Hi all ~

Looking for more of your incredibly useful advice! Okay, as some of you know, I recently bought a wonderful used Titus Racer X fullie, and I am a newbie to all things mtb. I had the LBS give her a good tuneup, and one thing they did was pump up the rear Fox shock based on my weight. The tech had me up on the bike on the trainer to get it just right (I forgot the % he set it at, but I do have it written down somewhere - he said I could make it more rigid or more plush if desired). He used a special little pump thingie (which I don't own -- should I? What is it called?) to do the adjustment.

Riding trails, I did notice bouncing since I'd been suffering with a hardtail, but it felt great rolling over roots and rocks with no butt pain at all and not having to get out of the saddle for every little bump. Great. But last night riding fireroads (and a smooth double track trail), I felt like I was bouncing bouncing bouncing with every pedal stroke, and losing a lot of power on the long climbs. I looked over at my friend's rear shock and her saddle, and she didn't seem to be bouncing (or even moving!) at all in the rear as I bounced along up hills.

Is my shock adjusted for too much travel? Or is it okay for trails but not right for packed gravel roads? Or is my friends' shock just way too rigid (she's never pumped or adjusted it in years of having the bike, not being a bike weenie *at all*)?

Help!

Emily