Why Are These Mountain Bikes Being Buried?
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- Опубликовано: 8 фев 2025
- In this video I will be talking about mountain bikes that you rarely see in bike shops.
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Hey Matty, you helped me find my Roscoe 8. Just to let you know. I deal with bad depression and winter is awful for me. Last winter was much more fun because I got out on my mountain bike multiple times a week. Unfortunately this year weather hasn’t cooperated. But your channel is a very positive little gem. Thank you for delivering intel in a non condescending manner!
If you can handle the cold weather, find a second hand fat bike. They are slow. You'll never work harder to go slower. But I love my fat bike and I'd give up all my other bikes before it. I'm averaging around 30 miles a week this winter and added studded tires for our icy conditions in upstate NY. Well worth the investment to stave off winter blues.
@ hey, thank you! That is a thought and a great idea. Bc I went out on ice other day and tried a bit and was like. Nope! Then just rode my Roscoe up a hilly section of road haha. So studded tires on fat bike are good for the icy trails? I enjoy the idea of the hard work to go a couple miles lol. Only intense exercise and fresh air seems to shut my mind down enough that it really helps. 🙏 thanks again
@@johnwilkins3995 My friend has been riding his Roscoe 8 all winter too, but he tends to wait a bit for us fat bikers to pack down the snow. He tried some of the ponds but only when they had snow on top of ice.
In spring/fall I use Jumbo Jim tires, which are fast tires with hardly any knobs. When the snow falls I switch to, currently, 45NRTH Van Helgas which have higher knobs. When conditions were starting to get icy, two guys flew by me, both had studded tires. I then swapped out to Vee Snow Shoe XL studded. These are by far the slowest tire I have ever ridden, but they have substantial grip. Our local ponds froze for the first time in 5+ years and I went out and rode laps on all of them. I can take corners with lean they have so much grip. I bought all of these tire sets secondhand, for less than $150 per pair shipped.
Hope you are getting better and better and riding more. Whatever the weather it can be amazing !! Ride on buddy and good luck
@@mtbtrailshredders thank you, very much. Biking certainly helps me a lot. It’s a shitty thing that many people deal with unfortunately. Sometimes it takes too long to address. But it’s real.
I have a 90s no-suspension mountain bike that I use mostly as a gravel bike. Has a tune up, new rubber break pads, and a new seat. Can't make myself feel embarrassed to ride it, and your videos like this keep it that way for me.
When you use a "break pad", what ends up broken?
@@AHoundOnAHonda Basically nothing gets broken, you just may make minor adjustments on occasion.. It satisfied the KISS principle in that regard.
@@soap5393 If nothing's going to break, a break pad seems superfluous.
@@AHoundOnAHonda ol - oL - OLOLO!!!
I'm doing the same; getting the Hard Rock I bought in '95 out of the garage.
I agree with the premise of your video. The problem is also that the bike industry pushes suspension and any ridged bike has low end parts. I believe this is part of the rise of Gravel bikes. In that world you can have high end bikes without suspension. Also if you want to build a bike the manufactures only sell their highest end frames.
As a kid in the 80s and 90s, my friends and I rode our BMX bikes everywhere, over all kinds of terrain.
What's mind blowing now, we did this on single speed bikes. I'm 54 and I try to still try to sustain my ability to cruise a single speed.
Same here in the 2k's...rode a GT bump that was about 40llbs...this was just before sprockets shrank and bmx bikes got light again.
Full rigid bikes are the best, but they require balance and control. Most people just don't have it and refuse to learn. But if one puts the effort, they will have the time of their life
Fully rigid bikes are a very niche market. Ironically, the person who's usually writing a fully rigid these days is an old school Ripper who has such technical ability that they find modern bikes a little boring on all that the hardest trails.
I get your excitement riding a fully rigid. It's the same excitement I get when riding my Roscoe after several days on the Slash. The simplicity and the connectivity you feel to the trail is awesome. Trying to convince other people, though, to even try a hardtail is tough. Trying to convince him to try a fully rigid is nearly impossible.
Let's be honest. Modern full suspension bikes are why the sport has taken off like it did. Had bikes not progressed beyond my 1988 Stumpjumper the amount of people riding today would be miniscule.
I love my hardtail, and if I had the money I would definitely have a fully rigid Surly or Rivendell in my quiver but I think for most people a trail bike what's 130, 140 suspension is probably the best way to start. That plush and forgiving setup gets most people hooked on riding. Then, if they get hooked they can start going back to more simpler platforms as their skills develop
But, hey. If you get even one other person to get out and enjoy a fully rigid, that's awesome
100% agree, I love the challenge of riding a rigid on hard terrain, But most people hate being bounced around and would rather just float over the rough terrain effortlessly
I happened upon this video and comment.
Today, I finished building my Surley ICT full rigid on 29+ wheels.
I've only taken a few test rides, but it feels amazing, and I get the premise of this video.
I have multiple high-end full suspension bikes, but this full rigid, steel frame rig feels right to me.
Check out Jones bikes. All rigid with rigid specific geometry. His LWB model is easily the best handling bike that I've ever ridden. (I've been riding mountain bikes for 40 years)
My 1989 stumpjumper is easily my fav ride.. u turn into a deer in the forest running like mad
After a catastrophic accident at the age of 20....48 years ago, I have suffered on and off back pain. I bought my first full suspension bike in 2010. I just acquired a Trek Rail 7, which I will use on trails, roads. The relief the full suspension provides to my back is difficult to articulate.
makes total sense. keep pedaling good sir
Well said, if it keeps you rippin', it's money well spent
I agree with you. Most people don't get it. They buy into the hype that you need this and that to ride. Had a Krampus plus tire 29" with pnw coast suspension dropper. One of my favorites for everyday trails.
I ride my rigid Krampus almost everywhere. I removed the front suspension. It just wasn't for me.
Under biking keeps me sharp. I find myself throwing the bike around much more in order to keep the desired line and that give me an upper body workout.
The funny thing is you are experiencing the joys of bikes many of us rode 30+ years ago. The bonus is, now they have much better geometry and parts. I don't see it as the bikes are being buried, it's more about stocking what sells. Most people go and buy what I call "eye candy". Very few new riders go in and actually look at all the options manufactures offer. You also have the location question. As bikes shops regionally will sell different products based on what riding is in that region.
For many of us old school and new school, it's why we have several bikes to ride based on that days adventures.
Thanks for the videos. I watched some of your videos after buying a brand new MTB and hating the ride to learn how I could adjust it.
Last time i was on a bike it was a early 90s BMX bike. I have terminal cancer and going through surgeries and treatment and wanted to keep moving to try to rehabilitate my health, and because i can't drive now due to seizures and need transportation. Not being able to work, I can't afford high end stuff. I decided to stop by a local used bike shop. They tried to get me on a suspension MTB with all the new fancy stuff. Stuffed at the bottom back of their bike racks was a 1995 mongoose alta. They tried to talk me out of it, but after test riding all their suggestions, I still liked the ride of this one best. I took it for a spin on the trail i used the newer bike on, made it more than three times as far and was way faster. Took it off the trail for some side exploration and a few bunny hills too. Im sure the kids at the park got a kick out of watching a grandma do jumps at the park!😅 made me feel like a kid again. I have always been into long distance backpacking, but recently struggling. My goal is to get to a point where i can do bikepacking. Idk if my current bike will work for that, but for now it's learning and training, and makes getting out there enjoyable. 🥰
Keep doing what you do!
Redline Monocog 29er has been my go to for a while. It’s well upgraded, but it’s a blast.
I have one too and it’s a blast!! One of my favorite bikes!
I ride mine all the time!
regret selling mine.....
Look up "The Monocog Log". It's a good read.
Holy, I have one. Use it for urban assault with slicks on it.
Hey Matt. I am 64 years old and a rigid mountain bike rider since 1986. So fun!
Currently riding a custom Coconino (made in Flagstaff).
Yeehaw! Gila Proven!
I’m 73 and live in Phoenix. I’ll check that bike out you recommended.
last year i went to a bike shop looking for a bike for the first time in a decade and learned i needed to custom build the rigid mountain bike I'd imagined from my youth. So I did and went a little nuts with the spec, but i couldn't be happier with the results. I built a TI/C framed 29er with 2.5" tubeless tires and a 1x9 chain drive. I feel like I can take on nearly any terrain with this bike; riding the rail trail with the family, whipping around the pump track or flying through some single track there are few places i dare not go. I appreciate the Rigid MTB appreciation, and I'm glad other people see the value in the simplicity and the rawness of the rigid. Thanks Matty Active.
Nicely done, Matty! Getting back to basics reminds us how simple and joyful biking can be!
I ride a Kona Unit rigid single speed. No need for suspension. I am the suspension.
That’s how I started out in the 80’s. On my old Specialized Rock Hooper😊. Still miss it
When I was younger I loved riding rigid single speed. Just pure fun!
I rode rigid MTBs back in the 90's. To hell with them things nowadays. My Megatower with a 170 Fox 38 up front and a DHX2 coil in the rear🥰 I absolutely love it.
Yup, I rode a steel rigid bike ... in 1993 when I was a teenager. My 40-something joints appreciate the Fox 38 and big travel of my RM Altitude.
I recently purchased a new Poseidon Ambition X gavel bike, which has brought back the joy of cycling. I enjoy watching your videos, and yes, sometimes a rigid mountain bike or gravel bike is all you need for 90% of the trails and bike paths people generally ride.
My first and only mountain bike was a 2017 GT Pantera Comp "hardtail"... Great bike. Added a few aftermarket pieces on it from pedals,bars,grips,stem..Just for fun...I did sell it 3 years later as I wasnt riding trail enough to warrant having it..9/10 people overspend on things. From bikes to cars, gym equipment etc..
One of my favorite rides was an old steel rigid frame with 2.3 Specialized grey Umma gummas on it. what a ride. hardtails for life
I love this approach. I've favored a similar thing for most people (and my own mtb is a fully-rigid Jones, although 29x3" tires offer some amount of suspension). I'd love to see more mid/low-level mountain bikes designed to be practical and durable.
Very good video! I had a Fat tire for urban trials and it was a beast. I needed money and now my son and I are looking to get back into bikes again. Thank you for this!
This video was just simply great. Reminded me of my first name brand mountain bike when i was kid. My Raleigh Discovery was an awesome non suspension bike, I don't even think suspension was a thing then lol. The jumps, the long wheelies, and the races between my neighborhood friends. Thanks for the memory Matty
Great points. The industry will say you "need" this or that but when the goal is having fun all you really need is to do is stop researching, stop saving, stop waiting, get a bike and get out there now instead of waiting another 6 months or another year. New bike parts are cool and everything, and it's fun to spend money on all the newest technical stuff but if the #1 goal is to ride then ride now and shop later. The fancy gear will always be there.
Hello Matty, I'm glad you liked the rigid bike. I'm 37 years old, I've been cycling since I was a child and I've never stopped, I've never liked suspension, I only had one and in my experience, it's a lot of weight, low durability, it absorbs the kinetic energy of your pedal stroke, making it go less, and when making short turns the spring when returning ends up throwing me off balance as if it threw me upwards, losing grip. My bike is currently a rigid MTB 29" frame size 19" with road handlebars and slick balloon tires. I think it's the best I've ever had, perfect for the city with very light MTB gears, it climbs any hill without getting tired and on descents the aerodynamics of the road handlebars compensate for the short gear. I must admit the great advantage of the suspension at the front and that there is less chance of breaking the handlebars. I've already broken some with rigid bikes, and the rigidity on very rough sections for a long time can cause tingling in the wrists.
You’ve gone back to the early days of mountain biking. Those of us that are in mid 50s to 60s and 70s started on fully rigid mountain bikes. That said the geo was worse back then and they were bone shakers. So when decent suspension forks came out we all upgraded quick. You have valid arguments but depending on someone’s terrain not having front suspension might mean they find the sport too abusing and stop it. Still a crappy $600 hard tail vs a quality $600 rigid, the rigid would be the better buy.
I will also say that if you find your local trails boring then down biking is often a way to spice them up. A rigid bike will make that green trail a lot more exciting.
These days I would even say, get a gravel bike if you want to underbike greens. The speed and efficiency of a gravel bike on gravel roads and easy trails is way better than any MTB. Rigid MTBs also tend to not be cheap, since you're generally looking at hand made steel frames to get anything close to a decent ride quality. You can get away with a stiff frame on a hardtail if your fork is decent, but not so on a rigid.
I have a rigid 20" fat bike. Best buy ever. I agree with this video. Also sometimes less is more. Remember you don't lose travel on a rigid bike.🙂
Good video. I believe the most overlooked bikes are single speed mountain bikes. They are very capable bikes and not nearly as hard to ride as most people believe. They also don’t cost as much, don’t break down as much, and easy to work on. I have a super nice enduro bike and a $350 dollar single speed mtb, and if I had to pick just one, it would definitely be the single speed.
I totally agree with your point and liked the video. In addition I think this is even more important for kids Mountainbikes as the weight difference is even moren of an issue for these little riders. ...and it helps to develop crucial skills. Last comment: As I just upgraded from a rigid MTB to a hard tail - the biggest improvement for me was from V brake to disks and not the suspension.
This is a great video. i worked in a shop in the mid 90's . I still have frames from the 90's that i have saved. now i have 30 or so 90's hardtails, 5 full suspensions and 4 fatbikes. but I have been collecting since the 90's
Great vid! I'm 100% with you on this. I started on rigid steel bikes and toe clips in the 90:s and the worst thing about those bikes were not the lack of suspension but rather that the geometry sucked.
A rigid steel frame with modern geo, dropper and a 1x drivetrain would be the purest form of MTB imaginable.
I totally agree. I do only ride early 90s rigid mountainbikes. It is fun and challenging, because you are really involved in riding: picking the right lines, absorbings bumbs etc. It is very good for training your skills. My bikes offer very good function: a 7S cassette and a pair Koolstop cantilever pads are cheap and everything operates as it should. A more compilcated modern bike won't probably look and feel as good in 30 years. Plus I doubt whether spares will be available. Of course for the industry it is better that you favor suspension over training skills and that you have to buy new every couple years.
I live in the Chicago area and mostly ride gravel style bikes, but my most mountain bike like ride is a surly bridge club set up with 27.5 by 2.6 tires. It really does a good job of covering the kind single track you’d encounter in this region. I prefer the responsiveness and feedback of a full ridged bike, it makes things feel more exciting.
I think the simplicity of them is so beautiful. Much less maintenance recurring costs. I am not really in the position to convert my hardtail to rigid, but I have certainly though a lot about it.
Funny enough you were at a trek store and they used to make full rigid 29+’s and I fell in love. I’ll never use a dropper post and at 45 years old I still rock my full rigid belt drives.
A $1649.99 bike seems to miss the point of keeping simple. If your goal is to get as many people riding as you can then focus on the bikes that people can afford and enjoy riding. The industry is in trouble because their prices have gotten out of control. Bring sanity back to riding. $1650 for a rigid bike is not where the bike industry should be heading.
It should be closer to a thousand for a rigid bike. Suspension for is 500$ and up for a decent one.
Yeah Breezers are a bit steep for what you get. For that money you could get a Trek Roscoe which is a vastly more capable bike.
Great video. I ride a 2018 full suspension and a 1992 rigid diamondback and love to ride both as hard as I can. TOTALLY different experience, but awesome for being so different.
For real. I got a used 2022 model year fat bike with a bluto fork and full GX drive train and a dropper for $850 last year that got me into MTB and I love it. However, even with the 4.8" tires I could not imagine it being fully rigid, no thank you. People should first be looking to buy USED bikes but a hardtail and not something fully rigid.
I mean I did buy mine for 1199 but yeah the super high quality steel frameset isn’t gonna be cheap to make for this.
How fun! I was about to comment on how some of those trails looked familiar, then you said something about riding in Colorado! I started riding on mountain bikes in 86, all steel. I started getting into fat bikes a few years back, and one of the thins I love about them is how they remind me of riding my first mountain bikes. Bouncy and bumpy, but fun! You are 100% correct that most people are over-biked for how they ride. I count myself in that category.
I have a nice full suspension trail bike but started riding old steel ridgid bikes. There's something sweet about a vintage steel ridgid and the ride quality. I am building a 1983 Ross into a gravel bike right now. It's an amazing ride. Chrome frame and a simple advent 1x9 groupo is perfect on it. I have about $350 in it total. This summer, im gonna bike pack on it. My trail bike now is a 1985 fisher montare. The history of them is what got me. The bike industry pushes people to feel like they have to have the best of the best. Then you have a lot of people shaming others into spending stupid amounts. I regret my FS purchase, but it's nice sometimes, but if i could do it over again, I'd have purchased a marketplace trek steel bike from the 90s and threw a modern groupset on it.
Great video man you are right we have no trails like that in Lancashire England cycling at 73 David bolton😊
I started mountain biking as a teen on a cannondale M400 ‘beast of the east’ in that classic red and had as much fun as I would on my full suspension a couple of years later. Now a rigid bike has its limits and despite being very light I was breaking rims because I used my rigid everywhere as it was my only bike.
Agree 100% Matty!
Love this video!
People always over buy things and get gadgets they don’t need and will probably never need. The car and bike industries are the best examples of this.
Love your vids Matty!
good idea, thinking about putting rigid forks on my stunt jumper lol
I think that would make it a softtail, ha ha ha
Great idea, a 0/130 hardfork would really stick it to the scammer bike industry
This is a great video-thank you for making it. Definitely put a big smile on my face!😄
I dig that piano piece at the end.
An opinion that while probably not liked by the bike makers , it’s an opinion that is a breath of fresh air. Haven’t owned a full suspension since 2020, only ride hardtails now and even trying a fully rigid Surly Bridge Club on mountain bike trails.
i couldnt agree more! I've spent alot of time on rigids, with good tires a rigid bike is super capable and eliminating suspension maintenance is huge. I also have really gained a love for avid BB7 brakes set up with fishbone compression less housing. I have this type of build on my "dad" bike and it is just so dang reliable. Something like this for a backup/winter bike makes alot of sense. Hydraulic brakes are amazing, but not having to get oily to service anything on the bike is huge. The power is honestly probably better than hydro at the expense of slightly more lever effort.
I feel this, I built up a Krampus last year over the space of like 7 months saving and scrimping for parts and I find myself getting PRs with big 3 inch tires and a rigid fork down trials I would have only touched with my hardtail. I’ve started sending my old steel frame I built up from 88 with a v brake on the front and u brake on the back down some flowy blues now. So good!
I ride rigid MTB for about 15 years (Singular Swift) now and man, i love it. I am never goin back to suspension. And the whole time i think exactly the thoghts you sayd in the video.
You give up speed, but a rigid fork hardtail is the funnest thing in the world, especially on technical trails. Anyone can blast through the rough stuff on a full suspension, few people learn to do it well on skill alone on a rigid bike like we rode in the 1980's.
LOVE my breezer thunder, not that many videos on YT about this bike. I bought mine used and it came with a RockShox judy 120mm, I love the ride but do wish sometimes it had the ridgid fork just for the simplicity. But man this bike can handle jumps and corners with confidence I haven't felt on other bikes. Great video!
Thing is.. I talked to the boy from next door a while back. He desperadly wants a downhill bike.. you know the best of the best. And i tried to explain him that ive ridden all thoughts of terrains and now i only own 2 Hardtails and that all i need to go anywhere. Still he insists that its necessary to have that hero bike to get stuff done. And then i realised.. If you get into mountainbiking just a little bit its hard to understand what expensive frames, suspension etc etc will be like. On top you see and get told everywhere about the greatest stuff around so naturally you want are made to believe that you should desire that cause it will feel better and improve your riding. Bottom line is - you have to have experienced different bikes and components and have to get to that conclusion yourself that you dont really need all that for what you do and that it might even be wiser to go with lower end bike with less suspension and less fancy parts because its just as good for what you do and less expensive and likely even saver. But again - to get there you need to experience the other stuff to aknowledge you dont need that.
Lengthy talk - by that i should get rid of 1 of the 2 as this is likely the worst combo of them all .. by the description above. Enduro e-Hardtail made out of carbon. Super luxury item - super expensive while getting completely ignored by everyone else cause it barely looks like an ebike nor does it have full sus or fancy carbon screaming frame design - so by the looks of it this bike scream "no bragging rights" :D was this necessary - totally not - but im now in a position where i can say that with confidence - i bought it because i wanted it not because i needed it and i was aware that im buying it with this knowledge. So this is the woods hardtail(ebike) now while the other is my bikepark bomber hardtail.
Waiting for Matty to experience a proper fatbike...
He owned one but hadn't ridden it really. Was in the bikes video, one of the last ones. Think it was a mongoose.
Been trying to convince him to head up to Nederland or Laramie and do some proper fat biking in snow.
@@mrvwbug4423 SIGN ME UP!
After 30+ years as a "roadie," about 3 months ago I acquired my first Fat Bike (Bigfoot 2). Never rode a Fat Bike until I took delivery of mine. Rode a MTB (Roscoe 7) for the first and only time June or July last year at the local TREK Shop. The guys thought I was nuts for wanting a Fat Bike, especially without ever riding one. Lol! I LOVE IT!
We haven't had a real good snow storm come through the farthest western tip of Texas in decades. We have the southern tail of the Rockies here. Though we had a couple days of scattered flurries in and around the city, nada por nada in the mountains. :( I can't wait to get those 27.5 x 4.5s in some proper snow on a mountain trail!
Planning a bikepacking trip up a couple of the lower sections of Divide, maybe as far North as northern Colorado, for sure up in the northern reaches of New Mexico, with a side trip in to the Rio Grande River Gorge (SPECTACULAR place!).
CHEERS!
I road and raced on a Gary Fischer CR-7. Thumb shifters ridged as hell. Admittedly I had a stem that had an integrated urethane bumper in it.
Agreed. Rigid is fun, especially in the form of a gravel bike with mountain bike tires. Thanks for the video.
Matty, I always knew that you were a stud, but those back flips took you to another level!
I always look forwad to a new Matty vid, youre an amazing storyteller, thank you sir!!
It's a shocking experience pedaling a rigid. Just instant acceleration.
So basically like a road or gravel bike
Love this perspective. I think this is one of the reasons gravel bikes are selling so well and full suspension is struggling again. I wish manufacturers would start selling full ridged again.
I still have a Kona Unit full ridged from 2015 I ride it on green a blue XC plus some gravel and pavement. It’s all steel with disc brakes and’s QR axels. It’s so fun to take out from time to time and makes easy trails and local parks interesting.
From Montreal Canada! You're a 100% right. I couldn't agree with you more. My first GT was a full rigid too.
Keep up the great content.
Hey, random question but is there decent mountain biking near Montreal? I never did mountain biking until I moved to BC, but recently one of my buddies moved to Ottawa, and I'm curious if there are any good trails within two or three hours of Ottawa or Montreal
Thanks for sharing, great perspectives and informative.
I am turning 48, full ridged makes you stronger. On the other hand, your wrists can only take soo much rigid fork. I've been biking for 42 years and I do go back and forth. I will say that full sus makes you travel forward faster than you should as far as breaking bones and having accidents. Full ridged will keep you in check.
Even at 45, rigid would wreck my joints. I also enjoy riding the rowdy stuff so I'll take the bike that lets me ride that confidently and in comfort.
Great video. Way back in the early 80s, mountain bikes were rigid 26 inch with rim brakes and friction shifters. Sure we didn't go as fast as modern bikes, but those Trek 850s were rugged and maintenance was minimal. It was about getting out there, focusing on technique, and enjoying the ride. It seems simplicity is so rarely understood.
Even better is a Surly Crosscheck, but my next bike will most likely be a custom steel frame hardtail with a cane creek gravel fork and some Surly Corner bars with electronic shifting and carbon wheels!
The Trek Dual Sport is basically a rigid 27.5 cross country bike. Some older years had suspension forks, but I'm pretty sure the newest are rigid fork.
I test rode a new one and it was so comfortable
@@MrAdrian13 I think I test rode both the suspension fork and the rigid fork versions, and I enjoyed them as well. I ended up getting an FX Sport 5, which is basically a full carbon fiber 700c version of it.
@@tomconway6808 nice. I had my eye on those FX for a while. I ended up buying a flat bar Surly Preamble. I put an alt bar on it
I have been riding almost exclusively rigid mountain bikes since the 90s and I love it. I also worked at a bike shop as a mechanic for a while and learned, most bike shops don't sell rigids because most major brands don't offer them. The brands don't offer them because it's easier to justify a much higher price on an entry level mountain bike if you clap a cheap Chinese suspension fork on it. it may cost them an extra $80 to get that entry level fork on there but they can easily say the bike is worth double the price of it's rigid counter part and people just nod and say "that makes sense"
I'm almost forgot you use to backflip to the trails then hit that wheelie at the beginning of the trails... Good times 💯🤙🏾 Great vid 👍🏾
I’ve been riding a full suspension for decades but I’ve always wanted to go back to a hard tail. And I finally built a top of the line hard tail and absolutely love it! I do have a suspension fork on it though but the feel of a hard tail is second to none!
I loved my Ridgid , now I have a chisel handrail and a roll 2.0 , great channel MattyActive 💪🏼🇺🇸 SE Michigan check-in
Cool that you adress this, bike looks awesome. I own two fatbikes with rigid forks at the moment. I can open up and service my own forks but I hate it. Not having to do that is so good. I would have loved to own something like that when I started.
I have a Santa Cruz Chameleon that I put a Trek 1120 fork on. It took me a while to get it right, but I recently slapped on some carbon wheels (originally from my e-bike), some ultra-fast XC tires (Vittoria Peyote), and a Flexx Enduro Bar (adding a tiny bit of suspension for traction and absorbing the chatter you were complaining about). I haven't really taken it off-road much yet, but my local dirt jump park is 8 miles from my house. With this setup, I can get my cardio in pedaling down on the pavement, and then when I get to the park, the bike orbits. The Flexx bar is a huge upgrade. It is $400, about the cost of a good rear shock, but it's a hell of a thing. I run a suspension stem on my allroad bike, and I really wanted that feeling on the rigid bike. I am going to try taking it to Northstar this season.
Started mtn biking in 89, on a Trek 8000 with a 1 inch round rigied fork. Switched to a Ti/Mag Rockshock for all the roots and rocks. Originally in Houston, then Austin Texas. Wore it out. Got a Klien Palamino dual and love it. Toda I comute on a 89 Nishki Cascade that i have switched to cyclocross bars. and 2.2 gravel. Now doing Gravel use a Salsa warbird gravel bike and often hit the mountain bike trails with it... just no big drops. So you could add stem and seatpost to take the edge off some hits. Age may also affect choices
Great job Matty. I currently have a Roscoe 8 and a Fuel EX 8 gen 6. Sold a few older bikes to fund these. It's good to have both suspension and full rigid. A different ride for different situations. I've been looking at the Breezer Radar X Pro.
when you're 57, rigid-bikes (and hardtails) ARE pain-machines. I was an early adopter of full suspension in the 90's (probably due to my dirt bike upbringing) and always preferred full suspension (even when they sucked back then) as it let me ride the way I wanted to ride, instead of managing the limitations of a rigid or hardtail type bike. I truly enjoy the comfort, control, and ability to take 'questionalble lines', and land jumps without disintegrating my cartilidge, as why I will always choose full-suspension no matter what. That said, after riding all types of mountain bikes, cyclocrossers, cruisers, etc. I'm convinced that people equate being bounced around (on a ridgid or hardtail) as going fast. The bumpier it is, the more sensation of speed one perceives. I'm guessing you're perceiving that sensation too - as that sensation is accessed much sooner when on a rigid or hardtail. You're just getting going in your mtb journey, so it's good you're experiencing all these different perceptual facets that different bikes impart upon the riding experience. Enjoy the ride
Yeah, always have to keep in mind that Matty is a young former professional athlete when listening to his opinions.
I’m 55 and spend half of my rides finding the limit of a rigid single speed. It takes way more strength and focus and I achieve the “perception of speed” at a much lower risk. But my full squish still has its place.
True
I can ride my hard tail for 9 miles no issues, but if I want to go further without my back hurting then I need my full sus.
Hardtails keeps me riding within my limits. Getting off at 6ft+ does not appeal to me.
Great Point and video matty I’m still go ride my Walmart bike and I have a blast😁🚵♂️ and my poligon T8 siskiu hangin in mi garage 🤣🤣🤣👍✌️🙋🏻♂️
My local bike shop has a few alloy rigid mtbs for sale but they strangely cost more than their equivalent suspension equipped hardtail cousins.
I think it depends on where you live and what type of riding you want to do. Here on Vancouver island, only the most hardcore riders ride a fully rigid bike. Even green trails can be littered with roots. I'd agree though, most people are over biked.
I've been riding a rigid single speed with plus tires for a decade. My favorite bike.
Still have my 1985 Univega Alpina Ultima. Bought it in a NW Portland bike shop while Jack Ramsey, coach of the Trailblazers at the time and a cyclist, was there and had brought with him just drafted center Sam Bowie to shop for a bike.
Sick looking bike. Took a Giant Escape and spec'ed it out to a similar setup and always have fun with it and ive dragged it through hell. People sleep on how comfortable a ride can be with big plumpy tires or how fun "under" biking can be.
Preach! Next up hard tails with lockout forks. The best of both worlds!
I agree that most people are overbiked and a rigid or hardtail will do more than most people believe. On the flip side, most people getting into mountain biking and up feature shopping. They look at a list of features and try to get the most value. I notice it when people look to get into mountain bikes, they ask me advice and then end up with a full suspension bike.
Rigids are pretty niche and not cheap if you're talking a modern one. A good bang for buck trail hardtail like a Roscoe 8 is the ticket for new riders IMHO. You have modern geometry, dropper post, 1x drivetrain, 29er wheels and sufficient component spec to where a new rider should feel confident on proper trails. There's literally no reason to handicap yourself by riding super steep geo, shit brakes and no dropper these days.
I grew up riding and racing BMX in the 80s, no suspension of course. In the 90s when I was in college, I rode a full rigid MTB and ripped it up on that thing; used to do massive jumps and rhythm sections (all that BMX experience really helped). Around Y2K I was making good money and bought a high end hardtail w/good front suspension and it was very sweet. I moved from US to Europe and it was stolen 😢. Started having kids and lots of working and didn’t get another bike for quite some time. Started having more time around 2017 and invested in a fairly high end dual suspension (midlife crisis?) thinking it would be so awesome, but I honestly miss the hard tails. Also - damn did the prices go up over the years!
I love my Rockhopper Comp..made some upgrades along the way. Your content is awesome, I used to think I needed to go full sus, but I'm glad I found me an entry level. but QR wheelsets are hard to find not mention a good good budget friendly wheelset. I'm going to have one for the concrete and asphalt. Maxxis Grifters or the GT smoothies. but yeah, keep up the content buddy
Stay riding 🤘🏽
Me, I'm riding my Mosso 919XCT 29er with Mosso M6i rigid fork installed in the front it is so light to manuever it's lighter than having Air Fork installed on your MTB. Really good on 100 to 300+kms of long ride. You can ride it also on gravel roads too and guys it's really fun you just need to have some skills on those very uneven roads that you're going to ride. It's really fun to ride that type of bike...👍
I’ve ridden 26,27.5,29 inch wheels. Aluminum/CF frames. Fox/Rockshox/marrochi suspension or rigid. Trail, dirt jumper, enduro, downhill bikes. Honestly it doesn’t matter as long as you’re out in a bike you’re gonna have a good time. They all feel different but I still to this day love all of them in their own way. To anyone thinking of getting into the sport don’t overthink it just do some research, ask a local bike shop and get your first bike no matter what it is and you’ll be glad you did.
I think the utility of a rigid really depends on where you live (and the trails available to you). A rigid in the mountain states like CO (where it looks like you live?) is really different from having one in the PNW or New England. I've lived all three places and had a rigid single speed the whole time. The rocks (smaller and usually sharper) and roots in the PNW and New England make the rigid pretty hard to ride for all but the most committed.
I agree about the simplicity being a huge plus though. I love having very little on the bike to service or worry about.
I'm 55 and ride a transition trans am 27.5 steel hard tail. It has been my best and favorite bike and there is nothing I can't ride. Keep in mind I broke 2 steel and 2 aluminum frames, both front and full suspension. Got big love for the hard tail easy to maintain, and can ride all day
I appreciate the "do-anything-bike" (except extreme sport stuff) perspective. Most people aren't looking to get into extreme sport. I agree that bike shops could become more inviting to newcomers if they could see their way to stocking more approachable products like rigid / just pedal it & have fun bikes. I've got 2 touring / "gravel" / all-rounder bikes w/ WIDE tires that do the job for me--1 for good weather & 1 for bad. I've always (since 10yrs old) had drop bars; so, that's just the type of bike that works for me.
Question: Have you ever considered putting a Surly 'corner bar' on one of your bikes?
Lastly, I think you would really enjoy the perspective of Rivendell Bicycle Works (Walnut Creek, CA) on what bikes can be at their best: "Fun, Comfortable, Useful, and Safe" (taken from the homepage of their website). The way they elaborate on this perspective is really fun/entertaining, and runs parallel to the things you say here.
Thanks for posting, rigid keeps the speed in check,
Never boring with a full rigid. I do like the 29+ option for my own rigs, which is sort of suspension. But it takes away the chatter over little roots and rocks when you air it down a bit.
It seems like actually we are seeing a renaissance of rigid bikes (usually called ATBs), but it is still at the boutique level. It would be nice to see midrange steel rigid bikes like the Breezer make a real comeback. Everyone who rode Bridgestones in the 90s knows how great they can be.
Back in the day, I would own one Bridgestone with a couple sets of tires for different conditions. That covers almost everything.
I have a Trek FX2 2023 Viper Red. I upgraded the Brakes to Shimano XT Levers, GRX Caliper rear, Ultegra Caliper front, Snail Red floating Rotors, Alpha Pasca Carbon fiber handlebar, Redshift Arclight Sport Pedals, Magicshine Seemee 300 and AD radar taillights, Magicshine EVO 1700 headlight and a Brightside side shining light. I have Bontrager H2 Comp tires waiting for Pirelli gravel M's.
This bike is so nice luv it.
Mountain Biking started with converted cruiser bikes called clunkers and they had no suspension. It was fun. Of course, technology can increase speed, comfort and confidence, but any bike designed for actual mountain biking can be fun for the average user. I ride a modified Schwinn Axum DP since 2021 and have enjoyed everything from gravel trails to black diamonds on it.
Started out MTB in 1990 on a ridged MTB because that’s basically all there was. Rode some rough trails on that bike.
wow am about to build one and inspired me to keep going.
I gotta laugh a bit, out of my "fleet" I have mostly fully rigid. I love them, they do great. With that said when I go to Trestle or Keystone I want my FS to save my arms from burning. I like drops, rocks and speed and oh does the FS really make that so sweet. If I am trail riding at all my rigid rides do awesome!
Thank you for making this video! I have owned multiple full rigid single speed 29ers and they are the best. Suspension is awesome but full rigid makes me a better rider. Also, I feel 2010-2017 was the hay day for rigid 29er single speeds. specialized used to make beautiful hard tail stumpjumper SS frames. Fortunately few brands still offer SS MTB frames and full builds such as niner, salsa, spot, moots, etc.
Great video pretty much what I’ve been thinking for years. Although I’ve just upgraded to a ragley piglet with front suspension now you’re making me worry I’ve made the wrong choice 😂. I had a 2011 mtb before with a rigid thru axle steel fork before for simplicity and reliability!
There's a reason every bike in my garage is a Surly. I've ridden plenty of "squishy" bikes over the years, but these days, I don't miss them at all. Suspension adds more weight, more cost, more maintenance and for bike packing/adventure riding, squish is useless and makes hauling gear a total PITA.
I'm 55 and grew up riding MTBs in the late 80s and 90s with ZERO suspension, narrow flat bars, 1.95" tires, 3x drivetrains, canti-brakes, no droppers, and my pals and I had a sh1t ton of fun.
Yeah man, finding full rigid bikes is hard these days, Surly, All City, Wilde, Crust, Rivendell, VO are a few names who still get it. The answer to why??? Because the bike industry loves to milk us for crap MOST of us don't need. I'm looking at a Surly Krampus this year to be my trail-ripper.