The Purpose of Full Suspension?

[longun]

Comfort, speed, grip, handling, looks



Love my gt rts





Haha, tbh got the best of both worlds, I enjoy them all but my 160mm nukeproof does handle the rougher stuff and jumps better than the hardtail and retro bikes. Many trails dont need them still imho but neither do all cars need to go over 70mph

 

[dyna-ti]

Its that back wheel bashing into everything, whereas now it rides over obstacles.

I shudder every time the front wheel picks though or rides over thanks to the sus front only for the rear wheel to slam into it.

I think -- MONEY OUT TIME

 

[brocklanders023]

We don’t have anymore skill, we’re just slower. Up to you if that bothers you.

 

[jimwise68]

Even though I ride Retro MTB, I ride a modern full susser, a 2017 Stumpjumper Expert Comp. The "benefit"....

I took my 97 Marin Mount Vision out couple of weeks ago for a 20 mile XC ride with some mates on their Modern full sussers. I left mine at home.
Half way in I was knackered. Even though the MMV is a full susser it was still harsh and jarring.

Last week I took my 2017 Stumpy, I was still knackered (due to being unfit) but I still have my fillings intact and my wrists werent hurting.

I rode Twisted Oaks yesterday on my Stumpy and was jumping lots of tables an gaps and riding the little bit of north shore they have there. I wouldnt even contemplate doing it on my MMV or an older bike.
I'm 52 and I want to be as safe as possible. I dont want to crash and I still want to get the buzz I got when I was a teenager riding my BMX. My full susser gives me that grin factor.

 

[2manyoranges]

I think there are a lot of things going on in making choices. If you can only run one bike, then FS does make sense, for reasons of traction, comfort and performance. But there are other things at play if you have the privilege of having a stable. Our DH bikes are heavy-hitting, one purpose rigs. Our jump bikes are good for one thing only. But they are specialist things. For day to day riding, I like the simplicity of my hardtail bikes. We ride a lot of gritty trails, and friends with FS have to do a lot of bearing and shock maintenance. If we do 'hike a bike' routes, I would rather be shouldering a 25 pound hardtail than a 29 pound FS bike, even if the descents require a lot more finesse. For monster days out off road - dawn to dusk jobs - it's either FS or hardtail - depends entirely on the terrain. And then for the immense silliness of big drop off and general bike park nonsense, an FS makes sense. But as Jimwise68 says...the insurance factor for older people doing things with jumps or unexpected rock gardens, then FS makes A LOT of sense.

 

[mattr]

The main purpose of my first FS bike was to get to corners slightly sooner and travelling slightly faster than i was expecting, then to get pogoed off into the dirt, because, essentially, it was shit. A mate got pogoed off into the barbed wire fence between corner and dirt, so i can be grateful i didn't fall off there....
Second was much better, because you actually had some adjustment, and not get pogoed off. So i got everywhere quicker. (25lbs too, so it went up hills and down hills quite well.)

 

[2manyoranges]

Are you talking about Trek Y frames?.......the pogo-ing monster?

 

[rwm1962]

 

[2manyoranges]

rwm those are SCARY videos in terms of just how much forks flex - woah the forces.....

 

[eshew]

I love me some old bikes, but I wouldn't take them on the trails I ride my modern full suspension bikes. Would be brutal, and rather unsafe. Not to mention popped tubes, dropped chains & handling unsuited to the terrain. But darn is it a TON of fun, to have all that performance & still be within 30% of the weight of a vintage hard tail.

Other plus side of the modern bikes is if I scratch or break anything I don't really care, damaging good quality vintage gear always brings a tear to my eye.