20mm for FR?!

[motorex259]

do you need a 20mm thru-axel to do modrate freeriding?

and can you do freeride with a hardtail(i dont really care about confort, it is for noobs that want to show off....)

 

[skootaroo]

Until you learn good technique you are more likley to bend handlebars, forks, rims or just blow tyres before you have trouble with axles.
20mm axles also provide a lot of fork stiffness and that type of stiffness is probably not going to prevent you from most things.
I like to tackle obstacles in both directions and for this I love my hardtails. I also think it is easier to build a tough hardtail than soft.

 

[motorex259]

i just want to know that becuase my friends think im crazy just doing a 6 feet drop..... LOL they should be worried if i was jumping 10ft..... lol.... my friends are idiots... they want to protect me becuase im the only person they know to fix and install stuff w/ the tools to their bike.... (no me, no fix bike.... cheapscape!)

 

[skootaroo]

Now that I've taken a few kilo's off me I've been breaking a lot less gear.
I've switched to a lighter air spring fork and I even have an aluminium front axle with a standard quick release.
We have a few big drops out here but I usually only do slow creep overs. I like the sensation of a controlled drop.

 

[motorex259]

so... you saying it is OK for a teen weighing at 145LB to do a 5-10ft drop with a standard QR....?

 

[skootaroo]

Well, your front axle is going to be fine for a while yet. Pedal axles bend easily, so do square taper crank axles. Do you keep the front wheel up until you land or drop into dips,ramps, urban(level concrete)?
I think we've broken more gear doing flat landings off stairs than any natural setting.
I was 96kg until recently, it often took a bit of work to keep a bike together at that.

 

[motorex259]

i dont really know, i mostly try to land on my rear so when my front lands it makes my front fork more usable, i dont use my front becuase i think that it will make flip over...