New Modern Machinery For Davo

First ride on my new second-hand bike today! The frame is my birthday and xmas present so don't take the piss or i'll be offended. Took it for a spin up Danzig, down Chopper and Big Weta then over Belmont Trig, down the Koro Koro stream and up to Oakleigh St; a mint circuit.It is a Stumpjumper FSR. I've always liked Stumpies since I got my first MTB in 1988, a fine burgandy colour Hardrock with Suntour gears. I will post some retro pics of me as a junior dawg sometime.
I'd never ridden a suspension bike for longer than a jaunt around a carpark so was looking forward to this jump into this centuary (2004). I expected it to ride like a bit of a wet noodle, but I hardly felt any bobbing atall. It was easy to forget I was on it until it cushioned my tushie on the bumps, rocks and dips. I think this is due to the platform dampening I've read about and the design of the FSR which has links from horses. Riding up Danzig was somewhat different to last time I rode, which was in the PNP race on my rigid singlespeed. I just stayed in the saddle, aimed at all the rooty bits and hardly felt a thing. On steep sections and on the rocky bits of the Trig climb, the rear wheel felt like it was glued to the trail. On the downhills, especially the rutted, rocky sections heading south off Belmont Trig, the real advantage wasn't just the 'comfort' but the traction. The rubber was spending more time on the trail meaning I could manipulate the rear brake more than usual. Same with cornering - more grip as the wheel is stuck to the ground. I need a new stem to compensate for the longer top-tube, but apart from that it seems to be mint. It looks like a monster to keep clean and maintained and weighs almost 27lb but the smoothness of the ride means I felt like there wasn't a weight penalty. I think i'll end up splitting my time between this and the SS. I did miss being able to feel the 'finer points' of the trail and thought gears were cheating after several month racings and riding SS, but these 'modern' machines are certainly nifty bits of kit. I look forward to racing it at Makara at the weekend - see you there! Cheers. Davros

Edit - Frame sold. Despite being a great comfy ride and quick down the hills, I decided the full suss thing wasn't for me. I never got the same 'feel' of the trail, and felt it was a bit like going rockclimbing in gumboots. Sold it to buy something rather different = A nice rigid steel SS. D