General Cycling Discussion - Front Suspension Bobbing Inevitable?

Hey guys,

So what's the deal with the front suspension? I got a bike about six weeks ago, and it's got SR Suntour suspension in the front. I never really mountain bike, but go on gravel roads and fire roads a lot, and at those times the suspension is fine.

But - and I've seen many posts about this - when going up hill or accelerating from stop at an intersection, I can feel the front end dip ever so slightly with each downstroke of the pedals.

Is this something that is completely unavoidable with any kind of front suspension? Are there forks out there that won't bob at all? And I'm just thinking now whether, for my kind of riding, I even need suspension. What do you think? Do people ride on the roads a lot with front suspension?

A front fork will bob a bit when you're putting in a decent pedal stroke. On my mountain bike, the front end dips quite a bit (an inch or so) when accelarating hard or standing on the pedals up a hill. Modern mountain bikes have suspension, but it's really less about comfort and more about maintaining control of the bike - the suspension allows the tires to stay in contact with the track better over obstacles.

Most who ride on the roads a lot ride bikes with no suspension at all. In my opinion, if you're riding on gravel/fire roads, you probably don't really need suspension either.

I would say that you don't need a suspension fork, but if you talk to most people you don't need more then one bike, I as a proud owner of bike two and would live to have a garage full of bikes, but I digress. Bike makers are adding forks to more and more suspension to comfort bikes not made for MTB. You can get a suspension fork with a lock out or just get a rigid fork, or live with the bobing.

Right, if you dont' want the suspension travel, lock it out if you have that option. The bobbing is crap, saps energy from your pedal stroke and it's not like the suspension really helps.

Right, if you dont' want the suspension travel, lock it out if you have that option. The bobbing is crap, saps energy from your pedal stroke and it's not like the suspension really helps.


That suntour fork wont have a lockout.

Are you standing up over the front end when your pedalling or is it all the time? Does it bother you that much? It's kinda something you have to live with if you are commuting on a mtn bike with front suspension...

Chad

Yeah, there doesn't seem to be any lockout. It doesn't happen all the time, and when it does it isn't bad, really. I notice it more if I'm using a gear combo that doesn't keep tension on the chain all the way through the pedal cycle, know what I mean? There's not much tension until the down stroke. Is that what people mean by 'pedal mashing'? I started using those gear combos to try and keep a fast, even cadence when going up hill, and when I decided to use a lower gear when starting off from a dead stop at a traffic light or something.

However, I found out that climbing out of the saddle just wasn't going to work, as the thing went boing boing boing.

I can live with it though. Just wondering if the bobbing was common to all suspension (unless locked out) forks, or if it was happening just because I have a lower quality fork.

A couple of things to play with. Try and find stiffer springs. Will reduce small bump sensativity but will help lock it up. Preload the spring a lot. Another tip, try a heavier oil. Reduces the ability of the fork to compress.

you probably don't need a suspension fork for what you are describing though, but if you want it, I recommend saving up for one of the many lockout forks or the new brain forks (they lock themselves)...might be worth the investment if you still want the suspension for rough stuff.

I found you will bob if your either mashing, or putting too much of your weight forward. If I'm at full sprint, I'm lifting up on the bars, so I get no suspension bob....but my cadence at that point is just obcene...so that could have something to do with it too.

So how can I avoid mashing? Does that involve choosing the correct gear combo so that it's not too easy? Or maybe chossing a gear combo that's not too difficult? Or is having some kind of pedal clips more important?

Recently I have been trying to concentrate on keeping a smooth motion throughout the entire pedal cycle, and it seems like in order to do that I have been using easier gear combos than before.

If it is an adjustable fork, stiffen it all the way. I have inexpensive nsync forks on my treks and i just adjust the spring as stiff as i can get it. I also ride gravel roads mainly. I can look at the dust on my fork and note that there has been very little movement at any time during a ride.

I never notice any bobbing unless i lay on the front brakes hard.