Folding Bikes - Kind Shock air suspension fork (around 1 kg)

http://www.kindshock.com.cn/en/products.asp?fid=67&fid2=&id=651

I saw another thread about this but it generated no interest and didn't have a link to the actual website. I'd have thought this could be amazing for folding bikes, and there's both 16 and 20" wheel versions. The 1 kg weight appears to be for the 28" version, so the 20 and 16 must be sub 1 kg.

Then there's the kindshock range of suspension seat posts and a remarkable looking suspension stem.


I've googled for retailers and found nothing except one shop in Germany that does the forks and a few European ebayers who sell Kind Shock suspension seat posts that don't match the ones on that site.

It looks a lot like the evolutionary follow up to the 16" Moulton fork from the '60s meeting those Cannondale forks you can get. Looks nice and so much less obtrusive than an MTB style two-piston affair.

The Cruzbike Silvio uses the Kind air shock front forks.They work great and don't weigh that much.

That' a $2000 bike so I'd imagine the fork works well. I've seen the 26 and 28" versions of the fork available from a German ebay shop for about 130 EUR.

Rock Shox are making something similar but coil sprung and half a kilo heavier (and only for 700c wheels):

http://www.ukbikestore.co.uk/Product/0/RS110011/ukbs/rock-shox-2008-i-ride-700c.html

seems there's a few unicrown designs around:

http://www.alibaba.com/product-free/100626722/Unicrown_Suspension_Fork.html

http://b2b.tradeholding.com/default.cgi/action/viewproducts/productid/73364/productname/Unicrown_suspension_fork/

I've a 2007 Dahon MU SL. It has a pantour front suspension hub which gives a little bit of relief from the bumps when commuting. It works really well and is a noticably softer ride than my road bike on the same commute.

http://www.dahon.com/technology/component/pro.htm

Not sure if I'd want full front shocks on my Dahon? Off road, the tyres are too slick to grip (I've tried) and the small wheels make it difficult to control.

BTW - I don't think the 2008 MUSL has a pantour hub. For this reason alone I think a 'new' 2007 model is a much better buy!!!

Seems to me that a unicrown air suspension fork as the ideal design for road cycling / touring. The pantour hub is very expensive for the amount of vertical travel it offers (I was reading recently that the travel is in total 10mm but that's not vertical). If it were cheaper I'd go for it.