blue_neon

No one rode rigid and i'm glad they didn't. And front suspension IS a must on some sections of that course!

[bEn]

Wouldn't have a clue. I'm guessing just over 30km/hr.


I did not see one rigid in that race.

badsac

Why are you glad?

A must? What do you think people did before suspension? Just ride around on the road?

blue_neon

Because they would have struggled on a rigid on a long race without it.
For an event that will qualify you into the Commenwealth Games, yes.

Not at all, i'm not saying anything about the past, i'm talking about this particular race.

Sorry to offend you, but it would be silly in my opinion for any of these pro races to choose a rigid fork over a suspension fork in a race like this. They choose it for a reason.

badsac

I'm not offended. Just an "old school" fella trying to work out why I'm slower around my local XC loop on my new xtc2 than I was on my old rigid. And reasoning that if the track is smooth enough, which that track looks like it could have been (just from the images), would anyone do an XC race on a rigid anymore. Or are all you kids just to soft to take a bit of jiggling anymore?

And just wondering if the reason they choose suspension is just because it's the done thing. Thinking outside the box and going back to a rigid could give someone an advantage depending on the track.

atbman

I doubt if anyone riding the selection race for the Commonwealth Games would ride FS just because it's the "done thing". Their coaches might possibly express themselves with the understated politeness for which Aussies are renowned. And relatively smooth or not, at their speeds, the hands, wrists and arms would take a fair old hammering on rigid

blue_neon

Exactly what atbman says, 7 laps on an extremly hard 7km course on a rigid would put your body under a lot of strain. Especially on the rock garden where you roll down just like rolling down steps, doing that on a rigid again and again while racing is going to put a lot of strain on some of your body parts!

blue_neon

As we just said above...

badsac

Meh. Just ride the bumps. Rock gardens aren't a drama on rigids. It's not like they're freeriding or anything. Look at the limitations of their bikes. Wish you had of taken some pictures of these boulders they were running over so I could judge for myself.

blue_neon

Its more try riding 6km of XC, very difficult and in some parts slow without these obstacles. Then if to ride 7 laps without stopping isn't enough, i'm sure the agrevation of bumps and a rough ride + the amount of strain it would put on your body + the amount of leg strength they would need to shock absorb (you need to absorb the shock whether it be front fork susp or your legs). Of course you could ride it rigid, but why would you when you have the choice of a Fox 80mm front fork?

badsac

Yeah, but that awesome feeling of your finger joints separating from the constant jarring means you wouldn't be focussing on your burning lungs and legs.

Nah, just stiring. I know there's no way anyone would ride rigids if they had a choice. I'm just pissed cause I've gone from an ok rider on my old thing to a bum on the new bike. I'll sort out how to get on with the fork one day.

Pink_Ninja

where is your LBS hopper? I use tha aldgate one