Talent vs Travel

[rouxtjie]

I also love the feedback I get from my rigid hardtail...its like zen riding, you in "contact" with the trail, the whole time, and yes I might be muuuuuch slower but that lager afterwards taste so much better, don't know why

[rouxtjie]

Where did you ride overseas? Cos I dunno if I want any 'feedback' from the Les Gets braking bumps! Glad I had my 8 inches there, or I'd have the hands and wrists of a 90yr old lady

I will borrow you my niner rigid next time....crack...snap...pop

[patches]

I will borrow you my niner rigid next time....crack...snap...pop

 

No thanks. I'm straight.

[Paul Ruinaard]

 

 

Where did you ride overseas? Cos I dunno if I want any 'feedback' from the Les Gets braking bumps! Glad I had my 8 inches there, or I'd have the hands and wrists of a 90yr old lady

I was in Canada in Vancouver so went up to Whistler and hired an 8 inch Giant Glory for the day.

 

I felt it took me down the hill, i kind of piloted it.

 

I am the first to admit it was great but I wanted to be more in charge. It soaked up braking ruts that my mates on short travel had wrist pump from. But it was also so extreme and I was hititng lips and doing stuff that i normally just would never have done. Margin for error was zero. But I had on all the protective gear as well, so was not that scared. Also as he says when it gets slower, it handles like a wallowing pig in a mudbath.

 

I think the whole discusison actually breaks out in to something like Motocross versus Enduro versus trials riding on Motorbikes. You dont want big air on a trials bike. Anywya - the bottom line is like he says, that trail feedback and the feeling of getting the back wheel top break away will happen earlier on a small rig with small tyres as the limits are that much closer. That is what I enjoy.

[rouxtjie]

No thanks. I'm straight.

oooooo in the nuts

Edited December 14, 2012 by rouxtjie

[Hairy]

I am really confused .... why would you JHB boys want travel in the first place for the gravel riding that you do

 

HUGE MOFO STIR BEFORE I GO ON LEAVE LATER TODAY

[jimmy hardtail]

Basically ride whatever puts the biggest smile on your face, whether its 8 inches or 0 inches is secondary to the fun factor.

[patches]

Basically ride whatever puts the biggest smile on your face, whether its 8 inches or 0 inches is secondary to the fun factor.

 

Amen!

 

My "play bike" is 110mm front, 100mm rear, and I feel like it can do almost anything. I have a 6.6" and an 8" that also make me smile, but don't fly through the air quite as gracefully

[patches]

I was in Canada in Vancouver so went up to Whistler and hired an 8 inch Giant Glory for the day.

 

I felt it took me down the hill, i kind of piloted it.

 

I am the first to admit it was great but I wanted to be more in charge. It soaked up braking ruts that my mates on short travel had wrist pump from. But it was also so extreme and I was hititng lips and doing stuff that i normally just would never have done. Margin for error was zero. But I had on all the protective gear as well, so was not that scared. Also as he says when it gets slower, it handles like a wallowing pig in a mudbath.

 

I think the whole discusison actually breaks out in to something like Motocross versus Enduro versus trials riding on Motorbikes. You dont want big air on a trials bike. Anywya - the bottom line is like he says, that trail feedback and the feeling of getting the back wheel top break away will happen earlier on a small rig with small tyres as the limits are that much closer. That is what I enjoy.

 

Lucky bugger!

 

and those Cannucks aren't lazy like the Frenchies so actually maintain the tracks! Most of the teeth chattering on the French Alps DH courses isn't from carefully designed rock gardens. It's from lack of maintenance on the berms

[patches]

oooooo in the nuts

 

hahaha! just messing with ya!

[rouxtjie]

hahaha! just messing with ya!

Ek weet...rode the spruit yesterday...thought I was pretty hardcore riding the jump...not jumping them...riding them

 

I wanna check you wooo girls in action some time on those jumps, please let me know when you doing another session...would love to see someone get some proper hangtime on those.

[rouxtjie]

I am really confused .... why would you JHB boys want travel in the first place for the gravel riding that you do

 

HUGE MOFO STIR BEFORE I GO ON LEAVE LATER TODAY

Ja ja ja we don't have a mountain etc...when you up here we should go do 3 thaba blue laps, they only 20 odd per lap....flat as well

[Paul Ruinaard]

 

 

Lucky bugger!

 

and those Cannucks aren't lazy like the Frenchies so actually maintain the tracks! Most of the teeth chattering on the French Alps DH courses isn't from carefully designed rock gardens. It's from lack of maintenance on the berms

That did impress me. They are very safety minded and the trails are perfectly groomeed, with flags on the lips etc.

 

I havent done Europe but I have heard similar - French attitude

[nishiki]

Here's the answer to your question: Look at what Akrigg is riding here...

 

[Brian Fantana]

I agree that a rigid bike improves certain aspects of you skill. I rode a rigid ss 29er for a few years. This improves line choices, and forces you to loose the tension in those arms.

 

On the flip side of this I have to say that my 150mm trail bike have improved other aspects of my skill. With the relaxed head angle and long travel it is extremely challenging(in the beginning) to climb very steep ascents. However my style adapted and I now ride up climbs with my trail bike where some of my buddies are pushing their XC bikes. There are also a few chest height drops, and a gap jump on one of my local trails which I would not have attempted before I had a trail bike, yet now I ride those sections all the time.

 

On a hardtail one tends to stomp on the pedals when you get tired. On a full suspension trail bike, especially a long travel one you need to adapt your pedalling style in order to improve efficiency.

[Stretch]

i just wish i had the bucks to afford a dualie and a hardtail........not too sure about rigid though...did enough of that back in the early 90's when there was no choice unless you goeeied huge bucks at it