SR Suntour Swing Shock – one for the 29er crowd?
Well, when I say crowd, obviously it’s only really Dave isn’t it until and unless our race whippets decide that 29ers are the way to go racing. I’m not necessarily convinced either way but that’s a separate discussion. This post is all about the news that Suntour have developed a short travel suspension fork for the commuter/road/fixie market.
My initial thoughts on seeing this were shaded very much by memories of the old Girvin flexstem, a terrifying combination of pivot bolts that worked loose and elastomer ‘damping’. Rudimentary.
The Swing Shock that Suntour are touting has moved the general idea from the handlebars to the top of the fork crown. There’s only one real pivot which the steerer tube cantilevers around, damped again by an elastomer with compression handled by a coil spring. It’s designed to provide around 30mm of travel and weighs just 1300g which is pretty light.
The target market is the commuter/fixie crowd wanting to take some of the urban buzz out of their hands but since it’s a 700c fork (or 29er to us MTBers) and it come with post mount fixings for disc brakes I can’t help but think it might have an application for 29er riders.
It kind of feels like going backward to step forwards technology-wise, although it could prove a relatively low-maintenance enhancement to 29er riding. Or, it could prove to be an unreliable, franky scary way to go about tackling Deliverance.
Perhaps Dave will be able to find out for us!!
About the author
Matt is one of the founding Molefathers of the Muddymoles, and is the designer and main administrator of the website.
Having ridden a 2007 Orange Five for many years then a 2016 YT Industries Jeffsy 29er, he now rocks a Bird Aether 9 and a Pace RC-627.
An early On-One Inbred still lurks in the back of the stable as a reminder of how things have moved on. You can even find him on road bikes - currently a 2019 Cannondale Topstone 105 SE, a much-used 2011 Specialized Secteur and very niche belt drive Trek District 1.
If you've ever wondered how we got into mountain biking and how the MuddyMoles started, well wonder no more.
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Dave says:
..or perhaps I won’t!
Funny you should pst this as I was only looking at it yesterday but I suspect we got to the same website from the same link anyway.
It’s not clear how the spring/damper arrangement actually works so I’ll reserve judgement and it is very light. However, having just got back from a ride on the SS I’m not sure I see the need really. Either give me rigid or 80/100mm of travel, I don’t need a half measure.
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Posted on October 7, 2010 at 1:14 pm
tony says:
It reminds me of a AMP suspension fork
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/gallery2.php?g2_itemId=39240
that were very trick back in the day! Pivots on the AMP wouldn’t have lasted 1 lap at D2D though.
The AMP designer -Horst – obviously knew a thing or two about rear sus if not forks since bikes bearing his patented chainstay pivot position – Specialized etc… -have probably been the most common FS design for the last 10yrs.
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Posted on October 7, 2010 at 1:15 pm
Adam_ski says:
Did you feel the weight of it? when I picked it up I was rather surprised.
HEAVY…
For 30 mm of travel without any damping £180 seems to be quite a lot…
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Posted on October 8, 2010 at 3:09 pm
pij says:
Back in the day I had a Quasar Links Evo linkage fork. It rode worse than the rigid blades it replaced, and the thing wore out in about three rides. Damping was taken care of by tightening up all of the pivots; but to get it to react to bumps in the first place you had to really, really grease these same pivots. Never was going to work was it? They look trick, but are best left on the drawing board.
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Posted on October 8, 2010 at 5:26 pm
Dave says:
@Adam,
The one on the stand was steel steerer and maybe lowers. The 1.4kg one is much more alloy and magnesium according to the Dutch guy on the stand (see STW video)
Not for 29er anyway 😉
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Posted on October 12, 2010 at 10:16 pm
Michael says:
How wide of a tire will fit in it? Would like something to take the little sharp hits off my commute, but don’t want to get rid of my 40c wide tire or what would be the point?
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Posted on November 11, 2013 at 10:52 pm
Matt says:
Good question Michael!
Suntour don’t actually say what the clearance is but I would think you might be lucky as they are designed primarily for city/commuting. Best to query with Suntour I think.
I still think these are a great idea for their intended use.
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Posted on November 11, 2013 at 11:01 pm
Rickey Bobby says:
I purchase one of these swing forks for a 29er I am building. WARNING!!!! This is not a Mtn bike fork so don’t expect to have ample pedal clearance. The fork appears designed more towards road bike applications. Another problem is the accessory mounts on the drop outs. For the average DYI, fender (mud guards for you brits) mounts will be a major headache, making these fenders almost useless for day to day commuting. Last is the weight, for crying out loud why couldn’t Suntour make this lighter?
I have not ridden this configuration yet and I hope that this is worst of it. However, the lack of caster and rake have already diminished my hopes for having a good solid ride.
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Posted on August 19, 2016 at 7:21 pm