Hey, we're Steve and Meg, and welcome to Hardtail Life. Unlike some of our friends who have been mountain biking since they were kids, we came into mountain biking in our late 30s in 2020. Riding in the trails and on the North Shore (Vancouver, Canada) has captured our hearts, and it's basically one of our favourite things to do outdoors. We have so much to learn and share, so we hope you join us in our journey! One last thing: we exclusively ride a hardtail - currently a steel Knolly Tyaughton.
I really enjoy your videos and how you share your thoughts and experiences with mountain biking. You do an excellent job of presenting it in a manner that is interesting to watch even for someone like myself that has been mountain biking since 1990. Your experience with giving a rigid fork a try and why you are going back to suspension is in my opinion, spot on. I would highly recommend anyone considering giving a rigid fork a try, to watch this video. And this is coming from someone that went for about 13 years with his only bike being a rigid single speed of one sort or another. Of course that worked for the vast majority of the local trails I ride. About four years ago I started riding with some friends that regularly rode trails that were way beyond the XC trails I typically ride. I realized my current setup was holding me back and I either A...needed to make some changes to my current ride or B....build up another bike. Fortunately I was in a position financially to do option B. Since I already had a rigid SS, I decided if I was going to have another bike, it should be something different and I built up a Kona Honzo hardtail. 11-speed drivetrain, one of those Fox squishy things up front and even decided to give flat pedals a go. Definitely took some time getting used to that setup. I love my rigid SS, can not imagine not ever having one in the garage and there are certain local trails that I ride that I feel the experience would be less if I rode anything but my rigid SS. At the same time, there are a couple places I ride, where the Honzo just plain rocks when it comes to the maximizing the fun factor and I have really grown to love that bike. About 3 years ago, I decided I was going to have Walt Wehner at Walworks build me one of his awesome segmented steel forks for a purple Surly Karate Monkey frame I had recently acquired. Always wanted one of his frames, but that is just a little out of my reach. However I could do a fork. Walt and I discussed specifics and I told him I wanted it to look like the fork on that funky colored rigid bike he had a photo of on his website. I later posted a photo of my bike with that fork on FB, some guy comments on it and I tell him about what I had told Walt. He tells me that funky color is cosmic lilac and his daughter picked it out. I found out about your RU-vid channel from that same person. Small world. Andrew sure does a great job of selling the rigid SS experience just in his writing and photos, so I can only imagine what he is like in person. Sure comes off as a likable guy and real character. Something to think about, instead of changing up your current bike that you know so well, build up a separate dedicated rigid SS. Much easier on the wallet than a geared hardtail, since there are no shifty parts and suspension fork involved. Start cruising the classifieds and do it a little bit at a time.
So after two weeks your trowing in the towl? It takes a little time to strengthen your body and loosen up so you flow more. But hey, it's your bike, your fun and rigid isn’t for everyone as they say. Just think you gave up to soon.
I started on a singlespeed when I was 6, 50 years later I'm stilling rollin one. The Surly Lowside often found of under 1500 bucks is one of the most underrated bikes out there. The best advice I can give to new single speeders is to ride it like you stole it.
My Fatbike is ridgid. Works very well, probably due to the fat tires. I love the responsiveness of the setup. I do have an XC bike that can be fully locked out. Sometimes, I do forget and keep it locked out. Certainly helps with control in some sense. However, doing drops and jumps is certainly harsh.
@@HardtailLife It does look nice and big in the vid. I run a Minion DHF 3.0 at 9 psi, front and what is probably an overly stiff bar partially for aesthetic reasons. I think I agree with all you said but when I'm in the mood it sure is fun. I just thought of something. I bet my fork/front end is flexier than yours which might give me a slight comfort edge over your setup.
I started MTB back when ridged was the only option 😅 My suspension Progressed through time with 2", 4", 6", 8", and now on 10" in my 50s. Looking forward to 12" and 14" in the future!
I was wondering how long you were going to last on that. The arm pump is too real. I won't give up my suspension. Lets me do things I normally wouldn't touch. Good for you on trying it out though.
I've definitely had to pull over and shake things out from time to time! I have no regrets trying it, and I'm looking forward to solving my suspension fork issue and riding a hardtail again. 😊
I rode fully rigid when I started riding mtb in 1983 in Vancouver. We all did. Trails were different then. As bikes changed so did the trails. Loamers wore down and became trenches in the glacial till that were deeper than your bb. Bikes became more capable in rough terrain. New trails were built to suit the more capable bikes and become more rough with jumps and more and more. Today bikes are super capable, trails are being maintained a whole lot better but not all of them. I applaud your experiment with rigid. You’ve discovered something and that is a positive thing. I’d never go full rigid here in Whistler where I live now. Trails all seem to have several sections where it’s just a bit too rough for my old bones. It’s why I don’t want a gravel bike. I’ve ridden a cross bike around here and it’s certainly possible but certain sections are hell on wheels. Give my regards to Andrew.
Thanks for sharing! I have no regrets trying the rigid setup, and I have a feeling that I'm not done with riding rigid forever, just for now. I did take the rigid setup up to Whistler and pedalled up to Dark Crystal and rode that - very entertaining for sure. 😂
Yea $700 service is a bit off. I got my 36 serviced last week through ns dynamics and got their highest level service with aftermarket wipers, custom resized bushings and a new air shaft to cut travel and it came to $330 AUD which is around $220 US.
@@HardtailLife that'll do it. I had a 32 talas back in 2011. Sent it in for a lower leg service and when I went back to pick it up they'd replaced the uppers due to creaking and replaced the lowers as I painted them orange. All without any contact or clarification. The fox rep here even said they didn't have to service or return my fork at all due to the paint job. They told me they could have just seized it but they "did me a favour" fixing the fork. They tried to sting me for a $900 service. Took it to consumer affairs and they gave the fork back for the original quote of $135 quick smart. Let's just say I service everything myself since that day.
Appreciate your content, you always bring a fresh openness and humble approach, thanks for your clear and direct style. My old man rationale for you though is formed from my experience, so these points are just my thoughts and opinions. I started racing in the Vancouver area in 1990 on a Rocky Cirrus, a rigid bike and quickly had a choice between Manitou or Rock Shox first editions forks, or small hit elastomer vs. big hit air oil, or at least that is how we tried to describe it back in the day. Since then trails have become MUCH more intense and bikes have become stiffer and designed around the use of today's suspension forks. Gnarly back then is not what it is today, nor were the bikes as focused as they are today. I get all nostalgic for the simpler bikes but I don't miss being punished for imperfect lines on a trail where your rim brakes aren't slowing you down sufficiently or big drops, anything over 2' causing a serious rethink on the trail. My ramble in summary, glad you found out what was right for you but for me, I never would have left having a suspension fork, it makes riding safer and more fun.
As someone who never rode mtb before the pandemic, I benefited from not having to go through the growing pains of mountain bikes and just inherited evolved geo, amazing tires and brakes, dropper posts, etc. I feel like I can only pull off something silly like a rigid fork only because the tires, wheels, brakes, and geo is so good. 😊
Yes, I would consider it challenging as well. We recently rode Dark Crystal in Whistler, not sure if you are familiar with that trail, but yeah, very challenging!
@@HardtailLife To be fair to you and the other rigid riders of the North Shore, that is some gnarly chunk. You're hardcore if you ride there at all- rigid, suspended, geared or singlespeed!
$700 seems like a lot for a service. Glad you gave rigid a try. Single speed rigid really helped to change my riding, but I could see how it makes familiar trails seem not as fun. Maybe some brand new trails will help you see the benefits???
I have no regrets giving the rigid fork a try! And as I mentioned, I'm not done with the rigid fork yet - just taking a little break from it for now. 😊
@@kevinburke1325 Kona Unit, Surly Karate Monkey, State Klunker, Surly lowside, Stooge Dirtbomb Older bikes: trek superfly SS, redline monocog, GT Peace 9’er. Niner Sir 9. You can find quite a bit on Singlespeed exchange (Facebook), Craigslist, or marketplace. Don’t over think it, and don’t overpay. If you do overpay…. Go titanium. Ti: Vassago, Black Sheep, Jones.
awe. i was excited to have a decent ytber with the same setup as i do. my only mtb is fully rigid/SS. i love it to bits. its my favorite purchase of all time
You getting soft bwoi. Just kiddin bro. Still got my rigid, but my last two builds have been HT. Sometimes it's just good to blow through roots and RG.
Chasing creaks has been my experience with single-speed bikes (rigid too). And chains breaking before they wear out. But in the rides between creaks it's so quiet you hear the forest.
I didn't expect to like Andrew more than I already did from his ramblings and industry defying decisions from nsmb, meatengines, and now bike mag, but his explanations for all the mechanics have immensely raised my opinion of him higher than anticipated.
ive ridden hard for 20 plus years and have never ever ever ever ever broken a rim. you're the issue not the rim. get rid of your pussy ass cushcore run a higher tire pressure and you'll be fine. i live in upstate NY which is similar to the north west rocky and rooty. also this goes back to my tube vs. tubeless debate. you're running tubeless so you think you can run low pressure in that back and still send shit is rock gardens.
first question should be how did you dent it? was it on a rock? so would running a higher tire pressure help???? domt blame the material if your not setup correctly. if you run low rear tire pressure bc you want a softer rear end bc of the hardtail then this will happen if you come down to hard on the edge of a rock. this kind of dent doesn't look like a rock kicked up and dent it. To me it looks like he was running too low of a pressure and dented the rim on a rock and if that the case don't blame the wheel material.
I run about 20 PSI front and back. I like the way it feels at that pressure and with the insert in the back wheel. I'm looking for the right components that'll work for what I like and how I ride. Lucky for me, my current wheel has been holding up. Fingers crossed I don't break it. 😂
@@HardtailLife Croatia is a beautiful country, but being cyclist is not really a thing here...Not as advanced as it is in the States and Canada! I usually ride singletracks and fire roads,and of course my daily rides with my road bike since I don't have a 🚗! Greetings from Kris 😎
