Tern front suspension....

[TimJohn]

A question...are the front suspension on the HSD and GSD hydraulic and springs or just springs? Are both front units suspended with a hydraulic oil inside them and what would be the maintenance.

I am assuming the suspension system is just like the motorcycle suspension so there is a damping of the springs. Are all front end suspension units on e-bikes designed this way?

 

[bradl]

I can't speak to the HSD but I can say that the GSD has no front suspension.

 

[steve mercier]

I believe that the top of the line GSD has a Suntour Mobie air shock .

 

[sl_duck]

Yes, from pictures, it looks like the HSD has a Suntour Mobie a32 fork, cargo version. They say it comes in air and coil spring versions, but I'm not sure which is on the HSD. In either case, it would be oil damped. Ideal maintenance, as called for in the Suntour general fork manual, would be complete service ("disassembly / cleaning the entire fork inside and out / cleaning and lubricating dust seals and slider sleeves / checking torques / adjusting to the riders liking") every 500hrs or once per year.

 

[Chris Nolte]

All of the HSD’s have a Suntour MOBI A32 Coil Spring fork.

 

[steve mercier]

HI Chris. I have a Suntour Aion fork with 13000 km on it. I have never touched it since it works perfectly. Is there any important reason that I cannot continue to blissfully ignore it or am I being negligent?

 

[Chris Nolte]

Technically you should have it serviced, but if the performance isn't suffering I would keep on rolling. The big issue is that over time the oil can degrade and get dirty and ultimately the seals can be impacted. Usually, the service includes swapping the oil and replacing the seals. If you're not riding in a dirty area the oil can usually stay pretty clean and perform well for quite some time. The manual would say otherwise, but practical experience is a bit different.

 

[steve mercier]

Technically you should have it serviced, but if the performance isn't suffering I would keep on rolling. The big issue is that over time the oil can degrade and get dirty and ultimately the seals can be impacted. Usually, the service includes swapping the oil and replacing the seals. If you're not riding in a dirty area the oil can usually stay pretty clean and perform well for quite some time. The manual would say otherwise, but practical experience is a bit different.

Thank you Chris!