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.
All my bikes are rigid.
In terms of the important ones, an El Mar with an exotic fork and 2.2" tyres, Ti Stooge with 3" and an Enve, Rocky Mountain with an eBay fork and 4.8" tyres. I don't miss suspension, I just ride differently. I also don't miss wheel traps and going over the bars, something that rarely happens with big tyres and a high front end...
If I didn't try to keep up with nutters who chuck themselves down technical descents I'd happily pootle about on a rigid bike all the time
"If I didn't try to keep up with nutters who chuck themselves down technical descents I'd happily pootle about on a rigid bike all the time"
The same for me - you need similar bikes (or extreme fitness/skillzz) to ride with pals. I wouldn't own a fast road bike if I was quicker on my tourer
"If I didn't try to keep up with nutters who chuck themselves down technical descents I'd happily pootle about on a rigid bike all the time"
The same for me - you need similar bikes (or extreme fitness/skillzz) to ride with pals. I wouldn't own a fast road bike if I was quicker on my tourer
I had a Jones Spaceframe bike, and unfortunately couldn't get on with the rigid nature of the bike.
I was however impressed with it, but too much for me at 60 odd years old.
Have recently bought a fat bike (ok its an ebike) , but has 4" tyres and trying out the Lauf Carbonara fork, which I suppose is a halfway house in terms of rigid or no faff suspension.
Seems to work better for me.
Thanks all. I think it will be a project on a 1999 Fisher Paragon frame I have giving me 3 bikes Road mtb and a rigid 26
Ran full rigid singular swift up until this year, put suspension forks on to try and see if it would help my wrist.
So far I keep forgetting to turn the suspension lock out off....
Looking at going 29+ in the future and go back to ridged, might even try singlespeed again..
Cheers, Steve
OP - most of the positive comments are from a 29er perspective, something to bear in mind.
I've had a Stooge as my only bike for nearly a year now. It's bloody brilliant! No regrets at all.
On reflection a couple things have got better since the 1990s
1. We have discovered lower tyre pressures
2. Riding positions out less weight on the wrists
3. Wheels have got bigger
4. But probably most importantly brakes have got better. I think the real killer was hanging onto rubbish brakes so having massively tight for-arms over the bumps
I've been riding a rigid bike for the last 9 or 10 years. I've had other hardtails and the occasional full sus but keep coming back to the rigid. While suspension helps with high speed technical descending i love the accuracy and weight of rigid fork. I now have two rigid bikes. I'm also in the 'older rider' category and have previously broken my wrists and ride without pain.
Its not for everyone, but I love them
With my suspension forks going belly up a couple of weeks ago (my fault - not serviced regularly enough) and some carbon forks going for a good price I made the switch last weekend. Did one 64Km ride last weekend then the Yorkshire Dales 300 this weekend. Some plus points and some minus points.
On the plus side they aren't as harsh as you might think - OK, large volume 29er tyres at lowish pressure help take the sting out of things but it's not as bad as you might think. I got on fine with them on moderately rocky/stoney descents.
On the minus side they aren't good on big rocky step descents, especially if you don't have a dropper seatpost (or aren't able to lower your post). I struggled mostly on technical climbs which might be as much my lack of technique as anything - get the line wrong and you'd be pushed to one side. I've got slightly numb little fingers this morning but after 300Km that might be expected.
+1 to what @ampthill says.
I don't think I'd have it permanently set up rigid but it's a different option. Oh, and I'm also well on the wrong side of 50.
Depends what you're riding. Trail riding I use my HT, uplift days and bigger stuff on full suss, bridleway bimbling CX or rigid mtb.
If I could only have one it'd be the full suss, big stuff is what I enjoy most, if you enjoy/only have access to lighter riding then yes rigid mtb will be more fun and probably faster.
Unless you're Aaron Gwin, then yeah just get a rigid and go get som KOMs up bikepark wales
Hmm there's rigid and there's rigid
Matey on a rigid thin bike gets to the end of the descents with blurred vision and pink blotches from the vibration
Yours truly has already been waiting for some time had a drink, checked the bike, chatted to passers by, answered questions about why the tyres are so fat etc
I have a fully rigid Surly Krampus which I love to bits; would I have it as my only bike though ...not a chance.
About 18 months ago I swapped a Five for a Salsa El Mariachi. And it's bumpy as hell. I live in South Wales where it's rocky and rooty, and I had become used to pinning it down these trails. On the rigid bike I have no choice but to slow down a lot. Some descents take easily twice as long, and some really leave my arms and hands sore at the end. I've sped up once I've got my technique (re)-dialled in, but it's still nothing like as much fun on descents. You can't hoon about, round here at least.
Having said that - I've chosen it for 90% of my rides in that time. I've discovered that I love riding it because it's such a stiff platform on which to pedal, and because I've been doing lots of mixed on/off-road rides which suits the geography here. I never liked riding the 5 on road so I didn't explore the trails that needed road to reach.
However I personally would not have one for my only bike, but that's because I like going fast on rough stuff and at trail centres. Depends entirely on where you live and how you like to ride.
Most fully rigid bikes can take a sus fork though so buy the bike, and put money aside for a spare fork. Win/win.
Most fully rigid bikes can take a sus fork though so buy the bike, and put money aside for a spare fork. Win/win.
Thats my plan for the next bike, 29+ full rigid with a 29x2.1 in a sus fork for when I want a change.
Cheers, Steve
Does it count if it's got 5" tyres running at single-digit pressures?
I've been amazed at how capable my rigid fatbike is as a general trail bike. That was never the plan. It was was supposed to be a bit of fun for when the trails were a mess or covered in snow. But I prevaricated so long that summer had arrived by the time I'd built it and I couldn't resist testing it on the trails. It's certainly made me realise that there are both pros and cons to suspension.
Blasting down bumpy trails at warp speed is a right laugh and for that you can't beat some nice well-damped suspension. But for anything slow (i.e. the vast majority of any of my rides) there is a lot to be said for the extra efficiency and a bike that doesn't keep changing geometry on you.
Only bike? Probably not, but it wouldn't be all bad.
Does it count if it's got 5" tyres running at single-digit pressures?
No, cos if he was considering a fatbike he'd have said fatbike. He's considering a normal rigid mtb.
Ah well ignore me then 🙂
To be honest, I don't know how much of the way my bike feels is down to the tyres and how much due to the fact it is rigid. I've read a few fatbike reviews where they remind readers that a rigid fatbike is still a rigid bike with all the pros and cons, so I thought it might be relevant. But you are right, stonking great tyres must change the equation a fair bit.