Currently have a KTM Aera 29er hardtail and fancy getting a Giant Anthem 29er full suss as well. Wondering if it would lead to me not riding the hardtail anymore and if I really need it. Anyone own a hardtail & full suss 29er ? does it work well ? Thinking the hardtail for general XC and the Anthem for bike parks and mountains.

Me, the hard tail generally gets used for shorter local hacks that involve a bit of road/offroad and the suss for longer rides and trail centre shenanigans..
Sometimes it’s the other way round depending what mood I’m in, whether I feel bouncy bouncy or just want to bimble along..
Works great for me. 🙂

good to hear 😀
what bikes you got ?

I’ve got a Trek superfly 100sl elite and a Nukeproof scout 290 pro. They compliment each other IMHO. The Trek is superb for longer fast mile munching and the Nukeproof is great for the quick fix in the woods stuff. It’s me sorted any way

I’ve a 26er 150mm susser and seriously considering a light 29er hardtail for the longer more XC rides. I guess the trick is to make sure they complement each other instead of one being just better than the other.

Also got a Superfly HT along with a trek ex with 120mm forks. Hardly ride the FS and wish I’d never bought it. Only gets used for trips to Wales, peaks etc

good point. The 2 bikes feel very different.
The KTM hardtail is carbon fibre, light and very fast but not great on bike parks and jumps.
Anthem full suss felt fast and much more nimble. just felt much more alive on jums and tricks than the hardtail

Got a 26 inch ragley blue pig and a 29er banshee prime.

The prime is a monster of a bike, great fun when ridden properly. I ride the same trails on both bikes. The blue pig is a great bike and essentially bollocks me for being lazy with technique, which on an fs 29er is quite easy to do!

So for me having both works well.

A Rockstar with 100/120 travel and a Superfly 100mm hard tail, both 29

I have one of each. 29ht, 29fs. Generally, my approach mirrors Khani.

I’ve got a 100mm Cotic Solaris Hardtail and a Pyga OneTen29 (130F x 110R)

Much the same as Khani, though mostly the Hardtail gets used for local rides (Midlands)

I am runnin both.
Xtc 29 and Anthem 29.
Using my hardtail for racing and winter riding and Anthem 29 for distance and endurance events.
My riding group is changing.
A lot of my mates are turning to road.
Finding I am still racing on the hardtail but not doing so many distance events.
Anthem not being used much now and being laid up for winter.
Thinking of going hardtail only.
Anthem still for sale.
😉
Thanks,
Max.
singlespeedtothemax1@hotmail.co.uk

Yep. Got three. Full sus mostly gets used on the big stuff. Hardtail gets used on the xc stuff and winter rides. Singlespeed rigid gets used on the bikepacking and loooong rides and when i need to go to the pub.

My biggest problem is i feel guilty for the one I’ve not used in a while (normally the full sus).

Interesting thread, I’m surprised similar travel bikes get used happily be some. 5 years of owning just hardtails and mainly riding the 29er scandal now with 120mm trace.
My dream fs 29er shortlist is quite refined, only 140mm+ and 67.5 or slacker tempt me, e.g. ibis Ripley. To be distinct

I’ve just recently sold my hardtail but I did have a long travel #enduro 29er and a 140mm ti hardtail. I’d still have both, if I’d not got the fatbike but in the end the hardtail got kind of undermined two ways, the big 29er is a class act even on easy trails, and the fatbike ticks the “making it harder” box. So the hardtail went. But til then it was a perfect combination.

Bought a hardtail (Inbred) to see whether I’d like 29ers. The move was revelatory so thought a HT would be all I’d ever need, until I built up a Hammerhead Thumper and slacked it out by 2 degrees. Now, the FS is all I ride. An amazing machine.

Turnerfan1 – Member
I am runnin both.
Xtc 29 and Anthem 29.
Using my hardtail for racing and winter riding and Anthem 29 for distance and endurance events.
My riding group is changing.
A lot of my mates are turning to road.
Finding I am still racing on the hardtail but not doing so many distance events.
Anthem not being used much now and being laid up for winter.
Thinking of going hardtail only.
Anthem still for sale.

Thanks,
Max.
singlespeedtothemax1@hotmail.co.uk

Hmm. this is where I think I want to be. I currently use an Anthem – heavily upgraded to lose weight – for everything. Where I ride 98% of the time I don’t need more I’d want to keep it for the 2-3 12 to 24 hour events I do per year. Yet I can’t help thinking for the two series XC races I race up to max 2 hours I should buy a carbon HT for race only. That would worry me that my 26 HT becomes even more redundant, and it can’t be so.d as it was a 40th present from Mrs K.

Yes. Charge Cooker HT and Salsa Spearfish FS.

At the moment yes, I’ve got a custom built KTM Aera 29 HT with 100mm of travel that was my only mtb for a good 18 months so got used for everything from short local blasts to marathons and 24hr events. I’ve now also got a KTM Scarp 29 with 100mm up front and 90mm out back.

It’s only just heavier than the HT, subsequently the HT isn’t getting ridden so it’s up for sale soon.

I’m getting a fat bike for local riding, messing about and riding with my little lad.

Yes, a Stooge for playing on and short rides which is singlespeed in the winter and a RM Element for longer rides and racing. I also have an SB95 as my big bike and none seem to overlap tOO much. They’re all versatile, I’ve done an enduro race on the Rocky and a 12 hr race on the Yeti!

Yup, a Ragley Bigwig and a Nicolai Helius AC and I love riding them both.

Ummm

Race HT
Training HT
Turbo HT
Race FS
Long distance HT
Cant be arsed to sell for peanuts 26erFS

I ride them all – lots

Stooge / Scott Scale / Banshee Phantom here.. all different, with a bit of overlap.

Used to. But whilst the FS was a great bike, I just wasn’t using it much as the hardtail was quicker over an xc course or similar type of xc ride. So sold the FS.

I like to have two “off-road” bikes (in case one breaks and can’t be fixed before the next ride) and I’ve tried various combinations over the years. To be honest, the one that worked the least well (for me) was FS 29er and HT 29er. Specifically a Solaris and a Smuggler.

Nothing wrong with the Solaris, it’s a great bike. The problem was that the Smuggler could do everything the Solaris could do, only better. It was more comfortable, more fun to ride and usually faster too.

The Solaris was cheaper and there was a bit less to get ruined in crappy weather. But that was it really and it still had bouncy forks so it wasn’t even that much lower maintenance either. It couldn’t do anything that I wouldn’t rather do on the Smuggler.

I tried it with chubby wheels for 6 months, then decided to go the whole-hog and replaced it with a fatbike, which can tackle trails I either couldn’t or wouldn’t try on the Smuggler and (being fully rigid) is proper low maintenance.

YMMV of course.

Unless I was at the sharp end of an XC race where picking the right bike for the course mattered, I’m not sure I’d have much use for a similar HT and FS bike.

Having a XC HT and a more trail orientated FS, yup. Or an Anthem and a Stooge/Fat bike/456. Or even an Anthem and a singlespeed. But I can’t see me picking the HT out of the shed if there was an almost identical FS bike next to it, or even vice versa I’d be using the hardtail over the FS, but the rides would still be the same.

My off-road shed at the moment:
Rigid SS 29er – for XC and keeping fit localy
Fat bike – for anything more fun
Jump bike – for the BMX track, etc

Thinking of:
Swapping the SS for a carbon HT (maybe still SS, maybe even still rigid, I just fancy a change and moar lightness!)

Fat bike is getting suspension to make it a bit more ‘trail bike’.

Jump bike may disappear in favor of either a track or TT bike, something that I could get into racing with on weekday evenings.

Yup, Stooge & Whyte T129
Very different bikes and both get used lots.
Toying with the idea of a long travel bike, not sure if to go 650b or 29”

I have a 29 HT and a 150mm travel fs trail bike. I use HT most of the time tbh because of the type of riding I do with my mates, long, off road, natural, trails. Use the bike for entertaining myself on techy routes or trail centres. Also Mrs OD prefers me to ride the FS as I am apparently much slower up the hills!

Would not, have two similar bikes, tbh if I had just one it would be an XC orientated HT or full suss with a dropper post

I have a Cotic 29er hard tail with 100mm fork and a Canyon Nerve 29er. with a 110 R/120mm F travel

I use both very regularly. The Hardtail is lighter and easier to keep clean and so often used in the winter and for longer mixed road/off road events such as the Heaven of the South. The Canyon is heavier, has a bit more travel and more comfortable so I use it when I’m feeling the need for a softer ride. To be honest both are so capable either could be used for anything short of a full on bike park day when I’d probably take my 160mm travel bike (a 27.5)

If pressed to keep only one of the 29ers, I’d stick with the Cotic as it does everything so well for my general riding but since I can keep both I’ll continue to enjoy them

My 2 pennies worth. If have both (Stumpy fsr 29er) and an Orange Crush. As per lots of the comments above its horses for courses. Full suss for bigger days out in Wales etc. and a hardtail for my local trails in Bristol which don’t really justify suspension for 95% of the time. The hardtail is harder to ride and after 8 years of only having a full suss I feel like I’m learning certain skills all over again.

Hardtail for short sharp and winter riding. Full bounce for rocky terrain and big days out. Perfect.

Have not touched the HT since buying a fatbike, only to scavenge bits off it

Shame really it was quite sorted

I did have both but sold my HT as I was only using it for XC races and the occasional local ride.

Miss not being able to do a bit of racing this year (my FS 29er weighs more than 30lbs), but I think it was the right choice.

@chak why not race what ya got ? A few more places behind the winner but assuming you don’t race purely for the trophies why not keep having fun ?

29er hardtail and 27.5 full suss.

Hardtail is a Fireeye HotTail 29, its a burly old thing. Idea is to teach myself to ride better.

Full Suss is kona process 153, good for clobbering down stuff and not too bad on the ups if you’re fit.

I don’t but I’m pondering it…

I have a Trail 29er hardtail, a Chromag Rootdown with 140mm Pikes.
I’m thinking of getting a Full Suspension Bike for BPW, the Alps and the like.

Looking at the Nukeproof Mega for example, I think I’d have to go to 160mm and 650b wheels to justify it.
But 150mm and 29in wheels would be an absolute blast!

Or do you go mad and get a 170mm travel monster? Less crossover but the full suspension bike becomes much less versatile for my riding and becomes JUST for BPW/Alps.

I dunno…

@chak why not race what ya got ? A few more places behind the winner but assuming you don’t race purely for the trophies why not keep having fun ?

It would make me buy an XC bike out of frustration, and I can’t afford to.

120mm HT and FS 29er, HT now mainly for the winter, FS for fun (for now ;D)

29er hardtail and full sus. Vitus escarpe which is 150/135 and a trek stache with 130 on the front. Mainly ride the full sus around here (FOD) unless it’s really manky then the ht comes out.

Both bikes are also set up so most parts can be swapped over if necessary

Yes got both. The Full suspection 29er gets used for nearly all rides. Mountain biking in the South Pennines, Peaks, Lakes, North Wales plus Trail Centres. All these areas are consistently rocky and techy (unless you stick to the roads, disused railway lines, blue/green routes or canals) and the full suspension feels that much better and easier. The hard tail 29er gets used for non techy off road stuff (like disused railway lines), some road, easier trails (normally equivalent to green or blue grade), a bit of commuting and skills practice when I’m on my breaks at work. I’m also intending to use it for hard Winter mountain biking, so that the full suspension doesn’t get muddy and damage the pivot bearings & rear suspension. But I’m not comfortable enough with it to use it for that just yet, but hoping to do so next Winter. I might use it for commuting a lot more when I move house and live just 4 miles from work.

Have not touched the HT since buying a fatbike, only to scavenge bits off it

Shame really it was quite sorted

Odly, ridden mine a lot this past fortnight, think it’s just because I’ve SS’ed it again so it’s a bit novel.

Feels strange going back to it, it’s certainly quicker on road sections, but off road it just feels like you run into wind resistance at pretty much the same speed the fat bike feels like the tires really start to drag.

Might SS the fat bike for balance and see which gets ridden more, if I lived somewhere nice and only rode off road then the SS might be in trouble!