MTB "trials" bike of choice

[aener]

I recently got the MTB out the loft and have been chugging around my local woods because I noticed the time I most enjy riding at the minute is when me and a buddy set "Moto style sections" - climb this rocky bank, descend that gnarly chute.

It's a full sus, and I'll be riding it for the foreseeable because it's what I have (and what I don't have is money), but I really like the idea of rigid for the simplicity, reduced cost and reduced weight, as well as practical functions like being able to treat it more like a trials bike with both wheels locked and shunting about.

My question is to the people on here with On-Ones, and the like: should I pursue this thought, or will I reap the benefits of bouncies once I get used to it?
It seems much harder on the climbs, but the posture and head angle etc. make the rock-garden descents much easier than the Hex. But for every descent there is an ascent, and I don't want to walk it. Think Chris Akrigg style riding, but much, much shitter

 

Edit: Note - Not super fussed the idea of a hardtail. Also sticking to 26". They're big enough already.

Edited September 13, 2023 by aener

[adamc04]

I can't resist riding "trials" when I'm out mountain biking, a lot of the local DH is quite techy so I'm always looking for silly ways to ride off or along things. I've an old Orange 5 and it's wicked for that because of how short and upright it is. I think that riding position makes more of a difference than just whether it has shocks or not. I'm not doing mad pedal kick gaps or sidehops on it (I'm no good at trials even on a trials bike I'm not going to be better on some 18" full susser 🤣) but for nose pivots, manuals, wheelie drops, moto-ing up things, whatever, it does the job. Rigid and 26" looks fun to me but then you may as well ride the Hex just shove a longer seat post in it. Personally I suggest getting used to the bounce 👍 and Akrigg is properly sick on a full suss! Interested to hear any other opinions though

[La Bourde]

I used to ride some MTB hardtails.

One reason was, that I wanted to shunt my bike around, do some trials moves.

At that time, I was riding mostly with some friends and their full sus.

I owned for example an old Sunn tzar or even a Commencal Absolute (for its short chainstays) with wide rims, Hammerschmidt cranks to get more clearance, etc.

It was really difficult to follow my buddies. The biggest problem was the condition. I got tired really early.

At the end, I didn't ride much trials with these bikes... My friends did not want to spend to much time in the appropriate sections.

Now I ride a burly 650b full sus with 120mm travel (currently a Devincy Django). Surely it is easier with a hardtail to stay on the rear wheel. 

But if you get a nimble full sus (like an old 4x bike), you can move it quite easily and you can still bomb down the trails. It fits better my kind of riding.

Some suspensions react better than other to a pedal kick.

 

The major part of the anti squat is created thanks to the chain tension.

If the frame has a lot of anti squat in the appropriate gear, the suspension will extend during the pedal kick or at least stay high, as long as you keep your pedal loaded. If the frame has too much anti squat, you will get an opposite force (kickback) when lowing down your body (and thus compressing the suspension) or when your wheel hits something: this can be disturbing.

Having not enough anti squat will reduce the chain tension, the pedal kick feels spongy/undefined, like with a hub with less engagement.

That is for the theory.

 

[marg26]

Depends really what you want to do, but it doesn't sound like what's important to you is to ride as fast as possible down very rough ground which would suit full suspension.

I've taken a rigid MTB on a group ride a few times. It's fine on the smoother trails and just as fast and fun, and small sections of rough ground, but as soon as it gets rooty and brake bumps I was shaken to pieces and really couldn't keep up. It was difficult to even see the trails they were just a blur from all the shaking, no exaggeration! And that's just mountain biking in Kent!

I do enjoy riding it on XC style trails and urban though, lots of fun.

Edited September 14, 2023 by marg26

[MadManMike]

I had a Cannondale full susser which was great fun, but really only good at going full whack (Well, my version of full whack) down trails... Not so good on climbs and certainly no good for any sort of trialsy moves.

I broke it down and built a "hardcore hardtail" with the parts, so I now have a hardtail with 150mm travel. It's obviously more harsh on a red trail, but I much prefer the control / feel.