dual suspension and pedal digs

[Gordo]

Quick question regarding dual suspension. How much of a prob is pedal strike or pedal digs with dual suspension bikes? ive been riding my brothers older dually (fsr xc 2006 or so) and it just seems to catch stumps and rocks with the pedals while going up hill and when going down tight winding track where you do a lot of accelerating due to small hills and bumps + corners (its gives me the shts coz it doesnt happen on my hardtail). maybe his shock is crap and old? I was thinking of getting a camber or the like but have read that this is a prob... with the camber at least? Is this just a natural thing that happens with DS and that u just have to adapt ur riding style to?...or can i get a dually where this doesnt happen (something with a higher Bottom Bracket maybe)??????

[gordy]

Was the rear shock set at the correct pressure for your weight?
Otherwise, you maybe getting excessive sag and this can lower your bottom bracket height and induce more pedal strikes.
Gordy (not related )

[Gordo]

yeah, well, i'll have to check that. but seems ok. it locks out well enough. old bike & cheap shock maybe? im only gettin a handful a ride (5-6 or so) for 2 hr ride (no idea if thats normal)...but they really annoy me and i almost came off with one of them (gave a hell of a shock anyhow). ive turfed the bike at the moment and am riding my hardtail again. Its was fine along straight trails with not too much tight cornering and hard accelerating. i remember one of the most funnest ride on the thing down a straight rocky trail on this bike a few years ago...but it just does not seem to handle up and down tight single track stuff as i would like at the moment.

Just wondering if i buy a dually will i have to live with some degree of pedal strike no matter what?

[gordy]

Nah, for the most part duallies are fine.

[trailgumby]

Set the pressure (or spring preload if coil sprung) to let the bike settle 25% into the travel. If it's a 4" travel bike, that means in your riding clobber and your normal riding position your suspension should compress 1".

The trick to avoiding pedal strike is to keep your cranks horizontal over technical terrain. DO NOT drop a foot when coasting, except for the outside one when you have the bike cranked over hard on a banked turn. On climbs avoiding pedal strike can be more difficult, so you need to acquire and practice the technique of ratcheting your pedals.

Watch what this guy does with his cranks. See when they're horizontal. Especially check out what he does on the big rocks from 1:38. Rather than swinging his pedals forward, he actually reverse pedals a fraction of a revolution several times consecutively to keep the forward drive going but without dropping a pedal onto the rock. This is called ratcheting. (This, by the way, is one of my favourite mtb vids of all time, the skills this guy uses we were taught some of at a skills clinic I did earlier in this year and I love the way this bloke strings it all together in this amazing ride. The soundtrack ain;t bad either )

[Gordo]

yeah. been trying that horizontal pedal thing. but ratcheting. ok. cool. thanks. i just need lots more practice i reckon.

and holy sh*t, that guy is unreal btw. How many bones would that guy have broken in his life? Seeing people like that just make you wanna get out there and have a go.

[Gordo]

bought a pump. shock really needed air. fun times now. 100% better.

[trailgumby]

Duh. *palms face* sorry, should have thought of that. Assumptions

Yes, that will do it