This weekend only until 23.59 on 8th March 2010 Wiggle.co.uk are offering 15% off everything on their site as part of their Platinum Plus Promotion, the clock it ticking, click the link below to go Wiggle and grab a bargain!

Click here to take advantage of this insane promotion!

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I’ve just been informed that until the end of the weekend (Sunday 7th March) Evans Cycles are offering an extra 15% off all winter clothing using the following code: 15OFF.

Click here to visit the Evans Sale site

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I am back!  After a long list of injury and rehab, I am now looking forward to getting back on the bike and hitting the trails.  It therefore couldn’t be a better time to splash out on some new kit.  Looking around online, I have come across some amazing deals, both Evans Cycles and Wiggle Online Cycle Shop have both started their end of season sales.  I am seriously considering splashing out on a new Kona or perhaps a new rockhopper, there are some links on this page to the pick of the bunch, definately worth a look.

It’s good to be back, watch this space for more information and reviews in the coming days and weeks

Happy riding!

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Click here to give it a go…

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The floating bottom bracket design maintains most of the quality characteristics associated with VPP and horst link/four bar suspension systems.  The floating bottom bracket design has the technology within the design to minimise pedal bob (if correctly calibrated) and also remains resistant to braking compression.  This means that even under braking the suspension remains active making for a smoother riding experience for the user and improves the traction of the bike by keeping the back wheel in contact with the ground for longer.

It is general opinion that the floating bottom bracket design has potential to be a brilliant all round solution, however although models have improved, there is still a lot of improvement to be done.  One problem with this type of suspension is the added weight which comes purely due to the complexity of the design, although the current I-Drive is now much lighter than the original, it is still a little on the heavy side, making climbs tricky.

 It is not just the I-drive that utilise this floating bottom bracket design, there are a couple of other manufacturers that make use of the idea, however they each have their draw backs.  One flaw comes from having the crank assembly mounted on a floating pivot, because of this a special front derailleur has to be fitted to counteract the motion created at the pivot point, despite this there are instances and cases of shifting trouble on the front gears.  It is also noted that this type of suspension causes the seat post to be at a slightly unfavourable angle with some riders making a correct pedalling position difficult to achieve. 

All in all, this system has some good points, eliminating pedal bob and compression under braking, however it still lacks some of the simplistic refinement found in other suspension solutions.

Don’t agree? Have your say in the Forums!

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No matter what characteristics an object has, as long as it is on this big rock we call earth, it will be governed by basic physical laws.  These laws of physics therefore impact upon any object, movement involving these objects is also regulated by constant variables included within these rules, and so the way the object reacts to these rules can be anticipated. This is the concept that the DW Link suspension system relies upon to work.  The DW link system balances out the forces created from the bikes movement resulting in arguably the best suspension system to date.

The rules that the DW Link is based upon are made up of simple physics:

1.      Every rider has the same ‘centre of mass’ therefore weight distribution is constant

2.      Laws of physics dictate that every action has an equal reaction.  Therefore if a bicycle accelerates forward, the rider’s total mass is transferred backwards and so the ‘centre of mass’ shifts backwards.  This is the main reason for suspension becoming locked out during braking and acceleration, the weight shift causes compression of the rear suspension and causes a bobbing motion.  This causes ‘bob’

3.     Pedalling causes forces on the drive chain which results in fluctuations of the chainstay lengths, these fluctuations are reflected by the amount of pedal feedback through the suspension, the less change in the chainstay length during pedalling, the less pedal bob.

4.     Pedal bob is usually counteracted by extra dampening in suspension systems, this detracts from the efficiency and is usually only necessary for less sophisticated suspension, DW link suspension minimises the amount of dampening used and so the suspension is more reactive to minor deviations on the trail.  This gives better traction on the terrain aiding in changing of direction and changing in speed.

For more information on DW link visit www.dw-link.com , do you own a DW link equipped bike, does this suspension system work, have any questions?  Why not visit the Forums

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Firstly you need to identify what style of riding you are planning on doing.

Offroad shoes offer more protection around the ankle and are made of a thicker, more flexible material to help the foot cope with uneven surfaces.

If you are planning on riding on the road or even racing then it is best to look for a lightweight stiff shoe. Most shoes that are being made now usually have carbon outer soles which stops your foot flexing and so increases the power that you can push through the cranks. Lightweight shoes also offer the benefit of saving weight on the climbs.

In summer you might consider a shoe with built in air vents and a wicking fabric to help cool your foot however you really want to make sure not to wear this type of shoe over winter, even with over shoes or over socks your feet with still be cold and wet.

A growing trend for riding in winter is to wear a cycling boot rather than a bike shoe for both mountain bikers and road riders alike mainly due to the fact that they keep the foot warmer and drier than traditional cycling shoes.

Emma Lois Watson manages the cycling shoes e-tailer Cycling Shoes Direct; the UK’s only specialist cycling shoe website.

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Due to the constant movement of the two linkages there is no one fixed main pivot point, the pivot point position is constantly changing depending on the actions of the two linkages, in essence a single constant pivot doesn’t exist, which is why this suspension solution is known as ‘virtual pivot.’

One popular implementation of the virtual pivot design is that patented by Santa Cruz ™ and is branded under VPP. The patented configuration of the VPP linkage system creates an rear wheel travel path similar to an elongated S. This path brings with it some minor problems, there is a period where the linkages effectively cancel out each other leading to a very brief lock out of the suspension, however this is at a very precise point in the wheel path.

Each VPP frame is designed to work with sufficient ‘sag’ to provide truly active suspension, this meaning that with the rider on the bike, the suspension has enough positive and negative travel either side of the sag to provide active suspension and to prevent lock out, this allows this type of suspension to deal with some big bumps but also react well to smaller bumps. This will also maximise traction by keeping the rear wheel glued to the terrain!

VPP equipped bikes also pedal well, the system utilises some of the chain pulling force to counteract the natural pedal bob making a smooth ride, however the design occasionally suffers when faced with aggressive climbs and pedalling.

One negative with this type of suspension solution is the weight, as a result of the extra linkages and the strains that are placed upon the small linkages, this can lead to problems in frame durability. As a cure for this fragility the frames are made stiffer leading to a lot more weight needed to support the extra complexity of the frame. Another negative is the ground clearance, having a pivot just behind the cranks reduces the clearance of the rear wheel, which can lead to very tricky riding especially in muddy conditions.

Interested in VPP? Thinking of buying a VPP bike? What do you think of VPP suspension systems?? Why not share your opinions in the forums!

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Thanks for visiting Mountainbikesuspension.co.uk, we have now added a Forums section. Mountain biking is growing constantly, with new suspension designs, shocks, theories and technologies being released every season, there is far too much for one person to keep up with so why not share your own experiences with other riders, head over to the forums and check them out.

Enjoy!

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