Im looking for a full suspension, step through commuter ebike. Commuter means a throttle, class 3, and NOT fat tires. The most popular vehicle in history (Honda Super Cub) has 17"x2.25" tires so I think 20" x 2.25" are the closest bike sized tires. Hub drive and cadence PAS are preferred.
Looking For A Full Suspension Skinny Tire Step Through Commuter
- Thread starter Mango1234
- Start date
February
Active Member
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- USA
I wish they existed; pretty sure they don't, at least not in my price range. I'm actually trying to design a cheap kit that would add suspension to any hard tail bike. The easy part, designing the metal clamp that would attach to the rear frame with attached spring, or shock. The difficult part, accommodating the space needed for the rear wheel to lift and the frame to lower. Think bent springer fork. I'm sure smarter people than me could engineer this in 5 minutes. The idea is that the kit would be universal for any hard tail. Maybe I should start a Kickstarter?
Think this:
combined with this:
But something that only connects to the rear drop outs and not the rear seat or frame stays. There has to be a simple way to do it.
Think this:
combined with this:
But something that only connects to the rear drop outs and not the rear seat or frame stays. There has to be a simple way to do it.
February
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- Region
- USA
For now, if we want more than front suspension on a step through, we're relegated to suspension seat posts. There are many of those available. If I were doing my own build, I would start by buying the lightest vintage moped frame I could with rear suspension and go from there. Again, not a financial possibility for me:
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February
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- USA
I always love being proved wrong:
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February
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- USA
The current trend is fat or skinny tires with no suspension. Looks cool and classic I agree, but for those of us with bodies that don't work quite like they should, it's not cool, fun or sensible at all. We do what we can. I'm in the same boat. Not happy that our current option is front and saddle suspension, but as the French say, C'est la vie- Maybe it's time I consult an engineer and get that Kickstarter going..... As I understand it, mid drives are superior to hub drives if you can afford them. It's not that the ebike and bicycle people don't get what you accurately said about moped engineers who figured it out long ago, it's that there isn't enough demand for it on step throughs.
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February
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- USA
Some one out there is way ahead of me, but I think this is over kill, it would work for mountain bikes, but not most modern step throughs:
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gromike
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- City of Dreams
I put a mid-drive (BBSO2) on this Trek 7.2. It's a 30+mph ebike and I quickly learned the need of front suspension, so I installed a suspension fork (Rockshox Paragon). And once you have front suspension you'll feel the need of rear suspension. So I installed a Suntour suspension seat post.
February
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- USA
She's a beauty. Yeah I remember a while back when I still rode a motorcycle. The guys I knew were in their mid 30's were all geeked out to get hard tail Harley sportsters. Without exception, as soon as they could, they all traded in for full suspension models. Once you go suspension, if you can afford it, you don't go back. It will be new forks and seat suspension for me before summer.
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February
Active Member
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- USA
My first ride was moving a gasser for a big guy who didn't know how to pop a clutch. Heavy cold rain, going 35mph+ on 80cc motor that weighed as much as the cheap skinny mountain bike it was attached to, no brakes(had to cut power to the engine and use my boot heals to brake) and had to pop the clutch every time to start. One of the funnest and scariest rides of my life. And I was in full rush traffic. Ah to be young and feel immortal.... I don't miss those days as much as one might think. I impressed some people that day. No one else dared to be that stupid. Sometimes I still can't believe I did it.
I'm with young people and the cool boomers, but I still get a laugh out of this, laughing with, not at, even though you're not laughing millennials. Shoot, half my generation(x) can't do either:
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Mr. Coffee
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- A Demented Corner of the North Cascades
I don't understand why you want the weight, cost, and maintenance complexity of a full suspension bike for a city commuter. If you are concerned about comfort suspension seatposts and suspension stems are widely available and will do the job just fine on all but the roughest pavement. And those parts are much less expensive and require far less maintenance than a full suspension bike.
Also, if you retrofit a suspension fork on a non-suspension bike you will change the geometry of the bike, which will have a negative effect on the handling of the bike and probably on ride comfort as well.
Another thing to think about is due to the flexing of the frame, a full-suspension bike frame will have a shorter lifespan than a non-suspension frame. This is especially true of aluminum and carbon fiber bike frames.
Also, if you retrofit a suspension fork on a non-suspension bike you will change the geometry of the bike, which will have a negative effect on the handling of the bike and probably on ride comfort as well.
Another thing to think about is due to the flexing of the frame, a full-suspension bike frame will have a shorter lifespan than a non-suspension frame. This is especially true of aluminum and carbon fiber bike frames.
February
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- USA
I'm already using the lowest pedal assists to counter the weight of my bike. An extra few lbs will not make a difference. On a long enough scale, everything breaks down and needs replacing. No bike is maintenance free. I've heard all the arguments for and against full suspension. Those who argue for, aren't just arguing for comfort. My spine is riddled with arthritis, I have shot disks, one replaced and one fusion with more to go. I walked with a cane for two years before my laminectomy. Also have two shoulder surgeries (done in my mid 40's), same ones my father had in his mid 70's. I'm a survivor of chronic pain in the most literal of sense. I shouldn't even be alive. For me and others those bumps and dings no matter how small can truly cause harm and it all adds up. There are pros and cons to everything. For me and others like, the downsides of good, well tuned, full suspension are far outweighed by the benefits. I'm getting a suspension seat post, because that's what I can afford. My bike is a fair weather only, upright, commuter, not a gravel or mountain bike. Full suspension makes sense.
Same story if I were going to buy a moped or motorcycle, I'm sorry, but I wouldn't even consider either if my only option was hard tail with a spring saddle. To each their own, but I hope some of this helps you understand why we want full suspension. I'm not attacking those who don't care for it, for silly reasons or, for legitimate ones like you expressed.
Mr. Coffee
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- USA
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- A Demented Corner of the North Cascades
Its your body and your money. Good luck.
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