Anyone riding rigid no suspension fork? nada?
 

i am buying some new tires 26 inchers small knobbies just to hit the trails. all steel drop bars.
was my graveler but gonna try mtb style as i miss it and sold the old HT gary fisher.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...afdebc86b3.jpg
one time main gravel bike.

Having ridden both rigid and drop bars off road, I think the drops will slow you down more. Especially when they're roadish type drops in a roadish type position. Mountain drops tend to be wider, with lots of flare, and quite a bit higher.

yea, its all i got so gonna give it a go.

I love this ‘97 Trek 7000. Very light, fully rigid, a quite capable. When used within design parameters, it rocks. Here is a pic from the single tracks of Copper Harbor system in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4f7c65ccd.jpeg

I don't get too rad out on the trails, but I've been quite happy the last few years on my '84 Stumpjumper. I've mostly used it on beginner & nearby forest trails, but looking forward to tackling more difficult trails this summer.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1ba612448c.jpg

Lots of folks riding them in my neck of the woods. Only they put drop bars on them and call them "gravel bikes."
Tires that used to be called 2.1" are now called 53mm!
Brent

Is that a public trail system? It looks awesome just hope no one is riding around the corner while you decided to take a glamour shot

good looking bike, pedals and dem bullmooses

If I recall, some are directional and yes, open to the public. I rode “The Flow” and wanted to ride “The Edge” but will ride that straight up next time. The Utube vids are abundant.

Yep I've got 2 fully rigid bikes. One a kid hauler. One a classic. I don't touch much dirt with either.

First long distance ride on the classic (83 Ritchey) I had the tires up to 50 psi to get keep up the speed on a 30 mile paved ride. Hit a 3" root bump on the pavement & the impact blew might right hand a foot off the handlebar... Not a supple bike, downright dangerous with hard tires lol. But it looks real purdy.

Dude onetime when i was a kid i hit a decent sized table top jump amd ruined my handlebar man. It was epic as far as my friends were concerned .

F U L L Y rigid
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...020a4d6669.jpg

SWB? I would love to have a Jones like that, maybe the LWB instead. His bikes make me wonder why builders ever moved away from curved forks - they look so much better than straight!

Edit: after zooming in, I see it is an LWB.

Thanks man It’s a sweet ride

Another pic from this AM's ride, riding exclusively in the mtns these days since I cannot commute to work due to office closure
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1e282afe2f.jpg

My opinion on this is well outdated, in that I haven't seriously ridden an MTB since the 90's. At the time I had a low/mid end GT with a rigid fork and preferred it monetarily as well as ride quality over bikes with (fork) suspension in a self considered reasonable price range at that time. Everything out under a crazy price point was clunky and heavy, or just a spring in a tube (still not uncommon). IMO then and to a point even now, most of the low and mid end components remain so.
With that said, much of the newer (high end) stuff out is essentially redesigned motocross suspension. You can take a full run at a curb and just ride over. Crazy to have considered that 20 years ago.

FWIW i can make a full run at a curb on my Jones Plus LWB rigid bike pictured and just ride over. Seated. Trick is wide tires @ low pressure. Currently running 29x3.0 tires at 6-7PSI in the front

:lol:

I have ridden my Gravel Bike several times on mountain bike trails. A ton of fun but the body prefers the full suspension on the bumps. Running gravel tires with lower pressures.


https://i.imgur.com/g3BbnNS.jpg

cool gravel bike.
suspension doesn’t absorb the bumps and trail chatter,
wide tires do that. Suspension is only there for big hits. There’s a lot of evidence to show suspension is actually worse on very technical terrain because it reduces steering accuracy.

Not these days, but my wife and I started on rigid mtn.bikes (don't ask how long ago that was!). But I'm still close-current (but old) mtn.bikes only have a Manitou Axel susp.fork (80mm travel). To be honest, wouldn't mind riding a rigid bike again, but not going to add one, and don't get the chance to ride the trails too often now. As a senior, just glad I can still ride traila--hoping to keep going for a good while!

I appreciate the rigid ride of my steel Surly Krampus 29+. It’s relaxed geometry is great for the mixed terrain I ride. However, I often contemplate getting a suspension fork until I remember I have other bikes with a front suspension.

I am still getting used to my Marin Four Corners Elite for off road. I like the rigid, steel fork, but think I’d prefer flat bars instead of drops for mixed use. The jury is still out.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...af414f63a.jpeg

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0aabe7d2b.jpeg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...9f132d23_c.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...72a47336_c.jpg

I often ride with my suspension fork locked out, even though its set up for optimal pressure and never bottoms out for most all the trails on Long Island it just isn't necessary. Bike handles and feels good. I wouldn't want to do it with 26" since to me those mtbs never handled all that well and I always found my cross bikes more fun to ride on mtb trails till I got a 29er.

Is a plus bike or fat bike really a rigid ?

I have both and I’m amazed at the terrain I can gobble up with the bigger tires. I ask myself this question often when riding them.

The terrain I'm used to would be so much harder with a rigid bike. At least a hardtail in my opinion :)