How To Adjust the Suspension on a Vsett Scooter

Established in 2019 after the rebranding of the popular Zero brand, Vsett is an exciting series of high-performance electric scooters which are unique, safe, and incredibly powerful.

At the time of writing this article, Vsett has six scooter models that are targeted at both beginners and experienced riders. Its lineup includes the Vsett 8, Vsett 8R, Vsett 9R, Vsett 9+, Vsett 10+ and Vsett 11+.

Some of the key features you’ll find on every Vsett electric scooter include:

• NFC key lock immobiliser and card reader security technology
• Top-deck mounted charging ports
• Reliable LG batteries
• Upgraded QS-S4 Vsett control throttle display
• Rear footrest
• Turn signal indicators
• Foldable handlebars
• IP54 water resistance rating
• Adjustable suspension

In this post, we delve deeper into the last feature above, looking at ways to adjust the suspension on a Vsett scooter. Today, most modern electric scooters, including all the Vsett models, come fitted with top-quality suspension systems to improve road handling and ride quality.

But Why Do Electric Scooters Require Suspension?

A lot of urban and suburban roads are not exceptionally smooth – blame the government. Some are filled with bumps, dips and even potholes.

The ridges and dips keep thrusting the electric scooter wheels up and down when riding on such terrains. The resulting sudden forces can sometimes be too much for the rider, leading to a loss of control and even causing nasty accidents.

Suspension helps absorb these forces, ensuring that the electric scooter is perfectly balanced and the rider doesn’t feel the full impact when they hit a bump or pothole.

Three Common Vsett Scooters Suspension Systems

As with most brands, the Vsett line of electric scooters comes with different suspension types depending on their cost and class. The Vsett 8, 8R, 9R and 9+ all have Polyurethane + spring suspension on both wheels. On the other hand, the pricier and more advanced Vsett 10+ and 11+ are fitted with a combination of front spring suspension + rear hydraulic suspension.

Understanding how the three suspension types work is crucial if you’re to adjust each of them properly.

Your Vsett Electric Scooter Suspension Will Wear Out

Key Suspension Terms You Need to Know

Before starting any adjustment work on your Vsett suspension, it’s crucial to learn the following suspension vocabularies:

Travel

Travel refers to the length of the wheel’s full range of motion, from the moment it’s fully extended to when it’s fully compressed.

Sag

This is a measure of how far the suspension squats when the scooter is sitting still. When there’s no rider standing on the machine, the plunge length is known as the free/static sag. On the other hand, the squat length when the rider is on the scooter is known as active/rider sag.

Preload

Preload adjusters alter the tension on the shock springs and can be used to change the suspension’s position when it’s in the full range of travel. Once you increase the preload, you force the electric scooter to sit higher. Conversely, reducing preload lets the shocks ride lower.

Damping

When you hit a bump, the control of how the suspension springs move is what is known as damping.

Compression

Also known as compression damping, it helps you alter how swift the suspension compresses when you’re loading on bumps. If your scooter has low compression damping, it feels soft and bouncy. On the other hand, your machine will feel more rigid and precise with high compression.

For excellent results, you need to find a perfect balance between high compression and low compression.

Rebound

Rebound is what helps keep the wheels on the ground. It regulates the promptness of the suspension returning to its natural state when you hit a dip, pothole or bump.

Bottom Out

This occurs when the suspension has attained its lower limit and can’t compress further.

Topping Out

This is where suspension attains its upper limit. Experiencing bottom-up or topping out indicates that your electric scooter isn’t optimised for the terrain you’re on or for your weight.

A Step-By-Step Guide on How to Adjust Vsett Suspension

Set the Recommended Sag

For this first step, lift your Vsett scooter off the ground and place it on a stand such that the suspension is fully topped out. Using a tape measure/ruler, measure the distance between the wheel axle and the top part of the fender. Write this figure down and put the scooter on the ground.

Step on the deck and have a friend measure the distance from the axle to the top of the fender. Again, note this down and step off the scooter.

The difference between the two measurements is what is referred to as the rider sag/active sag. Most manufacturers usually include this in the manual.

If the rider sag matches the recommended figure in your electric scooter manual, then you’re good to go. However, if it falls short or is above the recommended level, you need to adjust it by moving to the next step.

Adjust the Preload

If your sag is above or below the required standard, this step will help you get it back into spec. Find the preload adjuster at the top or below the shock, depending on your scooter model.

For standard spring suspension, you’ll need a shock punch or spanner to spin the preload adjuster and attain the required ride sag. Winding it in will compress the spring, increase the preload and reduce the rider rag. On the other hand, if you wind the adjuster out, it will decompress the spring, decrease the preload and increase the race rag.

The preload adjuster can be found below the shock for hydraulic suspension. To wind it out, you will need a spanner or a flathead screwdriver.

Once you’re done adjusting the preload, you can now repeat the measurement and see if you have attained the appropriate rider sag on your rear suspension.

Set the Rebound Damping

Experts warn against trying to adjust the rebound before setting the sag properly. Essentially, the rebound damping determines the speed at which the suspension will re-extend once it compresses after hitting a bump. If your scooter doesn’t have enough rebound, the suspension will be stiff and wild when you load on big bumps or obstacles. On the other hand, if the rebound is too much, the suspension will pack down and result in harsh rides. Take caution when completing this step to avoid compromising the scooter’s handling or its geometry.

When setting the rebound, the goal is to make sure that you attain a middle ground where the trampolining effect is moderate. Start by dialling the clickers to the standard factory setting. Then hop onto the scooter and take a five-minute ride trying and try to master how the ride feels.

If the suspension doesn’t feel great, dial the rebound twice on both the shock and fork and take a ride test. Repeat the process carefully until you achieve the best results.

Adjust the Compression Damping

While not all Vsett scooters come with adjustable compression damping, this setting affects how your suspension compresses. Inadequate compression damping may result in suspension that curtseys and descends through its travel or under braking. Conversely, too much of it lowers the suspension’s shock absorption capabilities making the rider feel the impact as they ride.

Since there is no standard for compression damping, how you adjust your e-scooter will depend on your preferences. If you like feeling your hands and knees tremble when cascading through off-road terrains, turn in the compression dampening until it feels too harsh.

Riders who relish comfortable and confident-inspiring rides should find the middle ground between too much and too little compression damping. The secret is to rotate the clickers to one side and then adjust slowly to the opposite side until you find an ideal setting.

However, the rule of thumb is to toggle around with the compression and rebound settings simultaneously. You should kick in the compression damping twice and rebound once. Then take a test ride and repeat the sequence until you realise a positive change.

So, Why Do You Need to Adjust Suspension?

Common Mistakes Riders Make When Adjusting Vsett Scooter Suspension

With all the craze about adjusting scooter suspension, most riders are swayed to do it without understanding the basics. It’s worth noting that if you get it wrong with your adjustments, you may turn your e-scooter from a stable and high-performance machine into an unsafe and poorly performing toy.

Here are a few costly mistakes we see many riders make when adjusting their e-scooters suspension:

Adjusting all suspension settings at once

This is probably the most common mistake that riders make, thinking they need to keep modifying everything all the time. The best approach is to systematically adjust the suspension setting one at a time and conduct test rides to see how your machine responds.

Setting up one feature and forgetting about it

You’ll also find riders who think that adjusting suspension is a one-time thing. Rather than making changes and trying to test them out and familiarise with the whole process, they adjust one part, such as the preload, and leave it. They don’t know that changing the suspension is a gradual process that includes several steps, as we saw earlier.

Failure to conduct thorough suspension maintenance at the required service intervals

As with all other parts of your scooter, the suspension system needs servicing and sprucing up at given intervals. A lack of this leads to components degrading and deteriorating quicker than they should.

Regular maintenance will improve the scooter’s longevity and also enhance the overall quality of your rides and experiences.

Suspension Maintenance Tips to Prolong the Life of Your E-scooter

Check the screws regularly

Since most parts of the suspension system are fixed onto the scooter using screws, be sure to check if they are loose or too tight routinely. If you notice any strange noises coming from the shock absorbers, check the screws before anything else. 

As a general rule of thumb, avoid tightening them too much and ensure they are not too loose. Tightening the screws can make your suspension stiff, thereby making you feel every pothole or bump on the road.

Lubrication

The work of the shock absorbers is to move up and down as you tackle bumps or rough terrains. To reduce friction, manufacturers lubricate these parts using grease.

When you get yourself any Vsett scooter, be sure to lubricate it regularly. Without proper lubrication, the moving parts tend to rub each other and cause significant damage that ultimately affects the suspension.

Get rid of dust and debris

For improved efficiency and durability, ensure that you clean all dirt particles and debris on the shock absorbers.

Conclusion

Suspension is ranked among the most advanced technologies to have found its way into the electric scooter industry. It’s helped to convert these mini-vehicles from commuting devices that could only be used on paved, city roads to off-road beasts that can traverse virtually any terrain.

Even so, some electric scooters still do not come with reliable suspension technologies, while others lack them altogether. Luckily, you don’t have to worry about this if you’re going for Vsett scooters, as all of them are fitted with high-quality suspension.

To get the best out of your Vsett’s suspension system, though, you must understand how to adjust it to your liking. While this whole process may feel intimidating at first, we hope that with the steps we’ve provided in this article, you should be able to improve your Vsett’s riding experience significantly.

Good luck!

Author:
Nely Hayes

BIO: 

Nely is an adrenaline junkie and one of her life goals is to sky dive, but until that day she gets her kicks from testing fast electric scooters. Part time scooter fanatic & part time SEO analyst. Nely’s favourite scooter is the Dualtron X.