Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim Hancock
the value of suspension when traveling at higher speeds over rough ground (downhill MTB racing for example)
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Thats exactly the point of FS downhill bikes. You can hit a rock the size of a baby's head (mtn biking unit of measure) and barely feel it. Take something bigger and still maneuver over it. Granted, on a non-suspension bike you can easily hop it, but at the speeds the good downhill guys are going its essentially a long controlled crash and they need ground contact to stay in control.
As for the 'workout'... take something like the Downieville Downhill that runs for 17 miles
http://www.downievilleclassic.com/pages/dh.html
I've made several trips to Downieville and usually rent a FS bike with long travel (not a full DH bike). Lock out the rear suspension and grind up the mountain rather than the shuttle ride and have a blast and enjoy the downhill.