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macthady
USA
39 Posts |
 Posted - 04/30/2009 : 9:45:56 PM
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I have a diggler with front suspension, and disc brakes. I love it, except for that the disc brakes that came on it were (in my opinion) low-end, and not sufficient for running 2-3 good dogs. I was always losing brakes on runs, and having to adjust them.
I too my scooter last summer to a reputable bike shop and had "real" mountain-bike disk brakes installed front and back (which is not inexpensive), and love the scooter now. Others here in Portland, OR have done the same thing. Good, reliable brakes are *key* (in my opinion) on a scooter.
Like others have commented, I also prefer to use a skijor belt and tie the dogs to *me* when scootering, rather than the scooter. I feel it gives me better control on technical trails and corners, and makes it less likely that the dogs will just pull the scooter out from under me. With that said, I have also been dragged....my first run of the fall last year was with 4 dogs on my scooter, in a moment of ancious excitement to get started and, well....I didn't run 4 dogs again after that:-)
-Thad |
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Ronin
USA
49 Posts |
Posted - 04/30/2009 : 9:57:59 PM
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In my opinion any suspension for scooters and dryland rigs in general should be front only. Suspension in the rear eats up a ton of energy that could be utilized for forward momentum and a rear suspension also adds unnecessary weight. Mountain bikers have already figured this out and make a clear distinction between downhill bikes and cross country. Hardtail rigs and scooters are the way to go 99% of the time.
Mike
http://www.sleddogstuff.com |
http://www.roninkennels.com |
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shore
USA
361 Posts |
Posted - 05/01/2009 : 07:23:32 AM
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Mike, I'm not sure that comparisons to mountain bikes work all that well. The issue in rear-suspension mountain bikes is that the suspension absorbs some of the effort being generated by the cyclist, and I think the physics for a rig or scooter being pulled by dogs is very different. It seems to me that in the latter case you might be wasting more effort if the tires lose contact with the ground, since that concentrates weight and rolling resistance in a smaller area. And there are other efficiency considerations, as well - I've got an Outlaw full-suspension cart and I've been extremely impressed with its handling and its ability to carve sharp corners without losing traction.
I agree about the weight, though. |
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JGSperry
172 Posts |
Posted - 05/01/2009 : 08:26:38 AM
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"Suspension in the rear eats up a ton of energy that could be utilized for forward momentum and a rear suspension also adds unnecessary weight."
100% correct.
Its a trade off between comfort and speed. Though most people likely use their scooters/rigs on the order of 95% for training and 5% for racing, so I can see comfort being much more important in this trade off. |
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xtremeweather
USA
120 Posts |
Posted - 05/01/2009 : 6:54:12 PM
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| I own the Outlaw hard tail, used the soft tail with my team a few times. It’s hard to say.. They both have there advantages. Gar himself has said the hard tail is the faster of the two carts. He has found that the Outlaw FS dose seem to take a bit of energy away from the dogs compared to the HT. I am sure the weight difference is also a factor. Man that soft tail sure is nice though. You do not feel one bump in the trail. It’s like your floating. |
Chris Bannister
Xtreme Weather Kennels
www.xtremeweather.net |
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RSmith
USA
2402 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2009 : 09:14:02 AM
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The soft tails, or full suspension (any cart, not just Outlaw's) carts will also loose a decent amount of energy on very winding trails (S-Curves,ec). Energy needed to 'cut' into the turns is put DOWN due to suspension rather than into the turn.
Where the softails really excel is in very bumby, rocky, terrain where energy lost from the wheels being airborn (no matter how minor) on a hartail is gained from the wheels staying on ground with a soft tail.
my .02 worth.
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Roy Smith
Adirondack Kennel
Skandinavian Hounds
http://www.adirondackkennel.com |
Edited by - RSmith on 05/02/2009 09:17:23 AM |
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J.Mulvey
USA
72 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2009 : 11:53:42 AM
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| When we took the bikes to the drag strip we`d swap the shocks for a rigid strut(solid metal bar). Do the same with a softail rig & you`ve got your rigid for racing. Switch back to the shock for training comfort. |
Jerry Mulvey |
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rpf
USA
23 Posts |
Posted - 05/02/2009 : 2:43:39 PM
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you can stiffen up all three suspensions on the Outlaw FS for a race so that it acts like a hardtail. it depends of course on the weight of the driver 
I think there is an adventage not just on rocky or bumpy trails but also to dive in and out of curves and have all the time all "feet" on the ground. |
snowrunner.blogspot.com |
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Dougskijors
Canada
329 Posts |
Posted - 10/31/2009 : 07:54:49 AM
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Thread is a bit old but:
I have been using a Toucan 20"/20" for the past 4 years. It is a simple, cheap little machine,
It is short and too lightly built for me (6"1, 180lb). I twisted the frame, and the components are low end. The clearance is barely adequate for a bumpy trail.
As noted in the thread, it could be good for a smaller, lighter person.
All that said, I have put many hundreds of km on it, in all conditions, with one or two dogs and it still works.
For next year, I am looking to move up to something with disc brakes and a taller sturdier frame. |
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diamonddiscdogs
Canada
17 Posts |
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sallydawson
USA
561 Posts |
Posted - 11/11/2009 : 8:36:11 PM
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For a 3-wheeled trike/bike, you might want to try a RECUMBENT rig - mine has the double wheels in back and single in front; if I were to do it again, I almost think I would get the kind with the double wheels in front. Nice ride, and good low center of gravity/tug point.
Sally |
Sally J. Dawson and the Mushing'dales
KA8UVQ; "RED HAT" Musher
Live each day as if it is your last |
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Topic |
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Scootering
