Question from a roadie

redddraggon

What's the difference between full suspension and a softtail?

EDIT: I meant softtail, not hardtail.

cjw

Haedtail has suspension only on the front forks whereas full suss has rear suspension as well.

redddraggon

Sorry that sounds like a really stupid question now.

I mean softtail, not hardtail.

cjw

Isn't a softail a motorbike (eg Harley Davidson).?

harry_jones1984

they're the same thing

cjw

Never heard a full sus refered to as a softail. :shock:

nicklouse

a soft tail does not (generally) have any pivots (or not a full set) and used part of the frame tubes to flex. (normally the chainstays).

But there are the odd road bikes that have a suspended seat assy. iirc they are called softtails.

cjw

Just found this;

Mountain bikes can be classified into four categories based on suspension:

Hardtail: frame with no rear suspension, often has a front suspension fork
Fully Rigid: sub-type of hardtail, with a rigid fork
Dual or Full suspension: front suspension fork and rear suspension with a rear shock and linkage that makes the rear wheel move on pivots.
Soft Tail: frame with small amount of rear suspension, but activated by flex of the frame instead of pivots.

nicklouse was of course correct

Anonymous

an example of which can be found here

i actually quite like the idea of this frame as the flex is facilitated by the use of carbon fibre chain stays, probably wouldnt take a sheepsteeth hammering tho.

prophet_1000

A couple of examples of soft tail,

Global make a titanium framed soft tail visit http://www.cyclestore.co.uk/productDeta ... &catID=402

I think I read some where that the Cannondale scalpel (Not 2008) is a soft tail and it has no pivot behind the bottom bkt, the chain stays are made from carbon fibre and are made just the right thickness to flex and not snap.

prophet_1000

www.27gears.com