padonbike wrote:Strangely enough, for the first time in 3 decades of mountainbiking on HT, I find myself looking at FS bikes for the first time in my life.

I was having very similar thoughts, and my wife bought me a Whyte T130S.
Now much as I love my Fargo, Vaya, Krampus et all, I still find some of the most fun is on the Whtye...

Bearbonesnorm wrote:Is it only me that finds the initial cost of suspension forks another great reason for riding rigid? With a mid-level fork easily costing over £300, I simply can't justify the expense when weighed up against the potential gains.

Agreed. Although carbon rigid forks seem to be increasing in price in recent years.

ctznsmith wrote:

Bearbonesnorm wrote:Is it only me that finds the initial cost of suspension forks another great reason for riding rigid? With a mid-level fork easily costing over £300, I simply can't justify the expense when weighed up against the potential gains.

Agreed. Although carbon rigid forks seem to be increasing in price in recent years.

Cheaper to service though

Its not so much the purchase cost its having to service them every other ride that bugs me. What happened to good old bombers that needed an oil change once in their lifetime....

htrider wrote:Its not so much the purchase cost its having to service them every other ride that bugs me. What happened to good old bombers that needed an oil change once in their lifetime....

In the most basic of terms - suspension forks mainly got lighter because there is less oil in them.

I'd guess there is a reverse correlation between amounts of oil in the fork and service intervals. think about the brands that still sell 'heavy forks' they have a lot of oil in them.

I've had suspension back on for good few months there only cheap manito ones still undecided about them think I'll put ridged back on for winter

Its strange looking at all the opinions of FS Vs HT front suspension and HT rigid, I raced rigid as a young un and moved over to front suspension as it came in around the 90's probably as most folk did really.

I then gave up riding for 10 years before getting a full suspension bike and dabbling in a little bit of weekend riding over a period I swapped bikes but always full suspension, until I fancied a go on a 29er so swapped my turner 5 spot which was by far the best full suspension bike I've ever ridden to date for a on one lurcher with front suspension that stayed on the bike for about 2 months it was awful! On went the one rigid carbon forks and a carbon bar and that then resulted in learning how to ride a bike again!

3 years on and with the advantages of having 3" plus tyres up front these days I'm now faster downhill fully rigid than with full suspension and a lot better bike handler, moral of the story stick with it and adapt it's worth it, oh and stop gripping the bars so tight, loosen shoulders and use foam grips! That's my thoughts anyway....