Want to see what CruzBike Shocks are doing

floridabike

Active Member
I installed a modified keychain camera on the Cruzbike to see what the shocks were doing. I tried a couple different adjustments on the rear shock but it doesn't seem to be getting the travel that I expected. The front shock seems to be working well.

Anyhow, here's the video, I hope?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVn1SnxlA58

Can't get a clickable link so guess just copy and paste the link in your browser.

Phil

 

floridabike

Active Member
Thanks

I'm thinking that moving the shock to the bottom hole would put more pressure on the shock. Guess I'll have to try it and see what happens.
Phil
 

Eric Winn

Zen MBB Master
That was kind of cool. This

That was kind of cool. This would be fun to do with my Vendetta at some of the ultramarathons I'm doing.

Which keychain camera are you using?


-Eric
 

floridabike

Active Member
Car Key Chain Camera

Not sure if it has a model number. It's the HD 1280 X 960 Car Key Chain DVR and I added a wide angle lens designed for cell phones.
IMGP0001.JPG




 

MrSteve

Zen MBB Master
Different Holes

-For mounting the the top of the damper to the bike frame
will not have any impact on the 'pressure' on the damper.

What changing the mounting point/hole in the frame does
is change the steering, the rake, trail and head angle of the front end.


What do you want to do?
Increase the rear travel?
To do that, you need a longer damper, one with a longer stroke
and/or a milder spring.

I would suggest that you check the preload of your damper's spring such that
your bike will sag, under your weight, an inch.
It appears to be working well, right now, however.

Your video looks good: your rear suspension is neither
bottoming nor topping out.
It looks like it is working like it should.

Good luck,

-Steve

 

floridabike

Active Member
Move Shock for test

Thanks everyone for your help. I did try moving the shock to the lower hole, and like you said Steve, I didn't feel any difference other than the bike seat is lower and the trail is different. I have the adjustment on the pre-load at minimum, just enough to keep the spring from rattling. Here is another video clip with the shock in the lower hole.

http://youtu.be/79hMXaW5G_M
 

floridabike

Active Member
Kay Chain Camera in the Video

Just to pass it along for anyone interested in getting the keychain camera.

I didn't think the resolution was that good on this key chain camera and I just read that the 1280 X 960 is really just the 720 X 480 with expanded pixels, something like that. The real HD model is 1280 X 720 and records in H.264 MOV file type. I got scammed because I got the 1280 X 960 thinking that I had the latest but the video quality is not good and I paid the same price as the real HD model.

Phil
 

richa

Active Member
Very interesting


This is really cool.

However, I think the camera mounting may be affecting the appearance of how well the rear shock is or is not working.

For the front shock
a) you've got the camera mounted on the suspended portion of the bike
b) 1" of shock travel equals about 1" of wheel travel.
c) So you can see exactly how much vertical travel the tire's doing relative to the bike.

For the rear shock
a) you've got the camera mounted on an unsuspended portion of the bike
b) 1" of shock travel equals several (3 or 4?) inches of wheel travel.
c) so it's difficult to see how much vertical travel the tire's doing relative to the bike.

I wonder if the camera could be mounted from a bar extending down from the rear rack and pointing at the rear axel from the side. I think that would better show how bumps were being absorbed by the rear suspension, and might be a better comparison to the front view.

Given Cruzbike has eliminated the front suspension on some of their bikes, one would think that the rear is doing more than this video seems to show. But, one might be wrong....

Either way, it was a cool video. And well done. Thanks for posting it.



 

Mark B

Zen MBB Master
I don't think I'd want much

I don't think I'd want much more travel than that. You'd get too much pogoing on climbs and that is costly in terms of energy expended.

Mark
 

floridabike

Active Member
Cruzbike Shock


Mounted the camera on a suspended part of the bike frame as suggested to see how the shock was working. Big bump at about 42 sec. on the first video.

I put 3 2 X 4 in the street and rode the bike over them to see how the shock performs. The shock seems to be doing what's it's designed to do. Just found it a challenge to watch it in action. Just can't seem to stop the camera from bouncing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H183V0eoBSg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEVN9Ic0OKk

?Phil
 
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