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1. mrblobby - Member

   Absolutely!

   Just built up an alu hardtail (an old mmmbop frame with some revs at 120) and took it for a spin round some local woods. First ride out felt amazing after riding full suss bikes for ages. Felt really light, lively and responsive, just encouraging me to get out the saddle and work the bike in a way a full suss doesn't. Brilliant fun. Don't think my FS will be seeing much of the local trails for a while.

   Do have a steel hardtail itch that does need to be scratched, but on short blast type rides a stiff light alu frame is spot on.

   EDIT: Recommendations, if you fancy an alu one and can find an mmmbop frame, they are great. Rated for 160 forks too so should be pretty strong. In steel I was looking at a Soul, but you might want to think about a BFe or a Pig. There's loads to choose from.

   Posted 8 months ago #
2. youngrob - Member

   Tom, my hands were a mess after 2 days, the braking bumps on Crank it Up and B-line were huge. I did get some amount of speed up on those rollers and the wall rides were fun but I preferred the tight lines of Ninja Cougar/Karate Monkey/Angry Pirate. I might hire a FS bike next time but I had a blast on my P7. It was ace siiting in the sun on Citta's terrace having a beer afterwards!

   Posted 8 months ago #
3. Rockape - Member

   Just bought a BFe frame hope it's going to be fun. Need to decide on build spec. This is going to replace my old alloy frame which has seen lots of adventure. Most my ridding buddies have full sus but I thought I'd build a new hardtail with long travel and have some fun.

   Posted 8 months ago #
4. _tom_ - Member

   I preferred the tight lines of Ninja Cougar/Karate Monkey/Angry Pirate

   Ahh I'm not a fan of those trails because I'm so terrible at riding them. Probably more rider skill than bike for me though, but everything there feels so tight and I find it hard to get low enough on the berms to carry the speed! Love the double black techy trails though, and the north-shore style logrides on Too Tight and Fatcrobat

   Posted 8 months ago #
5. mrblobby - Member

   Just done another longer local ride on my newly built hardtail. Still loving it and don't think it's a passing fad. I reckon it's harder work than a FS, but somehow more fun and rewarding.

   Posted 8 months ago #
6. coffeeking - Member

   Well thanks for all the contributions people - I got me an 18" 456 and built it up - took it for a first spin at llandegla the other day - about the most fun I've ever had there. So much faster and responsive than the NRS. Did get a sore bum near the end but that just made me stand up and thrash more.

   Posted 8 months ago #
7. mrblobby - Member

   Cool. Any photos?

   It's exactly the same way with my recent hardtail build, feels so direct and it really does demand a good out the saddle thrashing. Can't wait to get mine to llandegla.

   Posted 8 months ago #
8. chugg08 - Member

   Couldn't agree more. My full Prophet now has a kids Tow Along bike permanently attached. My 456 gets used for everything and so far I've not found anything it couldn't handle as well or better than the Prophet.

   Posted 8 months ago #
9. thisisnotaspoon - Member

   I like hardtails too, but since buying the Pitch the 456 has sat i the garrage unused and unloved, the pitch is just faster and lets you get away with wayyyyy more in the rough bits!

   Posted 8 months ago #
10. manitou - Member

    Hoping to get a HT soon.. havent ridden one for ages, will be interesting

    Posted 8 months ago #
11. coffeeking - Member

    I'll get some pics up but it's a slightly colour unco-ordinated mess at the moment (blue frame, green forks, acid yellow rims, red grips....), but I don't buy a bike to look at primarily and I intend to strip and re-spray soon (trying to decide colours at the mo).

    Well pleased, and less maintenance in time for winter. Grand.

    Posted 8 months ago #
12. johnny - Member

    This reminds me of a few years ago when i had an old Marin Wolf ridge. At the time i bought it thinking it would be the "ultimate trail bike" (about 130mm suspension) I rode it for about two months and it bored the pants off me.

    Ended up moving all the bits onto an ebay-ed DMR switchback frame, sold the full suss frame at a profit. I still remember taking it around Dalby forest not long after it opened, and revelling in just how good it was to ride...

    Posted 8 months ago #
13. wwaswas - Member

    Funnily enough I went out on my NRS last night (currenty SS so fairly light) and had a whale of a time aroudn the woods at Stanmer Park.

    I love my hardtails (all 3 of them) but there's something about a short travel FS bike that brings out a smile when I do ride it.

    Posted 8 months ago #
14. TimP - Member

    Did get a sore bum near the end

    Cool. Any photos?

    Not till after the watershed please...

    Posted 8 months ago #
15. timnwild - Member

    I'm determined to ride my hardtail on every trail/terrain I come across - although ambition exceeds experience at this point.

    At Afan a while back, I swapped my Soul for a ride on a lovely Yeti for a quick blast, and while I enjoyed it, I wanted the Soul back after a couple of minutes. If Akrigg and co. can drop 15 feet with nothing but bendy limbs and front forks, then I reckon a hardtail ought to be able to handle all but the most mental terrain.

    Posted 8 months ago #

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