Originally Posted by
Moisture
how often does the average person come across singletrack challenging enough to call the need for suspension? 1%? Less?
If you like to have suspension on singletrack that isn't too challenging, you're simply using the extra shock absorption to tackle terrain instead of sheer riding skill. Nothing can replace rider skill when it comes to getting that front axle over obstacles yourself.
in terms of speed and agility, on gravel, pavement and most types of singletrack, you will never come close to a properly balanced rider using rigid.
What a strange way of looking at it. Why does rider skill matter? I don't ride because I can then tell others on the internet that I am a skilled rider. I ride because it's fun. And having a 120mm manitou mastodon makes riding my Ice Cream Truck a lot more fun because the fork allows for a lot more speed in the downhills as well as makes riding / climbing technical stuff easier. I got the mastodon, because my typical trails weren't fun with a rigid. But they were a lot of fun with a suspension fork. I did manage to ride the trails with a ridid fatbike so I suppose my rider skill was enough. But I also ended up hating the slow going and constant evaluating of ride lines, wheel lifts, bunny hops etc. I want to ride, not play 4d chess.
I do agree that one needs to evaluate the terrain one rides and choose the tools accordingly.
Where I live there's only trail riding. I used to think that typical mountain biking is riding technical single track, but then someone decided that's trail riding so I guess I'm a trail rider. What suprised me was that apparently XC happens on fire roads and easy singletrack. From my perspective that's gravel riding. And for gravel a fatbike is massive overkill and also a pretty slow choice.
So the tool I find to be best suited for the type of riding I do is a front suspended fatbike with 120mm travel. I tried 140mm travel, but that's just too much. Actually a full suspension fatbike would be even better, but I only have a front suspended one. I suppose that objectively for some trails a 29er hardtail would be better and for some a 140mm full suspension 27.5", but I only have space and energy for one mountain bike so the front suspended fatbike is that bike.