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I've previously had a hard tail and finally got a full suspension.
Have done the 5th ride today and came back, and my legs are really aching on the outer shin and nearly fell asleep at like 7pm which isn't normal for me.
Wondering if it's just new muscles or something else, I wasn't breaking any records apart from downhill bits.
* Usually M but sizing pushed me into a L (5'10 on 5'8" — 6'1" range)
* Doesn't feel much larger, although the post is really tight and won't go any higher so could maybe do with being higher/adjusted
* Locked out the rear fully/HSC max in smoother places / climbs
* Fork/Shock = RockShox Pike Ultimate / RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate 210x55
Bit gutted as it spoilt the new bike feel a bit as am f*cked after doing 15miles/1k climbs locally 😉
I can go further and harder on my hardtail than my full suss. Both weigh similar. My full suss has the old fox ctd shock which in "C" seems to do naff all.
There are a lot of minor changes in bike position that can cause muscle discomfort. Is the saddle at the same height relative to the bottom bracket as the old bike? Same saddle position fore and aft, same crank length etc.
I'd start be trying to gather measurements from your old bike regarding the saddle and seat post position and see if you can get the new bike roughly the same.
Here's some info about saddle position, it's road bike but interesting anyway.
Sounds like it's a bike fit issue, not a suspension thing. My experience is that suspension bikes leave you fresher after long rides because you can stay seated and keep pedaling over rougher terrain than on a hardtail.
The bike sizes (L, M, etc.) don't really mean anything because the geometry varies a lot and different people have different body proportions. You need to find a bike that fits you, the manufacturers' charts matching height to frame size are just very rough guides. I personally prefer slightly shorter bikes, so the LLS thing doesn't work for me. You need to find what length bike suits you. You can slide the saddle back or forward and try different stem lengths to fine tune it, but if a bike is too long, you'll never be comfortable on it.
Then you need to get the saddle at an efficient pedaling height. I find that putting my heel on the pedal with the leg extended gets it in the ballpark. When you move your foot into a pedaling position, this will give enough flex at the knee to avoid having to rock your hips as you pedal. This will be too high for off-road riding, but dropper posts fix that problem.
If the saddle is too low, you will never be able to pedal efficiently. Even 10 mm too low makes a difference. If your seatpost is too short to get the saddle at an efficient height, you need a longer seatpost.
Different/larger tyres? My new FS was like peddling through porridge till I put my old tyre combo on.
thols2
My experience is that suspension bikes leave you fresher after long rides because you can stay seated and keep pedaling over rougher terrain than on a hardtail
Me too, I also find that of the fork isn't set up well for small bump compliance I feel really beaten up by the end of the ride.
Different/larger tyres? My new FS was like peddling through porridge till I put my old tyre combo on.
This too.
What bike is it?
Are you going faster?
Are you feeling ok generally?. There's something going about apparently.
Are you allowing for rear sag in your measurements when stationary? Your ride height changes on a full sus vs a HT where it's fixed.
“10mm too low can make a difference”
Absolutely this ^^
It’s a position issue, the different position is causing you to use different muscles.
The good news is it should be pretty easy to fix.
Agree with the majority - its bike fit/sizing, not the fact that its got suspension. Get the position sorted first, then work on getting the bike setup correctly.
3 things on the FS make me tired or than anything else:
1. Mushy suspension. Too much sag or not enough LS compression damping. Not only will the bike bob, change the weight distribution on your bike by leaning backwards and squatting. This means that you're working against the geometry the bike, the new weight distribution and it also effectively shortens seat post height.
2. related to the above is what your seatpost is set at. If it's too low you won't be able to maximize the power section of your pedal stroke. IME little burn your quads in record time.
3. Tyre choice and pressure. This is always a ompromise based on your riding but if you get it wrong it's just going to pull wattage out of you.