BikeRadar Tech Talk Ep 6 and 7: Suspension springs and MTB drivetrains

BikeRadar Tech Talk Ep 6 and 7: Suspension springs and MTB drivetrains

We discuss the science of suspension springs and ask why derailleurs still exist

Look that the sleek derailleur!

YT / SRAM

Tom Marvin

Published: October 16, 2019 at 4:57 pm

A double-whammy of Tech Talk Podcasts for you this time!

First, in Episode 6, tech editor Tom and tech guru Seb discuss suspension springs – whether that's air or coil. Coil springs disappeared for a little while from mainstream mountain bikes, but seem to be making a mini-comeback, while air springs are increasingly popular on downhill bikes, but why is that? We're also seeing a number of coil conversions for popular suspension forks coming to market.

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In Episode 7 the team chats drivetrains. For as long as gears have existed on bicycles, the derailleur has been the dominant way of shifting from one gear to the next. However, given that it's exposed to the elements, and hangs by the rear wheel, it seems rather vulnerable. Why haven't planetary gear systems taken off?

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Chainless MTB drivetrain
CeramicSpeed has a prototype MTB drivetrain that's certainly unique. - Oliver Woodman / Immediate Media

Previous BikeRadar Tech Talk Podcast episodes

Two mountain bike rear suspension shocks
Air sprung shocks (left) and coil-sprung shocks (right) do the same job, but there are subtle differences in performance. - Various

Previous BikeRadar Podcast episodes

Tom Marvin

Senior technical editor

Tom Marvin is MBUK’s YouTube presenter and podcaster, as well as a regular contributor to BikeRadar. He writes mountain bike reviews for the site, while also testing components and kit. His work as a presenter has seen him race pro riders, tackle World Cup downhill courses and attend international launch events. He has been part of the MBUK and BikeRadar family for 11 years, contributing to all aspects of tech content, including a spell working heavily on Cycling Plus magazine. In that time, he has tested hundreds of bikes and more than 1,000 products. He has been mountain biking for 25 years, with cross-country (XC) and trail riding his speciality, although he’s more than happy dipping into the world of enduro whenever there’s a chance. Tom’s photos of bikes and food covered in ketchup can be found on his Instagram account.

  • Height: 182cm
  • Bike size: Large
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