Didn`t do any of that Harry only the Twist at a Works party .

Didn`t do any of that Harry only the Twist at a Works party .

 

No wonder you only remember the bad things!

 

Regarding all the criticisms you quoted, in 50 years time the same sort of comments will be made about our present day. I could even quote what they will say, but I won't upset you all by listing many of the things you think of as good!

Shame you missed the 60`s Eddieo , the white heat of Technology under Harold Wilson , collapsing rear subframes on Minis , collapsing suspension and rotting cills on Austin 1100`s , Carnaby St Fashions , smallpox outbreaks , Dr Beeching demolishing our Rail Network . Now I have told you about it you won`t have to look at the History books !

 

Yes, Moulton was responsible for the Hydrolastic, subsequently Hydrogas, units on those BL cars from the mini through to the Austin 1800/2200 models and eventually, it was superceded because it wasn't really very good. I'm not aware of any bikes utilising his rubber suspension system today but perhaps somebody does.

 

Indalo

My response comes in two parts but has to same conclusion

 

Im different to most on here as i use my bike off road so suspension is very helpful and very welcomed

 

Cycling to work again it makes a positive improvement. My non ebike is rigid all around. It was far too hard to ride but as i had it for year i just got used to it. With a combination of the suspension on the Oxygen, oversized handle bar and chunky grips i feel that its much more ergonomic and when hitting bumps in the road or going over speed humps it soaks it all up. I would like to have seen a better spec suspension set up and i may yet invest in a different fork suspension set up. I hacve tried ebikes with no suspension and not a chance.

 

Like i say i ride differently to most on here and i like the option of going anywhere

i have had two ebikes with and two without. for me theres no contest with suss every time.

suspension with lock out. Compromise. I actually prefere a rigid. However i have front suspension but use the lock out alot.

 

But with ebike's you don't mind loosing a little pedal power in favor of a bit more comfort.

suspension with lock out. Compromise. I actually prefere a rigid. However i have front suspension but use the lock out alot.

 

But with ebike's you don't mind loosing a little pedal power in favor of a bit more comfort.

What do you use the lockout for? It seems to me like buying a comfy bed abd then putting a board on it to sleep on.

helps pedal faster on up hills. I wouldn't say the front suspension fitted to my bike is great. I'll look at upgrading going forward but to be honest i only really ride road with occasional trip's down canals so i could probably get away without it.

 

For an ebike application though a front suspension bike its probably a good compromise of comfort and rider input. At least it ebike's you tend to get alot less bob as you don't have to put as much effort in.

I thought the Moulton suspension was partly to ensure that the comfort with smaller wheels would be comparable to 27" wheeled bikes.

 

With rigid bikes larger wheels / tyres certainly help smooth out the bumps.

My PC Disc has lock out suspension and I have been able to try both. I went for the suspension mode eventually as I think it helps a little on our poor roads.

 

I have found that hand grips can make a difference. My older PC without suspension has grips which when positioned correctly can take a lot of the shocks out of the ride.

 

A suspension seat post and good seat are much more important to have than front suspension.

Suspension for me every time, I've had a few instances of hitting big potholes in the dark winter nights and nearly coming off and I'm sure that if it was a rigid fork I would have. Also less wrist ache. BUT I agree it has to be good quality which means expensive but in my opinion it is worth paying the extra for. PS I have Fox forks but not sure which ones.

Suspension for me every time, I've had a few instances of hitting big potholes in the dark winter nights and nearly coming off and I'm sure that if it was a rigid fork I would have. Also less wrist ache. BUT I agree it has to be good quality which means expensive but in my opinion it is worth paying the extra for. PS I have Fox forks but not sure which ones.

Yeah. I must admit that there are times when I think a smoother ride would be nice and would certainly improve my onbike front camera work. I keep looking at the Cannondale Bad Boy Ultra which when I found out Mark at Cytronex was using it to test their new kits ... is making me look even harder!

My PC Disc has lock out suspension and I have been able to try both. I went for the suspension mode eventually as I think it helps a little on our poor roads.

 

I have found that hand grips can make a difference. My older PC without suspension has grips which when positioned correctly can take a lot of the shocks out of the ride.

 

A suspension seat post and good seat are much more important to have than front suspension.

 

Suspension seat posts IMHO are dreadful, much better with a rigid tube so the relationship between backside and crank centre remains the same

Suspension seat posts IMHO are dreadful, much better with a rigid tube so the relationship between backside and crank centre remains the same

 

I agree, even more useless for the lighter amongst us for whom they don't work, just add weight. They also add increasing rotation with wear, leaving the saddle poorly located.

 

There's also a separate issue on e-bikes with a rear of seat tube battery. The frame design of these often has a very angled seat down tube to keep the bike length compact, and this prevents the suspension post working due to the sidewall friction against the extreme angle.

 

Of course some of this doesn't apply to the heaviest among us whose mass overcomes all resistance.

.

Edited May 21, 201114 yr by flecc

i quite like the suspension seat posts. But they do have a bit of a wobble on them. I've probably just got used to it to be honest. But when hitting a couple of bumps occasionally as there's no damping it can keep you bobbing up long after the bump has gone.

My remarks above are for the conventional in-line suspension posts. There are also cantilever types which can be much better, such as this Cane Creek Thudbuster post:

 

http://cdn.mos.bikeradar.com/images/bikes-and-gear/components/seat-post-or-seat-pin/1233664524169-b96ngdn9542u-399-75.jpg

over engineering gone mad. If things are really that rough stand up and use your legs...

 

Or your on the wrong bike to start with...

I fully agree Scotty, but if someone has to have a suspension post, cantilever ones like this are better, more located and better controlled springing.

I fitted a reconned set of Marzocchi Bombers to the front of my elderly Claud Butler and was impressed with the immediate difference in comfort. That, allied with the Fat Arse sprung saddle, makes riding around the pothole-strewn and badly-repaired backroads around here a pleasure.

Horses for courses.

indeed its a very good idea and would work well. I never understand why the spring seat posts have a wobble. It could be easily sorted by using a slide and grove inside the post to stop the wobble. Still doesn't fix the damping though.

My remarks above are for the conventional in-line suspension posts. There are also cantilever types which can be much better, such as this Cane Creek Thudbuster post:

 

http://cdn.mos.bikeradar.com/images/bikes-and-gear/components/seat-post-or-seat-pin/1233664524169-b96ngdn9542u-399-75.jpg

 

Flecc I too was skeptical when i first saw these cantilever things, but by jingo the one fitted to the Flyer i:SY we keep in store for fun (and in case we need to pull some trees up) has out lasted many pairs of shoes here. Good work whoever designed it to have prevented the bean counters from substituting the right materials with the wrong ones, cos that's the true challenge these days!

indeed its a very good idea and would work well. I never understand why the spring seat posts have a wobble. It could be easily sorted by using a slide and grove inside the post to stop the wobble. Still doesn't fix the damping though.

 

Ah Scotty, what do you mean about the above? Mine new bike has just arrived with a sprung seat attached but it iswith a wobble - I just presumed it needs tightening but now reading your post am wondering if that is normal? Its a left to right wobble.

I can see that for the grim faced lycra clad hard men I see thrashing around Richmond Park suspension might compromise their journey times through less good steering and inertia and all the other purist things. But a 27 kilo e-bike?

 

I remember some years ago a motoring mag gave a dozen experienced motoring journalists 4wd and 2wd Audis to test on a wet track, having disguised their drive systems. The results were the same as if they had guessed which system they had.

 

The explanation? Apart from highly experienced professional racing drivers , a normal driver is not sensitive enough to tell the difference. The difference is on the very edge and few can drive to that extreme edge on a track let alone public roads.

 

Ditto suspension/ not suspension. I just ride a bike. It is what it is. Suspension is more comfortable on the dreadful roads round my way so I have suspension. If any day to day rider like myself could demonstrate that I could get 10 miles faster on my Tasman without suspension I suppose I'd have to think for 10 seconds before deciding that comfort came above speed for me.

I've never been bothered about having suspension or sprung posts, on or off road and regardless of surface, possibly as a result of so many years of cycling before any bikes had suspension.

Suspension especially on the front makes a huge difference to steering feel - give me rigids every time! I think all riders would notice it but on an electric bike, especially a heavy one, that is a compromise I think is worth making. I have suspension seatpost which on reflection I think I will remove.