If you have ever been on mountain biking excursion, you might have learned a thing or two about the suspension, the hard way. There’s nothing quite like a bumpy mountain bike ride to put the importance of suspension into focus.
With the right suspension, mountain bike riding can be a wonderfully relaxing and enjoyable pastime. Without it, you might as well get used to walking like a penguin while your bruises heal!
This article will look at the importance of suspension, for mountain bikes, and how to select the perfect level of suspension to suit your needs.
The term “suspension” literally means to be suspended. When talking about suspension and cars or vehicles, the word “suspension” refers to the method by which a vehicle is supported on its axles.
When it comes to suspension, mountain bikes are probably some of the most sophisticated designs you can buy. Designed with your absolute comfort in mind, these bikes are the cutting edge of suspension technology to deliver a powerful ride that is both comfortable and easy.
A mountain bike comes with anywhere between 4 – 10 inches of suspension travel. The level of suspension you need depends entirely on the type of bike riding you do as well as the type of area you intend on mountain biking through.
How to choose the Suspension which suits you?
When choosing suspension, you can generally choose between full suspension and hardtail bikes. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages for the average mountain biker.
Full suspension is great for beginners and competitive bikers, while hardtail (and any variation thereof) is generally better suited to the average cyclist who rides in intermediate level paths or commuting on roads.
The good suspension gives you better traction, better control, and a smoother ride, so it’s well worth spending a bit extra and taking advantage of technological advancements.
Reasons to pick a Full Suspension Bike
If you are in the market for a new mountain bike, chances are you might be a bit confused by the number of different options available to you. It seems like everywhere you look, each bike manufacturer promises a better mountain bike. And all these promises come with hefty price tags. So what’s a budget-conscious shopper to do?
Full suspension mountain bikes have always been a popular choice for all kinds of mountain bikers. Here I will explore THREE of the main reasons why you need a full suspension bike.
- Great for Rough Terrain: If you like to ride anywhere on the mountain and want to do it comfortably then perhaps full suspension mountain bikes are just what you need. Depending on the terrain you plan to ride down, the action of the full suspension can smooth out the little bumps or make the rough terrain much easier to navigate on your way down.
- Better Overall Control: You just need to ride a quality hardtail to appreciate just how balanced they feel. The dual suspension gives you the greatest amount of control.
- Reasonably Priced: Dual suspension mountain bikes are almost always cheaper than full suspension bikes. If you are in the market for a full suspension bicycle, you can expect to pay anything up to a few thousand dollars! You can find a quality hardtail for far less! Dual suspension is the budget conscious choice because they are cheaper to buy and maintain.
In addition to these compelling reasons, full suspension bikes are also more lightweight than their hardtail counterparts. In the world of mountain biking, a lightweight bike is important.
Just some of the most popular full suspension mountain bikes include the Gravity SFX 27.5 and Schwinn Traxion. However, there are much more to choose from!
Get feel before buying
If you are convinced that you need a full suspension mountain bike then you should start looking for one by asking another rider whose opinion you trust to help you find the right one for you.
If you know someone who owns one see if you can try it out to make sure that this is exactly what you want in a bike, before you go out and spend your money. Doing these things can help reduce the risk that you will regret going out and spending your hard earned money.
Conclusion
When it comes to choosing a mountain bike, you need to carefully weigh up the pros and cons of each choice. A hardtail or dual suspension mountain bike is the best choice for most bikers, whether you are a beginner or a pro.
Now that you know a bit about the suspension, mountain bike selection should be easy. Take the guesswork out of selecting a mountain bike with the right suspension and go for a quality hardtail model, you won’t be disappointed!