Hot answers tagged suspension
17
If we assume that both models are at about the same price point, here is what you can expect:
The hardtail will be substantially lighter than a comparably priced full-suspension bike.
The hardtail will likely have a higher level of components and possibly a better front shock because of the increased expense associated with the full suspension frame.
...
16
This choice really does depend on what kind of terrain you will be riding on. I'm also assuming you are intending to buy a quality full suspension bike. Anything under like $800-$1,000 USD, don't bother. Go hard tail with a good fork.
The bumpier the terrain, the more a full suspension bike will help suck up the hard hits. You can really fly over rocks and ...
16
You turn it on when riding on smooth surfaces or going up hill to improve pedal efficiency. It's hard to know if you will need it in advance because without riding the bike you won't know how well the suspension design handles pedal bob (the energy lost by the bike suspension compressing under pedal forces), try and get a test ride.
14
You might find a suspension seatpost to be comfortable, but a suspension seatpost is not a substitute for a full suspension bike. The purpose of a suspension seatpost is purely comfort (though as mikes mentions, not everyone agrees that they achieve this goal), where as the purpose of a full suspension bike is first and foremost control. Suspension on the ...
13
Price - a suspended frame is much more complicated and expensive to make, and a good shock alone can cost more than a decent rigid frame.
Maintenance - both shocks (due to gaskets/seals, lubrication, cleaning) and elements suspended frames (additional bearings) are relatively high-maintenance and short-lived, compared to rigid frames. This also translates ...
10
I'd say the biggest change is the shift from coil and oil shocks to air springs. Even at the cheaper end of the market most bikes designed to go uphill will be using air shock suspension. Air suspension is lighter but in the past has performed less well and been more expensive. Over the years price has fallen and performance has improved.
The other big ...
9
Modern suspensions have a valve inside, and when the suspension moves, the valve moves inside oil, and the oil is forced to pass a very narrow opening.
The size of this opening is different depending if the suspension is compressing or returning. Usually, there is a spring which lets the oil flow more when it compresses, and less when it rebounds (the ...
8
The advantages of a front suspended bike is that holding the handlebar in off-road downhill is way less tiring and comfortable, and above a certain speed (and if the fork suspension is good enough) you will have much better grip on the ground and steering/braking control.
The downside is that if you can't lock the suspension you might feel it's absorbing ...
7
Let me introduce you to the term 'Bicycle Shaped Object'...
A 'Bicycle Shaped Object' (BSO) is not to be confused with a real bicycle. You get them in department stores, catalogue shops and supermarkets. They look like bicycles but they are not. Some BSOs come with 'full suspension' and this is the older patent-free design that gives 'pedal bob' - as you ...
7
The Rockshox at Paris Roubaix were a Greg LeMond thing. Whatever Greg competed in a few 'out there' cycling innovations came along with him. Remember those tri-bars that gave him the aero tuck position to beat Laurent Fignon in the Tour de France? On that event he also had his own road bars that had an extra position, where the drop handlebar end plugs would ...
6
Some pro racers have successfully campaigned full-suspension bikes. However, pro racers have big budgets and team mechanics to keep everything ship-shape.
A good rear shock absorber can cost more than an entry-level bike...
For most off-road riders, they are simply not necessary; let your legs be the suspension.
6
Efficiency: On a suspension bike, some of the energy from the rider's pedaling is translated into the bike bouncing up and down on the suspension, so that's a strike against it.
In addition, weight is a factor: Suspension makes a bike heavier, and this is a particular concern with road bikes.
It's much harder to fit racks on a bike with suspension. ...
6
This fork setting exists so that the fork can be customized to your weight (major reason) and riding style (minor reason). It's simply the initial compression of the internal spring in the fork. The more it's compressed, the stiffer the fork will feel.
Bigger preload compresses the spring more, and so it's best for heavier riders and/or people who ...
6
Seat post suspension is not designed for efficiency.
It is designed to add comfort to a hard tail mountain bike frame. There are only a few really good suspension seat posts, and they are rarely used on hybrid bikes. Almost always, you will find that the suspension post on a basic hybrid is just a spring in a tube.
Occasionally, they add the ability to ...
6
You can purchase a rack adapter thats primary use is for mixte, womens bikes or bike with angled top tubes. It is a removeable bar that attaches to the seatpost on one end and then attaches between the stem and the headset top bearing at the other end. You then hang the bike on the rack by the adapter.
5
I would consider looking at a used later model bike.The improvements made in the last 18 years are worth the money.A decent fork can run hundreds of dollars not including installation. Check with your local bike shop for used bikes or craigs list if you keep it local so you can see before you buy.Bikepedia is a good reference to make sure you have an idea ...
5
A remote lockout might sound like a good idea in theory but in practice you will find it largely unnecessary for the type of bike you're considering getting. That's not to say that it wouldn't be nifty to have, but I think you'll find that you will use it so rarely that you might regret limiting your purchasing options based on that feature.
Remote lockouts ...
5
First off many forks have a remote lock out as an add on. Fox and rock shox especially. If it has a lock out, a remote lock out is likely available.
Secondly, a nice fork that is set up properly for your weight shouldn't need to be locked out all that often. I have had a variety of great fox and rock shox forks that i only lock on long, steep, grueling ...
5
It seems everyone I know has a love/hate relationship with them.In other words liked it or didn't.My main complaint was while trying to maintain a consistant cadence I could feel the seat height changing.It seemed to interfere with my pedal stroke.Mine was an inexpensive telescope type,with no adjustments.My reccomendation would be stay away from the lowend ...
5
To me (and for others, I think) the greatest paradigm shift (that should become widespread in the near future, my opinion) is the inertial-controlled compression-lockout valve (Fox Terralogic, Specialized BRAIN).
These work as automatic lockouts, which make the bike stable if the rider pushes it down (like pedalling hard on a smoot uphill, or sprinting on ...
5
Less expensive forks have a mechanical lockout. This type of lockout is only usable when the fork is unweighted. Think of it like trying to deadbolt your door when it's still ajar. Higher end forks- coil or air- use a hydraulic lockout. There's a lot going on inside them but to simplify things a bit, there are two valves in the damper of most mid-high end ...
4
One of the main problems with converting an old bike is the width of the headset. Old rigid mountain bikes[1] commonly have a 1" headset while modern suspension bikes have a 1 1/8" diameter headset. Suspension forks are mostly for 1 1/8" headsets so fitting suspension to an old rigid mountain bike is normally a non starter for that simple reason.
The ...
4
Suntour makes a significantly different designed road suspension fork I found on Wired Magazine while Googling. Here is the Suntour product page
4
Over time forks become less responsive (move slower basically), but as this effect happens over the course of 12-18 months (the usual fork oil and seal lifetime), it's difficult to notice as you just get used to it. So most fork manufacturers tell you to change it after so many miles.
This responsiveness loss happens for a couple of reasons on different ...
4
Note that, in theory, suspension of any sort saves energy on a rough surface, since you "burn" less energy moving your own body up and down as you go over bumps. The negative side occurs, however, if the suspension absorbs energy as the pressure changes as you pedal -- ie, it goes up and down with each pedal stroke.
Again, in theory, a seatpost is least ...
4
The fork is "right" if it has the right "sag", that is, if it lowers a bit when you get on the bike. The right sag is no less than 10%, no more than 25% of total travel, for a regular bike (non-downhill, non-special-purpose);
Basically three "areas" must be addressed on maintenance:
Cleaning the inside, for removal of old oil/grease, water, mud, grime, ...
4
Yes - if you change to a 15mm or 20mm though axle, you will need a new hub to suit. Keep in mind that bike carries that you remove the front wheel and use the QR will be not be useable as well.
Apparently the benefits of the though axle out-weigh the disadvantages of incompatible parts etc. However I would think hard before "upgrading" away from QR and ...
4
Welcome to bikes.SE ..... (You may guess form the links I am also a NZer)
I am not a fan of upgrading parts on bikes. Normally a bike is made up of matched parts in terms of price and quality. Upgrading your Hardrock with say SID forks would be a complete waste of money - the bike will still be a Hardrock... New forks will cost $500 or more, plus ...
4
Unless the correct fork is chosen , the bikes geometry will change. A rigid fork built for a bike designed for rigid forks has a smaller axle to crown measurement than a suspension fork. If your bike is designed for 100mm travel suspension, and you put "any old" rigid fork on, the front of you bike will be 100mm lower than it is now. Even if you correct this ...
3
I know that Ned Overend successfully campaigned a full-suspension bike in some of his off-road "ironman" triathlons, and that at least one pro MTB racing team fielded a full-suspension model with good results some years ago.
However, in both these cases, we're talking sponsored riders with extensive budgets and factory support; and likely a factory mechanic ...
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