New s/h bikes , adjusting suspension ?
Discussion
Just bought 2 mountain bikes off of ebay , good price .well satisfied
Mine the suspension is compliant and gives a comfy ride
SWMBOs however has very stiff front forks ,and rear springing , the bike is branded Dunlop .
Looking down inside the fork with an inspection camera I can see a hex nut/bolt .
Is this the adjuster , if so , how does it change the ride ? softer would be good
The rear wheel spring / damper , how is this softened ?I can see the big knurled wheel , loosen ?
Mine the suspension is compliant and gives a comfy ride
SWMBOs however has very stiff front forks ,and rear springing , the bike is branded Dunlop .
Looking down inside the fork with an inspection camera I can see a hex nut/bolt .
Is this the adjuster , if so , how does it change the ride ? softer would be good
The rear wheel spring / damper , how is this softened ?I can see the big knurled wheel , loosen ?
Sad to say it, but a bike branded 'Dunlop' will have been sold by Sports Direct, and have been very cheap even when new... https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/dunlop-sport-moun...
While they are, again sad to say, pretty much absolute rubbish, I did have one with another brand on it, but probably the same bike from the same factory. That one was used as a "hack" around my workplace, and did last for about 1500 miles with absolutely zero maintenance beyond some oil on the chain, all year round, in all weather, stored outside.
But I'd forget about adjusting the suspension having any real affect. They're designed more to look like mountain bikes than to actually be useable mountain bikes. They'll go off road, don't get me wrong, but then so does my skinny-tyred road bike, and that's not ideal for the application either.
If you paid peanuts for 'em on ebay then fine, ride 'em. But get used to the idea that they are heavy bikes. They've not got a great reputation for rider comfort either. I hate to break this to you, but one of these would be the very last thing I'd buy to encourage someone I loved to cycle.
As for the rear suspension unit? Yes, adjustments (such as they exist) can be made by screwing the collar up and down the thread to compress or release the spring. Squash the spring for added stiffness, release it for softness. But there's no damping or stroke control beyond that, and the adjustments you make will not be subtle really. And the frame really isn't worth throwing money at by adding better shocks or springs. In short, you've been sold a pup...
Edit to add...
Similar sort of price and build quality can be had from a lot of small indy bike shops in this form...
https://www.bdpricebikes.co.uk/product/probike-26-...
...for about £120. As seen in the garden of every other student house in Reading, or so it seems. Bought as a cheap way to get into uni and if it lasts a term, great. If it lasts the full three years, a sodding miracle!
My son had one exactly the same, sold under a different brand. Both my boys used it for school and college, and again it wasn't well looked after. But it lasted through the abuse over short distance commutes well enough until my youngest hit a kerb (or a wall, I forget exactly which) and the forks just folded back on him. They weigh a lot for a reason - they need to to make up for the fact that they are made of lower grade, less strong materials in order to be made to fit a low sale price model. Perfectly functional as a bicycle so long as you are fully aware that it's a disposable product. They cost less to buy than a full service and the new parts it'll need to put it right the first time it goes wrong. A whole bike for the list price of two decent tyres for a road bike ( http://www.wiggle.co.uk/continental-grand-prix-400... ) ? What could possibly go wrong?
While they are, again sad to say, pretty much absolute rubbish, I did have one with another brand on it, but probably the same bike from the same factory. That one was used as a "hack" around my workplace, and did last for about 1500 miles with absolutely zero maintenance beyond some oil on the chain, all year round, in all weather, stored outside.
But I'd forget about adjusting the suspension having any real affect. They're designed more to look like mountain bikes than to actually be useable mountain bikes. They'll go off road, don't get me wrong, but then so does my skinny-tyred road bike, and that's not ideal for the application either.
If you paid peanuts for 'em on ebay then fine, ride 'em. But get used to the idea that they are heavy bikes. They've not got a great reputation for rider comfort either. I hate to break this to you, but one of these would be the very last thing I'd buy to encourage someone I loved to cycle.
As for the rear suspension unit? Yes, adjustments (such as they exist) can be made by screwing the collar up and down the thread to compress or release the spring. Squash the spring for added stiffness, release it for softness. But there's no damping or stroke control beyond that, and the adjustments you make will not be subtle really. And the frame really isn't worth throwing money at by adding better shocks or springs. In short, you've been sold a pup...
Edit to add...
Similar sort of price and build quality can be had from a lot of small indy bike shops in this form...
https://www.bdpricebikes.co.uk/product/probike-26-...
...for about £120. As seen in the garden of every other student house in Reading, or so it seems. Bought as a cheap way to get into uni and if it lasts a term, great. If it lasts the full three years, a sodding miracle!
My son had one exactly the same, sold under a different brand. Both my boys used it for school and college, and again it wasn't well looked after. But it lasted through the abuse over short distance commutes well enough until my youngest hit a kerb (or a wall, I forget exactly which) and the forks just folded back on him. They weigh a lot for a reason - they need to to make up for the fact that they are made of lower grade, less strong materials in order to be made to fit a low sale price model. Perfectly functional as a bicycle so long as you are fully aware that it's a disposable product. They cost less to buy than a full service and the new parts it'll need to put it right the first time it goes wrong. A whole bike for the list price of two decent tyres for a road bike ( http://www.wiggle.co.uk/continental-grand-prix-400... ) ? What could possibly go wrong?
Edited by yellowjack on Tuesday 6th March 08:12
^^^^^^^
Yup, all of that.
I'll add that if you want a genuinely usable second-hand full suspension actual mountain bike, then one of the older Specialized FSRs would be your best bet - the disc brake air-shock equipped ones are about £300, the earlier late '90s/early 2000s ones with V-brakes and coil shocks are between £175-200. Spend any less than this and if it's full suspension, it'll be what's known as a BSO (bicycle-shaped object).
Yup, all of that.
I'll add that if you want a genuinely usable second-hand full suspension actual mountain bike, then one of the older Specialized FSRs would be your best bet - the disc brake air-shock equipped ones are about £300, the earlier late '90s/early 2000s ones with V-brakes and coil shocks are between £175-200. Spend any less than this and if it's full suspension, it'll be what's known as a BSO (bicycle-shaped object).
MXRod said:
At £16 for the bike, I am happy , even with the negative comments ( well meaning ) above
I'm glad you didn't take my long waffle as a dig. At £16 it's no real loss. At least you didn't get taken for a massive ride on one. There are some unscrupulous ebay sellers making out that these things are something they're not, and I've seen scary big bids for some real junk on ebay. I hope you and SWMBO both enjoy riding the bikes you bought...Well ! my £16 bargain has got even better .
Popped into Halfords to pick the bike hut guy’s brain , and see if he had a wrench to get to the hex bolts .
No tool , but he suggested that if the bike had been unused for a while , it might be dry seals , and suggested silicone lubrication .
I Have some silicone spray used for lubricating the awning rail on my caravan , so gave it a shot on the fork seals , a couple of hard compressions on the forks and they sprung into life , and now work fine
Result
Popped into Halfords to pick the bike hut guy’s brain , and see if he had a wrench to get to the hex bolts .
No tool , but he suggested that if the bike had been unused for a while , it might be dry seals , and suggested silicone lubrication .
I Have some silicone spray used for lubricating the awning rail on my caravan , so gave it a shot on the fork seals , a couple of hard compressions on the forks and they sprung into life , and now work fine
Result
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