Posts by Casey Allen

Ryan Thomas4 said:Based on what you've been posting lately, my gut feeling—which is probably wrong, given how much I mess up—is that you’ve spent way too much time flying over your handlebars trying to force an endo on a bike, whether it has suspension or not.
Man, you're gonna end up with a busted skull...

You're pretty funny, sure, but let's be real: you clearly just hopped on this thread to start insults.

I've flown over the bars before, but it wasn't because of some endo stunt, and I've never landed on my head. Believe it or not, I actually own a helmet.

I honestly can't wait to show all the "geniuses" on this forum how it's done. 😁

Matthew Jackson2 said:Sure, suspension helps with braking, but you need an actual suspension system, not just some random spring without decent damping.

Honestly, any bike in the several thousand dollar range should come standard with quality components, unless you’re walking into a shop like a total amateur with more money than sense and letting them talk you into a lemon.

I'm going to ignore the rest of your post because it's pretty clear you haven't actually bothered to read my comments or even what the OP wrote with any degree of comprehension; you're just repeating the same tired points over and over.

Ryan Thomas4 said:You both make a fair point about how suspension absorbs some of that force (not braking force specifically, but inertia)
But you’re overlooking the fact that when the fork compresses, it actually shortens the lever arm between the pivot point—basically the wheel center—and the rider's center of mass (you know, where their weight sits). Because of that, you need less torque to pull off a complete somersault.
So, that pretty much cancels out a good chunk of that force absorption...
Now, sure, all of this works perfectly in a lab setting with identical bikes, the same rider, the same brakes, and identical conditions. Purely theoretical stuff.
In the real world, any actual difference in how someone brakes or flips is going to come down to the rider themselves.
Basically, if you're an idiot and you grab the brakes too hard, you aren't going over the bars just because you're on a
rigid frame or a suspension setup.

And here comes another one who thinks everything boils down to the rider, good grief. What, are we going to start ranking bikes from $2,000 to $16667 based solely on how they look?

And when it comes to servicing forks, RockShox models are generally pretty straightforward to work on; you can find plenty of tutorials on YouTube if you need them. Fox forks are definitely more premium and higher quality, but maintaining them is an absolute nightmare, and I’m honestly not even sure if there’s more than one authorized Fox service center left in the entire US.

briskowl5 said:You're right on the physics, but you're still talking nonsense... I mean, you should probably know how to brake properly instead of just slamming them like an idiot and flying over the handlebars.

Don't give me that crap about suspension being some vital safety feature on a bike.

Back to black and white.

We talk about safety factors when we're actually in situations where safety matters. Obviously, you aren't going to slam the brakes like a total moron every single time you need to slow down or stop, but eventually, you're going to hit a situation where you simply have to stop dead, and in that moment, having suspension might actually be the thing that keeps you from breaking something, unlike if you were riding a rigid fork.

Plus, the original post mentioned joint health, which is actually somewhat true; vibrations can really take a toll on your body, and it’s probably not a bad idea to minimize them if you plan on riding a lot of rough terrain. In occupational medicine, they actually call this Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome, or HAVS.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5349719/

Jesse Sanders39 said:Well, you aren't entirely wrong, for instance:
- rigid bikes work just fine on both gravel and crappy roads if they have wider tires at lower pressure; suspension is nice, sure, but it isn't strictly necessary, and honestly, on cheap bikes, it's pretty much pointless.
- short-travel forks with steep head angles tend to soak up very little energy during braking; you really need at least 100mm of travel to actually absorb any significant amount of force.

I didn't say anything about the points you're arguing here. All I said was that having a fork is simply better when you're on rough terrain; I never claimed it was mandatory. And I certainly didn't bring up travel distance—it’s basic logic that less travel means less absorption. Besides, I’ve never actually seen a bike with less than 100mm of travel used for anything other than a kid's bike.

You're putting words in my mouth and then telling me I'm wrong, which is just a pretty rude way to carry a conversation.

Jesse Sanders39 said:It’s honestly a shame you missed out on those physics classes back in high school. 😁

I honestly thought someone with my thirty years of experience tearing through all kinds of bikes and breaking plenty of my own bones might actually be impressed by those numbers, but clearly, I was mistaken.

I really hope people this rude are just a tiny minority on this forum. I try to offer someone some genuine advice, only to have some entry level types call me an idiot. It’s honestly ridiculous.

I never actually said it would stop them entirely, just that the odds are lower.

It’s not that I’m partially right; I am completely right. It just seems like you aren't really reading what I'm saying with any actual comprehension.

quietskipper17 said:Exactly. And then what? 31 miles Look, I’ve spent the last ten years tearing through trails on high-end carbon rigs equipped with top-tier air forks, and if there’s one thing that experience has taught me, it’s this: you honestly haven't got a clue what you're talking about.

It doesn’t matter how many years you’ve put in, how many miles are on your odometer, or how much you spent on a top-tier carbon frame if you don't actually grasp the basic physics of it all. Anyone can throw money at a problem and pedal harder, but that isn't exactly rocket science.

briskowl5 said:For real, the absolute worst part is when you’re stuck with a hybrid setup and can't even pull off an endo turn.

Black and White.

It isn't really about whether it’s physically possible or not; it’s more about how painfully obvious it becomes that you have to manhandle the thing just to get that rear end up when you're dealing with a front suspension. Look, expertise comes from actually putting in the hours, so you really need to get out there and try it before you start drawing conclusions.

Try running an endo turn both with and without suspension and let me know how it feels. You're just getting worked up over nothing here; I'm really not looking for a fight.

Physics is just plain complicated.

Most decent shock forks come with a built-in lockout mechanism, which basically means you can decide on the fly whether you want active suspension or a rigid feel just by flicking a lever or using a remote on your handlebars. Personally, I wouldn’t dream of picking up a bike without a suspension fork. Unless you’re strictly out there grinding through road races, that extra weight isn't going to hurt you, whereas having a solid, high-quality setup is an absolute godsend on any terrain that isn't perfectly smooth pavement. It isn't even just about being comfortable, either; it’s a safety thing. If you have to slam on the brakes unexpectedly, having a fork that actually absorbs some of that impact significantly lowers your chances of pulling a total wipeout or doing a literal somersault over the bars.

Morgan Peterson6 said:He’s in such a dark place—some days he even messages me saying he just wants to be erased, to simply cease existing. He’s craving nonexistence. He’s been on this deep journey of awakening for years now, soaking up all kinds of literature and life experiences... and now? He just can't find any meaning in anything. He says he hasn't found a single thing that gives him hope that we’re here for any reason other than being food.
He honestly views this whole world as a flawed piece of work—like something went wrong during the Creation. He thinks we're just programmed, living in some kind of matrix where entities stomp all over us like we're characters in a video game with zero free will. He doesn't find any joy in life; he's just deeply, profoundly unhappy. He can't stand the injustice and the sheer pain of this dimension. I can feel his sadness... and it makes me so sad just being around it. He’s one of those truly good, gentle souls... how am I even supposed to help him?

I’ve been feeling pretty much the same way for about twenty years now. It’s not that I’m suicidal, per se, but there’s this recurring wish when I lay down at night that I just wouldn't wake up. Honestly, I just don't see the point in putting in any effort when you're surrounded by such a selfish environment that refuses to give you any credit, especially since time eventually wipes everything away anyway. Whatever you manage to achieve today, you’re right back at square one tomorrow—just maintaining these superficial work connections, shallow family ties, and hollow romantic relationships. We live in a society that is so comfortable, so self-absorbed, and so incredibly satiated that human connection has dwindled down to nothing more than a tool for feeding one's own ego. A lot of people don't even need other humans anymore; they just go out and get some primitive four-legged "friends" instead. It feels like living in this twisted, narcissistic, sociopathic culture where everyone is just looking out for their own skin, treating everyone else as mere instruments for their own advancement or survival. I was raised to be helpful, to be a team player, and I’ve always strived to be that person, but over time it’s become painfully clear to me that "teamwork" is an abstract concept to the vast majority of people. I struggle to find purpose in working hard when that effort yields absolutely nothing unless I am directly stroking someone's ego. I can't bring myself to live just for myself, yet I can't live for others either because people are, frankly, repulsive and can't see past the tip of their own noses. I wish I could just be apathetic toward everything, but I wasn't wired to ignore all the bullshit happening around me; I was wired to act so there would be less of it... even though, as time goes on, there seems to be more and more. It’s as if my entire reality is upside down. I can't control the world, and I certainly can't rewire the synapses in my long-adult, plastic brain. Even though on paper I have everything—family, a social circle, education, a career, money, looks, intelligence—I feel like I have nothing at all. I just feel completely empty and useless.