do shock absorbers slow down a bicycle?

Question

i mean do they add to resistance when pedaling? i dont see them on pro bicycles

Answer 1

I don't agree too much on the other posts. Well, on smooth ground/trails or roads, I do agree, suspension tends to eat some of the pedaling power. But for rougher trails, suspension (fork and shock) can let you go a lot faster than if you were riding a rigid.

It just depend on which kind of trails/roads you're going to ride.

For road bikes, suspension doesn't make sense, but for mountain bikes, yes, it does.

Answer 2

shock absorbers definitely slow down a bike. However they don't really add resistance, which implies that they make it harder to pedal. Basically what happens is, on a normal bike, most of the energy you give the bike by pedalling it, goes towards driving the bike forwards, save for a bit given off as heat and sound energy. However, on a bike with shocks, a lot of the energy you put in is absorbed by the shocks, (notice bouncing motion of bike) and therefore wasted in the sense that it isn't used to drive the bike forwards. so you need to put in much more energy to go the same speed.

Answer 3

As noted in other answers, they absorb some pedaling HP,

Weight is also a factor. Every extra ounce has to be accelerated by YOU.

Answer 4

Yes they do...some of the torque from each pedaling motion is absorbed. However, they do help prevent @$$ bruising.

Answer 5

The very long list of bikes that has already been listed seems to get to the point. However, it is only a starting point. Road bikes for instance. Gears, single speed, fixed gear, cyclocross, audax, sportive, touring, frame materials, brake types etc, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc.

Answer 6

no