subject: Full Suspension Mountain Bikes [print this page] A full suspension trail bicycle is also known as a dual suspension mountain bicycle because it is equipped with shock absorbers for both wheels. This is in sharp relief to the hardtail mountain bicycle which has a shock absorber for the front wheel. Both types of trail bikes have their own uses. The hardtail bike is easier to pedal and is faster than the full suspension bike on smooth terrain. However the latter kind can run faster on rough terrain because the shock absorber authorizes more traction by soaking up the effect of obstacles. Aside from offering the rider a more comfortable ride, the bicycle suspension also enhances potency and safety.
Types of bike Suspension
The suspension system can be implemented thru a suspension stem, suspension front fork, rear suspension, suspension seat post, or suspension center. A combination of these methodologies could also be applied. It should be observed the suspension stem is not popular.
The front suspension is generally made possible by using two shock absorbers for the front fork. The shock absorber is frequently made up of a spring and a damper. The spring could be a coil spring, compressed air, or elastomer. The damper is mostly provided by letting oil pass thru shim stacks or small openings.
Kinds of Rear Suspension
Rear suspension is often regarded to mean full suspension because off-road bikes with single suspension often apply a front suspension technology. The kinds of rear suspension include the single pivot, soft tail, Horst link and four bar suspensions, unified rear triangle, Virtual Pivot Point, FSR system, DW-link, Equilink, Monolink, and split pivot.
The single pivot is the most simple kind and is also the cheapest. Diverse bike manufacturers have implemented their own designs for rear suspension and each design has its own advantages and disadvantages. It is up to the purchaser to establish which of the features are most important to him.
Purchasing a Full Suspension Mountain Bike
When planning to purchase a full suspension trail bike it's vital to ask if you're truly serious about having the ability to ride across rough terrain. A good hardtail mountain bike will be faster than the least dear full suspension bike because the latter is mostly heavier apart from being laden with the intrinsic disadvantages of a rear suspension.
The amount of suspension travel is also important when purchasing this kind of mountain bike. For uphill or cross country racing, suspension travel should be less than 4.5 inches. These are lighter because the less suspension travel, the lighter the bike.
However for those that want to do some jumping or free riding, the extra weight is not a primary concern. So, this sort of mountain bike will usually require 6 to 8 inches of suspension travel. And in between these 2 is the trail bike, which requires up to 6.5 inches of suspension travel.
