Beginners and professional cyclists often wonder if a bike suspension is necessary. It is a very useful element that is also a shock absorber. It gives you a safe and comfortable ride. Bicycle suspension systems are top-rated today, especially often found on electric mountain bikes with thick wheels.
A bike suspension can not only give you a better riding experience. It also acts as a shock absorber and allows cyclists to tackle difficult climbs while minimizing bike frame damage. What else is essential to know about this part and do you need suspension on an electric bike? Let’s discuss it in more detail.
What is the suspension on an electric bike for?
Electric bikes can be used to tackle difficult roads easily, but not all of them are the same.
When you ride on smooth roads with good asphalt, you will get the best riding experience. But if you encounter gravel, sand, and hills on the way, your journey will not be as smooth because of the intense vibrations.
In some cases, you can easily endure minor troubles in the form of bumps arising from the lack of an electric bike suspension system. But when it lasts for a long period, it will cause serious discomfort.
Moreover, such seemingly harmless vibrations can throw the cyclist off the handling process, which can result in a fall and serious injury.
Therefore, the electric bike suspension is the most important part that ensures the safety of the cyclist and you should not neglect to buy it.
Find out more here.
The pros and cons of electric bike suspension
Because the fact that the ebike suspension system is the most important part of your bike, no one is in doubt. Consider what other pros and cons this device have.
Advantages
Comfortable and safe riding
Electric bike suspension takes all of the shock load and reduces the stress you feel while riding over a specific terrain. This is why suspension is essential, especially for those who want to go far and tackle challenging biking trails.
For example, some people prefer to use an electric bike when it is necessary to travel off-road. The bottom line is that e-bikes are usually equipped with professional suspension systems.
The electric bike suspension system provides much more traction for e-bikes. Because of this, the wheels have much more contact with the ground. This provides easier control of the bike.
In addition to the suspension bike device, a pair of hydraulic brakes will also give you smoother control. Thanks to them, you will get more powerful braking power. When it comes to operating them, you can push the brake levers with just one push.
Longer operating time
An electric bike’s suspension requires careful maintenance while still being able to maximize the bike’s lifespan. By taking the shock load, your bicycle frame won’t fail as quickly.
Disadvantages
Overpriced
This cost can be a severe problem. This is because the bike suspension is essentially additional equipment, but it is worth your money to ensure maximum safety.
Heavyweight
Compared to traditional bikes, ebikes have a much heavier weight. It is weighed down by various components such as the battery, electrics, thicker tires, and suspension. If heavyweight is a problem for you, then you should keep this in mind.
The need for maintenance
Suspension requires a lot of attention. For example, you have to lubricate it regularly and change the oil. This in turn requires special skills and a high level of professionalism. This task is best performed in a special workshop. If you neglect suspension maintenance, you will automatically reduce the performance of your bike.
What types of bicycle suspensions are available
The modern market offers many variants of suspension devices. Let’s talk about them in more detail.
Full-suspension electric bikes
Full-suspension bikes are equipped with a special shock-absorbing suspension fork in the front and rear suspension on the rear wheel. These e bikes have suspension in both the front and rear. They are a plus in comfort and an increased degree of safety.
Of course, a full-suspension electric bike, called also a dual suspension bike is an ideal choice; nothing can compare. This means that any shock load, both on the rear and front wheel, will not be felt by the cyclist.
Whether you need this protection is up to you to decide. If you do a lot of riding off-road or practice mountain biking, then the electric mountain bike with a full ebike suspension is a vital necessity for you. Of course, you can ride off-road with a hardtail, but the more you are protected, the better your handling is.
For a full-suspension electric bike, you’ll have to pay a hefty sum. There are also more budget models, but when you favor the cheap counterparts, you may suddenly find that some of these suspension ebikes are completely useless. Therefore, you should not buy such options.
Hardtail electric bikes
The advantage of a hardtail ebike is that it offers good protection in the front end, and at the same time, it does not affect its cost and weight of transport as it is equipped with dual suspension.
One of the main reasons affecting the price is the rear suspension, also called rear shock, which is where things get seriously complicated.
The bike’s front suspension is made in the form of a shock-absorbing fork. By comparison, a front suspension fork bike will cost much less than electric bicycles with rear suspension. Hardtail electric bike wins in this sense.
Most modern bicycle models in the bike shop are equipped with front suspension. It is sufficient to meet the needs of most cyclists.
What about a suspension setup?
Compared to full-suspension bikes, hardtails require fewer setups. You need to check if your front fork is set correctly.
In addition, these bikes are not equipped with rear suspension, which you also need to know how to adjust. This means that when you buy a hardtail, you deprive yourself of a lot of hassle.
Ebikes with front suspension will give you a more comfortable and safer ride. This will give you confidence, which means you can have more fun in the riding process.
Bicycles without a suspension ebike device
It is worth noting that not all electric bikes are equipped with suspension. There are models without suspension ebike devices, but this does not mean that they are of poor quality.
The type of electric bike that has no suspension is called a rigid bike. It is equipped with a reliable rigid ebike frame. The rigid electric bike is distinguished by its aesthetics, compactness, and reasonable price. The advantage of such a bike is that you can easily lift it with one hand. This bike is ideal for you if you move on quality roads and you do not need to overcome difficult routes.
What type of suspension should I choose for my electric bike?
It’s important to consider what type of cyclist you are. If you live in the city and always take your bike with you to ride in nature, you probably do not need to have an additional means of protection.
As a rule, city cycling does not involve ebike suspension. Many riders choose suburban electric bikes with front suspension. The road quality of city streets is quite good, so in such cases, you can easily do without suspension electric bikes.
In out-of-town areas, things can be different. Typically, such areas are characterized by hilly sections. The dirt road is specific because of dirt and many rocks. In such a case, an electric bike equipped with a reliable rear suspension will be handy.
If you suffer from joint and back problems, buying a bike with full suspension makes sense. This transport is designed so that you can achieve maximum stiffness. So when you head out on an electric mountain bike on challenging trails, maximum safety and control are assured.
Alternative versions of the suspension system
There are several alternative versions of suspension systems. They offer certain advantages and, at the same time, exclude disadvantages in the form of additional costs and the need for maintenance.
Thick tires
Your electric bike’s fat tires take the full brunt of the bumps and bumps in the road you encounter. Their effectiveness depends directly on the terrain you’re riding on and the type of tires you have.
A full-suspension bike usually shows itself to be more effective when it comes to absorbing loads. For this reason, thick tires work great in off-road and rugged driving conditions. In addition, such tires are great for increased traction.
Suspension Seatpost
You can also purchase seatposts for your bike. These items can do a great job of insulating you from the shock of riding your bike. But they don’t improve traction in any way, unlike a quality suspension. Nevertheless, with suspension pins, the ride will be more comfortable.
What is the speed of bikes with different suspensions
If you compare hardtails to hard bikes, the former will be slower. However, they will travel faster than full-suspension bikes.
The main condition is not to ride on difficult off-road terrain. However, speed also depends on other features such as weight, frame design, and more.
Full-suspension electric bike gives you the ability to ride over obstacles. On hardtails, you’re likely to be forced to take yourself a route that has difficult roads. This will reduce your speed.
In addition, full-suspension bikes have a much better grip on the pavement you are riding on. This is another thing that affects the speed of hardtails.
Bike riders who ride full suspension tend to feel more confident on the road because of the good grip, which in turn gives you the confidence to ride faster.
You can buy a suspension later
It is possible that you only want to ride your bike on level roads. But you may not know what kind of roads you actually have to ride on.
If necessary, you can buy suspension later when you need it. I recommend buying a stiff bike and looking at the situation.
If it turns out that you need suspension in the future, you can buy and install a special suspension fork on your bike.
Final thoughts
Having suspension on your electric bike will bring you benefits, comfort, and increased safety. However, all cyclists are different and the need for a suspension is entirely up to you, your lifestyle, and your wishes. Consider the price, the extra weight, and the expense.
If you ride a full-suspension bike, you must set it up properly. The front and rear suspensions need to function in sync with each other.
When tuning, parameters such as rebound, pressure, and spring rate are considered. The ideal settings are directly related to the weight of the spring and the type of terrain you drive on. From these considerations, optimal settings can vary. If you ride normally one way, you are unlikely to have to change your settings.
With the full-suspension ebike, you will constantly be riding over rough terrain and encountering obstacles so that you can improve your cycling skills. The added protection will allow you to tackle more challenging trails.
Remember that a full-suspension bike may be completely useless to you. You may be a person for whom the price is irrelevant, but you do not need full suspension. At the same time, you may want a full-suspension bike in case you move to another area or want to try a more extreme ride.
Even with city riding, there can be enough rocks and obstacles on the roads to buy at least a bike with a front suspension.
FAQ
Do you have to paddle on an electric bike?
Pedaling on an electric bike increases battery range, makes it more fun to ride, and extends the engine’s life. So think again before you give up pedaling and buy a bike with a throttle.
Do you need anything to ride an electric bike?
In most countries, ebikes are treated exactly the same as traditional bikes, so there is no need to obtain a special license.
As for the rules governing electric bikes in the U.S.A., they are quite complex and peculiar. They differ from state to state and you should familiarize yourself with the laws in your area before buying an electric bike.
Do electric bikes have shock absorbers?
As a rule, basic electric bikes are equipped with a shock-absorbing front fork that connects the bike’s frame to the wheel, which guarantees good safety for the rider.
Can I ride my e-Bike as a normal bike?
Most models of ebikes allow you to ride like a normal bicycle. The pedaling option is very often a lifesaver for cyclists when they run out of battery power.