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This bike is so easy to ride - can someone tell me why?
DC
You're drunk?
Jamie - was hoping for a slightly more scientific response!
No suspension, no gears - yet it just goes like the clappers.
You are a riding god and the machine is immaterial?
or you have found the perfect gear ration, head angle and steering setup for your biomechanics
errr no - my stint on my Niner Air Nine for Brighton Big Dog suggested otherwise where I rode awfully - back on the Fortitude and all was great again.
There's something very crafty they have done to it 😉
The head angle is pretty slack - which slows the steering down - which seems to suit my riding. Long top tube and short stem seems to help as well. It means you don't really steer the bike, more carve the turns.
I love mine - think it's a great bike. Far faster XC than I thought it would be and a great climber. It feels so much more efficient under drive than a geared bike too. New wheels and bigger tyres are on my upgrade list though!
I am running a Chunky Monkey up front - highly recommend you give it a try - perfect for this bike. Never misses a beat!
Ditch the x-kings pronto to get the best out of this bike!
N.b. those x-kings are flippin awful!
Totally agree - I've got a couple of far pricier bikes but my Fortitude just seems to fit me perfectly and it zips along. Think it's a goldilocks-porridge situation - it's just right for me.
It's in commuter guise for the summer with a 40T ring up front. I'm just about resisting the temptation to pop some lighter wheels on it.
N.b. those x-kings are flippin awful!
They've not been amazing - but they've been okay for where and when I've ridden the bike. I will certainly consider the Chunky Monkey though as an option.
My first lap on one at BD was a bit of a chore, but the saddle was the wrong height, the brakes too close to the fat bit of the Ergons stopping me from one finger braking, tyres were a bit on the high pressure side, it was a size larger than my io and the bars would definitely not be choice. It was borrowed and I didnt have too much time so by the time STM picked me up to pace me round my last lap I was starting to get used to it as I couldn't change anything.
Compared to my (broken) io it was faster in some bits, slower in others. It cruises whereas my io feels like it wants to be thrown around, the Fortitude is a much more sedate ride. The tyres wouldn't give up (chunky monkey and smorg) no matter how hard I pushed. It was pretty unforgiving on the rough stuff though(guess my soft hands like sus forks). I was struggling to see on the grassy descents. It was fun, but not sure I would swap. Maybe when I am as old as DC...
Oh and my fastest lap at BigDog was on a borrowed 29er set up for someone else. Not sure I can argue against 29" being wrong so much, but on that lap it was the first time I got a clear run at all the singletrack all day and the course was drying out.
Could it be you've been riding the genesis more and therefore you're used to it?
No, we told him when he first rode it he was faster on the Genesis than the 9iner, but I think it has taken till now for him to realise that we weren't trying to hamper his riding!
Come to think of it, DC you are so much faster on the 9iner, only losers ride rigid SS
Geometry and gear ratio.
Darkcyan, I think the geometry on the Fortitude suits you for better than the Niner you had before. The slacker head angle, longer wheelbase and compliancy of the steel tubing seem to give you the ride you're looking for. Bigger volume tyres make a huge difference too, allowing you to run lower pressures safely and reap the benefits. You look noticeably more confident as a rider when following you on the Fortitude compared with the Niner, and there's no doubting you're quicker on the Fortitude even from the first ride out.
As TimP said, it would probably be quicker and more controlled with suspension forks, but only really necessary if you were going to ride it outside SE England. The local trails are super smooth and fine on a rigid bike for the most part.
Forget the Niner and stick with the Fortitude on the evidence you've given here and the experience you had at BigDog. The only changes I'd make would be to swap to carbon bars and seatpost to dampen the trail chatter and drop some weight, and invest in some lighter wheels with decent width rims and you'll have a bike for life I reckon. Genesis seem to have recognised this with the latest incarnation of the Fortitude specced with much wider rims and the option of running 29+ tyres.
TimP, I love it that your quickest lap at BigDog was on some borrowed wagon wheels 😉
TimP - still dining out on your Big Dog success.
I may have to leave the country!
I will return to my lab to work out how this could have happened.
DC
*cough* 2 years in a row *cough*
Bragging rights are yours until next year Tim 
god help us!
Can't help with the why, but agree it is a very sorted ride. Really enjoy mine. This thread needs a pic so here is one of mine on one of the trails it excels on.
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and a posing in the garden shot
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although now has stock fork back on
Guitarhero, is that a 2.4" Maxxis Ardent on the front, it looks huge! Ideal for a rigid steel hardtail.
And why go back to stock forks from Carbon? Thought carbon is the answer to everything so got some for my io for the winter!
Yes, 2.4 Ardent on the front certainly works better than the stock X-King, and not massively heavier.
The carbon fork was very light and compliant, but I think I just prefer the feel of the steel fork. Swapping between the two atm before deciding to sell the carbons, but pretty sure steel is the way
Steel all the way guitarhero!
Any Madison guys out there who care to comment?
This bike runs amazingly with a chunky monkey up front extra tacky version!
I love mine. It has become my main bike. Running tubeless with spesh purgatory 2.3 up front, on one Mary bars with esi extra chunky grips. Oh and I replaced crappy shimano freewheel with halo clickster.
Let's see more pictures!
Fortitude Adventure.
My only complaint with the bike is tyre clearance out back.
The 2.1 WTB on a Flow EX comes up pretty big but bigger would be better.
The Knard on the Dually is a great addition.
It's my most ridden bike.
Looking forward to the Longitude frame when it's released.
Mine:
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Letmetalktomark, I like your semi-fat Fortutude; I ran a Charge Cooker in a similar guise for a few months before going fully fat. A big rim with a 29+ tyre like the Knard on the front makes for a great ride in the woods 😀
Kuman, how do you find the Mary Bars? I'm interested to try some. I'd also agree with you that ESI Extra Chunky grips are fantastic with rigid forks.
Now sold the Cooker and bought a Surly Krampus but you'll get the idea...
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Paceman, I find them spot on for general xc riding. Wrists are in more neutral position and don't get tired, especially when climbing off the saddle. They are only 645mm end to end but feel more like 685mm normal bars. Definitely worth a try for what they cost.
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Thanks Kuman, I may well try some of those on my Krampus.
@letmetalktomark what fork have you put on there? That's exactly what I want to do to mine....
I love it!!
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[url= https://flic.kr/p/nkcnbc ]DSC02972[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/52769476@N00/ ]South Downs MTB Skills[/url], on Flickr
Is a std 445mm Salsa Cromoto.
Clearance is pretty reasonable with the extra 5mm over the Genesis fork.
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Jimbo - what you really want is my spare Jones Unicrown fork & Flow/Fatback wheel. Wide AND Fat.
Or, I need someone to sell me a medium Fortitude frame.
What's the axle to crown on that john?
435mm & 135mm spaced, so loads of room for 29+ or fat 26". The Fatback hub is 135mm too & no spacers required.
Come on then, how much? Message me on facebook if you want....
Fork's £268 new & about 4 mths old. I paid £150 for the wheel s/h as a spare & haven't used it yet - it's pretty much mint.
Drop me a mail.