Test Sessions: 17 Suspension Systems Cycled for Science 28

Ohhhhh yeahhhhh... Vital MTB's 2016 Test Sessions included 17 bikes with varying suspension designs. We thought it would be neat to see all the suspension designs cycled back-to-back for a fun comparison. This video shows them from shortest to longest travel. Watching link rotation, chain growth, brake movement and the like is pretty dang rad! Check out all the bikes in this gallery and stay tuned for our upcoming reviews.

Credit: ​Turman
Related:
Test Sessions
Suspension
28 comments

View replies to: Test Sessions: 17 Suspension Systems Cycled for Science

c50 profile 1487817150
bturman
8 years ago
If anyone was wondering, there may have been a little bit of air left in the Commencal shock making it a touch harder to compress from behind the bike.
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Primoz
8 years ago
Isn't the point of the DW link patent that the line through the top link crosses the bottom link (between the bearings) at full stroke? Only one of the three DW link bikes in the video does that. Wouldn't that effectively invalidate the patent? Has it been amended?
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bizutch
8 years ago
DW Link's primary goal is the kinematics, not the curve if I recall. It is a "conceptual" approach to a pedaling platform. Shocks have to be dampened specific to it and my memory fades after that. Love my DHR..and loved my Sunday. That's as much as I can digest.
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bizutch
8 years ago
Interesting to see the application of the DW Link back to back on the Pivot and Turner. Pivot only really moves the pedals at the bottom of the stroke and Turner moves them in a consistent, steady fashion across the length of the travel. DW...help me out here. What's different?
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Zero Cool
8 years ago
So they all mainly go up and down, but some do a wiggly-jiggly bit in the middle.
c50 RideDontSlide
JCL
8 years ago
I'm amazed shocks work with counter rotating shock links.
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LLLLL
8 years ago
nice to see with sus designs which have the more progressive shock curve

and chain growth!
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Shreddy McShredface
8 years ago
Actually from this perspective you would see enough difference to see why GT have three different moving points in a drive chain system (1. Crank 2. Main triangle of frame 3. Rear axle) .

When i watch my BB on my AOS bike it moves a significant distance away from the main triangle of frame, something not one of these bikes do, the frame and bb are the same fixed object.

It's a subtle but big enough difference to see how it can benefit in many circumstances
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deadflat
8 years ago
I don't own a full-suspension bike, so I was taken back by the amount of (or lack thereof, in a few instances) clearance between the tire and seat tube when bottoming out the suspension. Do the manufacturers provide "clearance measurements" across the overall arc (or at least 0, 50 and 100% compression) between the *rim* and *seat tube*? I figure rim is better, since tire diameter would be a variable one would want to avoid. Anyways, I watched the whole thing, mesmerized.
c50 RideDontSlide
JCL
8 years ago
Think about the other variable, seat height. It's always funny sitting at the bottom of Whistler bike park and hearing the rear tires buzz saddles.

Oh and I have about 3mm clearance between seat stay bridge and seat tube on one of my bikes.
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deadflat
8 years ago
Indeed, indeed. My seat usually stays in the same place (nothing larger than hills where I live) so I hadn't considered that. The clearance was important to me b/c of the amount of mud my tires can collect in the wintertime, and leaves and other sticky shit.
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PeteB
8 years ago
This video is exactly why Vital, in my mind, is the best publication in the industry. Keep it up!! (can you do this for any bike your review?)
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c50 profile 1487817150
bturman
8 years ago
Cheers, PeteB! We'll do our best to include something similar in every complete bike review from here on out.
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Flatspin
8 years ago
Cool perspective, but remember that since the bikes weren't all in the same front/rear cog combo, comparing chain growth, etc. is pointless.
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AdrianJD
8 years ago
Would have been nice if it was a little more consistent in that respect and also cycled from the bottom of the wheel up so you could also see the axle path.
c50 profile 1487817150
bturman
8 years ago
This is true, though you can still get a sense for what's what, and there's much more to look at than just chain growth. We'll keep it as consistent as we can in future videos, though it's unlikely all of the bikes will have the same gearing combos available.
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Shawn_Trudell
8 years ago
Pretty cool stuff. I've wanted to see something like this forever. I agree that we should see something like this for DH bikes
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mamath7
8 years ago
sssssssssssss qqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqq uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii sssssssssssssssssssss hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
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Bigburd
8 years ago
Laughing my ass off the moment the 1st song played

Also it would be nice if you could do the same thing but with DH bikes, and throw in some bikes with a lot of rearward travel bikes like K9's or a canfield would be interesting
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