[praharin]

Thinking about picking up a SS MTB soon and amid searching for options I've seen a lot of both around the 'net. Will be used primarily on rolling, moderate single track. Just wondering what everyone else's decisions were based on. Thanks

 

[RajunCajun44]

HT... Unless you are using your bike for gravel grinding... I didn't realize how much I use that suspension on downhills until I tried a full rigid on some desert singletrack...

I hated the full rigid... But I do own a full rigid gravel grinder... for gravel road riding..

 

[febikes]

Thinking about picking up a SS MTB soon and amid searching for options I've seen a lot of both around the 'net. Will be used primarily on rolling, moderate single track. Just wondering what everyone else's decisions were based on. Thanks

The rigid single speed my main bike. It is the bike that I take to races and for epic rides. Rigid feels more direct and 90+ of the time I prefer it for my style of riding. I ride and race this bike a lot. If I am planning a ride I tend to pick trails that work well for the bike and simply enjoy style of riding.

My front suspension bike is setup with a dropper post. It's also single speed but having the squish fork and dropper post means that I am in good position if I ride with friends who like "beat you up" type trails. I have ridden this bike only a few times this year. It's nice to have it as an option but if I were ever to downsize to just one bike I would keep the rigid bike and sell the suspension/drooper bike.

 

[Andrea138]

Both of these dudes are right. You gotta ride both and pick the one that makes you happy.

 

[randyharris]

For what you quickly described, I'd definitely go rigid. give it a try, you can always add a suspension fork if you want.

I've spend a lot of time both rigid and hard tail SS. Our Arizona terrain can be really brutal on rigid, I've got a Chupacabra 29x3.0" up front now, it helps take the edge off in a way a carbon bar could never dream of.

Why? Because riding rigid is such a great experience. You feel the trail in a way you don't with HT or FS.

 

[praharin]

Well, yeah, but I have but one tiny LBS and they don't have a huge selection. Very nice stuff, but not a lot of it.

Thank you, and everyone else for the input. Keep 'em coming

 

[Nubster]

Full rigid here. For the reasons stated. Simple. Connected. Lighter. Lower maintenance. All the reasons SS is so great.

 

[Thor29]

Why? Because riding rigid is such a great experience. You feel the trail in a way you don't with HT or FS.

That's true if by "great experience" you mean getting your eyeballs rattled out of your head and feeling like someone beat you up with a bag of rocks. If you really want to "feel" the trail, ride a cyclocross bike - the skinnier tires have a lot more "feel" than a mountain bike tire.

I'm kidding, sort of. But for me the advantages of a rigid fork are outweighed by a huge margin by the disadvantages. Especially if you like to go fast downhill, which I do. But in the end it's just another personal preference thing.

 

[santabooze]

Course dependant a rigid can have faster lap times than with a front squish or full squish. But then again either one of latter can have faster times as well. All course dependant. I run a 2.35 on a carbon rim with a carbon fork with carbon bars on a ti frame. So mine is pretty compliant as rigid setups go.... With saying that I rode OP solo last year on this setup and I was feeling the chatter by morning.
Just my 2cents.

 

[DefenderOfRock]

Full Rigid. Id give the same old worn out excuses about a rigid fork being more "pure" and "connected" and "zen" and in line with the "ethos" of singlespeedery, but the truth is Im just too damn broke to afford a nice sus fork.

However, that being said taking the POS Suntour pogostick off of my Marlin SS and putting on a Krampus fork was the best "upgrade" ever. Dropped like four pounds and really changed the character ofthe bike in a good way.

 

[*OneSpeed*]

i built up my first SS 29er last year and opted for rigid. i love it. i love the immediacy of stepping of the pedals and surging ahead without any squish to absorb your effort. the only place it's a little slower is a bumpy downhill. sus fork is superior there.

I have a new Rockshox Reba fork that's not being used that i could put on at any time, but i never have. it just sits in a box.

it's a lot cheaper to try a rigid fork first ($70-90) and see if you like it. even less if you find one used. as opposed to a decent suspension fork will start around $400 and go up quickly.

 

[big_slacker]

I agree with trying it. Rigid forks are supa cheap so try that first, with a decent volume front tire.

 

[skywarp]

I chose my rigid singlespeed based on the nature of our local Wisconsin terrain. It also helps if you're relatively new to mountain biking as it forces you to pay more attention to your line, thus making you a better rider in the long run.

 

[SlowPokePete]

Good amount of tech here, and agree with all about simplicity, connection to trail, etc.

But the required "stand to climb" way of riding a ss is intolerable to me with suspension.

Rigid fork FTW!

SPP

 

[coke]

Go rigid and even if you don't like it at first, stay with it for a few weeks. It takes a while to adapt. Also make sure you run a high volume tire and somewhat wide bars.

 

[Nubster]

Good amount of tech here, and agree with all about simplicity, connection to trail, etc.

But the required "stand to climb" way of riding a ss is intolerable to me with suspension.

Rigid fork FTW!

SPP

That's a great reason too. I'd find myself locking out all the time when I had front squish and when I forgot or a climb popped up on me and I didn't have time, climbing was miserable.

 

[Singletrackd]

well it sounds like you want a rigid bike, they perform best on smooth single track, but once you throw alot of rockz in the trail your wrist may want some more suspension, or you will just go alot slower on down hills

I ride a Hard tail with a remote lockout and I love that damn switch. I flip the switch on ever climb and even when I get on the butter smooth single track.....and to be honest it feels pretty damn rigid in lockout mode
but I also ride all mountain and I like to ride it fast as possible

But i guess were comparing a 900$ fork to a 100$ fork

 

[OddTrickStar]

I'll throw another 'go rigid' in. Rocky downhills would be a good place to use suspension.

I ride singletrack and sandy forest on a rigid SS fatbike. Fat is needed because of the sand. The tire volume gives plenty of cushion for my hands and wrists. The ESI chunky grips made it even nicer.

I rode a friends rigid 29r set up tubeless and it was pretty nice and connected without being too harsh.

 

[Gambit21]

The only guys who say rigid doesn't make you a better rider are those who went right to full suspension or HT and for ego reasons wouldn't dream of considering that they have less skills then they would have had if they'd started rigid. So don't listen to those guys.

When riding rigid, it's a different style, you have to use body-English. You can't just plow over a root, you have to unweight the front end - use your legs, etc. You have to be a bit more present and conscious of the trail.

 

[OddTrickStar]

The only guys who say rigid doesn't make you a better rider are those who went right to full suspension or HT and for ego reasons wouldn't dream of considering that they have less skills then they would have had if they'd started rigid. So don't listen to those guys.

When riding rigid, it's a different style, you have to use body-English. You can't just plow over a root, you have to unweight the front end - use your legs, etc. You have to be a bit more present and conscious of the trail.

You said it well. Won't be popular with some but you are correct.