“A coil spring, also known as a helical spring, is a mechanical device, which is typically used to store energy due to resilience and subsequently release it, to absorb shock, or to maintain a force between contacting surfaces. They are made of an elastic material formed into the shape of a helixwhich returns to its natural length when unloaded.
In most shock absorbers, energy is converted to heat inside the viscous fluid. In hydraulic cylinders, the hydraulic fluid heats up, while in air cylinders, the hot air is usually exhausted to the atmosphere.” (Thanks Wikipedia!)
I was looking up some information on different shock springs the other day. Most of us ride with “shocks” on our bikes these days. For some reason the technical side of our sport struck a chord with me, in that it mirrored what is happening here in Fruita right now! It’s SPRING! The weather is amazing, the sun is warm, the trails are dry. When riding my body is litteraly “exhausting heat into the atmosphere.” My “fluids are heating up” and my Winter “viscous fluid” becomes thinner, less thick and sludgy. In Spring my “energy is converted” into forward motion. I’m free to explore my world again, blissfully unaware of all the technology working beneath me.
Enough of all this “storing energy.” It’s time to “rebound”, It’s SPRING! Time to ride our bikes!