Vertical vs Horizontal rear shock?

Paolog300
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Paolog300
Edited Date/Time 1/28/2023 5:27pm

I have been riding hardtail for years because I couldn't afford full suspensionWoohoo. I am now looking to get a full suspension. I have been looking at the Giant Stance 2 and then the dealership showed me a Specialized Stumpjumper alloy on sale for only a little more with 10mm more travel. I am having a hard time figuring which is best because I seem to like the vertical suspension concept. Does the horizontal suspension tend to behave more like a hardtail? I'm trying to avoid that. 

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boozed
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boozed 1/28/2023 6:38pm
1/28/2023 6:38pm

With appropriate linkages, a given bike could be designed to feel pretty close to the same regardless of the orientation of the shock, although I get the impression (based on no experience at all) that a suspension designer given free rein tends to go for a horizontal shock, so I assume that's the simplest way to do it.  Then there are other considerations such as packaging and aesthetics.

Meanwhile, the Stumpjumper is unambiguously a better bike than the Stance.

2
noideamtber 1/29/2023 9:29am
1/29/2023 9:29am

Many argue the Old firebird was better than the new one and changing shock Orientation was one of the things they changed for what pivot said was "watter bottle addition" 
"generally" Horizontal Shock designs have higher progression(if accompanied by a linkage and not pure single pivot like Orange)

4
Paolog300
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Paolog300 1/31/2023 7:09pm
1/31/2023 7:09pm
boozed wrote:
With appropriate linkages, a given bike could be designed to feel pretty close to the same regardless of the orientation of the shock, although I get...

With appropriate linkages, a given bike could be designed to feel pretty close to the same regardless of the orientation of the shock, although I get the impression (based on no experience at all) that a suspension designer given free rein tends to go for a horizontal shock, so I assume that's the simplest way to do it.  Then there are other considerations such as packaging and aesthetics.

Meanwhile, the Stumpjumper is unambiguously a better bike than the Stance.

Thank you for your help! Its hard to decide.

 

Paolog300
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Clarks Summit, PA US
Paolog300 1/31/2023 7:10pm
1/31/2023 7:10pm
boozed wrote:
With appropriate linkages, a given bike could be designed to feel pretty close to the same regardless of the orientation of the shock, although I get...

With appropriate linkages, a given bike could be designed to feel pretty close to the same regardless of the orientation of the shock, although I get the impression (based on no experience at all) that a suspension designer given free rein tends to go for a horizontal shock, so I assume that's the simplest way to do it.  Then there are other considerations such as packaging and aesthetics.

Meanwhile, the Stumpjumper is unambiguously a better bike than the Stance.

Thank you for the information!

 

1

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