I’ve a crocked lower back (lack of vertebrae cartilage, lumbar disc probs and knackered facets) which means it’s pretty sore all the time, stiff and immobile. Am disciplined with daily stretching which is essential just to get my socks on! Am under treatment and physio so it’s as good as can be.

I tend to ride a fully rigid 29er, which in fairness, I find pretty comfortable and an excellent fit. Riding is Kent singletrack. After a ride, my back can feel stiffer and more sore, but I suspect from being in a fixed-ish position.

Has anyone moved to a full sus and found their back feels happier? Just wondering if soaking up a few bumps and vibrations may help. Any thoughts welcome, and thanks

Had lower back problems since I was a child, although I vowed never to I got myself a fs. It certainly helps but you will still jar your back on some of the bigger hits.

Pretty much the same – know all about failing the sock test! Yes an FS helps take out some of the jarring but it’s still about good bike fit.

It sounds like you are pro-active in the treatment for your problems, so my usual advice of “Get a Proper Bike Fit” has already probably been taken!

I would say that if you can afford it, it won’t hurt to try a FS I have an identical fit on a Full suspension and a hardtail (scalpel 29er and Flash 29er, both XC race bikes), and I choose the full suspension for the longer races and more technically demanding trails. I find I’m less beaten up after riding the Scalpel, but I still need to stretch, and warm down properly afterwards to avoid the ‘run over by a lorry’ feeling.

I have had lots of back problems growing up, so always think of my back and core when making bike choices.

I’d personally give mountain biking a sabbatical for a while.

Bike fit important and a good suspension action, you don’t want to put more effort into turning the pedals, and therefore more strain on yor back muscles.

My flux is super plush and the suspension action is efficient, so riding my hardtail is redundant, but my old steel hardtail with USE XCR post was also pretty good and would have been even better with bigger tyres.

It is surprising how good those XCR posts are, as long as your seattube isn’t too slack and you clamp your saddle in the middle of the rails.

After slipping a disc a couple of years ago I couldn’t ride my BFe for more than an hour without my back flaring up pretty badly. Mrs Daz took pity on me and allowed the purchase of an Ibis Mojo and I was soon back to 4 hour rides without feeling too bad. Of course bike fit matters, which is obvious anyway even without back problems (why would anyone buy a bike that doesn’t fit??), but the rear suspension made a huge difference to as it eliminated a lot of the sudden involuntary movements you get on a hardtail which would set my back off.

I had a lower back discectomy a few years back and a FS has made all the difference for me. I couldn’t deal with a hard tail at all my back used to really ache afterwards.

I had a lower back discectomy a few years back and a FS has made all the difference for me. I couldn’t deal with a hard tail at all my back used to really ache

Same experience here

Third comment to support above. I’ve had a disectomy, FS off road is great or HT on road. I still have to keep up the Pilates

I had a lower back discectomy a few years back and
Feel like 100 years older now
Still riding a hard tale
But costing up a cotic soul build
(that seems to want to cost 2000 more than it should)

Looks like theres a few crocked riders here

After an nites sleep it takes me an hour to get used to standing upright is that just me ?

I’ve got a crocked back thanks to damaging a disc in my lumbar spine 25 years ago. I have a dodgy facet joint and spondylolisthesis too. I find road biking much more of a strain on my back and I have to stretch frequently. A couple of years back, I found mountain biking very hard on my back too. Since then I’ve found a physio who treats my back every few months and it’s much less painful when I’m MTB-ing and slightly less painful on my road bike than it used to be.
I ride a hardtail.

Another here, couple of slipped discs and knackered facet joints. Don’t think I could go back to a hardtail, just moved from an XL 5 spot to an XL Sultan and for me the fit of the 29er is the biggest difference.

thanks all, and comforting to know it’s not just me struggling with socks (and not in a mean way). I think my bike fit is really good, but from this, suggests full sus might be worth a go. My physio and Docs are very positive to keep the cycling up

After an nites sleep it takes me an hour to get used to standing upright is that just me ?

recumbent bike ???