The rear suspensions are also as important as the front ones. However, the severity of it usually goes ignored. Yesterday, we covered the front suspension setup in our two-wheelers, highlighting the differences between telescopic and USD forks. Today, we will cover how Spring-Loaded Hydraulic Suspension and Nitrox Suspension works; which one is better and why?
As the name suggests, spring-loaded hydraulic suspension works on the principle of hydraulics, wherein oil inside the container allows large forces to be tackled with relatively little effort. A general construction of hydraulic suspension includes – a piston road immersed inside the tube contained with oil. And the springs we see outside are responsible for retaining their original position after being compressed or expanded. Note-there are other components inside the setup that facilitate the action of the piston and springs. There are two main types of springs – linear springs and progressive springs. In linear springs, the distance between each winding is equal from the bottom to the top. Whereas in the progressive springs, the distance between windings is not equal. The bottom has more compact windings than the top, and vice versa. So, the sections with more compact windings are stiff, and the sections with distanced windings are soft. You will find this suspension setup on entry-level bikes such as Hero Splendor and Passion Pro.
The Nitrox Suspension is the more sophisticated rear suspension setup in which a cylindrical canister is attached. The canister contains the pressurized gas – Nitrogen, that’s why it’s commonly known as Nitrox Suspension. The external tube or canister acts as a reservoir for hydraulic oil as well as nitrogen gas.You will find this suspension setup on cruisers and expensive bikes like – RE Interceptor 650 and RE Continental GT650.
The typical spring-loaded hydraulic suspension tends to suffer from cavitation issues due to the continuous up-and-down movement of the piston inside the oil-filled tube. In layman’s terms, the air bubbles formation occurs due to which the operational effectiveness of the suspension decreases. The excessive movements result in loosening out the bond between gas molecules and the oil molecules. And due to this loosening of bonds, bubbles are formed, resulting in cavitation.
The Nitrox Suspension comes as the solution to tackle the formation of bubbles in the oil. Nitrogen is an inert gas and keeps the damping oil pressurized so that the bonding between gas molecules and the oil remains intact. All in all, Nitrox Suspensions are advanced setup that will provide a comfortable ride experience due to the damping effect being consistent.
