Thoughts on suspension for an expedition bicycle

[Bike_Mech]

If you decide to go with a full suspension I'd recommend the Old Man Mountain racks. I've put them on several full suspension bikes that went on some long distance offroad tours, like your talking about, and I think they offer the best racks for full suspension applications.

The debate over full suspension and hardtail bikes has been going for almost 20 years and I don't see any end in sight. I ride both, but I've never done any longer than 2 day touring on my mtb. If I was going for 5-10 days I would ride my full suspension without any concern, but if I was heading out on a 3 month trip to Alaska I would ride one of my hardtails, not an aluminum, I have steel and ti.

[efuentes]

What I did, was to take my full suspension bike and a couple of weeks later a hybrid (that was converted to a quasi tourer) on the same 3 day ride to see first hand what worked.

It was easier on the MTB, it was somehow more fulfilling on the rigid hybrid.

Go figure.

Saludos.

PS I now use the beater most all the time

[1speed]

Have you thought of really fat tires like the Vicious Thunderwing http://www.viciouscycles.com/frames-thunderwing.php3 or the Surly pugsley http://www.surlybikes.com/pugsley.html ?

[DaveInDenver]

Have you thought of really fat tires like the Vicious Thunderwing http://www.viciouscycles.com/frames-thunderwing.php3 or the Surly pugsley http://www.surlybikes.com/pugsley.html ?

The Pugsley is what Cackalak Han is showing.

I used to be hell bent on hardtails and minimalist forks. But the last couple of years I've done all my singletrack touring and any race over 50 miles on the Blur (mines a LT). I don't go any slower and after 4 or 6 hours I don't feel completely worked anymore. Did a couple of sections of the Colorado Trail from Denver and back two weekends ago actually. The only time I don't ride the Blur is if I'm riding the one speed, which is a steel hardtail. Even that has a shock now (yeah, I know, tempting eternal damnation to chain suck for the temping of fate like that).

Now if it's long distance paved or smooth dirt road touring, I would stick with steel and a rigid fork for reliability. Blown seals or broken pivots a month into a 3 month tour would suck bad.

[DaveInDenver]

Whatever you do, go ultralight on your gear.
Silnylon tarp tent, alcohol stove, etc...
The less weight on the bike, the happier and safer you will be.

True, true, true! Just because the max weight on a BOB is 70 lbs or Old Man Mountain racks is 50 lbs, doesn't mean you should test it. Lay everything out that you think you need and leave half of it behind. You don't need significantly more for a week of bikepacking than you do for a regular long ride. I typically carry enough water to go at least a whole day without refilling, sometimes filter-able water can get scarce here. But not usually more than one day rare. Dense food, sandals, a rain fly or divvy, a book and you're good to go for a few days.

[DaveInDenver]

Fit an upside-down fork on the front

Why the fixation with inverted forks? Maverick forks have a custom thru-axle hub, which I'm not sure can accept an Old Man Mountain rack. Those work with a regular 9mm traditional skewer, pretty sure. Same with BOB trailers, they use an old fashioned traditional skewer.

[Scott Brady]

Why the fixation with inverted forks? .

I am a noob on these things, but to me, the logic is that the bottom of the shock is what moves, which allows attached panniers to be sprung weight at opposed to unsprung weight.

Here are a few images to demonstrate.

[RusM]

http://www.salsacycles.com/fargoComp09.html

I went to the big bike show in Seattle and a couple of custom builders had some expedition/touring bikes and none of them had suspension.

[DaveInDenver]

I am a noob on these things, but to me, the logic is that the bottom of the shock is what moves, which allows attached panniers to be sprung weight at opposed to unsprung weight.

I've only used OMM racks, which mount to the skewer. So it's my misunderstanding of these racks. If they mount to the upper of the fork and not the axle, then that does make perfect sense.

[RHINO]

maybe its just what most of us are used to, but i am also of the thought to small or no suspension for what your talking about. one thing i think about is if your really gonna load it to the point of front luggage your prolly not gonna ride it hard or fast enough to need that much travel. what about maintaining geometry on longer suspension while loaded? its gonna be stiff empty no?, besides suspension brings more parts into something that needs to stay light and robust.