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Pictures of old and obscure suspension bikes

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,852
9,557
AK
not terribly obscure, but neat, nonetheless (spotted on the pb b&s); i think the tazmon was sc's first squishy bike

Goddammit, now the bikes that were "mainstream" when I started mountain biking are becoming "obscure"...
 

Mo(n)arch

Turbo Monkey
Dec 27, 2010
4,441
1,422
Italy/south Tyrol
WP_20130831_001.jpg

Sorry for the bad picture, made it with my phone. Not sure what this thing is called. It was one of the shortest, steepest, highest thing I have ever seen. And the guy rode it in Lycras...

But there was a Super Monster mounted and even the cranks had holes to save weight :rofl:
 

Wilhelm

Monkey
Aug 10, 2003
444
19
The Austrian SCURRA Trelever[SUP]®[/SUP] integrated enduro fork (180mm) by Martin TREBICHAVSKY looks like an obscure mixture of Valentino RIBI´s quadrilateral MX fork/Ê-FØHRK and the SAXON/MotoDD/BMW Telelever design.
Just go ahead and repost it in the old and obscure bikes thread.
Fresh from 2013 InterBike: Martin TREBICHAVSKY´s SCURRA Trelever[SUP]®[/SUP] - not an old but even so an obscure suspension design (deliberate double post):


Courtesy of PinkBike.com, 2013 InterBike


Courtesy of VitalMtB.com, 2013 InterBike
 
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trib

not worthy of a Rux.
Jun 22, 2009
1,456
388
suspension so bizarre no one notices the saddle designed to slide you straight onto the top tube, leading to compressed balls and knees broken by the square edge on the arm connecting the wheel to the rocker.

Well done Scurra, you've surpassed yourself.
 

Wilhelm

Monkey
Aug 10, 2003
444
19
The 26" wheeled NOAH (Normally Operated Articulated Hybrid Suspension System) bike was unveiled at 2014 Bespoked UK Handbuilt Bike Show (UKHBS), London by COFA Engineering, UK (deliberate double post).

NOAH bike showcases outside-of-the-box suspension

By Ben Coxworth
April 21, 2014


One of the great facts about bicycle design is that there are at least two or three intriguing alternatives for every established way of doing things ... and suspension is certainly one of those established "things." In the past couple of years alone, we've seen leaf shocks, looped wheels and parallelogram seat posts offered up as replacements to the standard shock absorber. UK-based COFA Engineering recently showcased its own unique take on bicycle suspension, known as the NOAH system.

NOAH stands for Normally Operated Articulated Hybrid suspension system, and it was publicly displayed for the first time earlier this month at the Bespoked UK Handmade Bicycle Show in London.

It's a full-suspension system, but instead of incorporating the usual rear shock and front suspension fork, it utilizes two midships-mounted rear shocks. A linkage consisting of two A-arms runs from the telescopic fork to one of those shocks, allowing it to soak up the hits taken by the front wheel. You can see it demonstrated in the video below.


So, what's the point? According to COFA, there are several.

First of all, because the fork legs are supported closer to the wheel, they flex less. Additionally, the fork is lighter, as it doesn't contain any springs, dampers or other shock-absorbing hardware. The weight is instead moved toward the middle of the bike, thus reducing unsprung weight and improving the handling.

It's similar in principle to the single-arm telelever system, used in bikes such as the Scurra Hard Enduro. COFA, however, wanted to boost the amount of travel possible with that setup, while also improving the steering.

"The rear pivot point of the top A-arm is adjustable, allowing the path of the lower yoke to be altered for different riding conditions," COFA's Robyn Taylor explained to us. "For example ? the steering angle when not compressed can be set steeper than usual, resulting in a quick-steering bike on the flat. However, when the forks compress the steering angle can be relaxed, aiding handling over rough terrain."



Additionally, the rear suspension layout allows for the use of a Nuvinci N360 continuously-variable hub transmission, eliminating the need for a rear derailleur ? although slightly increasing the unsprung weight in the back.

In its current form, the NOAH concept bike has a whopping 230 mm of front travel, although it also tips the scales at 40 lb (18 kg). For that reason, its designers are looking into the use of lighter building materials for subsequent versions.

"The end goal is to produce a limited number," said Taylor. "We had a good response at the London show, but we do accept it's not to everyone's taste!".

Source: COFA Engineering via Bike Radar



In its current form, the NOAH concept bike has a whopping 230 mm of travel in front, although it also tips the scales at 40 lb (18 kg).


The rear pivot point of the top A-arm is adjustable, allowing the path of the lower yoke to be altered for different riding conditions.


The fork is lighter than a regular suspension fork, as it doesn't contain any springs, dampers or other shock-absorbing hardware.


The rear suspension layout allows for the use of a Nuvinci N360 continuously-variable hub transmission.


The one-of-a-kind NOAH bike.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
suspension so bizarre no one notices the saddle designed to slide you straight onto the top tube, leading to compressed balls and knees broken by the square edge on the arm connecting the wheel to the rocker.

Well done Scurra, you've surpassed yourself.
Well I think you'll notice a rather conspicuous lack of actual riding footage with any of these contraptions. I mean just picture it: Someone hauling ass down a trail on that bike......desert, woods.....doesn't matter. Pumping little undulations, backsiding a little rock slab, carving on a really hard leaned turn. Yeah I can't picture it either :D
 

Samoto

Guest
Dec 16, 2013
402
0

In its current form, the NOAH concept bike has a whopping 230 mm of travel in front, although it also tips the scales at 40 lb (18 kg).


The rear pivot point of the top A-arm is adjustable, allowing the path of the lower yoke to be altered for different riding conditions.


The fork is lighter than a regular suspension fork, as it doesn't contain any springs, dampers or other shock-absorbing hardware.


The rear suspension layout allows for the use of a Nuvinci N360 continuously-variable hub transmission.


The one-of-a-kind NOAH bike.
Perfect for him.

 

Wilhelm

Monkey
Aug 10, 2003
444
19
Another interesting concept bike with a linkage fork and many more funny approaches was designed by Adrian GRIFFITHS at TopTrail Ltd. (CEng MIMechE), a professional engineer with over 25 years experience in automotive chassis engineering, and built by Dave WRATH-SHARMAN of Highpath Engineering as a functional prototype: The "Interconnected Suspension Bicycle Project", an all terrain concept bike.









Sometime ago I posted Adrian GRIFFITHS´ The TopTrail Interconnected Suspension Bicycle Project. Recently I found an article "Suspension invention: the promising TopTrail linked suspension technology" about this project and perspectives at VeloVision #41, 06-2011, 46-48, VeloVisionMag.co.uk (e-paper unfortunately not for free). However, a free German translation "Praxistaugliche Verbundfederung" w/ hi-res pics has been published at FahrradZukunft #15, 04-2013, 17-21, FahrradZukunft.de (deliberate double post).


Adrian GRIFFITHS, CEng MIMechE.










Early prototype.

Technical paper (PDF)

Videos technology:

Videos performance:
 

xy9ine

Turbo Monkey
Mar 22, 2004
2,940
353
vancouver eastside
dodzy (of zerode fame; RIP) built a gearbox dh sled w/ an onboard brake. i assume it works; just sucks if you snap a chain. the ultimate in low unsprung weight, though.

 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,852
9,557
AK
dodzy (of zerode fame; RIP) built a gearbox dh sled w/ an onboard brake. i assume it works; just sucks if you snap a chain. the ultimate in low unsprung weight, though.
With a 5th element, so you know suspension was important.
 

Jim Mac

MAKE ENDURO GREAT AGAIN
May 21, 2004
6,352
282
the middle east of NY
Don't know if this was posted yet, but my wife's 1st "DH" bike was a Haro MX2- not our bike but one similar...still have the frame in our garage, holding up some X mas lights above the bar!