Suspension Design and the Horst Link

When it comes to suspension, you want a design that works consistently across all types of terrain. You want a suspension design that provides the maximum benefits of comfort, control and efficiency under all conditions – pedaling, breaking and even coasting. A Most importantly, you want a suspension design that resists bottoming on big hits without compromising small bump performance.

The most important thing to consider is that these suspension needs do not change if you’re going uphill or down. They don’t change if you ride cross country, all-mountain or downhill. They are all constant and they are all addressed by the Horst Link 4-bar suspension design we employ on all of our models. It’s the ultimate suspension system, no matter where or how you ride.

One of the paramount factors in suspension design is whether the suspension and pedal forces are fully independent of one another. A fully independent design will not experience chain-induced suspension movement, nor will suspension movement alter chain tension and create pedal kickback or drop-away.

Balancing these goals is a function of the distance between two critical points: the point where the chain leaves the rear cassette, and where it connects to the front chain ring. By carefully optimizing pivot placements and designing our Horst Link suspension system with a near vertical axle pate, this distance remains virtually constant and all discernable feedback is eliminated.

The horst Link design completely isolates braking forces, completing the “fully independent” definition and ensuring that the design remains fully active even under heavy breaking. The key design element here is placement of the rear brake and the axle. Both are fixed to the seatstay assembly, preventing movement between them and isolating both from the main frame.

Any design that lacks these two attributes will experience some break induced feedback and consequently inconsistent suspension performance. By attaching the brake to the seatstay, which is essentially isolated or floating relative to the main triangle, braking forces and suspension movement can work independently in any combination. The position or action of one force has no effect on the other. Feedback between braking and suspension force is the primary limitation of single-pivot designs, which cannot avoid placing the rear axle and the rear brake on a frame structure that is directly connected to the main frame.

Each Titus frame is designed along side its own specifically tuned rear shock, which is matched to the specific needs of both the bikes intended use and the relatively low leverage ratios which are inherent with the Horst link suspension design. Leverage ratio varies throughout the suspension travel, but is always less than 3:1. Generally low leverage ratios avoid working the shock and improve both performance and durability.

Buy design, the horst Link suspension is progressive over its entire range of motion, regardless of actual travel length. Leverage ratios are higher at the beginning of the stroke to give the rear wheel more leverage against the shock. This makes the shock more supple over small bumps by assisting the linkage in overcoming initial static friction and breakaway force. It also allows the rider to settle into the designated sag point of the travel. At the end of the shock stroke, the leverage ration decreases, giving the rear wheel less leverage against the shock. This controls larger impacts and prevents harsh bottoming.