[jacksonpt]

What makes some suspensions better pedalling than others? I'm sure it's a combination of the shock used and the design of the suspension... but is one more important than the other? Can you put a quality shock (RP3, 5th, etc) on an average suspension design and get decent pedaling?

The reason I ask is this... my Yeti is out of action until I get my wheelset fixed... so I spent some time on my old bike this weekend and was surprised at how much pedal bob I noticed. The bike has a decent 4bar suspension, but a dated RS Deluxe coil shock. I was wondering if I could put a better shock on the bike and notice any difference at the pedals.

 

[narlus]

from my experience, 4 bars tend to bob a lot. they are very active, even under braking, but most would tend to benefit from a stable platform shock if pedal bob was something you wanted to minimize.

i would generalize and say that single pivots tend to pedal the best, but a lot depends on where the pivot is in relation to the chain.

 

[CChase86]

From what I know, stable platform designs in shocks can make frames that once bobbed very bad, pedal very well. Conversely, I am sure to an extent that some frames are just doomed to bob no matter what.

 

[binary visions]

It's both. A platform shock can make a mediocre suspension design pedal well. By the same token, a good suspension design can make a platform unnecessary.

Many designs now are decent designs that are taking advantage of a platform - what that means, is you can use a pretty low setting on the platform to achieve a little boost in pedalling performance, without having to sacrifice a lot of small bump compliance.

Most 4-bar designs (either walking-beam style or Horst links) don't have a lot of pedal bob, but unsmooth pedalling strokes and weight transfer out of the saddle both contribute a lot to suspension bob. A platform shock helps filter both of those things out.

 

[narlus]

Most 4-bar designs (either walking-beam style or Horst links) don't have a lot of pedal bob, but unsmooth pedalling strokes and weight transfer out of the saddle both contribute a lot to suspension bob. A platform shock helps filter both of those things out.

try riding an M1 w/ a vanilla, and then one w/ a 5th element.

 

[sanjuro]

That is a good point. I would like to see bike reviews of FS frames with a basic, non-stable-platform, shock, and see how much they bob then...

 

[binary visions]

That is a good point. I would like to see bike reviews of FS frames with a basic, non-stable-platform, shock, and see how much they bob then...

Academically, that's fine, but the fact is that frames are often designed to work with the shock they come with - after all, the frame does come with the shock. Sometimes a stable platform shock is simply the best way to make the frame work.

Look at the Bullit. It was turned from an okay selling FR frame into one of the post popular frames on the planet - who cares how well it pedals without the 5th Element? It comes with the shock. Ride it and forget it

I agree, though, I'd be curious to find out what, say, VPP or DW-link designs do when tested without a pedalling platform, since they claim to have all-but-defeated pedal bob.

try riding an M1 w/ a vanilla, and then one w/ a 5th element.

Most 4-bar designs

 

[MMcG]

My Hollowpoint has a Fox AVA - no propedal or nothing and it doesn't bob much if at all. I may put a Cane Creek AD12 on it however since I really can't take advantage of the AVA feature with the Dw-Link (I run it all the way closed).

 

[jacksonpt]

do you have an AD12?

 

[MMcG]

yes - just ordered the spacers I need for it too. :dancing:

 

[sanjuro]

Academically, that's fine, but the fact is that frames are often designed to work with the shock they come with - after all, the frame does come with the shock. Sometimes a stable platform shock is simply the best way to make the frame work.

Look at the Bullit. It was turned from an okay selling FR frame into one of the post popular frames on the planet - who cares how well it pedals without the 5th Element? It comes with the shock. Ride it and forget it

I agree, though, I'd be curious to find out what, say, VPP or DW-link designs do when tested without a pedalling platform, since they claim to have all-but-defeated pedal bob.

I understand how SP shocks make a huge difference in ride, like with Single Pivots. And bikes like the VT line have speciality shocks.

I was thinking specifically about VPP or DW bikes with the non SP shocks.