…never, ever again. And I mean NEVER again.

I'm a broken man. 😯

ha ha points and laughs at the mincer
did you use gears as well ?

😉

Blimey, I find it fairly physical on the 100mm HT after a while!

ha ha points and laughs at the mincer
did you use gears as well ?

Maybe… 😳

I was out on a rigid 69er today in the new forest – lost a couple of fillings, I'm sure. Nowt worse than baked hoof-churned clay 👿

Maybe…

😆

I saw a bloke last week riding a circa 1990 raleigh. Full rigid. He didn't look over the moon!

What bike? I'm planning a rigid 29er build & hoping it'll be bearable on most things, or perhaps I'm being delusional.

I would not have said it was that bad. Back in about 2003 I only had a fully rigid geared steel inbred and I rode the 3 original routes at Afan in 1 day there. I was quite knackered, but certainly not beaten.

I've also only ever ridden at CwmCarn when rigid. Once the day before the above and then last March just after the snow on my geared Tinbred with RC31. It would possibly be easier on a hardtail or full sus, but by no means is it a killer, you just have to ride it differently.

Know what you mean about baked hoof prints took my cx bike around the local bridleways, makes it very interesting.

And I egged you on. Oops, sorry.

Back in about 2003

Yeah, it's seen a fair bit of wear since then.

Good on you for giving it a go. Hard innit?

its seen a fair bit of wear since then

I was having this conversation round the camp fire last night. Rigid forks or not its a lot rougher than it used to be. The ground has worn away exposing the rocks more.

I rode at Afan this weekend on a hardtail with 130mm of travel, and I feel pretty beaten up. I guess it is possible to ride rigid without breaking sweat if you're an mtb god, but from my experience today most of it is easier to ride the faster you go, and there is a limit to how fast most riders – even really good ones – can go on a rigid bike over rocks like that.

I've ridden Afan, Whites Level quite a few times on a rigid singlespeed. The decent gives your arms quite a battering but by no means impossible.

I guess it all comes down to what you enjoy. Whilst I'm sure it's possible to ride, I'd be surprised if it was as much fun as it would be with the same bike and even 80mm of travel for instance.