Steel hardtail question
 

I've been contemplating selling my hardtail and buying a higher end full
suspension frame this winter and building it up myself. I originally thought
that I wanted a 5 inch travel front and rear trail bike. I am, however, afraid
of loosing the excellent climbing ability and pin point handling of my
hardtail. My reason for wanting to try another full suspension bike is mostly
to ease the hits from the rear end while riding more techincal sections of
trail which abound here in PA.

I have read alot of your comments about how great steel hardtails are. Does a
steel frame offer better shock absorbtion? I was looking at either a Marin
Pine Mountain or a Kona Explosif if a steel frame may remedy some of the
harshness I feel on the aluminum framed bike.

Steel hardtail question
 

"MTBScottie" wrote in message
...
I've been contemplating selling my hardtail and buying a higher end full
suspension frame this winter and building it up myself. I originally
thought
that I wanted a 5 inch travel front and rear trail bike. I am, however,
afraid
of loosing the excellent climbing ability and pin point handling of my
hardtail. My reason for wanting to try another full suspension bike is
mostly
to ease the hits from the rear end while riding more techincal sections of
trail which abound here in PA.

I have read alot of your comments about how great steel hardtails are.
Does a
steel frame offer better shock absorbtion? I was looking at either a
Marin
Pine Mountain or a Kona Explosif if a steel frame may remedy some of the
harshness I feel on the aluminum framed bike.

My SS is fully rigid steel. It rides like its on clouds. You have to
remember, its not only the material that will affect the ride of the bike, a
lot has to do with also the geometry of the frame and combo of wheels/tires
that you use on the bike.

- CA-G

Can-Am Girls Kick Ass!

Steel hardtail question
 

(MTBScottie) wrote:

I have read alot of your comments about how great steel hardtails are. Does a
steel frame offer better shock absorbtion? I was looking at either a Marin
Pine Mountain or a Kona Explosif if a steel frame may remedy some of the
harshness I feel on the aluminum framed bike.

Don't count on a frame - any frame - to "absorb" road shock. The rear
end of a bike frame is basically a bridge truss, and the vertical flex
(the only kind that contributes to a "good ride") is limited to the
sub-mm range. Consider your rear tire has many, many times as much
and it should become pretty clear that you aren't going to feel a
difference in ride quality switching from one frame material to
another.

That's not to say that you won't get a lot of contrary opinions - but
most of those will be from those who EXPECTED to feel a difference
(and therefore did), or from those who don't understand the physics
involved.

There ARE other differences between frames in terms of lateral
stiffness, but that doesn't contribute to absorbing trail bumps.

Differences in geometry affect balance and ride quality (to a point),
but that has nothing to do with frame material.

Don't buy a steel (or ti) bike because you expect it to deliver a more
compliant ride - but there are lots of other reasons to buy a
particular bike / frame (that I won't go into here lest it sounds like
an infomercial).

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame

Steel hardtail question
 

On Mon, 10 Nov 2003 13:14:43 +0000, MTBScottie wrote:

I've been contemplating selling my hardtail and buying a higher end full
suspension frame this winter and building it up myself. I originally thought
that I wanted a 5 inch travel front and rear trail bike. I am, however, afraid
of loosing the excellent climbing ability and pin point handling of my
hardtail. My reason for wanting to try another full suspension bike is mostly
to ease the hits from the rear end while riding more techincal sections of
trail which abound here in PA.

I have read alot of your comments about how great steel hardtails are. Does a
steel frame offer better shock absorbtion? I was looking at either a Marin
Pine Mountain or a Kona Explosif if a steel frame may remedy some of the
harshness I feel on the aluminum framed bike.

Alu bikes can offer harsh rides, but you're unlikely to notice a huge
difference in the ride characteristics by switching to steel. Yes, it
takes a little buzz out of the trail, but it certainly doesn't offer shock
absorption (note spelling), and can't even be compared to rear suspension.

Titanium on the other hand...

--
a.m-b FAQ: http://www.j-harris.net/bike/ambfaq.htm

a.bmx FAQ: http://www.t-online.de/~jharris/bmx_faq.htm

Steel hardtail question
 

"Carla A-G" wrote in message
...
"MTBScottie" wrote in message
...
snip
My SS is fully rigid steel. It rides like its on clouds. You have to...

Isn't that feeling from the endorphin rush you get from being in so much
pain on a rigid SS? ;^)

Mike

Steel hardtail question
 

"Michael Dart" wrote in message
...
Isn't that feeling from the endorphin rush you get from being in so much
pain on a rigid SS? ;^)

Funny thing is, it doesn't even feel like a fully rigid bike. The tires,
wheels, slack frame geometry and steel, somehow combine to make the bike
ride quite plushly (I think don't think that's really a word).

- CA-G

Can-Am Girls Kick Ass!

Steel hardtail question
 

On Mon, 10 Nov 2003 13:55:02 -0500, Carla A-G
wrote:

"Michael Dart" wrote in message
...
Isn't that feeling from the endorphin rush you get from being in so much
pain on a rigid SS? ;^)

Funny thing is, it doesn't even feel like a fully rigid bike. The tires,
wheels, slack frame geometry and steel, somehow combine to make the bike
ride quite plushly (I think don't think that's really a word).

- CA-G

Can-Am Girls Kick Ass!




Take the bike to South Mountain park in AZ. There's a trail that runs
around the base of the mountain. It's almost all rocks. When I used to
ride my 18-speed unsuspended bike there, I would get killed from the
jarring. The first thing I bought when I could afford it was front
suspension.

--
Bob M in CT
Remove 'x.' to reply

Steel hardtail question
 

Well I was in the Jamis dealership today, and he had a base full suspension
Dakar, and a Dakar Sport with Hayes mech disc brakes. When I was thinking
about ditching my current hardtail, I had gone by this shop and seen the base
model Dakar in the window, and thought of purchasing it as a complete bike and
making gradual upgrades instead of buying a frame and starting from scratch and
having an incomplete bike for an undetermined amount of time. I was impressed
with both of them. I would go for the Sport more though, because it has the
disc brakes and better (reletively speaking) fork. If I get the Sport, I may
just have him swap the fork before I take it home, because I have had so much
good luck with Marzocchi.

Steel hardtail question
 

"Carla A-G" wrote in message
...
"Michael Dart" wrote in message
...
Isn't that feeling from the endorphin rush you get from being in so much
pain on a rigid SS? ;^)

Funny thing is, it doesn't even feel like a fully rigid bike. The tires,
wheels, slack frame geometry and steel, somehow combine to make the bike
ride quite plushly (I think don't think that's really a word).


It may be that the geometry feeds well into your body's natural suspension.

Mike

Steel hardtail question
 

"Carla A-G" wrote in message
...
"Michael Dart" wrote in message
...
Isn't that feeling from the endorphin rush you get from being in so much
pain on a rigid SS? ;^)

Funny thing is, it doesn't even feel like a fully rigid bike. The tires,
wheels, slack frame geometry and steel, somehow combine to make the bike
ride quite plushly (I think don't think that's really a word).


It may be that the geometry feeds well into your body's natural suspension.

Mike

My guess is that there's a fair amount of "new bike magic stuff" still on it
that hasn't worn off yet.

What's really great about the substance is not only does it make a new bike
ride smoother/faster/more stable/more responsive AND make you more attractive
to the opposite sex, but it regenerates on an old bike when it's new to you.
Cool stuff indeed.

-Andrew