Best style of suspension?

titch__16

Retro Guru
I've been trying to design a full suspension frame but with the abundance of shock mounting styles it's quite daunting trying to choose one.
I have been looking through different types and trying to decide which is best but without actually riding it's hard :roll:

My current design is based on the early Manitou FRS (the one that's the same as on of the Marins), so it has a fork type shock at the back, but I've modified it to be lighter.

I only want around 150mm travel, so what does anybody think? :)
 
Single pivot and a platform shock (eg. Orange Patriot, 222, 223, 224 etc)

Simple, efficient, effective and can be built pretty much as light or heavy as you want it, hence the reason that Orange use predominantly the same single pivot design throughout their range.

I like the sound of the FRS back end though - just make sure that you make it stronger than Answer did!
 
I used the design of an FRS because it retains the strength of the full front triangle.

But the single pivot idea is another I considered, but in that design there is many different placements of the shock. For example;
Vertical
2011-diamondback-mission-1-2-3-4-mountain-bikes-4.jpg

Horizontal
mongoose_xr250_1.jpg

Among many others, but surely there must be an optimum position.
 
What are you making it out of?

Worth downloading Linkage to fiddle with pivot placements and rocker lengths to get your desired suspension characteristics.

(Shouldn't this be in post-98? ;) )
 
Those frames are all multi pivot designs. And 150mm of travel is rather a lot.

I would be looking towards a host link design. Nearly all the major players were using them until specialized started threatening legal action.
 
So single pivot is when there isn't the 'rocker' (?)

It will be made of Aluminium and will have Carbon fork parts.

Linkage? :p

This is my current design and I know it's not exactly 'pretty' but I really like 'different' (I own a PRS-T1) :LOL:
backside.jpg

rearsde.jpg

linkages1.jpg

linkages2.jpg


If I use the single leg fork idea it will use a hub that I've designed for a trike I designed, along with probably a 12mm rear axle.

Also I will make one in the post 98 section if this conversion last longer than normal ;)
 
Interesting design with a mono stay rear end but I think your idea needs a lot of work or a major rethink.
 
This is a basic first model. The next step will be the chainstays. Obviously they'll need to be able to take a bit of punishment and I'll make them bigger.
 
I had a very long discussion with the guy behind the design of this bike:

pinnacle-tharpu-peak-20-mountain-bike.jpg


...the Pinnacle Tharpu Peak, similar design to several others. He thought that the best suspension designs kept the shock travel in-line with the suspension compression. There are an awful lot of other considerations, which is why Linkage is superb for playing with ideas:

http://www.bikechecker.com/home.phtml

When the Specialized patent over the four-bar or Horst link design lapsed, he expected more companies to adopt it - it's a convenient way to prevent the single-pivot arc problem of shortening the wheelbase as the suspension compresses. The shape the rear axle describes as it moves through its travel is important.

I like the idea of playing with suspension designs, but I have never really tried it, only spoken to a few people who have. I think I'd probably spend some time analysing what other people have come up with, and the strengths and weaknesses of their designs, before trying to come up with my own. And I'd probably look at downhill bike designs too, there have been some crazy bikes put together in the name of long travel, smooth travel or optimal axle path.

I'd be concerned that a 'one-legged' rear suspension design would have to be heavily reinforced to prevent the bike twisting under load, both suspension-compressing load and the forces of pedalling. 'One legged' motorbike rear arms are hugely strong; this isn't a problem when you can just fit a bigger engine, but it might present weight issues on a bicycle.

Anyway, good luck!
 

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