I don't have much experience of full suspension bikes as only riden single pivot and FSR. Prefered the FSR as i felt the single pivot was too susceptable to pedal bob even when the shock is in pro-pedal mode.
which suspension system is, in your opinion, the 'best' for all round type riding?
very grey area.
knees, or tyres are the oldest.
Commencal contact system
For me it's the DW Link used by Turner and Iron Horse etc...
Four bar linkage of most designs.
In STW land it is whatever your own current bike has. Therefore the best system is the Santa Cruz/Intense VPP
not that many bad ones anymore would perhaps be a better way to look at it.
apart from the orange 5 cos thats rubbish 
URT*
*joke.
depends what you want,
lets take the horst link (specialized)
you could build the orginal pateneted verion and it'd be crap
The pitch and previous incarnation of the enduro were borderline identical, yet spesh admitted the pitch was a refinement in terms of suspension.
Nicolai's take on the horst link is entirely different to specialized (instant center moves foreward, not back).
giant built the NRS with the same configuration of pivots, but the vertical distance between the link and the dropout meant chain tension locked the shock out, but wouldn't have worked with more travel as the chain growth would have been too much.
Go on some test rides, (and take a shock pump!) there isn't a "right" answer.
Surely it depends an awful lot on the actual excecution? That and how good the shock attached to it is at ironing out the bad points of the suspension design and highlighting the good points
I'd like a go on a DW link for the antisquat characteristics. An FSR does seem to sit its travel rather a lot when going up steeper hills. If I had a lockout or even a propedal adjustment on my SJer then it probably wouldn't be a real issue, as I don't and 'only' have a brain, it is an issue
Not really such a thing as 'the best'. All have weak points - you have to decide which is the best for you.
of all the sus designs i've ridden this felt most like a hardtail. no real bob with pro-pedal on. no jacking up with heavy braking. really stiff and felt solid.
i just don't have the money or desire to part with 1700€ for the frame and shock.
besides, i love my HTs
the next one.
believe the hype.
Personal preference?
I love the way my NRS seems to lock out under acceleration and still is fairly supple over rough stuff. That said, over really rough stuff I still prefer the way my single pivot felt.
Horses for courses?
Pivot height has a significant bearing.
4 bar vs single pivot does not except o rbraking on long travel designs.
No doubt plenty will argue with the above, I hope most will accept that m'fers promulgate huge amounts of twaddle in order to convince punters their design is the best.
jackthedog - MemberNot really such a thing as 'the best'. All have weak points - you have to decide which is the best for you.
Is the correct answer.
There are not many basic types - single pivot / swinging fork, double wishbone with various names and sliding member ( never seen it used). There is then also the question of how you drive the shock - directly or thru a linkage and how you make that linkage behave.
Moving the various pivot points around alters wheel path so alters how it behaves - even with single pivot. With a double wishbone type setup there is huge variety in how long the wishbones are - from an inch or two to aver a foot.
All have compromises of one sort or another.
edit:
I hope most will accept that m'fers promulgate huge amounts of twaddle in order to convince punters their design is the best.is also correct - as is the propensity of gullible fol to believe the twaddle.
Really really really high single pivot with idler pulley or jackshaft. Anything else is compromising somewhere.
They're all a compromise, why do you think there's loads of options around rather than one that is the best and everyone use it?
Because people are stupid and buy whatever system is being hyped?
whatever dave turner says (it changes every year or 2)
The one that is set up the best.
Really really really high single pivot with idler pulley or jackshaft. Anything else is compromising somewhere.
So you don't think that'll compromise "weight" or "maintenance" at all?
And efficinecy Brant - extra friction in that idler wheel
And efficinecy Brant - extra friction in that idler wheel
aye whatever, TJ, whatever... 
Best rear suspension design is....?
To be invented...
VPP FTW
I've thought about this. It would have to be a nanomechanical self-configuring system capable of moving pivot, adjusting travel, compression and rebound instantaneously. Also capable of changing wheel size, tyre tread pattern, width and pressure on the fly. Available 2020.
cf the skateboards in 'Snow Crash' by Neal stephenson
the design that suits your riding of style and doesn't require constant maintenance. Different designs suit different people so there isn't one best design IMO.
There's compromises on every design out there bar none. Nothing is perfect. Just ride the one that you like and stop talking about it instead.
As the great onza sticker from the 90's used to say
"shut up and ride"
nicest designs I've ridden are:
Stevenson six bar
Ellsworth ICT system
new marin quad link
but for simple maintenance/ease of use/general everyday riding a good single pivot system is still the best to me in most situations.
so after all that, the answer is............a very grey area.
knees and tyres are very good.
but for simple maintenance/ease of use/general everyday riding a good single pivot system is still the best to me in most situations.
Yep, i'm a fan of single pivot's too, simple and lightweight.
Main thing is to ride the bike you are most comfortable with/feel most confident on, there's a lot more that goes into a good bike than just purely the rear suspension design.
Personally liking the feel of the Marin Quad link. Really does feel "bottomless" with the rising rate, and the zero chain growth beyond the recomended amount of sag means no kickback. Cant say Ive noticed any adverse pedal induced bob either. Cant see any cons of this system, but I'm sure theres something? It cant actually be perfect can it?
It is the system on my Fuel EX9 with the Active Braking Pivot. It must be, they didn't lie to me did they?
I really liked the performance of my Idrive 5... Extremely heavy, at least partly because of the Idrive but it rode lovely, and no mucking about with pedal feedback etc. Didn't have a lockout on the shock, didn't need one. But I'm not totally sure the extra weight and complexity is worthwhile
No pivot, flexing chain stays, 100mm travel,
C
zero chain growth beyond the recomended amount of sag means no kickback
Well that doesn't look to be the case on the graphs I've seen.
Anyone interested in suspension would probably be interested in downloading Linkage, from http://bikechecker.com/
Quite a steep learning curve, but the web library there has a host of designs mapped into it, and you can see a lot of stuff, and how linkages and pivot points affect suspension travel and action.
knees and tyres are very good
i'll go with that too.
I like bikes. I like them more if they go boing.
How they go boing does not really worry me. Just that they make me smile.
If you really wanna know, get the last 4-5 issues of Dirt and read the articles about suspension tech. Then read them again. Then keep reading til you understand them. Then you'll know. Maybe.
Of those I've ridden, I like linkage driven single pivots (yes! like my Yeti). Funny but more & more manufacturers seem to be using variations on that method lately. Even Cannondale and Orange, who seemed to stick with the straight single pivot until now...
Horses for courses though, as with all things mtb.
i don't like single pivot designs, for exactly the same reason that i think they're quite qood.
single pivot designs lock out more than most 4-bars under braking, which i don't like. but the benefit of brake lock is that the compressed/locked rear wheel balances some of the nose-dive at the front under heavy braking - which makes them feel less panicky if you grab the brakes.
i've decided to settle for a more active system, even if it means a bit more panicky nose dive under heavy breaking, so i like horst link 4-bars.
(i do like the simplicity of single pivots, but they can get a bit brutal on long descents)
the trek abp is simply a very clever way of sidestepping the horst link patent - as it allows the brake calliper to be mounted on the seatstay.
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