Why Progressive springs are a bad idea - Revision history

Bokonon at 02:24, 22 August 2011

2011-08-22T02:24:22Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:24, 21 August 2011
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	Progressive brand springs also have a bit of a problem with quality control. Traxxion found a couple springs that were drastically different from one another when pulled out of the same forks for service.		Progressive brand springs also have a bit of a problem with quality control. Traxxion found a couple springs that were drastically different from one another when pulled out of the same forks for service.

	Progressives cost about the same as normal straight rate springs. There's no reason you should get them. Riders only know the best they've ridden, so lots of people will report being happy with these fork springs, But if they felt the difference between the Progressive setup and normal springs with the correct spring rate, they would agree that Progressives aren't worth the money.		Progressives cost about the same as normal straight rate springs. There's no reason you should get them. Riders only know the best they've ridden, so lots of people will report being happy with these fork springs. But if they felt the difference between the Progressive setup and normal springs with the correct spring rate, they would agree that Progressives aren't worth the money.

Bokonon at 02:23, 22 August 2011

2011-08-22T02:23:06Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:23, 21 August 2011
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	When BrianM was working an AMA race bikes for [http://www.traxxion.com/ Traxxion Dynamics] they tested some Progressive brand springs. Progressive is the most common brand of progressive rate springs, but their results apply to any brand of this type. The Progressives are really light for the first inch (like .45), about on par after the 2nd inch (1.05), and by the 3rd inch of travel are so far beyond reasonable (1.7) that you'd never get any more travel.		When BrianM was working an AMA race bikes for [http://www.traxxion.com/ Traxxion Dynamics] they tested some Progressive brand springs. Progressive is the most common brand of progressive rate springs, but their results apply to any brand of this type. The Progressives are really light for the first inch (like .45), about on par after the 2nd inch (1.05), and by the 3rd inch of travel are so far beyond reasonable (1.7) that you'd never get any more travel.

	To make this simple: They don't work because they go from WAY too soft to WAY too stiff in a very short distance. Get straight rate springs.		To make this simple: They don't work because they go from WAY too soft to WAY too stiff in a very short distance. Get [[How do I stiffen up the front suspension?\|straight rate springs]].

	Progressives limit the amount of work the forks can do; it's the suspension equivalent of installing a speed limiter at 60mph, which doesn't make sense. You want to use 99.99% of the fork travel when you ride your hardest (be that emergency stops or corners)... With Progressives, you'll be lucky to use a Total of 2.5", or only about half the total travel.		Progressives limit the amount of work the forks can do; it's the suspension equivalent of installing a speed limiter at 60mph, which doesn't make sense. You want to use 99.99% of the fork travel when you ride your hardest (be that emergency stops or corners)... With Progressives, you'll be lucky to use a Total of 2.5", or only about half the total travel.

Bokonon at 04:30, 21 August 2011

2011-08-21T04:30:06Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:30, 21 August 2011
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	[[Category:Suspension]]		[[Category:Suspension]]
	~~A test~~ of ~~Progressive~~ springs ~~showed they were~~ really light for the first inch (like .45), about on par after the 2nd inch (1.05), and by the 3rd inch of travel ~~they were~~ so far beyond reasonable (1.7) that you'd never get any more travel. You limit the amount of work the forks can do (it's like installing a speed limiter at 60mph), which doesn't make sense. You want to use 99.99% of the fork travel when you ride your hardest (be that emergency stops or corners)... with Progressives you'll be lucky to use a Total of 2.5" (about half the total travel).		When BrianM was working an AMA race bikes for [http://www.traxxion.com/ Traxxion Dynamics] they tested some Progressive brand springs. Progressive is the most common brand of progressive rate springs, but their results apply to any brand of this type. The Progressives are really light for the first inch (like .45), about on par after the 2nd inch (1.05), and by the 3rd inch of travel are so far beyond reasonable (1.7) that you'd never get any more travel.

	~~This all means that~~ in ~~more extreme situations, when you NEED your tires on the ground, the springs are going to fight you. Run over~~ a ~~2x4 (that the suspension should soak up reasonaly well) and you'll have the front wheel in the air~~. ~~Hit a pot-hole mid corner and not only will it be fairly jarring, but the fast rebound will reduce the weight on the front tire and increase the possibility of lost traction~~.		To make this simple: They don't work because they go from WAY too soft to WAY too stiff in a very short distance. Get straight rate springs.

	~~Progressive springs also have a bit~~ of a ~~problem with quality control~~. ~~One~~ of ~~our suspension techs on~~ the ~~board reports seeing~~ a ~~couple springs that were drastically different from one another when pulled out~~ of the ~~same forks for service~~.		Progressives limit the amount of work the forks can do; it's the suspension equivalent of installing a speed limiter at 60mph, which doesn't make sense. You want to use 99.99% of the fork travel when you ride your hardest (be that emergency stops or corners)... With Progressives, you'll be lucky to use a Total of 2.5", or only about half the total travel.

	In the ~~end~~, ~~there~~'s a ~~known 'good~~, ~~better, best'~~ and Progressives ~~fall squarely in~~ the '~~better' range~~. Riders only know the best they've ridden, so lots of people will report being happy with ~~the improvement. If~~ they felt the difference between the Progressive setup and the ~~'best' setup~~, they would agree that Progressives aren't worth the ~~cost (which is about the same as normal straight rate springs)~~.		This all means that in more extreme situations, when you NEED your tires on the ground, the springs are going to fight you. Run over a 2x4 (that the suspension should soak up reasonably well) and you'll have the front wheel in the air. Hit a pot-hole mid corner and not only will it be fairly jarring, but the fast rebound will reduce the weight on the front tire and increase the possibility of lost traction.

			Progressive brand springs also have a bit of a problem with quality control. Traxxion found a couple springs that were drastically different from one another when pulled out of the same forks for service.

			Progressives cost about the same as normal straight rate springs. There's no reason you should get them. Riders only know the best they've ridden, so lots of people will report being happy with these fork springs, But if they felt the difference between the Progressive setup and normal springs with the correct spring rate, they would agree that Progressives aren't worth the money.

Bokonon at 09:38, 22 March 2008

2008-03-22T09:38:28Z

New page

[[Category:Suspension]]
A test of Progressive springs showed they were really light for the first inch (like .45), about on par after the 2nd inch (1.05), and by the 3rd inch of travel they were so far beyond reasonable (1.7) that you'd never get any more travel. You limit the amount of work the forks can do (it's like installing a speed limiter at 60mph), which doesn't make sense. You want to use 99.99% of the fork travel when you ride your hardest (be that emergency stops or corners)... with Progressives you'll be lucky to use a Total of 2.5" (about half the total travel).

This all means that in more extreme situations, when you NEED your tires on the ground, the springs are going to fight you. Run over a 2x4 (that the suspension should soak up reasonaly well) and you'll have the front wheel in the air. Hit a pot-hole mid corner and not only will it be fairly jarring, but the fast rebound will reduce the weight on the front tire and increase the possibility of lost traction.

Progressive springs also have a bit of a problem with quality control. One of our suspension techs on the board reports seeing a couple springs that were drastically different from one another when pulled out of the same forks for service.

In the end, there's a known 'good, better, best' and Progressives fall squarely in the 'better' range. Riders only know the best they've ridden, so lots of people will report being happy with the improvement. If they felt the difference between the Progressive setup and the 'best' setup, they would agree that Progressives aren't worth the cost (which is about the same as normal straight rate springs).