Quote Originally Posted by CyclaSutra View Post
Eventually, when you stop improving and/or if you get OLD ( says the almost-33-year-old with the "some dehydration" in her spine discs) a rear suspension can make a lot of the bumps disappear and float right over things that the hardtail's rear wheel used to clunk on and jar the he!! out of you on.
Already there! I'm all for anything that eases the bumps and bruises on this 50-year-old body. I think age is my biggest challenge mountain biking--I'm learning it at a time when most people would be giving it up, and I'm just not all that brave when it comes to obstacles. Maybe if I stick with it through this summer and ride regularly I'll look into getting a better bike. Thanks for all the advice.

(The women who taught the MTB clinic I attended said I should start racing, because I'd win every time--there are no other women in the 50-and-up category!)