Why do people complain about Front Shock's that don't lock

colintrav
colintrav Posts: 1,074
edited November 2009 in MTB general
On a few site's I have noticed this ever increasing complaint about poor lock out's ..

If they are going to complain they would be better off replacing the shock's with standard fork's saving the constant whinging .

Comments

  • dave_hill
    dave_hill Posts: 3,877
    Having the ability to lock forks out is a great advantage for climbing or riding on tarmac. If you don't (or can't) lock the forks out, then you're constantly working against them, which is inefficient.

    I have two bikes, one with lock-out forks, one without. The difference between the two when climbing is very noticeable.
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  • S_J_P
    S_J_P Posts: 908
    I concur with dave_hill, seeing my energy sapped by the fork compressing when climbing is soul destroying, but I still like to have usable suspension most of the time, lock-outs are good :D

    The thing which amuses me is that if I'm commuting by bike I tend to run locked-out all the way, however it's staggering how many supermarket 40 lb full sussers I see bouncing along the roads too. Usually without lights, with their riders dressed in black, without a hat, but with a hood which blocks out peripheral vision, oh, and with i-Pod 'phones in their ears. That doesn't matter though as they're riding on the path :roll:
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  • tri-sexual
    tri-sexual Posts: 672
    fork lock out not really that neceassry unless you are riding on tarmac and even then i dont bother
    good technique is far more important
    you see pro xc racers climb monsterous hills without locking out their forks
    smooth controlled riding is the key, work with your bike (and active forks) and not against it and your riding technique will improve
    a poor rider will bob all over the place on a climb, a good rider will look very smooth and controlled even without lockout
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    colintrav wrote:
    On a few site's I have noticed this ever increasing complaint about poor lock out's ..

    If they are going to complain they would be better off replacing the shock's with standard fork's saving the constant whinging .

    Or maybe the user needs to learn how to set up the fork?

    most lockouts do move when forced if they did not they could fail.

    If the fork has not been set up then what do you expect.

    and then we have the lockouts that are not lockouts.
    and the forks that are just not very good.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
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  • projectsome
    projectsome Posts: 4,478
    S_J_P wrote:
    I concur with dave_hill, seeing my energy sapped by the fork compressing when climbing is soul destroying, but I still like to have usable suspension most of the time, lock-outs are good :D

    The thing which amuses me is that if I'm commuting by bike I tend to run locked-out all the way, however it's staggering how many supermarket 40 lb full sussers I see bouncing along the roads too. Usually without lights, with their riders dressed in black, without a hat, but with a hood which blocks out peripheral vision, oh, and with i-Pod 'phones in their ears. That doesn't matter though as they're riding on the path :roll:

    I have the exact same problem. I've been walking to work for the past 2 weeks, I swear there were more bikes on the pavement than on the road.

    lockout makes a huge difference!
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  • projectsome
    projectsome Posts: 4,478
    tri-sexual wrote:
    fork lock out not really that neceassry unless you are riding on tarmac and even then i dont bother
    good technique is far more important
    you see pro xc racers climb monsterous hills without locking out their forks
    smooth controlled riding is the key, work with your bike (and active forks) and not against it and your riding technique will improve
    a poor rider will bob all over the place on a climb, a good rider will look very smooth and controlled even without lockout

    I'm no pro....
    FARKBOOK TWATTER Happiness is my fucking mood!
  • paul.skibum
    paul.skibum Posts: 4,068
    Why are you complaining about people complaining about a lock out? Surely your time would be better spent not reading that thread or writing this one?

    Why am I complaining about you complaining about something? I am at work, I'm a bit bored. :wink:
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  • Raymondavalon
    Raymondavalon Posts: 5,346
    paul.skibum wrote:
    Why are you complaining about people complaining about a lock out? Surely your time would be better spent not reading that thread or writing this one?

    +1 on that, another pointless rant Thread from a Member who seems to enjoy winging about pointless issues...
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  • geordiefreerider
    geordiefreerider Posts: 888
    colintrav wrote:
    On a few site's I have noticed this ever increasing complaint about poor lock out's ..

    If they are going to complain they would be better off replacing the shock's with standard fork's saving the constant whinging .

    I think that most people are complaining about the quality of the fork, such as lockout controls breaking or just a poor system, whether you agree lock-out is a good idea or not, if you buy a bike/fork with it fitted you have the right to expect it to work.
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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    when I've had forks with lockout, I've only ever used it for the first week or so as a gimmick.
    Same goes for travel adjst.
  • Hercule Q
    Hercule Q Posts: 2,781
    you dont need lockout, i can ride my scott uphill and around on the flat without pedal bob. You just gotta work on a smoother technique and not stamp on the pedals or bounce.
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  • Daz555
    Daz555 Posts: 3,976
    colintrav wrote:
    On a few site's I have noticed this ever increasing complaint about poor lock out's .
    Regardless of the pros and cons of lockout, if somebody buys a fork WITH a lockout, they have every right to expect it to work.
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  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    Depends how you've set it up. All of my mountainbikes have lockout, some also have adjustable floodgate. On my inbred, which is set for xc, with a set of sids on, if I go for a relatively smooth ride but with some large hits in it, then i leave it locked out with a low floodgate. It's far more efficient with the small amount of movement on the lock most of the time then opening up for large hits. It's is invaluable on the inbred actually because it's a single speed, so honking up large hills is pretty much the only way up them.

    On the 456 i have remote lockout. So tend to lock it out as and when i need it. Again adjustable floodgate, so i can set the blow off sensitivity.
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  • MrChuck
    MrChuck Posts: 1,663
    colintrav wrote:
    On a few site's I have noticed this ever increasing complaint about poor lock out's ..

    If they are going to complain they would be better off replacing the shock's with standard fork's saving the constant whinging .

    Rubbish. I get to trails by train a lot of the time which means road miles where a lockout is very useful, and I still want suspension when I get to the trails.

    If people are buying forks with lockouts that don't work properly why shouldn't they complain?
  • x-isle
    x-isle Posts: 794
    Why do people moan about people moaning about things? :P
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  • colintrav
    colintrav Posts: 1,074
    nicklouse wrote:
    colintrav wrote:
    On a few site's I have noticed this ever increasing complaint about poor lock out's ..

    If they are going to complain they would be better off replacing the shock's with standard fork's saving the constant whinging .

    Or maybe the user needs to learn how to set up the fork?

    most lockouts do move when forced if they did not they could fail.

    If the fork has not been set up then what do you expect.

    and then we have the lockouts that are not lockouts.
    and the forks that are just not very good.

    Bad substandard manufacturing , workmanship all far too common nowadays because the companies are more interested in Profit margins that is the bottom line first and foremost ..
  • blister pus
    blister pus Posts: 5,780
    It's like you've been woken up from a cryogenic sleep or something.

    Hence forth you are. Old Kyle.
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    colintrav wrote:
    nicklouse wrote:
    colintrav wrote:
    On a few site's I have noticed this ever increasing complaint about poor lock out's ..

    If they are going to complain they would be better off replacing the shock's with standard fork's saving the constant whinging .

    Or maybe the user needs to learn how to set up the fork?

    most lockouts do move when forced if they did not they could fail.

    If the fork has not been set up then what do you expect.

    and then we have the lockouts that are not lockouts.
    and the forks that are just not very good.

    Bad substandard manufacturing , workmanship all far too common nowadays because the companies are more interested in Profit margins that is the bottom line first and foremost ..

    Like?

    never had any issues with any lock out etc yet on my own bikes or any that i have fitted.

    Ok the next one will most likely be faulty.
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  • canada16
    canada16 Posts: 2,360
    I got Fox F100RL, and they lock out solid, so I dont know what people are talking about some give.

    I cannot move mine a mm.

    I am now moaning about not having give in my forks.. :lol:
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  • handful
    handful Posts: 920
    I find I don't need lockout unless standing and mashing and I don't do much of that, prefer to sit'n spin. Just as well as my current Recons don't lock out. I used to forget to unlock as well when I did have the option......used to think 'these Suntours are sh1te' before realising :lol:

    I now find myself doing the same thing with pro pedal :oops:
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  • x-isle
    x-isle Posts: 794
    Lockout's should be illegal!

    ......If I ever turn on pro-pedal, I always forget to turn it off......
    Craig Rogers
  • MilitantGraham
    MilitantGraham Posts: 220
    Why did Fox Terralogic never catch on ?
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  • _Ferret_
    _Ferret_ Posts: 660
    colintrav wrote:
    On a few site's I have noticed this ever increasing complaint about poor lock out's ..

    If they are going to complain they would be better off replacing the shock's with standard fork's saving the constant whinging .

    I'm confused.
    What counts as a poor lock out?
    If a fork comes with a lock out then I would expect it to work but to be honest I rarely use mine anyway unless I am riding on the tarmac...
    Not really active

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