Can full suspension bikes help bad backs?

Hi i was wondering, is it worth it for me to get a full supension bike, im 53 and have an extreme bad back, will it be easer on my back than just a hard tail bike? one reason i ask is the cost of a good full supension bike is well over 1000 bucks, most of my riding is for street workouts only.

The ultimate answer is no, a full suspension bike will not be better for a bad back. Here's why...

1) A correctly fitted bike will have about a 50/50 weight distribution between arms and butt. To estimate this, sit on the saddle, hands on the grips (or in the case of a road bike, on the brake hoods) with elbows locked. There should be a 90 degree angle from torso to arm;

2) Suspension is generally intended for keeping the wheels on the ground for better handling, not for comfort. Because of the extra effort you will need to keep the bike going (because the suspension also eats your energy) you may have to work harder and irritate your back even more;

3) If you are staying on the streets, I recommend that you forget full suspension AND hardtails in favor of a road bike. Road bikes are precision machines and take the rider into consideration much more than MTBs... just like Cadillacs take the human into consideration more than Jeeps.

There are 2 types of road bikes that are coming to bear- one is the typical "downturn handlebar" road bike that will actually be best for you, or the "flat bar" road bike- not a hybrid, but a real road bike optimized with flat bars. Take your choice but be sure you are well fitted.

Also, try to avoid hybrid and comfort bikes as they are very upright and will place a LOT more pressure on your spine.

EDIT: joemax makes a very good point. Strong abs support your torso, so exercising them will make your back feel better.

A nicely built full suspension bike does a great job of smoothing out bumps on a trail. A full suspension bike does weight a lot more than a hardtail or a road bike. If most of your riding is on a road, I am not sure I'd be willing to put up with the weight differential. You can, of course, spend much more to get a really light weight full suspension bike...

You might also want to consider a suspension seatpost for your bike. Cane Creek makes a couple nice suspension seat posts. Lots of folks with hardtail bikes install these to get a bit more cushioning without the weight and cost of a full suspension bike.

Here is a link:

http://www.canecreek.com/suspension-seat...

Hope this helps

The full suspension bikes can be useful to a certain point. I, myself have a chronic back problem, and ride a dual suspension mountain bike. I've also ridden a hard tail and find it doesn't matter on a hard surface like asphalt, but rough surfaces do make a difference. However, take into consideration a dual suspension weighs more than a hard tail. Cheers, hope this helps

Sizing and fit will do more to help or hurt your back situation than suspension.

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Edit: You can give mirage best answer now. I was too lazy to type a bunch, but if I had, it would have mirrored his reply.

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Edit 2: Flat bars are less desirable than drops because they give you fewer hand positions. Don't discount drops just because you've never used them.

If you are only riding on the road, or maybe some gravel roads with a fiew roots and rocks, then a hardtail is jsut as smooth as full suspension. I wouldn't woory about it. I have a full suspension and it is more tiring than my hardtail on the road. (predictably.)

Try working out your stomach. Often back problems are from weak abs. Bikes work your lower back more than your stomach.