Full Suspension and the larger gentlemen

[gelfy666]

I ride my Bird Zero AM hardtail all the time and love it BUT I do fancy a full suspension as well.
Ive just been offered a Transition Patrol frame from a mate who bought it and never built it up.

Anyway I'm 118kg so will the rear shock cope with my mass? Do you just put more pressure on them? What sort of pressure do they work at?

Thanks

 

[Drago]

Youre about the same mass as me. You'll probably be ok, though I sent my shock and forks to a specialist to be revalved especially to cope with my advanced sexiness.

 

[gelfy666]

So what sort of pressure do you put in a rear shock?

 

[Drago]

Oh Christ, been a long time since I even rode my full squidger. Dont remember the exact number but something like 105psi.

 

[gelfy666]

Still unsure wether to get it or not....

 

[numbnuts]

Pump up to pound for pound - 118kg =295
I'm 180LB = front forks 30LB rear 180LB

 

[Drago]

118 is 260lbs. I know I'm a well upholstered chap, but not 290!

 

[BretonM]

I ride my Bird Zero AM hardtail all the time and love it BUT I do fancy a full suspension as well.
Ive just been offered a Transition Patrol frame from a mate who bought it and never built it up.

Anyway I'm 118kg so will the rear shock cope with my mass? Do you just put more pressure on them? What sort of pressure do they work at?

Thanks

I'd say stick with the Bird !

I'm an AM Hardtail type of guy and I'm sure you, like many of the heavier gents around, can't be bothered with the faff on of extra bearings, bushes, pivot points and bottoming out !

It's more stuff to go wrong in my opinion.

 

[Drago]

I do very nicely on Giant Maestro suspension with a linkage and many bearings, in general use trail flavour. If you read the specs AM bikes usually have exactly the same max payload as any other MTB, a fairly standard 125kg.

 

[Jody]

I'd say stick with the Bird !

I'm an AM Hardtail type of guy and I'm sure you, like many of the heavier gents around, can't be bothered with the faff on of extra bearings, bushes, pivot points and bottoming out !

It's more stuff to go wrong in my opinion.

Bearings arent expensive and they also arent a big job to change. Its not really a faff to swap a set of bearings every few years to keep it running smooth. My Anthem has 12 bearings, they cost £30 and took less than two hours to swap when the rear triangle was off for a bottom bracket change.

If your shock is set up correctly it shouldn't bottom out any more than your forks would.

 

[smokeysmoo]

FWIW I've always avoided them, especially seeing as it appears I make @Drago look like Twiggy

I did nearly buy a Specialized Epic with the brain thingy a number of years back, but thought better of it and stuck with my HT at the time.

I no longer ride where I'd need FS anyway, but I was always of the same opinion as @BretonM in that it's just something else to go wrong, and with me bouncing up and down on it I suspect it would do quite often

 

[Ciar]

I ride a Merida one twenty 800 and i had help from one of the guys i ride with, as it was pretty slack at the back and i am not the smallest of gentlemen!

but if i was you i would stick with the bird! it's a bike i have always wanted to +1, but my wife would leave me

 

[fossyant]

Take a look at the shocks max rated pressure. The guide above is about right. You set suspension up based upon sag of 20 to 30 percent but you need to sit on the bike fully loaded, I.e with backpack and fluids.

From memory I run mine around 200psi for 90kg.

 

[gelfy666]

I think I'm going to stick with the Bird for the time being, its a great bike and I can't out ride it.... If you know what I mean.
I might just upgrade my wheel set though
Thanks for the input.

 

[gelfy666]

Right, I've had to put 220 psi in the rear shock for 30% sag with my weight being 118kg with kit on.