Full Suspension Mountain Bikes: Suspension Forks, Performance, Trek And Schwinn

Every Mountain Bike rider knows the feeling of barreling down the side of a mountain, hoping that his equipment will live up to the challenge. For years, the mountain bike industry has tried to keep up with these riders. The riders repeatedly tried to push the limits of the sport, while the industry continually provided them with the equipment to do so. One of the most famous and useful innovations in the industry was the Full Suspension Mountain Bike. Full Suspension Mountain Bikes allow riders to tackle tougher terrain at higher speeds.

Before Full Suspension Mountain Bikes became a regular feature in the industry, riders used bikes with no suspension forks—front or back. The mountain bike did not even exist before Joe Breeze created the first recognized model in 1978. For years, the mountain bike relied on the same style frame as the road bike. Eventually, industry professionals began treating the mountain bike as a totally different product, and designed a frame made specifically for the harsh environment filled with off-road obstacles. In the early 90's, companies begin introducing suspension forks as way to increase performance and provide the riders with more control over obstacles and eventually created Full Suspension Mountain Bikes.

Eventually these front suspension forks became a regular component to mountain bikes. Soon after the introduction of front suspension forks, companies began to design bikes with suspension on both the front and back. When a mountain bike has a suspension system on both the front and back, it is a Full Suspension Mountain Bike. A Full Suspension Mountain Bike increases the suspension performance by eliminating pedal bob and brake jack, which in turn, allows the rider to expand the boundaries of his ability.

Most Full Suspension Mountain Bikes will give the rider about four inches of suspension travel. But there are high performance suspension forks that will allow the rider 7 to 8 inches of suspension travel. Such high suspension performance will make it easier for the rider to overcome large obstacles such as tree stumps, rocks and gaps. Even though many Full Suspension Mountain Bikes come equipped with a full suspension system, some riders prefer to turn off the rear suspension fork while engaging in hard pedaling or steep inclines.

Trek, a leader in the mountain bike industry, has been producing high performance models since 1983. In 1995, Trek revolutionized the mountain bike industry by producing the first line of Full Suspension Mountain Bikes. Trek is now an international leader in the bicycle industry and owns other prominent mountain bike names such as Gary Fisher, Klein and LeMond--all of which produce high performance Full Suspension Mountain Bikes. Trek bikes include both Full Suspension Mountain Bikes and hardtail (no back suspension) mountain bikes to riders of all abilities and needs. Riders can choose from freeride, cross country, and all mountain style Full depending on what type of activities they intend to pursue.

Schwinn is another producer of Full Suspension Mountain Bikes. Both Schwinn's Iso-Drive 3.5 inch suspension frame and SR/Suntour suspension fork provide the rider with 4 inches of suspension travel. The most attractive quality of Schwinn Full Suspension Mountain Bikes are undoubtedly their price tags. If a rider is looking for durable, affordable Full Suspension Mountain Bikes that can be used both for pleasant recreation and aggressive pursuits, then he or she should give Schwinn bikes a chance. While Trek is without question the more high performance brand, Schwinn makes Full Suspension Mountain Bikes for those of us who don't need professional equipment. Even though Schwinn mountain bikes won't blow riders away with innovative technology, they still offer riders the perks of a full suspension system.

Full Suspension Mountain Bikes revolutionized the mountain bike world by enabling riders to push the boundaries of the sport to new heights. Full Suspension Mountain Bikes are no longer a luxury afforded only to seasoned professionals. Now that the technology has been around for over a decade, the average consumer can afford to experience this the full suspension system first hand.


Sources:
"Mountain Bike." Wikipedia.12 Mar. 2007. 12 Mar. 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_bike
"Bicycle Suspension." Wikipedia.12 Mar.2007. 12 Mar. 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_suspension
IMBA- International Mountain Biking Association.12 Mar. 2007. http://www.imba.com/