RE:aktiv New suspension design from Trek icw Penske Racing

[GoLefty!!]

I had a quick look in my hub measurement database to see how various manufacturers handle 150mm hub spacing and what they do with the "extra spacing"

Some use it to balance the spoke bracing angle on the left and right of the wheel, others squander it by maintaining unequal spoke tension.

Examples cited as hub flange distance from centre of hub:

Novatek: Left 42mm/Right 28mm

Ringle: 34/29

Hope: 26.5/26.5

DT: 25.8/25.8

 

The bracing angle for a given hub laced to a 29 and 26 inch wheel differs by less than 1 degree.

This means that we have to widen the hubs (110mm in front and approx. 150mm in the rear) and use the extra width to improve the bracing angle, in order to catch up with 26 inch wheel stiffness. In addition, we require four extra spokes in a 29er.

 

I think the 29er format has a long way to go before strength is optimum.

 

Completely agree Johan,

 

No point in a wider hub if there is no exploitation of wider flange spacing. the 29ers need that wider spcaing to recover strength and get anywhere near the strength of 26 or een 27.5 wheels.

 

I find it ludicrous that the entire industry is retooling to accomodate a bigger wheel that offers very little real benefits

[GoLefty!!]

I get it now.. I think.

 

 

Like good coffee, percolation time is needed. While thats happening, time to go ride your bicycle

[rudi-h]

Seeing that they're going full blown F1 technology here, I wonder how long its going to take for the first "electronically controller" dampers will be available...

 

As much as I am opposed to this level of complexity, this is imminent for the top end bikes will start incorporating electronic technology in a few decades from now. I'm sure there will be merit in actively adjusting the damping based on bike inclination, speed etc.

 

[Capricorn]

Bikemag.com has their first impressions up with their summary quoted below:

 

So what does all of this add up to out on the trail? It’s easy: You’ll feel a nice supportive platform when pedaling, while simultaneously having bumps disappear beneath you. It works so quickly and seamlessly that it almost seems impossible. Then you’ll go to pedal some more, and the platform is magically back again. During climbing, I noticed that the regressive valve took away what I like to call the secondary compression–when your body weight forces a second shock compression after an initial impact. I think it manages this because the growing oil surface area allows the valve to open fast enough to absorb more of the initial impact, but then immediately closing and resisting the slower-speed compression of my body weight.

On descents, leaving the shock on Trail mode works perfectly, again, because it is able to react so quickly. There’s really no recognizable difference between Trail and Descend in the rough stuff, in fact the faster you go, the better the shock seems to feel. The damping characteristics of the regressive valve seem to complement the bottomless feel of the DRCV shock–DRCV is a technology developed by Trek and manufactured by Fox which opens up a secondary air chamber on bigger impacts to give the air spring a more linear rate.

 

Though I like the bottomless feel of DRCV, I’ve always had problems with the wheel hanging up in technical sections, and I’ve seemed to get more flats than on other bikes. With RE:aktiv added, I don’t feel any of that hangup. After a couple weeks of riding the new shock, I think Trek is really onto something–I’m confident that it significantly improves the performance of their bikes. Not only was it instantly noticeable, it continues to impress with every ride. I’d definitely recommend giving RE:aktiv a try.

[Iwan Kemp]

Trek Fuel EX 9.8 27.5 - first ride

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/bikes/mountain-bikes/full-suspension/product/review-trek-fuel-ex-9-8-27-5-14-48661/

 

"When it comes to pedalling, the ABP design definitely benefits from the use of platform damping. The effects of the new RE:aktiv valve are most noticeable in the shock’s ‘Climb’ setting – where it provides a very firm platform until you encounter a high-velocity impact, such as a square-edged rock – less so in ‘Trail’ and nearly absent in ‘Descend’. We found ourselves leaving the shock in ‘Climb’ on smoother trails and toggling to ‘Trail’ for mixed terrain.

 

Unlike inertia valve technology, the transition from the platform to fully open is smooth and seamless – we didn’t experience any initial harshness, nor did the suspension blow through its travel with the first impact."

 

http://cdn.mos.bikeradar.com/images/bikes-and-gear/bikes/mountain-bikes/full-suspension/1405939618582-159g6ma3acns0-700-80.jpg