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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/cannondale%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 &
settings. |
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