I’m considering getting a Genesis Fortitude Race but I’m worried i might not be man enough for a fully rigid bike.

This would be my only bike and obviously the Fortitude is rigid specific so if i don’t like it i’m kind of stuck.

My usual riding is south downs, local wooded singletrack, the occasional trip to north downs. I do some enduro events like Brass Monkeys and Brighton Big Dog.

Appreciate any thoughts on rigid riding and / or the fortitude.

Cheers.

I shied away from a rigid only commitment and went for a salsa el mariachi with salsa rigids. Worth a demo on fully rigid or buying something a bit more flexible if you’re not sure I think

Sounds about spot on for you. Rigid works much better with bigger wheels. Run a nice big tyre (I run 2.4 Ralphs at about 26psi) & you’ll be fine. Your riding sounds much like mine, & I much prefer my rigid over this type of terrain.

If you were closer you could try my SIR.9.

people rode rigid for decades, it was fine.
suspension makes different lines/higher speed possible.
not necessarily more fun, in the same way that many folks reckon they have more fun on a HT vs a FS bike.
oxymoron speaks sense, choice is good.

Its not as bad many think… my SS has rigid (oooh sexy carbon) forks.

I ride rigid at the moment on my 29er on pretty similar terrain…Yes people may have ridden rigid for decades (Me included) and yes it might not be that bad but frankly given me front suspension any day (although currently getting over a thumb injury may make me somewhat bias).

I love my rigid but I’d not have it as my only bike, simple as that. Even for my simple local trails. Actually I wouldn’t have it as my second bike either.I’d definitely consider having a hardtail and a rigid fork though, but even then it’d not be a simple decision, I think I’d be more likely to throw money elsewhere.

What about the fortitude is actually rigid-specific? I read somewhere that the geometry’s identical to their sprung bikes, but that might be an inter-web-fact.

^ that was probably my fault – discussion last week. i was put right. 🙂
did i read somewhere that it is possible to fit a 26er sus fork to the fortitude?

Suspension forks are more comfortable and help normal people ride faster over rough ground.

The Fortitude is designed around a shorter (not suspension corrected) rigid fork. It is about the same length as a rigid 26er fork – so you could put a carbon 26er fork on.

A 29er fork will lift up the front end and affect the handling.

If it was me I would get a Swift, Salsa, Highball, Niner or something else that allows rigid or suspension forks.

I find it’s more of a physical workout fully rigid. I also like the fact that it makes me think more about my line choice.
I still enjoy my fs though and wouldn’t give it up!

I built my Niner last year, & ran it all year rigid SS (but for a few weeks on a sus fork). It was hard work over the summer, riding trail centre type stuff. I’m building a FS up again for this summer. I would happily run the 29er as my only bike, but would keep a suss fork in the shed for when needed. I keep a cabled up set of 1×10 to go on the Niner when needed, but havent given in…yet. 🙂

Investing in some descent grips and the right bars will help the transition over. Also maybe look at a higher volume front tyre.

I rode both my rigid SS and FS at CyB over Christmas. Both were great, but I’d be a bit nervous of the black rock gardens on a it. It was brilliant on the reds though. Local riding Epping is perfectly doable on a rigid bike.

I do get spat off at least once a ride, usually it’s one of them ‘if i had susspension forks’ I’d still be riding moments but it’s mostly down to bad line choices.

I rode the XC trail and some of the tamer downhills at Aston Hill rigid.

I’ve got a swift, the local trails are more rooty and slippery than anything else, takes a while to really learn to get the most (or at least as much as from suspension) out of it, and lots of thinking ahead about line choices, and knowing when the wheel’s going to slide, because it will, over every root and bump in the trail as there’s no suspension to keep it in contact with the ground.

Straight line’s are surprisingly easy, drops just hurt your arms more.

I’ve got an old fully rigid Kona and love it. I find its weak brakes are far more limiting than the lack of suspension. I’d easily use it as my only bike for local riding in the Surrey Hills, but would probably always want something with suspension on hand for bigger away trips.

I bought a rigid carbon fork for my Salsa Selma 29er as a meantime thing while my REBAs were away getting serviced. I’ve never bothered putting the REBAs back on.

I live on the Isle of Wight so my riding is probably a similar combination of downland and woodland to yours. I’d thoroughly recommend it – it’s fine for 99.9% of riding situations in that sort of terrain. I’m a complete mincer as well so I wouldn’t worry about having to toughen up too much. Don’t know if it’d be the same with the Fortitude but with the carbon forks being lighter than suspension ones, it’s easier to kind of loft the front wheel over roots and stuff and follow it through. You might be picking your way through things a bit more slowly but you can be having just as much fun.

One thing that made a big difference to the comfort level of it, which was a bit of a shock to the system to begin with, was ESI Chunky foam grips.

Rode a Kona Unit 29er SS with a rigid carbon fork as my first and only MTB. My riding is the same as yours, trail centres (red and the occasional black), singletrack and the odd race. I’ll be upgrading to something a little more carbon, but will stick with rigid and SS for now. Big tyres and Ergon grips really help.

this could be a problem that you will experience.. I keep telling myself that I should put the bouncy fork back on for added speed and comfort down fast rocky descents.. but the idea of putting that big cumbersome lump of machinery on the front of my bike is far from appealing..

Suspension forks are more comfortable and help normal people ride faster over rough ground.

Thats a bit patronising to all us normal riders – Are you not normal then? some sort of super hero?

Unless your name is inspector gadget Id happily race you over some rough ground with my suspension forks.

not sure what you’re arguing about? i’m a ‘normal’ rider ( if that means ‘average’ i’m certainly that ), and you could put me down a lumpy, rooty trail, once with a sus fork and once rigid, i’m pretty sure i’d be ( a bit ) quicker with suspension, so what exactly is wrong with the statement?

anyway, after all the rigid talk i was inspired to take my old rigid mtb down some of our more lumpy, rooty trails, and guess what? i was slower, but still had fun! in fact, maybe more fun than if i’d just ridden the HT, cos i was on my own and had more to think about, other than trying not to hit the two dogs i was ‘walking’. if i’d been riding with other people i would have been trying to chase them, and probably would have come off, cos i’m a bit shit at riding bikes.
i suspect i’ll do it again.
in fact i’m trail building tomorrow, and i’m going to hook up the trailer too, though i will likely moderate the grade of trail accordingly.

Matey has recently given up riding rigid. He used to get double vision on the descents, his hands/forearms were all white with pink blotches because of the vibes, he used to consume wheels like most of us consume brake pads and had a hideous gel saddle but otherwise it was OK.

Has bought some kind of hardtail now and rides around on it with the forks locked out because he doesn’t like the way the suspension ‘moves’.

Each to their own eh