So recently bought an orange five from ebay after spending many years on hardtails. Its good but I have noticed a few problems; I keep twating pedals on the floor more seated pedalling over stuff I would be out of the saddle on is the first, second on the jumpy bits at Llandegla it would resolutely suck the ground and not get my preferred 2 inches of air and finally I keep getting over the front end to work the forks on drops and rough stuff I reckon I should be doing something else with my weight. Any tips?

I find holding the handlebars and pedalling helps 😆

Orange 5! Hahahahahahahahahah!!!!

You can ride corners with your weight more central (whereas on a hard tail you might put more weight over the forks)
You can mash up rocky climbs from sitting in the saddle and use the superior grip whilst saving energy.

The pedal thing is possibly something you’ll get used to, but also make sure you’re running enough shock pressure. I found when I came off a hard tail I loved the squish and ran too much sag initially. Put a bit more pressure +/- some compression damping on and you might see an improvement.

I assume it’s a 26er? If so, you will die. FACT.

26″ wheels? Don’t ride it. Keep it for posterity, it’ll be worth something one day.

They(literally) don’t make em like that anymore.

Foot out flat out?

But 26″ ooooh dodgy 😉

The grip level on tricky climbs is amazing. Keeping my weight more central might well help too.

Trying hard to understand what you’re havng trouble with …

Pedal strikes – if you are hitting the floor seated and pedalling then stand and keep your feet level – no ? Just stand like you did on the hardtail and only put in pedal strokes on the flat bits and/or work on your pumping technique – more pump less pedal.

“jumps” – take off technique is no different, IME the FS just helps with the landing

Getting over the front end ? Doesn’t sound like a good plan FS or hardtail, as above the technique is the same IME

As per chiefguru’s issue a week or so ago the FS should help you carry more speed naturally so any airtime should be easier to get with less effort and the FS helps with the landing

Hitting the odd rock with the pedals is common on a full susser I remember I wasn’t expecting it when I first went full sus doesn’t happen on a hardtail as its not bobbing up and down, by the way welcome to the world of five ownership, now get ready for the filing Cabernet jokes 🙂

Yeah its just because I’m pedalling more and the clearance changes. It will take a while to get it mapped mentally. As for the weight jambalaya you have never used your weight over a pair of forks? How odd, if its the bit with bounce its the best place to put your weight to pump the bike.

If you’re getting pedal strikes and not getting any air off lips and jumps try increasing rear shock pressure and decreasing rebound damping. Should help.

Oh, be prepared to fly uncontrollably into oblivion. ….

Shorter cranks and slimmer pedals? Shock tune maybe?.

pump that bike like a mother flipper.
pump through stuff with your feet, from your hips.
get low through corners.
on jumps you need to load the suspension beforehand and then pop (if you want more air).

Loading the suspension prior to the jump sounds like a plan.

@aa what I’m saying is the pump technique is basically the same, FS or hardtail. I don’t get my weight over the front, what I do is push the front down with my arms then extend/straighten arms and legs … It’s more pushing the front down and a little away, that’s how I think of it anyway? FWIW I think you can get obsessed with the tought that by compressing the rear suspension you are going to make the bime “jump up” on it’s own, I say this as that’s what I kept imagining would work. Just do what you did on the HT with the same or a little more speed

now get ready for the filing Cabernet jokes

or is it a wine rack?

+1 for the load the bike before the jump, there’s definitely a slight difference. You really notice it going back to a hardtail, jumps are so efortless and I always find it takes a while to get used to not having to correct your position/pump timing for the squish!

I’m onto my second full sus now and still learning. The first didn’t see much pedal action but was jumped aplenty. Coil front and back made it easy enough to get the hang of preloading for jumps. The more you put in, the higher and further you’ll go. In a pleasant and predictable manner.

Oh, be prepared to fly uncontrollably into oblivion. ….

This + infinity, if in the vicinity, of air suspension, beyond comprehension.

I’m getting round the pedal strike thing by trying to time my strokes with the obstacles on the trail. It was a minor ball ache at first, but i’m paying more attention to the climbs than ever before and it’s quite pleasurable when you spy a possible hazard, stall a quarter of a crank, just miss the rock/root/bank with the pedal and keep on truckin. Pain in the hoop when you **** it up though 😀