THE END FOR RIDGID FORKS !!

[BADGER.BRAD]

Hello All,


I have finally had enough of my hands being bounced off my bars or my wrists jard (is that how you spell it) by our ever increasingly crap third world road surfaces (soon I'll be having problems with rogue cows, goats and donkeys).
I find riding my full sus mountain bike much more comfortable but also much more effort, so I'm looking for options. The most likely I think is to fit front suspension but do I have any other options? I just need something to take the jolt out. I tend to ride pretty fast but will most likely be going faster soon as I am in the process of adding a second chain ring to my bike as I always run out of gears this of course would make the problem worse.

Many Thanks.

Brad

 

[orienteer]

Moulton: http://www.moultonbicycles.co.uk/

Cheapest new about a grand, but you can get s/h ones for half that.

 

[dondare]

Jarred.

What tyres do you use at the moment?

What is your cadence when you run out of gears?

 

[Garz]

Jarred.

Double up your bar tape, wear padded gloves, loosen the grip on the rougher sections, job done!

 

[Fab Foodie]

And get a steel bike

If you like the bike, then maybe get some custom made 531 forks.
Suspension forks on the road are the work of the devil. You'kll soon tire of them.

 

[XmisterIS]

Badger - I may well be about to tell you something here that you already know, if so, please ignore me!

Anyway, irrespective of the type of bike you ride, you can absorb the bumps and lumps yourself quite easily, using a mountain-biking stance over the lumps and bumps, rather than a road-biking stance.

Here's how: When you are approaching a lumpy section, (1) Make sure your cranks are flat. (2) Stand up on the pedals, keeping your knees bent and your weight over the back wheel. (3) keep your arms loose and bent at the elbows. (4) Keep looking directly ahead, at your exit route.

So long as you keep your body loose enough in that position, the bike will just bounce underneath you and you will easily absorb lumps through your arms and legs. The trick is in the flat cranks, and it is very important to not let your weight get too far forward, or the front of the bike will kick you off when it kicks up into the air.

 

[palinurus]

Try cyclocross. The roads seem smoother after.

 

[BADGER.BRAD]

Where did the name Jarred come from? Strange that as it's my son’s name, I thought I may have entered it some where but cannot find any mention of it in my profile.
Think I'll give the wider tyres ago as have a selection sitting in the bike shed although I will have to do some tinkering with the mudguards to take them. I always used to have a hack bike fitted with wider tyres which was great for my normal shortest route approach to cycling i.e. across fields, canal tow paths what ever was needed.
The tyres at the moment are 26X1.6 Conti sport contacts and I top out at around the 30-35ish mph mark on the flat with the gearing as it is at the moment 44X11 at the highest gear (I couldn't find how to work this into pedalling speed???)
I have also found that the frame being made of ali does not help with the problem at all, although the forks are steel it feels very hard and ungiving on our battered black country roads, The previous bikes I have had have all been steel (with the exception of my full suss MTB) and the first time I rode it I could feel the difference straight away.

I have tried an adjustable stem which did take the weight and bounce off my hands and wrists but just did not feel right.

I expect the bike to give me a good few year’s use anyway so I may well just have to live with it.

Thanks for all your help.

Brad

 

[Davidc]

And get a steel bike

Totally agree, but as Fab Foodie says steel forks will help if you must ride aluminium.

The energy used making suspension go up and down isn't free - it ultimately comes from you pedalling. It's your choice. Why not have two bikes (if you can afford it)?

 

[dellzeqq]

Carbon forks would be better than steel.

Before spending money please take a turn with your local CTC group and ask their opinion. There are plenty of us riding around on 23mm tyres pumped to 110 psi, minimal bar tape and no discomfort. It may be that your riding position needs looking at, and most CTC branches have a wealth of experience at hand. It would be sad to spend loads of dough on a bike and still have the pain,

 

[Randochap]

And get a steel bike

Titanium would be the ultimate shock absorber.

And, yes, mechanical suspension is a power absorber and general "anchor" on road. The kind of suspension fork you see on hybrids are useless (not to mention heavy) for eliminating the kind of road buzz you get on, say, chipseal. They'll only respond to big hits (e.g. potholes) ... that you're supposed to steer around.

 

[Theseus]

Bamboo would be better

 

[u9ge]

Astounded that no one has mentioned this!

Get a suspension fork with a remote lock out, I.e you can turn them on and off using a button for your thumb next to your gear shifter. Also get a fork that's adjustable enough (i.e. air based) which you can tune easily to your riding style.

 

[John the Monkey]

Or riding in Belgium!

Oh yes. Steenstraat on the way to Ieper being particularly memorable

 

[jonny jeez]

Where did the name Jarred come from? Strange that as it's my son’s name,.

Muhahahah....we know EVERYTHING about you.

Nice tie by the way, where that come from?