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FULL SUSPENSION |
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Buying Info |
Fork |
Disc Brake |
Hardtail |
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1 The Main
Pivot:
 The swing-arm
is attached to the frame via the main pivot. It is usually
the largest of the pivots as it is subjected to the greatest
amount of strain. On a four - bar design the shock has it's
own pivots on a separate linkage plate, which isolates the
shock from side - loading.
2 The Swing-arm:
The frame
structure that connects the main pivot to the rear axle.
3
The Rear Shox:
Most shocks are
oil damped, but they can be either coil or air sprung,
depending on whether you want maximum suspension performance
or weight saving. Air shocks for lightness & coil for better
travel.
4 Bearings & Bushings:
These lie
inside the pivots and give the suspension its smooth ,free
motion. Bearings give the smoothest action, but are more
expensive than nylon bushings.
5 Suspension Forks:
The travel of
the forks should be similar to that of the rear end, in
order to give the bike a balanced ride.
6 Spokes:
Stainless steel
spokes are best, as they don't rust. Butted spokes offer
weight savings over plain gauge ones. To tell whether or not
a spoke is butted, run the length of the spoke between your
finger and thumb - if it's butted it should feel slightly
fatter at both ends.
7 Wheel Rims:
Box section
aluminium is rolled to form a rim. Virtually all mountain
bikes come with 26" rims. That said, many dual / dirt jump
bikes are now coming with 24" wheels as they accelerate
faster and are stronger. Disc - specific rims with no
braking surface are also becoming increasingly popular.
8 Hubs:
An alloy hub
body spins about a hollow steel or aluminium axle. Hubs
usually come in 32 - hole drillings but with manufacturers
offering custom wheel packages, don't be surprised to find
wheels with a lot less.
9 Disc Brake:
They come in
hydraulic or mechanical versions. Disc brakes offer superior
braking performance over rim brakes, as well as overcoming
the braking problems associated with riding in the mud. Disc
brakes are heavier and cost more than V brakes.
10 Clip-less Pedals:
They attach the
rider to the pedals via the shoe cleat. They work in a
similar way to ski bindings and offer the most efficient
pedalling performance. Most bikes costing more than £600
come with clip-less pedals as standard. Most people find
that the clipping in and out systems take some time getting
use too, expect to come off a few times as well.
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 What
basic things do I need from a fork ?
Regardless of the spring medium [usually air or steel
coil spring] any suspension fork worthy of off -
road abuse should have oil damping with rebound
adjustment. External rebound is preferable, but as long
as it's adjustable, the fork can be tuned to the rider's
weight and riding style.
Other adjustments are just a bonus. |
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 Do
I need a travel adjuster ?
Travel adjusters are not essential but they are the
future. Basically, they allow you to customize the
geometry of the bike: less travel / steeper head angle
for climbing, longer travel / slacker head angel for
down-hills. A fork with a travel adjuster will also
enable riders with full suspension bikes to accurately
dial in the match to the front and rear of the bike. |
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What about a lockout ?
O.K. but again not essential. If you do a lot of road
riding, then a lockout is the best thing to have on your
bike, especially if there are hills involved. Other than
that, you are better off with a well adjusted active
suspension fork. |
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How much travel do I
need ?
About 2" to 4" for a X/C bike riding and 4" to 6" for a
free-ride biking and 6" to 8" for downhill riding, If it
has lockout all the better. |
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Mid priced Hardtail or
cheap full suspension ?![Stuff explained .... [Hardtail mountain bikes]](images/bike%20cannondale%20f3000sl.gif)
If you are on a tight budget the chance's are you will
probably get a much better hard-tail for your money. A
cheap full suspension bike is a world away from a top
dollar one. The cheaper ones are a lot more heavy and no
doubt unreliable too. |
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 Air
shock or coil shock?.
Air shocks
are a lot lighter than coil shocks with steel springs.
Air shocks can accommodate riders of different weights
by simply changing the air pressure settings. Coil
shocks perform better and are more reliable as there is
no air loss. But air shocks are closing the gap in
reliability. |
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