Newbie impressions of a suspension bike.

Rural QLD CC said:

Greetings,
As I've previously posted here, I've just taken
delivery of a Giant VT3. I thought I'd post my thoughts as a newbie
to full suspension bikes.

* The seat supplied with this bike has to be the most uncomfortable
thing I've ever sat on. Good thing I bought padded Neti shorts......

just because you have suspension does not mean you just sit on the thing and
let the suspension absorb all the hits... now's your chance to work on being
a dynamic rider, which means you are still out of the saddle when anything
interesting is happening.

penny

On 2004-06-17, pas penned:

Quoted message said:

Rural QLD CC said:

Greetings, As I've previously posted here, I've just taken delivery
of a Giant VT3. I thought I'd post my thoughts as a newbie to full
suspension bikes.

* The seat supplied with this bike has to be the most uncomfortable
thing I've ever sat on. Good thing I bought padded Neti shorts......

just because you have suspension does not mean you just sit on the
thing and let the suspension absorb all the hits... now's your chance
to work on being a dynamic rider, which means you are still out of
the saddle when anything interesting is happening.

penny

What she said. But also, you're aware that you can swap out saddles,
right?

--
monique

I only find it uncomfortable when I'm 'commuting' between the interesting
bits or doing the morning/afternoon ride to/from work on the road. When the
interesting stuff is happening, I *am* out of the saddle.....sometimes not
by choice :-) I've been looking online for my options re a more comfortable
saddle.....just have to get the time to try a couple and decide which one I
want.

MrBonk
www.mrbonk.com

"Monique Y. Mudama" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On 2004-06-17, pas penned:

Quoted message said:

Rural QLD CC said:

Greetings, As I've previously posted here, I've just taken delivery
of a Giant VT3. I thought I'd post my thoughts as a newbie to full
suspension bikes.

* The seat supplied with this bike has to be the most uncomfortable
thing I've ever sat on. Good thing I bought padded Neti shorts......

just because you have suspension does not mean you just sit on the
thing and let the suspension absorb all the hits... now's your chance
to work on being a dynamic rider, which means you are still out of
the saddle when anything interesting is happening.

penny

What she said. But also, you're aware that you can swap out saddles,
right?

--
monique

Rural QLD says:

Quoted message said:

I've been looking online for my options re a more comfortable
saddle....

Don't even think about a new saddle until you've put a few weeks into that one!
Itr is your bum that is uncomfortable on the saddle. If, as you say, you are
a newbie, you may just need to break in your backside. If the saddle is still
umcomfie after that, THEN go look for one.

Steve

pas said:

Rural QLD CC said:

Greetings,
As I've previously posted here, I've just taken
delivery of a Giant VT3. I thought I'd post my thoughts as a newbie
to full suspension bikes.

* The seat supplied with this bike has to be the most uncomfortable
thing I've ever sat on. Good thing I bought padded Neti shorts......

just because you have suspension does not mean you just sit on the
thing and let the suspension absorb all the hits... now's your chance
to work on being a dynamic rider, which means you are still out of
the saddle when anything interesting is happening.

penny

Interesting. I thought the idea behind an FS is to "sit on it as much as
you can" and let it do the work, that is, let the air or spring compress
and absorb the bumps. It'll do this better against an opposing force,
the rider's weight. Notice I didn't say "sit on it all the time." It still
calls
for "dynamic riding" as you put it.

--
- Zilla
Cary, NC
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Zilla said:

pas said:

Rural QLD CC said:

Greetings,
As I've previously posted here, I've just taken
delivery of a Giant VT3. I thought I'd post my thoughts as a newbie
to full suspension bikes.

* The seat supplied with this bike has to be the most uncomfortable
thing I've ever sat on. Good thing I bought padded Neti
shorts......

just because you have suspension does not mean you just sit on the
thing and let the suspension absorb all the hits... now's your chance
to work on being a dynamic rider, which means you are still out of
the saddle when anything interesting is happening.

penny

Interesting. I thought the idea behind an FS is to "sit on it as much
as you can" and let it do the work, that is, let the air or spring
compress and absorb the bumps. It'll do this better against an
opposing force, the rider's weight. Notice I didn't say "sit on it
all the time." It still calls
for "dynamic riding" as you put it.

up for discussion.

"Zilla" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Interesting. I thought the idea behind an FS is to "sit on it as much
as you can" and let it do the work, that is, let the air or spring
compress and absorb the bumps. It'll do this better against an
opposing force, the rider's weight.

When I started riding last year, I read almost the exact same thing you
just wrote in a book called "Mountain Biking Skills." Helpful book, but
I'm still a bit suspiscious of that statement, since when you stand up, the
weight does not disappear from the rear suspension. Yeah, it might shift
forward somewhat, but the suspension is still loaded as long as you're
standing on the pedals.

At any rate, I was in a similar position you are in now. I rode my old
hardtail for several months, then got a new FS bike. The main area where I
found I could sit vs the hardtail was on bumpy trails with a relatively
shallow inclines (where I'd be pedaling regardless of going up or
downhill). On those type trails, I'd be able to go fast enough on a
hardtail that sitting down would be uncomfortable, whereas on the FS, I can
stay seated and pedal away comfortably.

On "actual" downhills, I'd say I still stand about 90-100% of the time that
I would on a hardtail. Part of the reason for that, I think, is that when
you get a FS bike, you quickly get used to the cushy feel, and then start
riding back at the same bumpiness comfort level you had on your
hardtail...that means it'll feel just as bumpy, but only because you're now
going faster (so be careful).

Yeah, I got some Netti bike shorts (the 'regular' looking shorts).
Certainly makes a big difference, but I don't wear them on the commute to
work. Doesn't matter from here on in anyway......next week I'm moving to a
different town and I'll be commuting the 30kms to work on my motorbike
instead. I'll be using the Netti shorts when I'm on the bike from then on.

MrBonk
www.mrbonk.com

"Bonehenge" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Rural QLD CC said:

I only find it uncomfortable when I'm 'commuting' between the interesting
bits or doing the morning/afternoon ride to/from work on the road. When

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

interesting stuff is happening, I *am* out of the saddle.....sometimes

not

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

by choice :-) I've been looking online for my options re a more

comfortable

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

saddle.....just have to get the time to try a couple and decide which one

I

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

want.

Are you wearing bike shorts?

Barry

"Zilla" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

pas said:

Rural QLD CC said:

Greetings,
As I've previously posted here, I've just taken
delivery of a Giant VT3. I thought I'd post my thoughts as a newbie
to full suspension bikes.

* The seat supplied with this bike has to be the most uncomfortable
thing I've ever sat on. Good thing I bought padded Neti shorts......

just because you have suspension does not mean you just sit on the
thing and let the suspension absorb all the hits... now's your chance
to work on being a dynamic rider, which means you are still out of
the saddle when anything interesting is happening.

penny

Interesting. I thought the idea behind an FS is to "sit on it as much as
you can" and let it do the work, that is, let the air or spring compress
and absorb the bumps.

Sitting means you can't use your balance and weight-shifting as much
as you could. Your legs are really good at doing this, so if you are
standing on the pedals, you can put them to work doing those things
you've trained them to do over your whole life - weight-shift,
balance, shock-absorption. The bike's suspension helps in the latter,
leaving you to concentrate on the two former.

Quoted message said:

It'll do this better against an opposing force,
the rider's weight.

The rider's weight is still on the suspension, whether or not your
cheeks are planted on the ass-hatchet.

Quoted message said:

Notice I didn't say "sit on it all the time." It still
calls
for "dynamic riding" as you put it.

I find I use the saddle much more climbing, even for steep grinds.
But when I'm descending, my butt hardly ever meets the saddle.

Now, if I rode the uber-technical trails of Florida, I would probably
sit more.
🙂
--
Jonesy

Brett Jaffee said:

"Zilla" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Interesting. I thought the idea behind an FS is to "sit on it as much
as you can" and let it do the work, that is, let the air or spring
compress and absorb the bumps. It'll do this better against an
opposing force, the rider's weight.

When I started riding last year, I read almost the exact same thing
you just wrote in a book called "Mountain Biking Skills." Helpful
book, but I'm still a bit suspiscious of that statement, since when
you stand up, the weight does not disappear from the rear suspension.
Yeah, it might shift forward somewhat, but the suspension is still
loaded as long as you're standing on the pedals.

At any rate, I was in a similar position you are in now. I rode my
old hardtail for several months, then got a new FS bike. The main
area where I found I could sit vs the hardtail was on bumpy trails
with a relatively shallow inclines (where I'd be pedaling regardless
of going up or downhill). On those type trails, I'd be able to go
fast enough on a hardtail that sitting down would be uncomfortable,
whereas on the FS, I can stay seated and pedal away comfortably.

On "actual" downhills, I'd say I still stand about 90-100% of the
time that I would on a hardtail. Part of the reason for that, I
think, is that when you get a FS bike, you quickly get used to the
cushy feel, and then start riding back at the same bumpiness comfort
level you had on your hardtail...that means it'll feel just as bumpy,
but only because you're now going faster (so be careful).

Well no on downhills, I don't sit - my butt is off the seat
toward the back. I'm talking about a rocky/rooty/bumpy
flat or hill, or a slight downhill.

--
- Zilla
Cary, NC
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