Worst rigid MTB ever ?

[drcarlos]

Any 1990 Muddyfox. Universally panned for having terrible geometry, which makes steering very slow and puts you head down over the bar so you get neck strain trying to see where you are going.

Carl.

 

[cce]

Actually, it's all aluminium bikes isn't it?

I think I hear the sound of an angry lynch mob of Zaskar owners approaching.

It's ok, we only need to get to the other side of some cobbles

 

[legrandefromage]

Zaskars are a harsh unforgiving ride - tamed with the right fork

many just sling any old fork on and screw the geometry in the process.

 

[24pouces]

The more stiff : 3.0 cannondale with pepperoni fork and Klein Attitude.
But their stiffness could be cool sometimes.

The less stiff : Haro titanium frame with elevated chainstays. Unrideable !

 

[Radoslaw]

Kirk Revolution, although I like the look if this thing.

 

[Loki]

Cannondale 3.0 series. Twitchy, but didnt go round corners.

Cad 3 , Classic norba geometry ......goes around corners just fine.

 

[mechagouki]

The full rigid Klein Attitude wasn't great over stutter bumps, roots etc. Fast technical descents were kind of scary. Kona's with Project 2 forks were a great handling bike but lacking in front end compliance which I personally found tiring after more than a couple of hours of technical trails. That being said, both those bikes were super fast. I don't think I've ever ridden a rigid MTB I really hated.

 

[highlandsflyer]

I am shocked it took that long for two of the most lauded rigids to get some stick!

Rigid is a whole different approach, as everyone knows, in terms of obstacles. The rider needs to be compliant. I don't think we can blame the bikes.

I always found P2s to be nice and springy, especially in combination with the rest of the typical Kona frame.

The geometry of both, circa early 90s, lends to the rider hefting them about more than most of the old day rigids.

Competition use is another story, but then you would focus more on the results to tell that story.

I wouldn't mention the Caterham Super Seven's boot size as a negative when it came to hill climbs.

 

[velomaniac]

True you cant blame a bike for being a rubbish rider but thats not what this threads about. In any situation that relies on design there are subjects of the design process that just dont work.
Much lauded though some rigid bikes are they have failings but some bikes have nothing but failings, what rigid bikes fit this category.
I had a made in Germany mtb once, make unknown, that now would have been judged a BSO but as it was early 90's I reckon it was just a poor interpretation of the brief they'd received. Angles were extremely slack, bottom bracket was very high, gearing was way too high and stem too long and low. Felt like it was designed for a hunchback and had zero poise at all, flopped into corners and handled like a fish on stilts

 

[highlandsflyer]

True you cant blame a bike for being a rubbish rider but thats not what this threads about. In any situation that relies on design there are subjects of the design process that just dont work.
Much lauded though some rigid bikes are they have failings but some bikes have nothing but failings, what rigid bikes fit this category.
I had a made in Germany mtb once, make unknown, that now would have been judged a BSO but as it was early 90's I reckon it was just a poor interpretation of the brief they'd received. Angles were extremely slack, bottom bracket was very high, gearing was way too high and stem too long and low. Felt like it was designed for a hunchback and had zero poise at all, flopped into corners and handled like a fish on stilts

I take your point, I was just kind of wondering if we can call world class winning bikes poorly thought out, by makers who should know better, when they were performing at the very top of the drawer.

It may amuse some to watch the number of offs on those rigids back in the day, but it was not down to bad design, it was riders carrying the maximum speed over the terrain, on the ragged edge.

Over distance, the efficiency of a super stiff transmission was key to lending the winning edge.