I have a significant tear to my medial meniscus. Operation on the 30th. As the meniscus absorbs shock in the knee im looking to hear from anyone who has had this done and still rides a hardtail and who might also be slightly older. Im thinking it would be an idea to stick to full sus bikes from now on. This is a recent discovery following an MRI scan but ive got a Chromag Samurai 65 supposed to be arriving in the new year and to be frank I’m spewing that this might not be a wise purchase now due to my recently discovered condition.

Haven’t a clue what was done to my knee when it was chopped about but I can say that riding my full suss bike was harder on my knee than the road bike. Much measuring etc leads me to believe that it is because I sit further forward and the pedalling action is less of a scoop and more up and down. The actual gears and load seems less relevant although easy twiddling on the susser was less comfortable that bigger gears on the road bike. Got to be position. May not be the same for you but at least check the position. Quite possibly the rigid will be lighter which may help and also you may ride different terrain.

I’ve had a meniscus and ligament injury. Of which my meniscus was removed as it had snapped off and was twisted and getting caught between joints.

Happened in my 30s.I worked on my fitness and building up muscles around knees. through swimming and cycling. I still ride a hardtail and a rigid. With no problems.

I have problems going on long mountain walks especially when going down steep slopes. When I have the oh shit moments is normally when walking off a kerb without paying attention!

No reason not to ride a hardtail. You dont ride with your knees locked out, so why would you need to depend on your meniscus to absorb the load when your quads and hamstrings can the job far better.

Was just thinking of the bumps the rear end takes which will be transmitted up through my legs and of course knees in some form. I know that the quads and hamstrings take a lot of the load but the knee must take something.

Nant, can i ask what age you are? Also what level of rider are you? Red runs, black runs?

Had 30% of right side removed after a tear 15 years ago, worked on strengthening knee and still riding hardtails and cross bike. Oh and definitely on the older end of the spectrum! No reason to cancel the frame spent years battering a Cove stiffee and still walking.

Cheers folks. Feeling a much better about this. And if nant can do it with the whole thing removed on one side then i think i’ll be alright

I’m 33. Ride a mixture of mainly reds with some short black sections now and then. But mainly ride all mountain days. I don’t push it as hard over the jumps as used to for fear of damaging further. I have the fear slightly more but in no way does it hinder me.

As a result my fitness is actually better than it was before as I have worked on building knee muscles up

Sounds like much the same kind of riding i do Nant. Not too worried now at all.

I rode/ran the 3 peaks cyclocross (4hr4min) 4 weeks after having a pan handle tear operated on.
(However my surgeon went apeshit when I told him)

55 second one 5yrs ago only ever ride ht or cx plus run off road
First op 6yrs previous and pretty sure not the riding or running that caused need for 2nd put down to hitting a tree off wet roots
Found the strengthening exercises really speed recover
Good luck

drops to flat may be uncomfortable on a hardtail.

Depends how you ride. On my experience of currently having a meniscus tear id say hardtail could be wrong choice. Though I dont know how it will be if and when it is fixed.

My main issue is that when im on my hardtail or bmx my knee is in protection mode, in a almost locked out I dont want to bend and absorb anything mode, so when I need to be absorbing stuff it aint moving right, causing more shock to it than it should.

Ps I do an awful lot of jumping and pushing things, this results in what I was explaining above. If I was simply sitting down twiddling on smoothish stuff I woupdnt have any issues.

OP I damaged my meniscus quite badly in my knee 2 years ago, have not had surgery but I am going to as it’s not getting better, I ride my HT most of the time, I’m 51. IME riding seated you will be fine, but take it easy in the build up post op. The issues I have experienced are when standing for descents / rooty sections (the vibration !) or pumping the bike / jumps etc. You might try and switch leading legs so that the damaged one is rear most.

So I would say take it easy, build up and focus on rehab and riding seated on xc style rides then build up to the “standing” sections. You don’t need to change your bike, certainly not without seeing how the rehab goes.

Good luck