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| tech:fork [2022/01/04 09:08] – created mtbtimeline | tech:fork [2022/01/04 09:16] (current) – removed mtbtimeline |
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| <div column 50% #rear> | |
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| ===== Front Shock Absorbers ===== | |
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| Suspension, which has been fitted to [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velocipede|velocipedes]] since at least 1891, needs shock absorbers to dampen the recoil or it risks turning the bicycle into a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pogo_stick|pogo stick]]. Mountain bikes initially borrowed suspension inspiration and hardware from motorcycles. | |
| The trick was to make something light weight which could handle going down [[https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/7000867/repack-road|Repack]], or more pertinently for 1988, the [[https://www.twowheeledwanderer.com/posts/mammoth-mountain-bike-park/|Mammoth Mountain]] Kamikaze Downhill. | |
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| The first mountain bike suspension fork was made by RockShox, designed by [[bontrager:start|Keith Bontrager]] and [[http://mombatbicycles.com/Rock_Shox.htm|Paul Turner]]. A non-working concept fork was mated to a fully carbon, rear suspended Kestrel Nitro and shown at the January 1988 Long Beach bike show. Unfortunately, the Nitro was just a prototype and Kestrel wouldn't release a fully suspended mountain bike until [[https://www.kestrelbicycles.com/|1995]]. ((Kestrel did sell a fully carbon, //rigid// mountain bike in 1988: the [[https://www.oldschoolracing.ch/mountainbike/1988-kestrel-mxz/|MX-Z]]. The first all-carbon mountain bike.)) RockShox would go on to great success, selling $100M annually by 1996. ((Competition became fierce in the late 90's and RockShox sold itself to SRAM in 2002 for [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RockShox|$5.6M]]. It continues [[https://www.sram.com/en/rockshox|today.]]))((More RockShox history can be found at: [[https://www.oldschoolracing.ch/archiv/rock-shox/|oldschoolracing]].)) | |
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| After the debut of RockShox all makers of motorcycle shocks saw the light and immediately jumped into the market. | |
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| {{manitou.jpg?200|1990 Manitou Fork}} | |
| {{marz.jpg?200|1990 Marzocchi}} | |
| {{prostop.jpg?200|1990 Mountain Cycle Suspenders}} | |
| \\ | |
| - 1990 Manitou Fork |[[https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/manitou-fork-timelines.290684/|retrobike]] | |
| - 1990 Marzocchi Star [[https://www.pinkbike.com/news/Marzocchi-Forks-Through-the-Years-2013.html|pinkbike]] | |
| - 1990 Mountain Cycle Suspenders [[https://www.pinkbike.com/news/now-that-was-a-bike-mountain-cycle-san-andreas.html|pinkbike]] | |
| 1991 saw the introduction of mono-shocks. | |
| \\ | |
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| {{canon2.jpg?200|1992 Canondale HeadShok}} | |
| {{actiontec.jpg?220|1991 Action-Tec}} | |
| {{leader.jpg?190|1991 Lawwill Leader}} | |
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| - 1992 Canondale HeadShok [[https://www.theproscloset.com/blogs/news/should-you-ride-a-lefty-fork|theoproscloset]] | |
| - 1991 Action-Tec Pro Shock [[http://mombatbicycles.com/Suspension.htm|Aaction-Tec]] | |
| - 1991 Lawwill Leader [[http://www.vintagesteelrider.com/index.php/2015/04/27/amazing-mountain-bike-innovations-that-didnt-stand-the-test-of-time/|vintagesteelrider]] | |
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| Canondale's HeadShok used a single air/oil damper with needle bearings to eliminate twisting. Twisting (and oil leakage) plagued early RockShox RS-1 and Mag-20's, requiring heavy brake braces for stability. The Lawwill Leader linkage design weighed about 3.5 pounds. | |
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| And, somehow just before mechanically complicated shocks hit the market, a number of very simple flex stems became available. | |
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| {{flex.jpg?170|1988 Offroad Flex Stem}} | |
| {{soft.jpg?210|1989 Softride Suspension System}} | |
| {{ahead.jpg?170|1994 Softride Ahead Stem}} | |
| \\ | |
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| - 1988 Offroad Flex Stem [[https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/flexstem-offroad-mountain-bike-25659016|worthpoint]] | |
| - 1989 Softride Suspension System [[http://sscycleworks.com/components/stem-suspension-SoftRide.html|sscycleworks]] | |
| - 1994 Softride Ahead Stem [[http://mombatbicycles.com/MOMBAT/Bikes/1995_Ritchey_Lite_Beam.html|mombat]] | |
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| ^ Year ^ Make/Model ^ Type ^ Travel ^ | |
| | 1988 | Offroad Flex Stem | stem | 10mm | | |
| | 1989 | Softride Suspension System | stem | 63mm | | |
| | 1989 | Rock Shox RS-1 | fork | 48mm | | |
| | 1990 | Manitou | fork | 38mm | | |
| | 1990 | Mountain Cycle Suspenders | fork | 63mm | | |
| | 1991 | Action-Tec Pro Shock | mono-shock | 44mm | | |
| | 1991 | Lawwill Leader | mono-shock | 63mm | | |
| | 1992 | Canondale Headshok | mono-shock | 50mm | | |
| | 1994 | Softride Ahead Stem | stem | 76mm | | |
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| </div> | |
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| <div column 45%> | |
| {{kestrel.jpg?300|1988 Kestrel Nitro}} | |
| \\ | |
| 1988 Kestrel Nitro | |
| [[https://www.sfomuseum.org/exhibitions/repack-rwanda-origins-evolution-and-global-reach-mountain-bike/gallery#8|sfomuseum]] | |
| \\ | |
| The 1988 Kestrel Nitro was ground breaking. The first all-carbon, fully suspended mountain bike frame. Equipped with a prototype RockShox. | |
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| {{hb.jpg?300|1989 Greg Herbold}} | |
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| 1989 Greg Herbold | |
| [[https://issuu.com/mtb-vco.com/docs/catalogo_sram-rockshox-avid-truvati/66|issuu]] | |
| \\ | |
| In 1989, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Herbold|Greg]] won at Mammoth using a prototype RockShox RS-1. RockShox went into production in [[http://mombatbicycles.com/Rock_Shox.htm|August 1989]]. | |
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| {{rs1.jpg?300|1990 RS-1}} | |
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| 1990 RS-1 ad, when they first became widely available. | |
| [[https://www.vitalmtb.com/product/feature/Sneak-Peek-Inverted-RockShox-RS-1-Fork,230|vitalmtb]] | |
| \\ | |
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| </div> | |
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