Old 05-12-05, 03:54 PM
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skiahh
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Location: CO Springs, CO
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Bikes: 08 Stumpjumper FSR Expert, 02 Litespeed Tuscany, 04 Specialized S-Works Epic

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Originally Posted by strayfoxx
Recently when I have gone out mountain biking my back has hurt tremendously afterwards. So this had led me to believe that I want a dual suspension bike. Sure it won't be a panacea for all my back problems but it sure will help. However, I am afraid if I switch to a dual-suspension when I go out on the roads I won't be able to book as fast as I would on a hardtail. Is there much difference in speed between a Hardtail and a Full Suspension bike on the road? Is the difference so negligible that it doesn't matter?
For me, that is enough to say go for the suspension. I, too, have back issues and when I went to full suspension, it was incredible. Worth every penny and ever loss of efficiency. Though, I didn't ride mine on the road, I would still have gone that route. On the trail, it'll reduce your fatigue so much that long, hard rides will be much more enjoyable for you. If perhaps a little slower. For on road riding, if you work hard to develop a smooth spin, you won't lose much power and when you can afford a road bike (I recommend Ti for back issues!), that smooth spin will really help!

I don't know how the Treks are as I have a Specialized. Even so, I'd say go for the suspension bike. And, it's a bit less expensive, so you can get some goodies for it, too!
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