Originally Posted by bikerinblack
i recently gave my younger brother (12 yrs. old) my old 13 in. trek 800. the bike is all cromoly with entry level sram shifters, and v brakes. he is only a kid but i am wondering if he should have at least entry level rock shox judys or even some entry level manotuis.
He'll be a better bike rider in the long run by learning on a rigid where the margin of error is smaller (less forgiving). He'll learn skills with the rigid that he can use on whatever sus bike he ends up with in the future and smoke all his friends who just crash through everything.
My Trek is still fully rigid, and the Attitude is front sus only (I don't own full sus; my wife does though). I actually haven't ridden the Trek off-road in a long time (it's got slicks on it know)....I'll have to take it out for some nostalgia (sp?) time.