As above

To give his manifesto some semblance of validity – and swing the vote?

I’ve come on the bike section to escape euro talk is nowhere sacred!!

Apologies mixed up my posts!!!!!!!!!!

Eh?
Loved my fully rigid back in the 90s. Was my only bike!
But now? Why?

I ride my rigid 95% of the time. The other 5% I use a fat bike.

My 160mm forked 456 has been partially dismantled for 2 years now.

Only way to go, throw in single speed as well

No regrets ..

It’s not my only mtb, but it comes out of the shed a heck of a lot more often than the geared, bouncy behemoth with all its levers, handles, mechanisms & things.

nice save, gc, seems to be working! 😉

I tried going back to full rigid back in 1996. Never again.

Back when I started riding MTBs they were mostly rigid by default and it wasn’t really a problem TBH…

I have had a fully rigid SS bike in recent years, but not as my only MTB, and it has since been disassembled…

Weirdly in my head I had sort of put rigid and singlespeed together almost by default, But I am currently assembling a geared, rigid MTB (will probably end up with with panniers and maybe guards) mostly from my spares bin, as a sort of utility/commuter/touring MTB. Really just to see if it gets much use…

Why not go rigid though, if it suits your expected riding and the simplicity appeals? There’s plenty of kit about still and most importantly (IMO) a nice wide tubeless front tyre makes a rigid bike much more comfortable offroad than some would have you believe…

I’ve been MTBing for 25 years and 4 days. Three rides with a suspension fork, all the rest on rigid.

Depends on your wrists.

If you are of an age it might cause you some problems. I enjoyed mine when it was muddy for a short blast but long rides on dry rutted mud caused my wrists real problems.

Do some strength training?

As long as the wheels are fat or chubby

Just counted – I have 5 bikes and all rigid. I have been riding rigid for so long I don’t really think about it – it just seems normal. My last full sus bike was a Rocky Mountain pipeline. Anyone who owned one or any other URT bike for that matter will understand why I went of suspension!

Depends on the riding you do.

Bpw, dh style trail centers then no to ridgid.

Natural and style trail centres like glentress then no problem being ridgid

More views here http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/probably-been-done-before-but-who-rides-a-fully-rigid-mtb-what-you-think-show

I only ever have one bike at a time. For the last 15 years they have all been fully rigid and single speed or fixed (track bikes, cross bikes, MTBs).

For the last 18 months (and around half of the 15 years) my bikes have been a rigid single speed MTB.

I haven’t regretted it yet so guessing I never will. I don’t live or ride anywhere with particularly challenging terrain (rocky/rooty or mountainous) and a rigid SS is all that is required.

Yes and no.

Bought my fat front Jones 7 years ago. No regrets. It’s my only bike.

If I buy another bike, it will be either 29+ or fat, but it will still be rigid.

I passed through BPW on Wednesday, first time I’ve been there. Rode Terry’s Belly with the bikepacking gear on the bike – very enjoyable track, but easily do-able on rigid forks (I have cheap 100mm RS on my bike at the moment). As others have said, getting the biggest front tyre in you can makes a huge difference.

I often ride a rigid single speed .Very low maintenance costs .I do have a hardtail as well but would never buy a full suss as I can`t afford the running cost

Spent a lot of time on rigid singlespeeds and more recently geared rigid 29+/29ers.

Nice to have a low(er) maintenance bike but it’s also nice to have a bike more suited for the alps/bpw too,

No regrets.
Last rode my full suss Enduro in Dec 2010. Admittedly had been losing interest as the road had become my focus again. In mid 2011 spotted a Genesis IO for sale and bought it. SS, and fully rigid. Only went back to front suss and gears for a camping trip this May. Still prefer the IO. Having said that I would sell it and the Enduro to fund another trike.

My wrists back and elbows protest a day on the rigid far more than a day on the hardtail the rigid is not even in a ride-able condition at the moment because of the pain it inflicts but thats just a personal thing if it was not for the Arthritis i would ride it from preference,

I wonder how much biking has contributed to the condition.

The URL never lies.

I have a really nice rigid 29er. It’s a great bike but if it was my only mtb I’d stick forks on it. The lack of control on steep rough trails limits the enjoyment of some rides Ime. I guess it depends where you do most of your riding though. Give it a shot, easy to fit forks if needed.

I’ve had quite a few and currently have a Rooster and a Pugsley so definitely tyre assisted. I also have a Soul set up rigid and it’s terrible. Admittedly the riding I like to do now doesn’t lend itself to rigid and I’m mostly full sus but there was a time when it was the other way around and I never regretted it.

I’ve mostly been riding a Singular Hummingbird for the last five years, in rigid singlespeed guise. I’d be pretty happy to have it as my only bike and maybe it soon will be.

I don’t have suspension on any of my bikes front or rear.

I only have fully rigid.. no regrets at all

Back in the day bikes were rigid. They were fine on most of the trails round here.

But they were hideous on some rides. I can remember being the pain being so bad on one descent I had to stop. I think it depends on where you live and if you have access to other bikes

I recently built up a light 650b full rigid with tubeless semi slicks (Thunder Burts) and I’ve been surprised/impressed with how capable it is on techy stuff, sure you have to pick your line but it doesn’t feel out of its depth. And then it absolutely flies on anything of a tamer nature, so it’s great for eating the miles up. I’ve just had to learn to loosen my riding posture so that you’re using your arms and legs as the suspension, that way I haven’t had any problems with wrist discomfort etc. So no, no regrets at all.

Modern rigid specific bikes have a higher front to minimise impact on hands – eg Jones, Stooge. Still rigid but copes better than rigid versions of older xc bikes.

I have a couple – a niner air 9 carbon and a Salsa tiFargo. I like both, but although I’ve ridden (and still own fullsus and hard tails) I’ve ridden cx since the mid 90s so am used to riding off-road without suspension. I’ll be out on the niner tomorrow for 50-60 miles out in the Surrey Hills.

I went from a 26″ Cotic Soul with 120mm fork to a rigid 29er – and eventually found the compromises too great as my only MTB.

Over winter, the rigid 29er was just fine – but as spring took hold, the trails dried and I wanted to push the bike harder than the format would allow. I swapped to another Cotic Soul, but in 275 form with a 130mm fork.

Haven’t done it since the 90s, not daft enough to do it again. I love rigid bikes and I usualyl either have one, or the ability to make one (ie forks for a hardtail) but as an only bike, nooooo.

Every time I go in my garage I think what am I riding today 650b full sus 140. No can’t be arsed cleaning it later, So I take the full rigid single speed 29er almost every time even on big mountain adventures last week I rode Helvellyn and my first thought was I have to carry the full sus to the top or carry the single speed you can have just as much fun just not as quick. imo

I think something like the new charge or Marin pine mountain as only bike would be fine.

As always depends on the riding you’re doing.