Modern full suspension

[Andy B]

I have a 5" talent compensator (oo-er), due to an arthritic back I can't ride a hardtail any more for long distances.

It doesn't make me any faster, as the timed sections on the Big Dirty Weekend proved, but at least I can still ride a bike without my back killing me the next day.

When set up correctly you can pretty much ignore line choice & just barge your way through most trail obstacles & let the bike do the work, although transferring hardtail skills over should make for a faster/smoother/more fun ride

If you are tempted by a MFS, you need to make a shortlist & test them out if possible, all the suspension designs have quite different characteristics

A 4" to 5" travel bike is more than adequate for most riding & there are plenty of options available.

The Boardman full sussers are quite highly rated & well specced for the price (just a shame they come from Halfords)

 

[unocogero]

It's all about compromise. A singletrack blast on a rigid hardtail is a great buzz, a long floating, mountain side decent on a full suss is a blast.

My MFS allows me to go harder for longer...on the trail :roll: ...so it opens up all day rides at trail centers that I wouldn't consider on my 1990 Fire Mountain or modern hardtail.

So I'd go for it. It won't make you faster, it's just another kind of great experience on a bike. And I'd go 5" rathert than 4 as it seems to be the best compromise between xc lightness and all mountain soakupability.

Have a look at the Giant Trance X...there's some bargains out there and they tend to be well specced...

 

[Harryburgundy]

Have a look at the Giant Trance X...there's some bargains out there and they tend to be well specced...

Look Darling...I saved us £2000 today :roll:
http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.p ... 1b4s1p1743

 

[unocogero]

Have a look at the Giant Trance X...there's some bargains out there and they tend to be well specced...

Look Darling...I saved us £2000 today :roll:
http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.p ... 1b4s1p1743

Damn, thats my size too!

 

[dirtjumper_dmr]

I agree with what's been said about trying a long fork HT with the seat slammed, it's what i ride mainly and have done for a few years now. SO MUCH FUN :twisted:

 

[P20]

I do like modern full suss. My Yeti 575 is superb. It is more capable than the Cannondale Raven from 1999, both climbing and descending. Both have disc brakes, Hope 4 pots and i never lower my seatpost. If you find descents tiring, being able to sit down every now and then ain't a bad thing.
The P20 is a capable bike, but the Raven and the 575 descend quicker.
Thats my take on it anyway. Can't comment on the Kona, but its hard to get a bad modern bike, it just depends on how you get on with that design

 

[Andy B]

Oh there are bad modern bikes, both full sussers and hardtails, badly designed geometry, badly specced for the money (Kona can be pretty poorly specced at full RRP for quite a few of their low end to mid range bikes)

However the Kona Four mentioned by HB in his 1st post is pretty good value @ that price (but average value @ full RRP)

 

[guybe]

Chris Broadman Pro FS is worth looking and good value too, if you can do with the 'work cycle scheme' which you can get alot cheaper than asking price providing if you are not so snobby about Halfords

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... o-09-34684

IMO, get a steel frame, maybe Reynolds 853 or Ti, they flex on the trails and perfect on tarmac riding.

 

[FSR-Si]

I ride a battered beaten up old fsr (the ugly as sin box section one) and to be honest its perfect for me, its comfy, forgiving, fast up and down, and will take abuse all day long, it never lets me down and my idea of maintenance is to slam the shed door after a ride. It has 4" travel front and rear which is ample for my riding. Once you get used to a full suss you'll hardly touch your hardtail again, Infact i only use my hardtail for mid week evening road rides to keep my fitness up.

Oh and they're cheap to buy as well, I bought this in 2004 for £200 and today it probably stands me at £450 all in. so that's 5 years riding including all consumables tyres,cables etc for £450

 

[BarneyRubble]

It's all about compromise. A singletrack blast on a rigid hardtail is a great buzz, a long floating, mountain side decent on a full suss is a blast.

My MFS allows me to go harder for longer...on the trail :roll: ...so it opens up all day rides at trail centers that I wouldn't consider on my 1990 Fire Mountain or modern hardtail.

So I'd go for it. It won't make you faster, it's just another kind of great experience on a bike. And I'd go 5" rathert than 4 as it seems to be the best compromise between xc lightness and all mountain soakupability.
...

I'm inclined to agree with this. I love my 5.25" MFS and despite loving the nostalgia of retrobikes, I AM faster downhill on my MFS. I grew up riding ridgid and consider myself reasonably quick on one, but the MFS just destroys hardtails down most descents. This is as much about the improved braking etc, as the increased confidence it gives me. Uphill I am a fair bit slower than a hardtail, but can more than make up for it on the descents.

A couple of my mates who only ride modern have got long travel hardtails as well as MFS; they all say they are good fun, but are quicker on their MFS'.

P.S. I never move my saddle on the MFS as the sus allows me to stay seated for more of the time and to keep on pedalling going faster and faster!