i wonder if we have it backwards?

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04-18-12, 09:15 AM

#26

oldskoolwrench

自転車整備士

Join Date: Apr 2012

Location: Denver, Colorado USA

Posts: 885

Bikes: '86 Moots Mountaineer, '94 Salsa Ala Carte, '94 S-Works FSR, 1983 Trek 600 & 620

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Pamestique

I have to say I am glad I started with a rigid frame (I started MTB riding in the 80's) and then a hardtail and now full suspension (cause I am old and everything hurts). The rigid and hardtail taught me some real skills I don't think people on long travel bikes ever develop (just my personal opinion). It was my experiecne once I finally went to a fully, that alot of my fear of steep gnarly descents went away. Trails I always walked down before, I now easily ride down but that would not be possible without the suspension.

It always amazes me to see the hard core riders (usually older guys who have been riding for years) all now going back to rigids and riding down the steep scary stuff with ease. That takes real skill! One a beginner doesn't really appreciate.

Same here... I started out in the early 80's riding fully rigid; you do learn skills like picking the right line and reading the trail, if nothing more than to save yourself from all of the rough stuff. Moving into an FS ride will allow you to ride those sections faster, but you still need a sense of which track on the trail is the most 'efficient' one to take.

I currently ride FS; compared to the current crop though, it's definitely 'old school' technology. Only 2" travel front and rear... just to soak up the big bumps but still sprite enough to kick up the pace on winding single track.

I'm 'vertically challenged' at 5' 4" with a 28" inseam... there weren't many small frame rides back in '94 so I settled for a 16.5". It fit me better up top, and I've always ridden bikes with minimal to no straddle clearance so that wasn't an issue.

Alan