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Re: Shock Conversion

To: Christopher Palmer <ctp@gbn.org>
Subject: Re: Shock Conversion
From: Ulix Goettsch <ulix@u.washington.edu>
Date: Thu, 8 Jan 1998 01:01:56 -0800 (PST)
On Wed, 7 Jan 1998, Christopher Palmer wrote:
> Some important questions (in my mind anyway)
> 
> Do tube shocks give better performance than lever shocks?  Why?

THEY say it is the progressive (actually degressive) valving possiblities
with tube shocks.
Some tube shocks apparently have different valves that open depending on
velocity/pressure.  I guess you could make the shock nice an stiff for
normal cornering and put in a valve that opens when overly high pressure
occurs, such as you hitting a speed bump at speed.  This is an extreme
example, but overall, the shock could be more responsive to different
scenarios.

> What is the cause of a lever shocks (supposed or real) poor performance in
> the first place?

They are not degressive (see above).  To me personally, I have lost
confidence in the rebuilt levers, they can go any minute, totally or
partially.

> Is it something which can be fixed or upgraded in the lever shock, or is it
> inherently a bad design?

I don't know, but I do know that a LOT of R&D has gone into tube shocks
over the last 35 years, none has gone into lever shocks.

For a real nice tech article on shocks and why they must have a degressive
force vs. speed curve, see the recent suspension special in Grassroots
Motorsports.

    Ulix                                                    __/__,__        
.......................................................... (_o____o_)....
                                                           '67 Sprite


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