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Soft Tail vs Dual suspension


xtcman

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Picked up a new issue of Thread magazine, awesome article explaing the differance between a dual suspension and softail.

 

A while back when I tole my mate the differance he laughed at me and said " how can a softail work if the stays are fixed with no pivots". He's one of those "know-it-all" kinda guys. Now I can laugh in his face.

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Okay, I'll try do justice...

 

Firstly a dual sus, which you can see all over the mtb scene in SA) makes use of links and pivots and a rear shock (air or spring) to create suspension on the rear half of the bike. (NB - with this system you get unwanted "peddle-bob" which causes a loss of power whilst pedal, systems have been invented to eliminate this, such as Giants's Maestro system)

 

However...

 

A "Soft-tail" has no pivots or linkages, rather "flexy" chain stays. And behind the seatpost tube on the frame is like a little piston connected to the seat stays which absorbs bumps and shocks.

 

A million eye-spy points if you've ever spotted one in SA.

 

Hopefully I did this thread justice. Someone please correct me if need be for the greater good of letting people know the differance

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The 26er cannondale scalpel carbon has no pivots and linkages at the chainstay but only at the top where it connects to the rear shock. seems like a hybris duallie softail then. (my bicycle lingo cou

d be wrong but i hope u get the point)

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The original scalpels (up until a year or so ago) were technically soft tail mtb's.

 

I never did trust those flexy chain stays.

 

Tried a Scalpel Ultimate once. It was setup for a sub 60kg rider. I'm close on 90kg. It felt like that thing had less than 1" travel... like why even bother having a dual then?!

 

but I guess atleast they have pivots and dampening. The soft tail purists would fall in love with something like this

 

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KfCsXGxNMGM/TGWDBP2TMJI/AAAAAAAACeM/DHT6xGzFfjE/s1600/moots_ybb.jpg

 

...can't see why though :lol:

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I never did trust those flexy chain stays.

 

Tried a Scalpel Ultimate once. It was setup for a sub 60kg rider. I'm close on 90kg. It felt like that thing had less than 1" travel... like why even bother having a dual then?!

 

nor why they use an rp23!?

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You okes have it all wrong, a soft tail is a chick with a wide arse. A dual susser is your mate you're envious of who's organised a 3some.

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