Ok Chaps, here is my dilemma… Hardtail or full suss. I know done to death, but I need some advice for my type of riding etc, not looking to have cabbages thrown at me.

So here is the situation, I have a very old mountain bike hardtail, but I have mainly been riding a road bike last 8 years. I now live close to the alps and now i have more time i want to be off road as well as climbing on the road. I will also be doing some forest riding too. I wuld also like to perhaps compete in some XC events when i get my fitness up

So I will probably be climbing more time than descending. I’m not really a lift catcher. So here what I have been thinking, a sturdy hardtail such as a soul, with an adjustable fork and dropper. Im guessing adaptable and sturdy but not to harsh.

or and xc type of full sus like a cube ams 110. Not interested in carbon models will have to be al.

I would also like to do longer 2 day rides across alps so comfort is also up there, but Im guessing i could put a fat tyre on the hT?

Im looking for practical advice here, and also advice from anyone who alp rides a lot and has made the same decision and been happy or a sad.

Cheers guys.

o no no no no
what you need is a quiver, a hardtail xc head down 29er type thing, a hardtail bonkers bike (bfe) and then a full sus xc short travel because that’s what you think you need and then a cotic rocket as the proper full sus.
i would put money on the rocket being used more than the rest unless you are a dye in the wool roady lurking under a mtber baggy short pretence.

I imagine you are going to get a broad range of opinion on this one.

My personal preference is a hardtail as it’s affordable to go light and light often means fast climbing and on the flat.

I also like feeling in touch with the ground and shifting my posture to account for differences in terrain.

Considered a 29er?

How much time/money do you want to spend on maintenance?

The Alps are pretty extream – if your used to road riding and a HT perhaps you should stick to a HT for a while. Riding it in the Alps will give you the answer that suits you.

There is no need to rush.

Plus see if you can get a demo or borrow a FS.

I personally would get an all round bike, but give the Alps is anything from XC woods to DH crazy – most of it would be a compromise. What you enjoy riding is up to you, so get a bike that suits your riding preference.

To make the most of the downs in the Alps you’ll want something with a fair amount of travel and stiffness (not an XC focused full suss). However, if it’s more about the climbs then that would probably be ideal

There are very few occasions when you would feel wildly out of place with a 100-120mm full suss. There will be some downhill bits where the gnarr brigade will leave you for dead and some simpler non too techy climbs when you won’t be the last word in efficiency but most of the time you’ll be absolutely fine.

That would be my choice rather than a hardtail as a do it all bike, esp if I lived near the alps. If you could kerb those potential XC aspirations a modern 140mm travel bike might be even better where you live- but probably not where I live (South of England).

Trimix has it right

Well, call me a traditionalist but I am not really considering the 29 option. I don’t muck like the look of them.

As for maintenance, I need simplicity and reliability, but would I expect to have to do a lot of maintenance on a FS?

Mr Nickhart, not really sure what your angle is there, but I need to climb as well as descend, like I say, Im not so interested in just getting in a lift and coming down without much pedalling.

Trimix,

Perhaps that’s good advice. I have the tendency to make fast decisions. I should perhaps savour this one and try some things out eh…

Aren’t the alps mostly large climbs followed by long descents (as opposed to the undulating rides in most of the uk). Probably wouldn’t need a dropper post as you’d only adjust it a couple of times per ride.

The potential for racing tips the decision into full suss territory – a Zesty perhaps?

I’d consider geometry more than bounce quantity…

See if you can get a couple of bikes for comparative test rides…

Differnt types of HT and FS something perhaps slacker angled and intended for less competitive general MTB riding and a bit of Descending and something more focussed on XC/XC racing with Steeper angles and a racier position and see how they suit you for the type of riding you want to do…

Ignore brand

I’ve never ridden the Alps, but my aim/only financial option is to make my HT (A Soul – massive surprise there) with Revs at 130mm, but I’ll get em raised to 140mm every now and again – if I were heading to the Alps for example.

My skills are very slowly getting better – like you, a do a lot of climbing, but I’m also getting more into jumping and dropping, and I want/need the bike to be able to handle nearly everything I would ever want to ride, from bridleway bimbling to black runs, the BMX track near my house, etc.

Plus I can’t fettle to save my life, so a slack hardtail with biggish forks seems like the best allround bike I can have.

Nicely modest use of the phrase ‘I live near the Alps’ by the way.

As for maintenance, I need simplicity and reliability, but would I expect to have to do a lot of maintenance on a FS?

I’ve run FS for years, got 3 currently (support most of my m8’s bikes too) & am still waiting for extra maintenance. Older bikes used to need bushing once a year, and maybe a set of bearing every 2/3 years. Not done any of my current one in so long, my bushing tools going rusty 😉
Silly myth perpetuated by haters IMO, don’t restrict you choice due to it.

I have 26,29 hardtail and 26 full sus.
My fave bike is 29 hardtail but if I could only have 1 bike it would be full sus.