forces.
a mechanism for bringing about damping.
a method of bringing about a reduction in oscillatory peaks in an electric current or voltage using an energy-absorbing or resistance circuit:
menu-driven operation for the setting of other parameters such as meter damping
So I guess, both are correct. It just depends on whether we're referring to the actual damping circuit which dampens the suspension motion. (compression or rebound)
If I were to now go back to the post that started all this, the more grammatically correct version should read like this.
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Perhaps don't think of it as hard or soft, but in terms of more
dampening or less
dampening. OR smaller hole (more
dampening) or bigger hole (less
dampening) for oil to flow through.
The lower the number the more
dampening (smaller hole) and the higher the number the less
dampening (larger hole).
The idea being that the
damping circuits controls the monkey motion, to maximise the amount of time the tyres stay in contact with the ground.
If you find you're blowing through your suspension travel, whether it be on a rough section of road/track or under braking. Then you need to increase the compression
dampening (smaller number on DES)
If you find that the wheels are just bouncing off everything and your kidneys have fallen out, then decrease compression
dampening.
Rebound
damping is set to as little as possible (Higher number) yet still prevent the bike from wallowing? or bouncing around like a pogo stick.
In addition to all this, compression and rebound
damping is independent of each other. ie, just because you change one, it doesn't mean that you need to change the other. In fact it is more common to change compression
damping a little here and there to manage weight transfer front to back under braking or acceleration.
(In more advanced suspension setups, the pitching under braking or acceleration can be controlled independently of bump or road impact absorption via low speed compression vs high speed compression circuits.)
Rebound
damping will often remain untouched once you get it right.
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