After using various low spec hard tails for year. I have been trying out a couple of full suss bikes. I also had a demo ride on a top spec Ibis bike. Contrary to most peoples experience I don’t find the full sussers easier to ride. “maybe more confortable” but not so precise ! In fact the hard tail I like the best actually reveiws ,the worst! A Barracuda Jacobat Not much up on a kids jump bike but very well balanced I also have a Carrera Vulcan and a Saab Carbon MB
Even my small jumps 12 ins or so are uneventfull. I find on my local playground of United Downs Cornwall. I practice new runns on the Barracuda, Then when I am confident switch to the full suss. any body else finding this?

No. No not at all really.

Why is it always vs. It’s not a binary choice, depends on lots of factors I’m struggling to see how the full sus wasn’t precise. What we’re you unable to do?

It’s pretty simple – just ride what you enjoy and what feels like it works for you.

Don’t worry about the opinions of others, just keep getting out there and have fun. If it makes you grin it’s right!

It always takes me a few jumps/drops to adjust my timing when I swap between them. I guess the less travel you have, the easier the transition is.

Yes it would have been easier to be happy with one .but I got sucked into all the hype. two issues with the full suss I am a lot higher from the ground ” higher bottom bracket” I find it scary on steep drops . I don’t have a dropper post! The bike is front heavy ,so nose dives more when attempting the same small jumps that I do. Hard to quantify precise but I feel more in controll “in a bouncy sort of way” on the hard tail

bwizz – Member
The bike is front heavy ,so nose dives more when attempting the same small jumps that I do.

er, no. Have a thing about how “front heavy” a bike would have to be in order to nose dive more, and consider than you are sat on it, and probably weight at least 6 or 7 times more than it!

The reason you are nose diving on the FS is because the “timing” of your pumping you have learnt on your HT is too late for the FS, which due to having rear suspension that absorbs your movements, requires you to pump EARLIER as you travel up the jumps transition / ramp!!

Possibly so .I am out of the seat in both cases ! The issue I usually have is on downhill fast aproach jumps where I strugghe to get much of a pump in at all! i’m getting to an age where I should’nt be worrying about such things. but I do enjoy getting a run right and uneventfull though!

The reason you are nose diving on the FS is because the “timing” of your pumping you have learnt on your HT is too late for the FS, which due to having rear suspension that absorbs your movements, requires you to pump EARLIER as you travel up the jumps transition / ramp!!

I think this is one of the reasons I don’t get on with FS bikes to be honest, too many years on BMXs and hardtails. Old dog/ new tricks and all that 😆

I’m glad nobody has told me to throw money at it! 🙂

Life’s too short to bugger about with shit that doesn’t work for you. Punt it on and ride something else 😀

Its me that don’t ride right .its an age/fear thing I suspect

Full-bounce bikes often have longer wheelbases/chain stays, which can make it harder to loft the front wheel.

It’s usually nothing that a bit o practise won’t fix.

(And I do mean practise, not just once or twice per ride. dare I say ‘sessioning’ ?)

And yes, as above, why make it a ‘Vs’ thing? While I love my FS, my next new bike will probably be a rigid, as an entertaining contrast.

I think the difference could be largely down to riding what you’re used to. I rode a cheap carrera hardtail for 4 years until I felt I’d progressed enough to merit an upgrade as the frame just wasn’t made for more than light trail use. I thought I’d try a specialized pitch and my riding really worsened for 4-5 months afterwards until I’d fully adjusted as the two bikes were so different. I think me and a lot of people have found similar symptoms switching from flats to clipped pedals.