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An Interesting Take on Suspension vs Rigid

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Wabatuckian

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I came across this and he makes sense.

surlybikes.com

Is Mountain Bike Suspension Pointless?

Editor’s preamble: Today’s blog is a special blog. It’s a guest blog to be exact. Our pal Colin True, host of the Rock Fight Podcast provides us with a controversial hot take from the mountain bike world. Specifically, Colin decided to throw wrenches instead of rocks and attempts to poke holes...
surlybikes.com surlybikes.com
 
#2 ·
A full suspension Rocky Mountain Element and I thought...that I was The ****.

.....But it didn’t take long before the upkeep bills started.

And the mechanical issues.
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I can't relate. Compared with hubs, bb, drivetrains, hydraulic brakes, droppers, forks, the rear suspension is a small increase in maintenance.
 
#6 ·
I went from a full suspension race bike in 2003 to a SS hard tail in 2004. Haven’t looked back since. Spent 12 or 13 years riding rigid. Went to suspension fork after my wrists were giving me grief On our rocky terrain.

loved the responsive feel of rigid. My fat bike is rigid and I’m thinking of going back to rigid on my main ride.
 
#7 ·
I don't get it. I take my mountainbike to specific spots and trails which have bumps, roots, rocks and even jumps. All of which I can do faster and with less effort on full suspension.
The first thing I did when I got my first full suspension bike was huck it off a six foot drop in the middle of our local DH track that I'd never managed on a hardtail. The bike didn't even blink.
I don't service my suspension myself but it's like anything. The dentist is expensive, but I still go.
I still remember my first race at a national DH where they still had a hardtail class. There was one section I couldn't actually ride. My plan for my race run was to hope for the best, but I crashed before it after my front tyre left the rim. Ah Kujo DHs. What a rubbish tyre!
 
#10 ·
I tried racing on rigid, then front suspension, but it beats the hell out of me.

When I go to races with pros, the pros riding hardtails are usually real young guys that can take that kind of beating (with a few exceptions obviously). There are some that defy belief, but it's just a matter of can you hold on while you are constantly battered. Some find that fun and the fastest way, but can't take that kind of punishment. I've also done longer XC races around 100 miles and more and again, you find some people doing it on hardtails, but I find that over that much distance it really makes a difference to have some cush at mile 80, as you start making more mistakes and you need some margin due to the severe exhaustion.

But besides all of that, just every-day riding around. I prefer not to get beat up. I like being able to ride faster when the terrain allows (free energy!) to ride further and with less of a beating.

I kind of split the time in the winter of 21/22, training for the ITI and getting fun-rides where I could, but this winter I rode almost exclusively on my FS fat bike and goddamn, it was so nice. I mean, yeah, you don't need it, but it was so fun to ride it and made me want to ride more.
 
#11 ·
ilmfat said:
We're at about 11.5% completion on that thread. Feel free to go tell the 5% you are the 95.
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I said my piece there in the first couple pages. I own, ride and enjoy full, half and no squish bikes.

I just really don't see why people care what other people ride.
 
#12 ·
ilmfat said:
A Camry is more efficient than a Ferrari. Maybe efficiency isn't the King of metrics.
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When I was in high school my parents let me drive their Camry. I can remember very few times when all that Toyota goodness was a panty dropper. I imagine if my parents had a Ferrari they let me drive back then it would have been the gateway to the Golden Himalayas on more than one occasion, so maybe a Camry sucks compared to a Ferrari?
 
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#13 ·
looks easy from here said:
I said my piece there in the first couple pages. I own, ride and enjoy full, half and no squish bikes.

I just really don't see why people care what other people ride.
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Huh. Musta got lost. You should go comment again.

I didn't care what others rode until I found out I am the 5% (60% of the time).
 
#14 ·
ilmfat said:
Huh. Musta got lost. You should go comment again.

I didn't care what others rode until I found out I am the 5% (60% of the time).
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Nah. The only reason I came here was because I hoped the article actually had something interesting to say, not just the typical "I like rigid, so everyone else rides the wrong bike".

Rigid being interchangeable with hardtail, full suspension, ebike, gravel bike, road bike, fixie, commuter, bso...
 
#16 ·
Wabatuckian said:
I came across this and he makes sense.

surlybikes.com

Is Mountain Bike Suspension Pointless?

Editor’s preamble: Today’s blog is a special blog. It’s a guest blog to be exact. Our pal Colin True, host of the Rock Fight Podcast provides us with a controversial hot take from the mountain bike world. Specifically, Colin decided to throw wrenches instead of rocks and attempts to poke holes...
surlybikes.com surlybikes.com
Click to expand...
That clown used the term 'fully rigid'.

Clickbait nonsense from what is basically a gravel goon.
 
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