front suspension road bike anyone?
bmxboy10
Posts: 1,958
Comments
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What could I do on that that I couldn't do equally well on a cross bike?0
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I did the London to Brighton off road on my cross bike last year. 98% of the time it was the best tool for the job. On a couple of fast bumpy descents it was borderline terrifying, poor technique certainly played a part in this. A bit of bounce in the fork would have helped at that point.
Still wouldn't buy one as my cross bike is my do it all, commuting and bad weather bike. Bouncy fork would overcomplicate it as I don't think the seals would like the abuse of commuting all through the winter.0 -
There will be a market for this - but it will be a very small one.
To an extent it is a logical consequence of new niches emerging as market venn diagrams spawn new intersecting areas.
Some of these will be 'a niche too far' and some will catch on - or catch on enough to sustain limited production.
In the auto market, we might of the Suzuki X90 or the first-generation Renault Scenic 4x4.
In motorcycles there were the Suzuki RE-5, the CX650 Turbo and others.
It's all a bit of fun and it adds to the flavour of the stew. In production terms, it is largely a 'Bitza' and will not be a huge loss if it flops.
Despite spending my youth (1970s) bending rims and pinging spokes by riding my '5-speed racer' in the woods, I now prefer a wide, straight bar for anything potentially bumpy or slippery. The boike can be a heavy old nail, but it must have a good, wide tiller. For me, this new toy would be silly. For someone else, it might be a prayer answered.0 -
I did the London to Brighton off road on my cross bike last year. 98% of the time it was the best tool for the job. On a couple of fast bumpy descents it was borderline terrifying, poor technique certainly played a part in this. A bit of bounce in the fork would have helped at that point.
Still wouldn't buy one as my cross bike is my do it all, commuting and bad weather bike. Bouncy fork would overcomplicate it as I don't think the seals would like the abuse of commuting all through the winter.
oddly the old mtb reboot into a commuter so far the forks havent minded being a oudoor pet both home and at work. though it eats chains and cassettes! chains barely last a 1000 miles on the gravel tracks of bushy park.
i agree it seems a little overkill for what it is.0 -
Nothing new, suspension forks made an appearance on Paris Roubaix a few years ago,0
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Exactly, that kind of gravel turns into grinding paste when wet or oily. I reckon it would kill bouncy forks too. The bounce is only really needed over rooty paths or similar taken at high speed.... though it eats chains and cassettes! chains barely last a 1000 miles on the gravel tracks of bushy park.
i agree it seems a little overkill for what it is.0 -
Nothing new, suspension forks made an appearance on Paris Roubaix a few years ago,
Yeah - like in 1989 was it? TdF LeMond0 -
I don't even have suspension on my mountain bike.
Totally unnecessary on a road bike. Chances are you only need different wheels with fatter tyres if anything.The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
I don't even have suspension on my mountain bike.
Totally unnecessary on a road bike. Chances are you only need different wheels with fatter tyres if anything.
I remember Ned Overend and Jon Tomac saying the same thing once upon a time...Then again, Softride...oh, and Zipp, the Y-Foil. All banned by UCI and thus summarily killed from the market, but, now they are making a resurgence thanks to Tri. Just ask RappStar.0 -
Totally unnecessary - the big big companies tried hard to push suspension on the likes of Paris-Roubaix in the early 90s and then along came Mapei on Colnago C40s and smashed everyone to oblivion. Saeco Cannondale tried a headshock bike but only got second with Dario Pieri. I've never encountered anywhere where I wanted suspension on my CX bike - that includes riding black runs at trail centres. Mind you, both my mountain bike and fatbike are rigid too and nothing winds up a mountain biker more that being passed by someone riding a rigid bike - it can get a bit hairy on the technical downhills though.Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..0
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nothing winds up a mountain biker more that being passed by someone riding a rigid bike
Amen - my only MTN bike is a single speed 29er with not a shock to be seen, other than on the faces of others as I blow by. HUGE tires and low pressure is all you need (plus, I do not live in "real" mountains). It is shocking how many people will be on simple trails in the Midwest USA (corn country) with giant dual susp. MTN bikes as if one day a sudden cliff was going to appear.
But, as for your suspension. Back in the era you speak of, Alsop and then further Softride was making some huge inroads in the TT world. As was Zipp, Corima and others...all with at least seat suspension and some with the Softride stem to smooth out the front end. This was VERY popular at RAAM and other ultra distance events. Captain Greg, as you said tried it out at Paris-Robuaix.
As seen in this image, a "LeMond" (really a pre-ABG Lynskey Titanium ride yet to turn into Litespeed, more evident by the stem). The "Drop In LF" handlebars offered even more resilience in the ride as they were noodles (and liked to break at the stem, and were summarily banned). Having had ridden all of the bikes in question, I really would like suspension on a race like Paris-Roubaix, sure you can do a larger tire at lower pressure and not have wheel skip on some of the larger bumps, it does not however take out a bit of the high frequency stuff that just grates at you after a few hours.
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Exactly, that kind of gravel turns into grinding paste when wet or oily. I reckon it would kill bouncy forks too. The bounce is only really needed over rooty paths or similar taken at high speed.... though it eats chains and cassettes! chains barely last a 1000 miles on the gravel tracks of bushy park.
i agree it seems a little overkill for what it is.
thus far the forks on the old MTB haven't shown signs of wear, while I'm going though chains and cassettes fairly rapidly.0 -
Cannondale have tried this "niche" before, with headshocks on sorta road bikes.
What is new is the craze in the US for gravel riding on fire roads. Not such a dumb idea when you consider the potential market in the US and that they've only done a bit of re-engineering of an existing technology.0 -
Cannondale have tried this "niche" before, with headshocks on sorta road bikes.
What is new is the craze in the US for gravel riding on fire roads. Not such a dumb idea when you consider the potential market in the US and that they've only done a bit of re-engineering of an existing technology.
Reverse engineering! After all, MTN bikes were born of road bikes and a few pot heads on Colorado (Moab and Redrock). What killed much of the suspended bike market, as well as the Aero bike market was UCI regulations. Look no further than the Triathlon world to see the fastest bikes on earth (in a wind tunnel with no rider)..but, not UCI compliant. Had the UCI not banned these bikes we would have seen FAR less toying with these foolish BB "standards" (that are simply no better in the real world than the standard "square taper" - you say "Flex" I say Sean Kelly and Vitus).
But, now that the Tri world is where it is - plan to see some new names on the hour record sheets and see some pretty wild "sails" as the aero bikes start looking more and more like an old school Trimble.
http://www.mountainbikes.net/carbon/Trimble_Aero_91.htm0 -
What about frame suspension as seen on the new dogma sky rode at the Roubaix?One plays football, tennis or golf, one does not play at cycling0
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Did they win?What about frame suspension as seen on the new dogma sky rode at the Roubaix?The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
Did they win?What about frame suspension as seen on the new dogma sky rode at the Roubaix?
Blah Blah Blah Blah!!!!! Wait...can I stick my fingers in my ears further????0 -
I suspect it would be if the car weighed the same as my bike.
Car fully rigid as well I expect.I don't even have suspension on my mountain bike.
Totally unnecessary on a road bike. Chances are you only need different wheels with fatter tyres if anything.
These tyres look like they would absorb quite a bit.The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
Having another look/more details are released.
It's a 650b x 40mm cx/gravel bike with 30mm of suspension.
I think that's limiting tyre choice re 650b unless any one thinks cx/gravel bikes will go like MTB's re 29ers 27.5/26inch etc
And I'm rather cynical that 30mm of travel how ever good the fork is will make enough of a differance, even good hardtail MTB transmit trail buzz.
I'd love to see this bike in the flesh. But I feel this is hyperbole beyond the normal marketing guff.0
