4.08.2025 Suntour Mobie 45 "Air" forks get a bit of a "pifft."

 ~o~

  Monday 4th 58F/14.4C [7.45] A rather cloudy day is promised but mostly dry. More rain this evening.

 Up at 7am after a busy night at the bucket. Followed by serial clock watching. There was a crash at 3am. Which needed investigating but I found nothing. A book falling out of one of the countless boxes upstairs? There was a double impact. The initial fall and then tipping over. Perhaps I dreampt it?

 7.55 It is already brightening. Plans for today? I'll start with a walk and go on from there. 

 8.35 40 minutes walk in warm sunshine. I didn't need the jumper. A fire engine went past at speed. Blue flashing lights and sirens going. I could hear more sirens behind me but they must have taken another route. They didn't pass me. The traffic was about back to normal.

 10.40-12.20 35km ride to the north. A westerly wind with sunny periods. I went exploring the new HS railway line again. Little sign of progress where the roads have been re-opened. Huge quantities of subsoil have to be moved to level out the track bed. Not all of this is happening close to the roads of course. Denmark's undulating landscape may not vary much in altitude but it is anything but flat.

 The image above shows the shuttering for concrete. Where a new bridge will allow the railway to pass over this very minor road. As does the motorway bridge above me. Which gives some idea of the sheer scale of providing a near level track. I did some grocery shopping in the last village. 

I forgot to mention that I finally looked at the Suntour Mobie 45 'Air' front forks on my Moustache Friday FS 27 "Speed" e-bike. The indicator band on the stanchion has been sitting at about 40mm maximum travel from new. It is claimed to have 100mm travel but never showed it. 

 It feels as if there is no front suspension while riding. Nor when I apply the front brake at a standstill. Or leap up and down on the pedals while underway. As you do. And NO it isn't locked out on the provided lever. 

 So I unscrewed the chromed cap on the top left stanchion to see what was in there. A small air valve hidden in a security cylinder. Obviously intended to keep idiots away from the important little bits. Being exactly that sort of idiot I touched the valve tip. Or rather tapped its protruding pin with my nail. There was a short "pifft" and the handlebars  dropped slightly but noticeably. As if he forks had been sitting on excess air pressure all of this time. 

 The front fork now had some suspension. I could get it to sink by applying the front brake. Bouncing on the pedals provided a satisfying overall spring. In combination with the rear suspension. Which has always bounced nicely. I had once seen a YT review video. With the rider demonstrating a matching bounce to both front and rear. I badly wanted some of that and now I have it. 

 I can report that today's ride was much more comfortable over raised and sunken drains. Asphalt road patches were no longer jarring. I can now maintain a straight line over bumps. Instead of avoiding them. No longer risking my life and aging limbs to following vehicles. 

 One presumes that the fork can easily be re-inflated given a suitable adapter. Simple Schrader valve extension. In case one was tempted to drop the pressure even further experimentally. The valve looks like a Shrader but is sunk into the circular depression. A quick check shows that I now have 58mm of travel indicated by the slip ring. That's a useful increase over 40mm. Could I have more by dropping the pressure further?

 It should said that these suspension forks may look like an MTB's. However they have a yellow, severe warning label against serious off-road use. No jumping or severe drops are allowed. Only casual use on gravel tracks and cycle paths. That sort of thing. They don't mention potholes and drains on normal roads!

 Dinner was poached eggs on toast. 

   

 ~o~