hello bikers :) (Warning Long post, and english is a problem)
 

hi, i'm new here

you can call me Mo and i'm from Fin land

i have just got a new bike (Scott Sportster P3 2010)
but for my whole life i have used cheap bikes since i was maybe 4 yo to 31, by cheap i mean those assembled in asian countries sold for 50-100-150 Eu. at big stores where they sell everything, from Dogs food to clothes soap :)

What am i doing here ? well i have got a problem, or IF not a problem, something that i don't know how to use, or maybe i understand a little bit...


the front part of this bike got this :
http://www.srsuntour-cycling.com/SID...tail&tnid=2855

SF11-NEX4610 V2 HLO 700C

where there are 2 locks-switches, one left one right

in this PDF manual i read some stuff (but my english is not that big to understand clearly)

http://srsuntour-files.dbap.de/_publ...ls_english.pdf

so we are talking about :

Travel Adjustment
and
HydraLock (Lock Out feature)

where it says :
WARNING: Please don’t forget to un-lock your system when you’re riding rough terrain.
Riding rough terrain with a locked system may damage your lock-out cartridge.

so my question is

'this' HydraLock Out blue switch on the right side what am i supposed to do ?
IF i bike on a city street, all asphalted i MUST keep it switched OFF ?
and IF i bike let's say a bit in park with dirt and a bit on asphalt (mixed kind of roads, park crossed whitin the city) I MUST TOTALLY SWITCH IT ON ?

next: about switching, must it be FULLY (to the end of the limit) or it can also be partially ?


this i suppose makes the bike 'amortize' 'soften' the big cracks in a park dirt road ? or just travel on a flat plain = not needed ?


what about the other 'Travel feature' ? i do NOT need to touch that right ? (this is more like a plastic screwer - no switches i think)

even if i read something like :

Fork features and function
Travel adjustment
This feature allows you to adjust the travel of your fork depending on your preferences and the terrain you’re riding.
The travel adjustment allows you to change the way the bike handles, when you ride uphill or downhill.
When you ride uphill, you push the lever (which is mounted on the handlebar) and push down the handlebar.
You release the lever at the desired travel level of the fork. Now you can ride uphill in a more comfortable body position.
When you ride downhill, you push the lever and pull the handlebar and the fork extends its travel to the maximum
travel level. Now you can ride downhill in a more comfortable and safer body position.
The infinitely variable travel can be adjusted from 60-120mm (130mm - depending on the fork model) steplessly.


one last thing, the Hydra switch, must it be done BEFORE every trip (and lock it back to OFF-OUT when i park the bike and go back home) or can i do it even WHILE i am biking (changing it with my hand) is it ok or dangerous ?

- the bikes i always used were just jump and bike, chain problems, heavy like satana, nothing to touch a part few things, but this is a new world to me, even if i did bike 26 years -


i hope you understand and that you can give me an answer in a basic english otherwise i get lost :P

tyvm

Mo

I'm sure there is someone here who speaks your language :D

The part you showed us is called a suspension fork. Like in motorcycles it moves up and down to "amortize" (absorb shocks). "Travel" is how far the fork moves up and down. If it moves far the ride is softer, if it moves less the ride is harder.

The lock locks (stops) the movement completely so it doesn't move - the suspension is not active. It becomes basically a rigid fork, it does not "amortize" in this state.

It must be unlocked when you ride on rough terrain because it can be damaged if it's locked and you hit bumps! It also has to be unlocked to "amortize" properly. That is what the suspension fork is designed to do. When you ride on smooth road you can lock it. When it's locked the ride is more efficient on smooth roads. That's because some of the energy of pedaling is wasted in compressing the fork.

Most of the time you don't need suspension when riding on smooth roads so you may lock it.

You don't have to lock it if you don't want to. It's OK to ride with active suspension on smooth roads. You can decide what you like better.

The travel adjustment also depends on what you like. If you ride on very bad, rough terrain or if you jump over obstacles then long travel is better because it absorbs the shock better.

In most other conditions short travel is enough.

You don't have to lock it if you park your bike.

You can adjust travel when riding.

I'm not sure if you can activate the lock when riding.

My advice is to have it always unlocked and set to low travel. It's possible you can hit some bad holes in the road when your fork is locked and you can damage it, if it happens too often.

I hope you understand what I said :D

Cheers!

If you are riding on a street you do not have to lock your bicycle fork, but riding will be easier if the fork is locked. The front of the bicycle will go up and down less if the fork is locked and pedaling will be easier. If you are riding on a street or a trail, you may adjust your fork either all of the way up, all of the way down, or anywhere in between. You may do this while sitting on the bicycle. Do not do this while moving on the bicycle because you may get hurt. You may adjust the fork at any time you choose. Hope this helps.

My advice would be to lock the travel, in a semi compressed position, so it can still absorb shocks like potholes, but the whole front end is less likely to cycle upwards when you are pedalling.

Then, just use the complete lock out feature, when you are riding around town, or on a paved highway. (Just flip the lock out off when you are in rough terrain)

thank you
all more clear now :)