Quote:
Originally Posted by Old Fox
The 'straw and stick' analogy was a bit extreme there  . I guess the straw is for softer springing but it gives the impression that softer springing also means flexible non-rigid forks that bend at their knees (wherever they are for 'forks) when the rider brakes. |
Quote:
Originally Posted by Old Fox
Pranay: lets use the straws for some nice n cool Devil's Own for now  . |
Cheers on that one, Mr OF! But actually, I had mentioned the straw and the wooden stick to point out the 'feedback' from those setups. I didn't actually mean the straw to be softer spring setup and the wooden stick to be the stiffer springs!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Old Fox
The 'varying' damping is what we call 'pre-load' adjustment for suspension. The suspension 'spring' is pre-loaded as if there is already some force pushing it downwards. This makes the spring effectively stiffer. For 'gas-springing' or nitrogen filled shocks, the pre-load is increased by increasing the gas-pressure inside the shocker-damper unit.
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I am not sure on this one, sir. Actually, I meant the R15 has a Linked type suspension which means that it has a link between the swing-arm and the rear suspension. The link acts like a lever for various loads. The lesser the load the higher the lever ratio, and softer the suspension becomes and the whole dampening system is soft. But greater the load, the lesser the lever ratio, and harder the suspension becomes, therefore hardening the dampening system. I don't think this is pre-load as this is more linear whereas pre-load is more incremental. I might be wrong though.
@abhijeet: I have to disagree on your point where you say the 'diving' of a suspension reduces the overall wheelbase. Why would the wheelbase decrease due to suspension travel? As you know the wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels. If you are talking in the sense that the compression of the springs results in the retarding movement of the front wheel closer to the center of the bike, then this phenonmenon happens in each bike temporarily each time brake is applied and should not be regarded as change in wheelbase.
Also, if your theory of more suspension travel resulting in better brake feel is correct, then how can you justify a bike with a softer front setup (whose suspension travels more) skidding easily when you apply sudden brakes. See, just take an example of motorcross bikes and a supersports. For both these bikes, the front rake (the angle made by the shocks/forks with the vertical line) is almost the same. The motocross has far more suspension travel than a supersports. But even so, a supersports will brake far more efficiently than a motocross. Ask any stunter, it is much harder to pull of a stoppie in a motocross than a supersports. Why? Because the suspension travel will make the bike drive and induced load come upon the tires suddenly, not giving them enough time to grip, making them loose traction easily. Whereas, the supersports suspension being stiffer, will not travel as much, and the induced load will not come upon the tires suddenly, giving them time to grip. As mentioned by OF earlier.
I agree with the last part though where you say that the suspension needs to be a compromise between the two.