First time on full-sus!

steelo

I was lucky enough to have a ride on a Yeti 575 yesterday at the Aston Hill demo day, albeit an extremely muddy experience!

My question/dilemma is - I had to check a few times that I hadn't popped the rear tyre as whenever I got to an uphill/pedalling section of the XC course they had laid out it felt like the rear tyre was flat. I was told this is what rear suspension feels like - so weird i'm not sure I like it! They weighed me beforehand and set up the front and rear shock for my weight so it would be exactly as if I had set it up myself.

So for anyone that rides a full suspension bike, when you are pedalling along, do you get the sensation that you are riding a sponge? I think an Epic or Stumpy with a Brain Inertia Valve fitted must be the only way to go!

ChunkTT

Ive just bought an epic for the very same reasons and love it. Feels like a hardtail most of the time until the sus is needed.

NikB

I got a test ride on an Orange 5 Pro yesterday and previously have only ridden a fully rigid bike. It was a very different sensation. I didn't have the seat high enough really which I think compromised my climbing power but it did definitely feel slower than my bike on some ascents. I think it was hard to judge though as the conditions were terrible and the bike was suffering badly with chainsuck. Maybe you should test a different bike just to see if it was that one or full suss in general.

dirtbiker100

My friend had a brand new cannondale prophet this time last year and we went for a little ride down a bridlepath.
"this rear suspension is great, makes you feel like you've got a flat tyre, it just takes the bumps away"
"err you have got a flat tyre there tom"
"DAMN IT"

NikB

dirtbiker100 wrote:

My friend had a brand new cannondale prophet this time last year and we went for a little ride down a bridlepath.
"this rear suspension is great, makes you feel like you've got a flat tyre, it just takes the bumps away"
"err you have got a flat tyre there tom"
"DAMN IT"

Rofl, bet he felt like a prize one!

Dazzza

It depends on the bike, even with the lockout off my tomac revolver fitted with the rocco 3pl still climbs very well for a fuss suss, does take some of the energy away but it's very little, i had a job noticing if the lockout was on half the time.

supersonic

Try a GT Idrive. Its a different feel to most other full sussers, pedals great and virtually no pedal kickback.

OwenCB

I've just gotten back after my first full suss ride now, went to my LBS to look at suspension seatposts and the owner offered me a loan of a Marin Rift Zone to see if a full suss would help my back at all, I loved every minute of it and am now looking at ways in which I might be able to afford a decent one soon, I can't afford the Rift Zone though, but I do like the look of the Commencal Combi S 08 for £999, does anyone have any thoughts on them?

zero303

Full-suss takes a little while to get used to - you'll find on really techy climbs you'll probably climb faster (even though it might not feel it)...

MattW87

I was tempted with a full-susser when i got my new bike but you just cant beat the 'feel' you get from a hardtail!

deadpool2e

MattW87 wrote:

I was tempted with a full-susser when i got my new bike but you just cant beat the 'feel' you get from a hardtail!

Yeah like the feeling of the seat smashing into your nuts on any hard downhill............ :twisted:


Love my Stumpy with brain

xtreem

I always get that feeling Steelo. I check the tire before I get on the bike every time and after 20-30 meters I look back at my rear tire if it's flat even though I know it's not flat.
Now it turned into habit that to me.

Nick Dastardly

I'm looking at going full suspension soon. I love my hardtail but I'm moving to Austria (right on the edge of the Alps! ) and fancy something that won't result in detached retinas on the way back down the mountains. I am a bit worried about being able to climb as well as it's probably my best ability at the moment, but I guess it's not as much a problem as it used to be.

Thewaylander

yeh with the wieght of them now, on technical climbs they can be faster because of the improved terain traction

_Ferret_

Just switched to full sus a few months ago.
Was also very sceptical but I managed to crack the head tube of my old hardtail from all the crazy downhills we've got here - I figured I needed something a little more bombproof.
I tried out countless different models, the worst of which was the Giant trance. I know it got great reviews but it just didn't suit my riding style (pullin on the bars and stamping on the pedals uphill), it seemed to sink whenever I put the power on.
The Mount vision was better, as was the Trek EX9.0. I settled on the Lapierre.
It still sinks down when you sit on it (until the sag point) but then once you stamp on the pedals you're off, no pedal bob, no ducking under the pressure, no sluggish transfer of power.
I now ride uphills faster as the only movement the rear end makes is when I go over a bit of rough ground and the suspension extends or contracts slightly to keep the ride smooth.
I don't know how they've done it but the french really have made a cracking bike. I highly recommend you try one out...

the gella

Tyer choice can make a massive difference when a full sus is climbing and the rear is digging into the ground