Aren’t you supposed to muscle the forks round/make them work/have your weight over the front on a hardtail though?!!

This one statement alone leads me to conclude that you don’t know what you’re trying to do.

Hold off buying a new bike, spend a day with someone teaching you how to ride the bike you’ve got currently better, do some exercise and build up your core muscles, and then when all that is done go out and buy a frame that fits!

As for GW’s comment, there’s an exception to every rule, and as per usual, you are the exception! When we were kids lots of us rode our BMXes everywhere, but as we’ve got older we’ve realised that a correctly sized bike is a godsend for covering distances comfortably.

Small frames ? I`m riding a 20 inch rigid 853 inbred with a 450 mill post all the way out .Cant go any bigger so im stuck and quite middle aged at 48

Incredibly, after years of Hora doing this on Chocolatefoot, where he would try to justify buying another new bike.

Just ride the bike you have, and understand that you need to keep riding to improve your skills. New toys won’t hide bad riding.

“Its the kicking in the ass “

My HT’s never do this – they just tire my legs. You are sitting.

Only fully sit into the saddle when pedalling smooth bits the trail. Half-sit, and then stand as the trail gets rougher – you have to select a slightly higher gear. All free-wheeling is done standing loosely on the pedals.

A saddle is not a seat, it a platform to assist smooth pedalling (according to Brian Lopes :-).

BTW that does seem a small frame for someone of your stature.

Hora not having a dig here, strangely I quite like you. However havnt you got rid of (almost) every HT because it has been too harsh and (almost) every FS because you havnt liked the rear suspension action? Have you thought of something like the DMR Bolt that is ment to feel like a HT but has a bit of sus for when it gets a bit rough. Or maybe even that blood that Mama linked to, I would love a blood myself.

I reckon a day with Jedi would be a good idea. Have a tad of ‘mind set’ sortage.

wwas. Thanks for the pic! You owe me a new keyboard btw.

[/i]Can your body be too old for hardtails?

Indeed yes depends what ailments and medical coonditions you have. On my 6th prolapsed disc and i would safely say HTs are not for me

Feel beat up/aching and sore

what does this mean?
You have aches and pains, rubber legs, or buyanewframeitis?

If you have a medical condition then get something that works for you

also train especially core muscles

then stretch

then buy a bike that fits!

😆

I got back on my FS bike yesterday after a long while riding my hardtail and thought ‘what’s the point’? Heavy, ugly, expensive to maintain and just plain annoying on pedally technical sections, where if you make a mistake the rebounding suspension causes the saddle to attempt ass rape. I’m not old yet but I hope age doesn’t stop me riding hardtails.

As for GW’s comment, there’s an exception to every rule, and as per usual, you are the exception! When we were kids lots of us rode our BMXes everywhere,

And some of us still do. 🙄

but as we’ve got older we’ve realised that a correctly sized bike like my BMX is a godsend for actually having some fun! (whether covering distances or just pissing about!).
WGAF how comfortably their bike rides?

All my bike’s are the correct size. only the roadbike is “comfortable” and even that’s actually a fairly harsh ride compared to some.

Size isnt everything

Getting your arse up off the sofa more often should help 😆

Thread resurrection.

My body isn’t beaten up- its tip top after 3 rides in 4 days (on a carbon 456) so my core is alot stronger/better now.

My hands though… I keep having to stretch/flex my hands- they feel sore and I’m constantly wringing them. No its not the death-grip. I watched/was conscious of my hands down the beast yesterday- loose grip etc. Yet at the bottom I had to flex my hands etc. I’ve got strong wrists- bloody thick/strong things – as I thought hardtail ‘kick’ from the rear pitching my body forward may affect my wrist/hands on the bars?

Can ride a hardtail on techy bits affect your hands/palm etc?

Dropbars might help

Grips and glove combos & where the padding is make a huge difference to me. On one half bob foam lock on grips are great for me, as are superstar supagripa. Some others I’d tried (some older Charge ones in particular) make my hands almost lock up with pain!

Forks not setup right? Damping not working too well?

Grips too thin or wrong diameter to match your hands?

I use Ergon grips – I find spreading the load over a wider area really helps.

Forks not setup right? Damping not working too well?

05 Z1 FRII’s- Not getting all the travel and your supposed to take one of the springs out and play with the oil levels. I pinged you an email about it- if it was cost effective to send them in.

Forks not setup right?

Oh dear god! Lets not get onto the sorry saga of woe that is Hora’s hunt for the mythical perfect fork setup. You’ll be sorry you ever raised the issue….

Oh dear god! Lets not get onto the sorry saga of woe that is Hora’s hunt for the mythical perfect fork setup. You’ll be sorry you ever raised the issue….

Have uplugged the phone 😉 and have a pending query to deal with too. 😀

We can build it, it’ll just cost a bit…

http://www.specialized.co.uk/us/en/ftr/gloves/road-gloves/body-geometry-gel

brake levers.

10-20 degrees down from horizontal.

my sunline bars make my hands hurt.

thin grips are also bad (although anyone into gnar seems to think they are better?)

it may be your not going fast or big enough to get full travel? i only get full travel when i do a certain stair drop to flat on my commute otherwise im pretty much a good 20mm from full travel 95% of the time. more if im mincing around on an xc ride.

Too old? I’m 62 and never had any squish front or back! You youngsters don’t know how lucky you are!I do at least 12 hours mtb a week + 100 miles of commuting.
Half the problem as i see it is body position. There should be the weight on the bars as a piano player uses. Get out of the saddle as and when necessary

Have you thought about taking up bowls, instead on MTB?