Does anyone make a SS full-susp MTB for petite rider?

[SadieKate]

Emily - a suspension post is a good idea but, for me, the position on beach cruisers is excruciating. You are so bolt upright that your butt and spine take all the impact. You can't support any weight with your legs the way you do with the Racer X or any bike with a forward leaning position. It's the same reason I hate the majority of "city" bikes. Plopping your butt on a bike and sitting bolt upright is just miserable. Not to mention, it's inefficient mechanically and your quads do all the work.

For me, a fully rigid mtb with fat tires would be tres good for what you're describing.

Just my 2 cents.

[emily_in_nc]

Emily - a suspension post is a good idea but, for me, the position on beach cruisers is excruciating. You are so bolt upright that your butt and spine take all the impact. You can't support any weight with your legs the way you do with the Racer X or any bike with a forward leaning position. It's the same reason I hate the majority of "city" bikes. Plopping your butt on a bike and sitting bolt upright is just miserable. Not to mention, it's inefficient mechanically and your quads do all the work.

For me, a fully rigid mtb with fat tires would be tres good for what you're describing.

Just my 2 cents.

Interesting take, SK! I actually find my bike quite comfy to ride so long as I'm riding on flat roads or packed sand. Then again, the length of rides I do here is not much compared to in the US. The rides I do here are primarily utilitarian and are of the 5-10 mile variety, but since parts of them are on very bumpy roads with cobbles or unpaved with rocks, that's when my butt gets very bothered.

I'm afraid that moving to a more leaning forward position with a rigid fork would then transfer the road chatter (from cobbles, gravel, and rocks) to my wrists and arms. That's why I think that ultimately a hardtail MTB is my best option, budget permitting. Sure aren't many single-speed hardtails in my size range that I've found, though.

[Reesha]

I would definitely look at Surly frames. They all fit fat tires. I might look into the Long Haul Trucker frame as they make them really tiny and you can set it up for beach cruising.

[SadieKate]

Look for a used softtail like a Litespeed Unicoi and convert to SS.

I think 2.3 tires would soak up a lot of chatter.

[emily_in_nc]

Look for a used softtail like a Litespeed Unicoi and convert to SS.

I think 2.3 tires would soak up a lot of chatter.

Would be great if I were in the US, but converting is not an option here in Belize -- parts are not available and everything costs a mint to ship in. If I am going to spend the money on a bike, I need to just do it in one fell swoop and only pay for shipping from the US once, customs once, etc, not deal with multiple components. Not even sure anyone here would have a clue how to do the work as all that anyone rides here is beach cruisers!

[emily_in_nc]

I would definitely look at Surly frames. They all fit fat tires. I might look into the Long Haul Trucker frame as they make them really tiny and you can set it up for beach cruising.

Thanks Reesha -- will look at Surly!

[Reesha]

Thanks Reesha -- will look at Surly!

DOH! Apparently I am a piss poor reader. These are not full suspension frames at all! They are no suspension frames I am fool.

[emily_in_nc]

DOH! Apparently I am a piss poor reader. These are not full suspension frames at all! They are no suspension frames I am fool.

No problem Reesha -- I gave up on the full-susp. idea since people told me it would not work as a single-speed. I believe I saw that the Surley 1x1 frame can be built as a single-speed and with a front shock, but building a bike is not something I can do from Belize for various reasons I stated above.

The logistics of getting a new bike down here are difficult, though it can be done. When we moved, we'd already packed up our beach cruisers for shipping, and they were part of the pallet we shipped down. If I were to order a bike now, I'd have to have it shipped directly to our shipper's warehouse in Texas, then have him bring it down. It gets expensive, so I am probably just dreaming right now.

The suspension seatpost will probably be the best I can do for awhile. If we decide to stay here long-term, then perhaps a new bike will be in order. We're still in our first year here and are taking things day by day to make sure this move is going to "stick". We love many things about it here, but we also miss many things about the US -- like road cycling!

[Irulan]

Here's this to think about. When you ride a SS, you are out of the saddle a lot. I have a SS with an old rockshock fork on it, and I can attest to that. So you get to work on your "body english" suspension.

[Bethany1]

Salsa mukluk or a Surly Puglsey. There are other fat bikes out there and they do come in various sizes and you can do single speed. They also make a bash guard to keep out grime and rocks.

I think the first mountain bikes were modified cruisers.

Check to see what the widest rims and tires you can put on your bike are. Maybe you can put fat tires on yours.