I'll lock mine if I plan to stand up for a steep, but smooth, ramp, but for seated climbing I just tend to leave them open. Just wondering if there have been any tests done on the effect of locking the forks for a seated climb.
Even standing or long road climbs, I don't bother, I just try and pedal smoothly.
There was a discussion a few years ago that seemed to conclude that dropping forks for the climb was detrimental, but that's a different issue.
For a fire road climb or if I'm on the road I normally lock the fork and shock. I don't do it because of any particular research or test findings, it's just what I prefer.
yes.
I don't have any means of locking mine out anyway (Marzocchi 55 RC3 Ti) so it's one less thing for me to forget to do.
I tend to climb pretty smoothly anyway, in or out of the saddle.
Only on long or steep road climbs
generally only road climbs, the bugger is remembering to unlock them after, normally only remember halfway down the next DH (or at the bottom)
Made a big difference when I've had lockout forks on my ss where you're generally bouncing about a bit more for leverage. Minimal things to faff with is a plus point of ss tho. I don't normally have lockable forks on there.
I used to lock[i]down[/i] the bombers on my big bike all the time, shifts weight forward, better for pedalling up steep stuff
Nopes. Never ever... either on the HT or the FS.
When they were on my Zesty frame, I didn't bother, as I couldn't lock out the rear. Now they are mated to a C456 frame, then yes, I do.
no, because if I do, i generally forget to unlock them until i've got to the bottom of the next hill wondering my my forks feel so shit.
I only lock them on long road sections and steep fire road climbs.
Anything remotely technical they stay wide open.
I don't have lockout, but for anything steep I drop from 160 to 110, otherwise I find the front end lifts off and steering stops working. Tend to put the shock onto pro-pedal or whatever it's called to reduce bob. Often forget to change it back, but it's not rigid really, just a bit stiffer.
Edit as per Jambo above!!
Gave up locking them out as 5 minutes into a technical downhill section I`d realize I was still locked out. The less to do the better is my attitude now, loving the 1 x 11 set up on my latest bike.
Pointless for me, I'd gladly see it done away with.
No.
no, because if I do, i generally forget to unlock them until i've got to the bottom of the next hill wondering my my forks feel so shit.
Amen brother.
For a fire road climb or if I'm on the road I normally lock the fork and shock. I don't do it because of any particular research or test findings, it's just what I prefer
^^this.
the bugger is remembering to unlock them after, normally only remember halfway down the next DH (or at the bottom)
I stopped doing it for this exact reason.
jam bo - Member
no, because if I do, i generally forget to unlock them until i've got to the bottom of the next hill wondering my my forks feel so shit.
Spot on!!
Same as several others - yes to road work and fire-road hills. Defo stops the bobbing when you are up and out of the seat.
Nope - but I sit and spin on climbs not stand and mash
also I do as Jambo does
The lock down on Bombers etc was good, but yes I too have ridden Cadden Bank with the fork locked out. Sore neck afterwards.
Never found bobbing to be a concern TBH, even when racing.
I did once, when the seal blew out on some recons a few years ago. Probably would if I rode it any distance on the road too, but I never have.
nope. Never really seen the point. Im a sit and spin kinda guy.
Never lock the forks, rarely lock the rear shock.
As already mentioned, I always forget to unlock the rear shock and wonder why the downhill seems bumpier than last week 😆
I have CTD fork/ shock.
Almost exclusively set to T, because I forget.
Like many above, only lock out on roads (which I try and avoid) and good surfaced fire road. Equally, like everyone else, I invariably forget to unlock them. Riding a Turner I never have to tinker with the rear:-) That DW link is really good.
I race XC, so lock them out for smooth fireroad or tarmac climbs, otherwise I tend to leave them on the middle setting (Scott Spark with Twinloc system).
I used to on my HT XC bike (with the fox ctd) but like so many forgot to unlock them (to be fair mainly when riding with a 5yr old so it makes it easier to boost them up a steep accent with locked forks)... on my trail bike I don't have a remote and really can't be bothered... I'm not racing so losing a bit of power is just more exercise and way better than doing a climb then forgetting to unlock ..
Nope. I just leave it. Never use to lower my forks either when I had that option.
Only when on tarmac and in a hurry!
Nope. I've got CTD on my forKarate but leave them on D all the time.
no, because if I do, i generally forget to unlock them until i've got to the bottom of the next hill wondering my my forks feel so shit.
^^This!
When I've been riding my ht a lot, then head out on the FS I even forget to unlock-out my rear shock. Cue me doing one-handers trying to reach the lockout switch in the first 100m of singletrack.
Long road climbs yes. Forgetting to unlock is pretty much a thing of the past now but interrupted plenty of descents historically because my forks felt like scaffold poles.
Only on the HT and only on roads (my local loop is a 10 minute spin along the road to get to)
Pointless on the FS as the rear only has pro pedal not lockout so locking out the fork would just feel weird
Hi,
Off road never, on road occasionally.
Cheers!
I.
Yes, a lot of the time, but sometimes after a descent i wonder why my forks feel shite.
I do for long climbs especially if they're smooth regardless of them being on or off road.
My bike has a dual lock out that does shock and fork in one press so it makes it easy, it also has a very effective floodgate on each that blows through should I forget to unlock them
Handlebar remote lockout for front and rear, so yes whenever there's a smooth enough bit that they give no benefit from bouncing. Forgetting to unlock isn't a big problem either as long as I remember before I'm hanging on for dear life.
No, for fear of forgetting when I get to the top... done 2 enduro stages (separate races, I'm not stupid...) on an effectively rigid bike, was as awful as it sounds.
Nah. Don't honestly find it makes very much difference on really simple climbs, and on climbs with techy bits I'd rather have it on.
This ^^^^
And the forgetting to unlock thing
never use mine even on long smooth climbs, I use the gears I paid all that money for!!!
never use mine even on long smooth climbs, I use the gears I paid all that money for!!!
But don't use all the features of the expensive suspension that maximises the efficiency of said expensive gears?
Only if I want to overtake you 😛
A bicycle is a mechanism to transfer vertical leg force into horizontal movement. If your suspension system is absorbing your force (and hopefully wasting it with its damping) , then it's slowing you down.
How much that matters vs the effort/loss of rhythm is your call...
I lock/unlock it all the time using the remote as I ride single speed and stand a lot on climbs.
Years ago, yes - religiously.
Now - I'm not actually sure why forks still have a lockout option...