Niner Air 9 Carbon with their rigid fork. Have run it for the last two years as my only bike. Completed 2 24hr races (team – pair), 10 Under the Ben, local XC races, End to End, and done epic 7hour rides as well as 2 hour blasts round the local trails…

Can’t fault it.

Bloody brilliant.

Even happier with my Simple after taking all that heavy suspension off the front..currently weighs in at ~10Kg

built this back up, rocklobster for some xc events. raced at hit the north which it was the perfect tool imo.

after riding local trail on my cx bike I fell for how direct and responsive a rigid bike is. the cx bike can get a little out of its depths on the west Pennines. this is the bridge between my cx’er and fs bike.

Sorry I didn’t answer your other questions before.

Weight? Dunno under 30lbs, over 20…
How does it affect riding? I suppose it makes you choose your lines far more carefully and it feels very direct and lively compared to many geared bouncy forked HTs…

Obviously you feel bumps far more but then that front end is a bit lighter so it’s easier to manoeuvre and lift round and over things, and if you should want a touch more comfort a larger volume tyre will help (I have a 2.3″ up front).

It’s not better or worse than any other MTB its simply different you might enjoy the simplicity and directness of a less complex bike or you might not really enjoy it. There’s only one way to really find out…

My main ride these days.

phone 035 by jamesanderson2010, on Flickr

Some great bikes advice and general input all the way through, great to see the guy riding proper downhill courses.

Paging Ace to the thread… Possibly honourable, possibly demented rigid Macavalanche mission

Good fun in the snowpocalypse 🙂

I’ve a 29er swift, not as quick as having suspension or gears, but fun in a different way. You have to pick your battles, taking smooth lines and looking for easy places to gain time and surviving the tougher bits. It gets down most stuff my FS bike does, just slower and with less margin for error.

Definatley going to have a crack going to post a wtd ad for frame forks and brakes so let me know if any of you guys have any bits.

Anything I may need to know about rigid forks before I buy ?

northwind I thought the guy doing the mac had got a snowboard attached to his back untill I looked a little closer.that would have been something.

Anything I may need to know about rigid forks before I buy ?

A 29 wheel is a good match.

Swift steel forks are moderately heavy but have some lateral give.

I had some 26er carbons in the ‘2 poles fixed into a crown’ format – the word for them was twangy.

Niner carbons have a surprising damping effect and are clear winners of what I’ve ridden.

So – some kind of monocoque 29er carbon, if you can.

I have much love for it. ’98 Kula on Project 2’s. Sure it’s not comfortable but it feels very direct so to speak

waves at Northwind 🙂

Monkey has also done a normal DH race now down at Tavistock woods close to Gawton.
Hopefully Monkey and me will have another stab at this years MacAvalanche, must say those on-one track clincher wheels are proving to be quite tough and easy to change bearings on 🙂

As someone who started on a ridged bike I must say it feels kind of right, but as an owner of a pair of RC31’s I would say ridged is rather disconcerting! 😉

matjg

A 29 wheel is a good match.

do you mean 29ers work well as rigid bikes or going down the 69er route?

My second bike for winter / mud / snow duties… been riding it a lot recently 😉

Great fun and improves your skills no end. Not sure I’d choose it as my only bike, although there’s nothing locally it won’t do. Some rides it just feels right like it’s an extension of you if you know what I mean 😐

Changed to 1×9 since this photo, fantastic mud clearance front and back now. Also put some wide flat carbon bars and a shorter stem on there. All good so far.

69er you say, fully rigid you say…..

oh go on then

Weight, doesn’t matter as completely negated when I put my bulk on it
Riding, Yes it does, and it makes me grin like a loon a lot

Simple pleasures

lol ron your bulk cant be that bulky that is a singlespeed is it not

paulo6624 – Member
lol ron your bulk cant be that bulky that is a singlespeed is it not

Yep, and probably the best £15 I have spent on a frame and seatpost, has made riding Afan (on my doorstep) a lot more enjoyable…

good for you mate, cant wait till im fit enough for ss

I never thought I was fit enough, just took the plunge one day built the bike and rode it, and fitness came with it along with crashing lots then learning how to pick lines a little better

Have to agree, despite owning 140mm of kashima buttery smooth custom tuned Talas there is something about riding a rigid bike that makes me smile and enjoy the ride.

Recently converted back to rigid. Love the fast and direct steering it gives over sus forks. Yes you would be faster with suspension forks and your wrists less beaten up after a few hours in the saddle but it feels so right! 😀

Bike above is singlespeed (chain tension devise has been now removed) and on my scales comes in at 21.5lbs Just need to change the brake levers and its finished.

That is lovely- first bike I’ve seen with those forks that didn’t make me feel a bit ill!

my only bike till a week ago…..rigid tourer to go with it now.

24.03.13 mini tour 010 by 20ston, on Flickr

One of mine is a fully rigid Surly 1×1. Not my only bike, but one of the ones I ride the most, lovely simple machine that just works right. Makes me a better rider too.

That is lovely- first bike I’ve seen with those forks that didn’t make me feel a bit ill!

Thanks! Perhaps it helped painting them the same colour as the frame?!

Cheap as chips and as fun as you like…

it has been known 🙂

IMAG0094 by the_lecht_rocks, on Flickr

Another 69er

About 28 pounds. Surly krampus

Ride differently… Hell yes, it goes sh1t fast and has mental cornering traction.

But I did pinch flat a couple minutes after this picture was taken

And what has got to be a the best rigid set up, crashy on his Jones. Ride differently: The geometry here is completely different recipe, and it gives you so much high speed control, wonderful thing. Hang off the back and don’t let go.

Both pictures at the end of skyline, Afan. Both bikes ideal rigid alternatives for rocky tough trails. Elsewhere I ride a ti Fargo, a Niner sir9 and even my road bike sees a lot of dirt. All rigid and all lovely.

Almost forgot the clunker classic. Someone used the entire front end of a 70s motocross bike, otherwise all rigid. He did get a nose bleed pushing uphill for 4 miles.

Ride differently… Yes indeed:

Vince not doing so well on a ladies trad roadster..
Bark exploding off a tree

Vince’s foot where his shoulder should be

Rocks and forearms.

Wooaahhh!!! 😯

Haven’t got the faintest idea how much it weighs, but I love the the the simplicity of a rigid bike.

*Excuse the very short front brake hose. Pics were taken when first built up.

window 070 by Ample Brew, on Flickr

window 079 by Ample Brew, on Flickr

window 074 by Ample Brew, on Flickr

i take it he was ok charlie? i cant for the lif of me see where his front wheel is on first picture

nice bike ample

that is the front wheel – the rear is behind his body