Zoom fork

Roos Eisma wrote:


Working on the final details of my soon to be ordered new bike...
(Nazca Fiero, USS, Dual Drive, darkbluepurple, probably Magura HS-33
brakes, *very* comfy chair)

I don't think you'd regret going for Maguras over V-brakes. I only wish I'd
got disc brakes when it's time to change a rim, which isn't that often. Of
course, if I had bought disc-brakes I might see this differently. I find
that HS-11's are plenty good enough, if you're looking to save money.

The flyers I have don't list front suspension as an option, but the Nazca
website now shows a picture of a suspended fork as an option. As they're
in the middle of redoing the website the text is limited to placeholders
at the moment, but from the image and some googling I think it is a Zoom,
model CH-190(AMS) 20.
Specs:

Wheel size: "20"
Crown pitch:100mm
Features:MCU+Spring pressure system
Crown:Forged 6061 T6 AL crown
Outer leg:One-piece nluminum
Stanchions: Ø23.9mm butted Hi-ten tube
Brake typeisc brake and V-brake compatible
Weight ¡G1.2kg
Travel¡G30mm

Anybody any experiences/opinions on this?

I've owned recumbents with 20" wheels, but I never yet felt the need for for
front-suspension on comfort grounds (the obvious reason). But you might
find it worthwhile for other reasons.

One is that my bike put most of my weight on the small 20" (406) wheel, and
it got loads of pinch flats whenever I hit a pothole or stone in the road
(from looking at it, your bike might be better in this respect). I later
got a larger 451-size front wheel with a bigger tyre, and this seems to
have cured the problem.

My second reason is that recumbents fall down faster if the front wheel hits
any imperfections in the road - at least this is my embarrassing
experience. I suspect that suspension may help on both counts. I'm
interested if anyone can confirm or deny.

It does look smooth, without any obvious coils etc.:
http://www.nazca-ligfietsen.nl/techn...iero_groot.jpg

I've also heard good things about the Pantour suspension hubs. I have
precious little first-hand experience of either, and a SON dynamo that
limits my options.

Thanks, Roos

Hope you don't mind, but I crossposted to alt.rec.bicycles.recumbent. A
newsgroup in desperate need of recumbent-related posts such as yours.

AC

"anonymous coward" wrote in message
...
Roos Eisma wrote:


Working on the final details of my soon to be ordered new bike...
(Nazca Fiero, USS, Dual Drive, darkbluepurple, probably Magura HS-33
brakes, *very* comfy chair)

I don't think you'd regret going for Maguras over V-brakes. I only wish
I'd
got disc brakes when it's time to change a rim, which isn't that often. Of
course, if I had bought disc-brakes I might see this differently. I find
that HS-11's are plenty good enough, if you're looking to save money.

The rear Magura Clara on my Speedmachine is contaminated by oil (previous
owner? shop mechanic?). A new pair of pads from Magura is (with tax and
shipping) $37 US...not something I could find at a local bike store. How
much are V brake pads? A tenner? By itself the front disc brake does a great
job of shedding speed. In panic stops, the V brakes on the V-REX could get
me sliding off the seat. Hard to compare that to the Speedmachine as the CG
is 5 or 6 inches lower.

Suspension on both ends...like the commercials say "priceless". Not only is
the ride more comfortable but control increases. There's a section of the
local trail that has about a hundred yards of asphalt upset by tree roots
under the roadway. I'm about 5 mph faster through the section than I was
with the V-REX, and my vision doesn't blur, and no fillings fall out when I
hammer through. However when I took a cornering line that went through wet
slimy leaves on the trail, the bike went down in an instant. No warning,
just a slide with a bunch of mud getting jammed up my ass crack. Glad I had
a pannier on the rear derailleur side. No damage except for aluminum being
ground off the right pedal cage.

I've slammed through potholes that I thought would trash a wheel/tire/tube,
but there was no damage which I rightly or not, attribute to the suspension
absorbing the hit, saving the rolling stock.