Clydesdales/Athenas front suspension
12-22-14, 12:25 PM
#1
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Clydesdales/Athenas front suspension
For years the general thought that if you weigh over X pounds then a suspension system for a bicycle is a unattainable dream.While not a fix for everyone I found that the springer "fork" will work on a cruiser type bike even at the 350lbs level.I had one of these on a past Worksmen newsboy and it worked great without the need to use up the adjustment if I had weighed more.These used to be available many years ago and its a shame they are not more popular today.While I do understand the "new" units are possibly better in some ways they just don't handle the weight at a reasonable cost.
This is a example:
This is a example:
12-22-14, 12:50 PM
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For years the general thought that if you weigh over X pounds then a suspension system for a bicycle is a unattainable dream.While not a fix for everyone I found that the springer "fork" will work on a cruiser type bike even at the 350lbs level.I had one of these on a past Worksmen newsboy and it worked great without the need to use up the adjustment if I had weighed more.These used to be available many years ago and its a shame they are not more popular today.While I do understand the "new" units are possibly better in some ways they just don't handle the weight at a reasonable cost.
This is a example:
This is a example:
A springer fork is just a pogo stick. The spring is compressed and it bounces back. There's no control of the energy and the springs are fairly weak. A heavy rider is going to spend an awful lot of time with the spring mostly compressed.
On the other hand, neither air forks nor springer forks hold a candle to the adjustability, adaptability, spring rate nor just about any other parameter that you get out of your own muscles. Your legs and arms can do a very good job of absorbing hard impacts found off-road. On road, they don't even have to work hard.
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Stuart Black
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Days of Wineless Roads. Bed and Breakfasting along the KATY
Twisting Down the Alley. Misadventures in tornado alley.
Stuart Black
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Days of Wineless Roads. Bed and Breakfasting along the KATY
Twisting Down the Alley. Misadventures in tornado alley.
12-22-14, 05:32 PM
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I road this bike for three years and never found the spring to be weak or any pogo like effect nor was it bottomed out at any time.I did not use it off road and it worked just fine on paths roads and sidewalks.I also had a factory warranty with them knowing my weight.Current price on the fork I wanted on my new ride is about 450.00$ while I just priced a much better springer than I had is 180.00$. If I was building another cruiser style bike I would not hesitate at buying another.
