Should a beginner purchase a dual suspension bike to start?

It's hard to argue for any bike that doesn't suit your local conditions.

For most new flow tracks that means a rigid bike should be sweet.
 
schred said:
Overkill methinks
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...for when you go big. I suspect I'm not familiar with this flow concept. All of the local trails that I suspect.could be categorised as such have terrible flow and ride like crap. Think really tight switch backs with practically no berm winding down reasonably steep terrain. So boring. So lame. So disappointing. I've always called them xc or am trails. The alternative is far to chundered up to think flow. A small section of the Ourimbah am/nduro trail might meet the criteria, but the berms are not really there and too many skids means too many ruts...
 
pink poodle said:
...for when you go big. I suspect I'm not familiar with this flow concept. All of the local trails that I suspect.could be categorised as such have terrible flow and ride like crap. Think really tight switch backs with practically no berm winding down reasonably steep terrain. So boring. So lame. So disappointing. I've always called them xc or am trails. The alternative is far to chundered up to think flow. A small section of the Ourimbah am/nduro trail might meet the criteria, but the berms are not really there and too many skids means too many ruts...
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I think you are onto something Sherlock, I just blame the power skidders that can't rail berms yet but skidding is kooool when you can't BMX right.
 
pink poodle said:
...for when you go big. I suspect I'm not familiar with this flow concept. All of the local trails that I suspect.could be categorised as such have terrible flow and ride like crap. Think really tight switch backs with practically no berm winding down reasonably steep terrain. So boring. So lame. So disappointing. I've always called them xc or am trails. The alternative is far to chundered up to think flow. A small section of the Ourimbah am/nduro trail might meet the criteria, but the berms are not really there and too many skids means too many ruts...
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Flow comes from like, the rider man; not from the terrain. If you're not being one with your bike and FEEEEELING the trail, you'll never have "flow".

But to answer OP's question, it's something I've had to tackle lately in looking for a bike for the missus. Long story short, I think she'd be better off starting on a full suspension bike simply because it will make life a little easier which will encourage her to keep riding. I believe that hardtails train better riding technique and encourage better line choice, they also come in a much better price bracket (there are some seriously good hardtail stock builds in around the $2000 mark), but that won't mean anything if the beginner doesn't want to ride it.
 
Zaf said:
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[BFlow comes from like, the rider man[/B]; not from the terrain. If you're not being one with your bike and FEEEEELING the trail, you'll never have "flow".

But to answer OP's question, it's something I've had to tackle lately in looking for a bike for the missus. Long story short, I think she'd be better off starting on a full suspension bike simply because it will make life a little easier which will encourage her to keep riding. I believe that hardtails train better riding technique and encourage better line choice, they also come in a much better price bracket (there are some seriously good hardtail stock builds in around the $2000 mark), but that won't mean anything if the beginner doesn't want to ride it.
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I'm boned.

Wise move getting the lady a nice bag. Errrrr I mean bike. She will like it more if it's pretty.
 
Scrap the XC, HT, and AM rigs, go unicycle.
I saw an old fella cruising down the Stromlo downhill track on one, now that's skilled

We all use to be beginners, hell, I still think I'm a n00b. If you can afford a dualie, go for gold, you'll enjoy it.
I still remember my first MTB, it was a Kmart special, Northern Star (no sus, horse clamp looking type brakes)

Another suggestion, sometimes certain companies will do a demo day, if there's one coming up soon near you, try and get there and take one of their dualies out for a spin.
 
Do_A_Mono said:
I bought a Giant Talon 4 nearly a year ago (this was my first real bike), and i am thinking of buying a dual suspension bike.
I'm not very good at tricks and I am fairly new to MTB.

My question is; should I purchase a bike with full suspension to get started on?

I'm not sure if experienced riders learned on a low budget bike and purchased a better bike once they were more skilled, or just bought a dual suspension bike to begin with.


thanks in advance :)
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2nd hand duallie, 2nd hand ht. problem solved
 
Zaf said:
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Flow comes from like, the rider man; not from the terrain. If you're not being one with your bike and FEEEEELING the trail, you'll never have "flow".
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"It's just the vibe of the thing....it's no one section....it's the vibe....it's Mabo..."
 
I definitely suggest to buy a hard-tail for beginner! Why? Because you feel your bike better how it acts on different trails. Also it is lighter a little bit.
 
Jeff BG said:
I definitely suggest to buy a hard-tail for beginner! Why? Because you feel your bike better how it acts on different trails. Also it is lighter a little bit.
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Worst advice ever....for more than one reason.

Oh, and my 160mm Enduro bike is 1kg LIGHTER than my hardtail.
 
Another approach to this would be to think what bikes schooled you around as a youngster?
Scooters were pretty up there when l look back as a kick start too two wheels, so then more than likely rigid bikes were the next step, is was in my day, my dragster was the biz then l morphed it too look cool, more bmx, damn shame really..
Most of us l dare say have been schooled the rigid bike way, to get you into the coordinates of bike handling, if you are just coming off the scooter well consider a nice new carbon hard tail, other than that man! Why wouldn't you just take too the dual sus? Ahh.. Go forward grasshopper!!!
 
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