Sand setup: support and anti-pogo

Deep sand is soft, energy-sapping ground that moves under you. The whole game is SUPPORT: keep the bike riding up in its travel so it floats on top of the sand instead of digging in and knifing. You are not chasing plushness here - you want a bike that carries height and stays composed between the big, widely spaced bumps that sand throws up.

What you want to feel

• The bike rides ON TOP of the sand, not ploughing through it.
• The front stays up and does not knife or dive into the soft stuff.
• The rear drives forward and does not squat and bog down.
• Between the big spaced whoops the front does not pogo, skip or hop off line.

The changes and why

• Firmer low-speed compression, both ends. Low-speed comp holds the bike up in its stroke. Firming it (2 clicks stiffer front and rear) stops the bike sitting deep in the travel and knifing. This is the opposite of a hardpack day.
• Slower rebound (fewer clicks out). In sand the front tends to pogo and skip between the big spaced bumps. Slowing rebound about 1 click calms that - the front comes back down under control instead of springing back up and skipping. Do not overdo it or you will pack down.
• A touch stiffer springs and slightly more sag. A little more spring rate and a few mm more race sag (say 102-105 mm where you would run 100 mm) helps the bike carry its height and ride high in the sand.
• Lower tyre pressure. Dropping pressure a little gives a bigger footprint and flotation so the rear drives forward instead of digging a trench. Stay above the pinch-flat limit.
• Drop the fork in the clamps a little (front higher). Sliding the fork tubes down in the clamps raises the front of the bike, which fights the tendency to knife and helps the front float.

Starting change table (off your dry base)

Setting	Change from dry base	Rider terms
Fork compression (fork_comp)	-2 stiffer	2 clicks in
Shock low-speed comp (shock_comp_ls)	-2 stiffer	2 clicks in
Fork rebound (fork_reb)	-1 slower	1 click slower (1 click in)
Shock rebound (shock_reb_clicks)	-1 slower	1 click slower
Fork spring rate	one step stiffer if available	-
Shock spring rate	one step stiffer if available	-
Race sag (sag_race_mm)	+2 to +5 mm	ride a little higher
Front tyre pressure	-0.1 bar	float, not dig
Rear tyre pressure	-0.1 bar	float, not dig
Fork height in clamps (fork_height_mm)	drop fork ~5 mm	front higher

Note: clicks are counted out from fully closed. + means further open (less damping), - means turning in (more damping). Signs on mm, bar and teeth do NOT follow this rule.

Ride technique carries as much as the clicks: weight back, stay on the gas, let the front float. Change one thing at a time and ride the same section to feel it.

Sources: Keefer Inc. sand setup notes; Vital MX sand setup threads; Moto4Play off-road suspension guide; Race Tech Suspension Bible; LAISA condition-factors (sand rules) and reading-mx-track-conditions.

A starting point, not a safety guarantee - always test yourself.