Cycling with Suspension

[Deleted User]

I have decided to do a triathlon in September and only have an mountain bike. I have no issues with its weight, or its tyres as its ultra-light for an mtb and have some great 1.3 continental sport contacts on the wheels. My only worry is my front suspension whilst racing! Has anyone raced using a front sus bike and whats it like??

cougie

It's just a bit heavier and not as efficient as a rigid fork. It's not a biggy though. Can you lock it out ?

Slap on some tribars and see how you get on ?

fat buddha

you should be able to nearly lock out the front shocks by tightening the damping screw on the top of the forks........don't think you can lock them rigid completely though........

or borrow a road bike for the event

Don Minquez

... or if they're air forks, pump em really hard.

... or buy some Pace RC 31's [squirt]

Suffolk Punch

But not mine!

[Deleted User]

Cheers people - Probably going to go with the damping screw idea as I was thinking of that. Unfortunately they dont lock out! Pace RC31's - great idea because the forks I have on my Klein are RC36 Evo's and they are cracking. Bit expensive for a first try, but you never know. The bike just seems so twitchy when the front end damps (maybe just me moving from knobblies to road!)

Don Minquez

You know you need an 800g fork! They're meant to be rather good for XC, but the idea of doing XC without FS seems alien nowadays!

[Deleted User]

But they are £150+!! How will I feed my son?

Don Minquez

Sell him!

[Deleted User]

Its a thought - but not a good one! What would I do if I sold him and he went on to be the next Pele/Lance Armstrong/Ian Thorpe? All for some RC31's. No No No - would never do!!

Don Minquez

Ok, sell him for more than 150 quid, then buy a proper tri bike. You need to start thinking laterally!

[Deleted User]

Tell you what, I will ask him tonight and if he is up for it, I will put him on ebay tomorrow. If he is not, I will just have to live with the RC36s for now. Mind you, being only 15 months old I doubt he will have formed many real ideas about being sold to fuel a triathlon habit.