Riding a 29er with a rigid fork ain't too bad, but......

[MMcG]

for the terrain around here, I think the Reba is going back on. I did a couple of short rides on the trails close to home over the weekend to test out the Karate Monkey with the rigid KM fork up front.

While the bike handled great and felt lighter with the KM fork up front, the roots and rocks that frequent our trails really jarred me. So I think that I'm going to put the Reba back on. Then I'll have full squish up front, but if I want to I can lock her out (climbing, flat smooth sections, pavement).

If terrain were different around here, I could definitely see myself keeping the rigid fork up front, but I just don't think it would be a welcome thing for me around here in CT and other parts of New England.

Perhaps a different, more higher end, rigid fork would have produced different results, but that's not in my budget.

So, who likes it rigid and 29 - and who prefers some suspension up front on their big wheeled rigs, and why?

[BikeGeek]

Riding rigid can be pretty brutal the first few rides, regardless of wheel size. It takes some time to adjust to not having the fork soak up the bumps for you. I found that I had to go a bit slower for a while until I got used to absorbing the bumps with my arms and legs. After a couple of rides you'll notice that you're picking cleaner lines and going faster.

The Surly forks are notoriously stiff. I have one for my 26" bike and didn't realize just how stiff they are until I started riding the On-One fork. I was amazed at how much that fork absorbed. I'm sure some of it is the longer fork legs for the 29er, but it's nice.

[MMcG]

I will keep the rigid fork on for a few more rides I think, and I'll hang onto it as it is an easy swap and kind of cool to have options.

[ito]

I will keep the rigid fork on for a few more rides I think, and I'll hang onto it as it is an easy swap and kind of cool to have options.

Good for you!

I've been running rigid for about two years now and love it. Sure, it can suck at times, but it is fun as hell 90% of the time. Plus I'm a cheap college student and it came with the monkey.

After two years on no type of suspension I am fast as hell on a rigid or suspension fork. Hopping on a DH bike is like giving me a get out of jail free card.

The Ito

[MMcG]

I got up this morning around 6:15, let out a little more pressure in the Exiwolfs and rode up the street to the trail network down from our house.

Another really fun experience with the rigid fork. It was also very cool to be out early in the morning like that and to be the only one out on the trails other than the squirrels and other forest critters.

I liked the feeling of no brake dive or fork dive when going through turns or over fairly good sized baby head rocks.......I also tilted my bars back a bit more last night and that felt great as well. Perhaps some cushier grips will only improve things. Right now I have some ODI Yeti lockons on the Hellbents.

I gotta get my ass outta bed and do this more often!!

http://www.ridemonkey.com/mountain-bike-photos/data/500/3795Monkey_001.jpg

[BikeGeek]

Smooshier grips definitely smooth the ride. I'm loving the Oury grips.

[Drevil]

Smooshier grips definitely smooth the ride. I'm loving the Oury grips.
Amen. And not those hard-plastic-inners-Lockons either! Get the real gummy deal and glue them on if you have to.

[MMcG]

The clear gummy Ourys? I had them for a bit on the Ted Wojcik I got from Narlus - they were nice - comfy and VERY grippy!

[Drevil]

The clear gummy Ourys? I had them for a bit on the Ted Wojcik I got from Narlus - they were nice - comfy and VERY grippy!
Well, not necessarily the clears. I just meant that the Lock-On Ourys aren't as soft as the regular Ourys because the former has a hard plastic base underneath it.

What are you running now?

[MMcG]

Well, not necessarily the clears. I just meant that the Lock-On Ourys aren't as soft as the regular Ourys because the former has a hard plastic base underneath it.

What are you running now?

ODI lockons - the Yeti logo'd ones. Had to find some shortys and that was the only model the LBS carried. but shorty grips and lockons aren't a good combination in my opinion.

I think I need to remove those shifters and derailleurs, and get some nice comfy grips for that bike.

[ArmOnFire]

OURI, the old school ones wth four blocks, lock ons of course, are great for a rigid Monkey.

-Dan

[Mudpuppy]

I like the Salsa grips for rigid bikes. I tried lock ons on my cruiser and had to get real grips to stop the pain.

The top grips here, but not the lock on version...
http://www.salsacycles.com/comps_grips.html

[J-RAD]

I am using the Salsa Juegos Lock on! Probably not as cushy as the regular version, but it is the cushiest lock on grip I have used! I have also gone away from motocross gloves(no padding in palms)to some nice gel gloves.