Your Top 5 Favorite Suspension Designs

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Your Top 5 Favorite Suspension Designs
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flag tomcoady
Posted: Jul 6, 2009 at 18:26 Quote
could some one explain to me why what i understand to be a high forward single pivot(orange 22x) does not pedal well. the pivot is above the chain so surely when the chain is tensioned(pedaling) the swingarm will be pulled down uncompressing the shock; good pedaling performance?Confused
flag cneums
Posted: Jul 6, 2009 at 18:41 Quote
since you guys obviously know a shitload more than i do about this stuff (draco, angrytomato), could you analyze the Corsair suspension setup? namely the one on the maelstrom (can be seen here: www.corsairbikes.com). i've heard it supposedly good, and i'm looking into buying one, could you just hit some advantages and disadvantages of it, cause i don't really have enough knowledge with this stuff to fully understand it's properties of motion very in-depth.
flag TheAngryTomato
O+
Posted: Jul 6, 2009 at 19:27 Quote
cneums wrote:
since you guys obviously know a shitload more than i do about this stuff (draco, angrytomato), could you analyze the Corsair suspension setup? namely the one on the maelstrom (can be seen here: www.corsairbikes.com). i've heard it supposedly good, and i'm looking into buying one, could you just hit some advantages and disadvantages of it, cause i don't really have enough knowledge with this stuff to fully understand it's properties of motion very in-depth.

well, the first couple advantages I can think of are the low shock rate (better ride quality, shock tuning is more noticeable, the trade off is a longer, therefore heavier shock/spring), the small linkage pieces (lateral stiffness), the axle path seems to go outward for about the first 2/3 of travel which, as mentioned before, generally means better bump compliance at a slight trade off for pedaling performance. leverage rate starts falling at a little before half way from about 2.7:1 all the way down to 1.2:1 meaning this thing is going to be very hard to bottom out but it may struggle a bit with hard-core rock gardens. there is a bit of chain growth, but its not enough to worry about. the pedal will kickback to about 13.5 deg which isn't bad really.

all in all it's just a very well designed linkage activated single pivot. it will probably be a tad on the heavy side, but if your doing freeride that doesn't involve abnormal amounts of pedaling you'll probably like it. but of course, you should always go demo one if you can before you buy it. ask me if you have any more questions Smile

mtb4life666 wrote:
could some one explain to me why what i understand to be a high forward single pivot(orange 22x) does not pedal well. the pivot is above the chain so surely when the chain is tensioned(pedaling) the swingarm will be pulled down uncompressing the shock; good pedaling performance?Confused

mainly having the pivot higher up will increase chain growth, obviously. i haven't studied it too much but it might have an effect on brake/crank jack as well.
flag Lalabadie
Posted: Jul 6, 2009 at 20:40 Quote
mtb4life666 wrote:
could some one explain to me why what i understand to be a high forward single pivot(orange 22x) does not pedal well. the pivot is above the chain so surely when the chain is tensioned(pedaling) the swingarm will be pulled down uncompressing the shock; good pedaling performance?Confused

Pedaling does not make the shock "firmer". The suspension just yanks the chain from you when it compresses. If the feel was somewhat uniform (smooth singletrack, stuff like that), then you probably wouldn't notice. But if you climb your way through some roots, you'll experience loss of traction every time the suspension drops, because the tension you exert on the chain is absorbed by the changing length between your chainrings and cassette.

Of course, all of this is a lot less technical when you experience it. It's not hell to ride, and you probably won't think to yourself "Man, this uneven chain tension that the high pivot point causes is killing me". It's more of a general feeling that some people find too awkward to adopt, while others won't really be bothered.
flag theminsta
Posted: Jul 6, 2009 at 21:12 Quote
My fav:
1- GT Fury (i-Drive)
2- Turner DHR (DW-Link)
3- Kona Stab (4-Bar)
4- Yeti 303DH (ZeroLoss)
5- Evil Revolt (delta)
6- Marin Quad DH (Quad-Link)
7- Rocky Mt. Flatline (LC2R)

You guys talk too much gibberish!

Can the "pros" in this thread list the following bike/sus-designs in order of best wheel path and "efficiency" ?

Yeti 303 DH (ZeroLoss)
Yeti 303R-DH (ZeroLoss?)
Specialized Demo (FSR)
Lapierre DH920 (FPS2-apparently a flipped but similar/same VPP)
Santa Cruz V10 (VPP)
Intense 951 (next generation-VPP)
Evil Revolt (delta)
Turner DHR (DW-Link)
Orange 224 (Another Single Pivot)
Kona Stab (Single Pivot but called 4-Bar)
Trek Session 88 (Single Pivot suspension, right?)
Scott Gambler (Single Pivot)
Ellsworth Dare (ICT)
Banshee Mark II DH
Corsair Crown DH
Morewood Makulu (Single Pivot)
Rocky Mt. Flatine (LC2R)
Rotec RL9 (TR4-Link) [the brake floater is a fail]
Sinister Passion (VST)
Transition TR450
Giant Glory (Maestro)
Foes Racing 2:1 DHS Mono
Commencal Supreme DH (Contact System)
Transition BlindSide (Single Pivot)
Canfield Bros. F1 Jedi
Empire DH Frame
Marin Quad DH (Quad-Link)
Cove Shocker DH (Dual-Link)
GT Fury (i-Drive)

And I think that's about all the downhill frames I know..


Please just try to rate as much as you can, I'm sick of all this bs I hear from other people.
flag harriieee
Posted: Jul 7, 2009 at 3:44 Quote
^ Almost certainly not, since they all have different strengths and weaknesses and a lot of it is up to personal preference.
flag xbiker94
Posted: Jul 7, 2009 at 4:01 Quote
1-Maestro
2-VPP
3-Delta
4-contact system
5-zero loss
flag tomcoady
Posted: Jul 7, 2009 at 5:56 Quote
Lalabadie wrote:
mtb4life666 wrote:
could some one explain to me why what i understand to be a high forward single pivot(orange 22x) does not pedal well. the pivot is above the chain so surely when the chain is tensioned(pedaling) the swingarm will be pulled down uncompressing the shock; good pedaling performance?Confused

Pedaling does not make the shock "firmer". The suspension just yanks the chain from you when it compresses. If the feel was somewhat uniform (smooth singletrack, stuff like that), then you probably wouldn't notice. But if you climb your way through some roots, you'll experience loss of traction every time the suspension drops, because the tension you exert on the chain is absorbed by the changing length between your chainrings and cassette.

Of course, all of this is a lot less technical when you experience it. It's not hell to ride, and you probably won't think to yourself "Man, this uneven chain tension that the high pivot point causes is killing me". It's more of a general feeling that some people find too awkward to adopt, while others won't really be bothered.
Cheers man, I think I'm one of those people who aren't really bothered, well i never noticed on my 222.
flag draco
Posted: Jul 7, 2009 at 8:05 Quote
theminsta wrote:
Please just try to rate as much as you can, I'm sick of all this bs I hear from other people.

dude. the theme of the last like 4 pages is that there is no one design that is best.

thus- to rate them in efficiency and axle path cannot be done.

so:


the worlds best suspension bikes, in order, UNQUESTIONABLE TRUTH:

1. The one you are riding right now. Better than not riding one.
2. The one you want, with all the parts you want on it.
3. The one you can afford to buy.
4. The one that fits you best.
5. The one that is designed specifically for the terrain it will be ridden on, and complies with 1-4.


/end thread. haha.
flag cneums
Posted: Jul 7, 2009 at 8:10 Quote
draco wrote:
theminsta wrote:
Please just try to rate as much as you can, I'm sick of all this bs I hear from other people.

dude. the theme of the last like 4 pages is that there is no one design that is best.

thus- to rate them in efficiency and axle path cannot be done.

so:


the worlds best suspension bikes, in order, UNQUESTIONABLE TRUTH:

1. The one you are riding right now. Better than not riding one.
2. The one you want, with all the parts you want on it.
3. The one you can afford to buy.
4. The one that fits you best.
5. The one that is designed specifically for the terrain it will be ridden on, and complies with 1-4.


/end thread. haha.

everyone who wanted you to shout out for their favorite trend's head just exploded.
flag harriieee
Posted: Jul 7, 2009 at 8:24 Quote
I think I found a fragment of cerebral cortex!! Let the rebuilding begin. Thank god I know a good surgeon.

Or not.

Yeah, TBH it's impossible to isolate the linkage/suspension on its own and judge it. The rest of the bike, anyone?
flag cneums
Posted: Jul 7, 2009 at 8:26 Quote
harriieee wrote:
I think I found a fragment of cerebral cortex!! Let the rebuilding begin. Thank god I know a good surgeon.

Or not.

Yeah, TBH it's impossible to isolate the linkage/suspension on its own and judge it. The rest of the bike, anyone?

hahaha, no, let it be, we're safer this way.
flag harriieee
Posted: Jul 7, 2009 at 8:34 Quote
Favourite top tube shape?Confused
flag HUCKfinn
O+
Posted: Jul 7, 2009 at 8:38 Quote
scott gambler, top tube makes it look like a tank
flag draco
Posted: Jul 7, 2009 at 9:24 Quote
harriieee wrote:
Favourite top tube shape?Confused

the one that connects the head tube to the seat tube.. otherwise that shit is skettchhhh...

 


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