fully rigid mtb
 

the joy of riding fully rigid is off the scale it is fun fast instant feedback. the down hill riding however is exhausting.
using arm
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0048c52701.jpg
1990's Gary Fisher Wahoo.
s and legs to support self is tiring but fun

Vintage mountain bikes are neat to look at. But not enjoyable to ride.

When it is good (like a relatively smooth flowy trail) riding rigid is pretty awesome.

They are nice to ride on the same trails / gravel roads where you'd ride a gravel bike.

I can agree with both of you. I guess I was referring to MTB trails as it sounds like that is what the OP did.

I'm still enjoying mine.
But then again, I only ride 3-4 times a week so I may not know what I'm talking about.
This from Friday.

http://i.imgur.com/YA9SefZh.jpg

More no fun videos
.
Granted I have added a vintage fork to my vintage rigid as I worried about breaking the frame but still...

I do all the same up trails as everyone else and all the more popular downhill trails. I may not hit some things as fast or hard, and may bypass some things, but so do many other riders. Realistically what vintage bikes don't do well are getting air off jumps for fear of breaking (no suspension to cushion the landings) and dropping off ledges (for the same reason). However, many of the people I see out mtbing aren't doing that anyway. If I mix it with them I can do the same stuff. Why do they get to have fun and I don't" :rolleyes:

Case in point: If you watch the first few seconds of the first video you see a bunch of riders on modern mtbs standing around at the top of the same trail. This is common to many trails I ride on which no one is using a gravel bike for.

Fun is relative. Fun is getting out and riding. I plan to do it after work today!

Pretty smooth looking buffed out trails in those videos. Around my parts on a rigid bike...the seat would be busting your balls and your arms would tire quickly. Much more rock and root. where I'm at.

Well, go pro effect takes some of the harsh out but we do have some nice flow trails.Lots of people with modern FS bikes on them.

I've also ridden Moab and wouldn't want a rigid there. As the OP noted, the buzz on the arms would be a pita.

Great content here!

Here's me riding a completely rigid bike down a pretty chunky, technical descending trail near my home in Eastern Washington.

The bike I am on is a Jones Plus LWB with 3" tires. I have it set up for trail riding. Fun times! Still, I am going to build a full suspension some day

Nice trail 😀

Huh? These are pretty widely available, and not even that expensive. There is basically zero difference between that and a flat-bar gravel bike. Well, the gravel bike will use 700x50 tires instead of 26in, so it'll roll better.

A Giant Toughroad is ~$1000. A Diverge Evo is $1700. The bike in the picture would be at least $1000 in today's market with how crazy things have gotten.

Wahoo was near the bottom of the Fisher lineup, not an expensive bike at $350 then-dollars, the last to receive a suspension fork. But it was for-real a mountain bike, with a heavy duty frame and knobby tires. The non-suspension MTB that was good for commuting did not go away, it became a hybrid/fitness bike, with a lighter frame and the 1.5 inch slicks already installed. So a fairer value comparison would maybe be the FX at $600 today-dollars. Not sure what fair point is made comparing it to >$1700 gravel bikes having both a much nicer build and the road-bike tax.

Over the winter I tore down my "Monster Cross" drop bar Performance XCL9r, to service the old RockShox Dart 3 forks, headset, swap out the drops for a flat bar, and lose the front derailluer for a 1x9 setup.

While the bike was disassembled, I rode my old 90 Trek 7000. I have ankle issues, so I don't stand on the pedals like I could in my 30s... So I really felt every bump and such along the way. How in the world did I EVER ride rigids the way I did back then? HAHAHAAAA!!!

Back on the 29er, and the old rigid bike just seems more difficult to enjoy.

Alas, next bike will likely be a fatbike or full suspension machine.

I just finished building up this single speed rigid Trek Rig. It's going to mainly be a fire roads and double track bike for days that I don't want to ride my xc or gravel bikes.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...9b5abe9f16.jpg

That bike looks like it's missing the rear derailleur and 11 speed cassette. :D

I actually have a 12 speed group I can put on it

decided to strip my old beast get fresh paint new Headset and BB. simple goodness.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7072123860.jpg

Fully rigid is where plus-size tires shine. Here's me & my Kona Unit X out in Terlingua, Texas:


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2daa031c2a.png

I've been taking my rigid out this last week.
Since this pic I've added a different stem that I like but it keeps rotating in the steerer. Curse of the 1" downtube. Finally I just gooped JB weld all over the stem jam plug. No more rotation!

Going on a week's vacation at the end of the month, hopefully hitting the mtb scene in S.E. British Columbia (Kimberly, Fernie, Cranbrook). I'll rent a FS for the ski hill parks but will also take one or two of my own including the double double Barbarian.

http://i.imgur.com/Rs5EYXgl.jpg

ive got an Xcaliber 9 that’s still going strong. Ive always said that if the fork ever dies on me, a rigid is going on. I’ll keep the derailleur though.

A few years ago I bought a Nashbar 29er SS for like $200 shipped. It was honestly pretty good.

I got rid of it because i wanted some gears but it was remarkably capable for what it was.

I've been thinking about a Unit for quite awhile now. If they offer it in a nice color frameset I'll likely bite (don't like the current green).

Would you buy a Unit again after riding yours?