Aluminium for equilibrium, man

“Steel is just as variable in performance and feel as every other material we make bikes out of, man” doesn’t really flow though.

Only have hardtails now, but I’m not averse to a shiny new full suss one day. Just like a change every now and then.

Feeling a bit underforked on the 456Ti with 120mm rebas though, but not sure I want to drop more money on 26″ kit having tried a 29er.

Yeah you might wanna consider a slackish 29er HT if you’re keen on a bike change.

Rode my new one up Darwen last week and it cruised over all the rocks that previously caused my 26er HT to hang up.

I am a convert.

We go to the Alps every year and do the PDS. Two of our guys do it on a HT, both good riders and they pass just about everyone in front of them. Not full-on DH I know but a good rider on a HT beets an average rider on a FS Every time.
I have both and would say for general XC with the odd trail ctr a hardtail is fine. More fun too.

Rode my new one up Darwen last week and it cruised over all the rocks that previously caused my 26er HT to hang up.

What did you get?

HT rider here….

have had a bash on a fair few FS bikes (was guiding for 6 months, 6 day a week on a Cannondale1 140 Rize out on Gran Canaria) but just prefer the more direct feel of the HT. i used to take my Alpine on the “freeride” tours and never felt like i needed a fully.

i’ve also ridden over 20 transalp tours on my HT. covering up to 90km and climbing over 2200m a day was never a problem.

have toyed with the idea of getting a big FS (Canyon Torque), but as it is i’m as quick, if not quicker (where’s my trumpet?) than most of the people i ride with so i don’t see how having a FS is going to help other than increasing my chance of a big crash.

the only time i wish for a little extra cushioning out back is in the bike parks (Leogang, Saalbach) when i hit the braking bumps which cause me to anchor up. or on some of the bigger jumps/gaps/drops where i’m having to scrub off speed to avoid a heavy landing. as i don’t ride “park” that often it is not really an issue.

to the OP… i think you will learn bike control quicker and better on a HT. a FS allows you to plow through things without having to think too much about line choice or where you might have to flick the rear wheel over obstacles.

stick with the HT for the time being.

less shit to go wrong, too.

Previously had a 2001 Marin Wolf Ridge FS which I loved and wore out and then went back to hard tails. Not looked back since.
As much I sometimes lust after a decent FS can’t justify it – bought a road bike recently instead.
Mountain biking mainly local around Leeds, Sherwood and Cannock – nothing that can’t be handled by my trustee single speed inbred (with Revs on though).

Im totally out of touch so this probabaly already exists, but for those complaining of bruised buttocks on hardtail seated decents, why do we not have a Reverb style dropper that actualy has a blow off valve or summink that equates to selectable suspension damping – then can be locked out for the rest of the ride?

(not one of those pants elastomer or thudbuster posts, a proper Reverb with some suspension built in)

Oh, and I only ride hard tail. Truly cant be arsed with setting rear shocks/cleaning linkages/replacing bearings/paying sooo much for a frame.
Ive noticed older people seem to be telling me they would never go back after buying FS, It sounds that at 35, I may soon be approaching some kind of epiphany that my ageing body requires FS?… but right now my Hardtail feels rad. And I love keeping up with/overtaking the FS brigade. Grin factor 10.

After racing the Fort Bill DH track on a hardtail, it’s certainly expanded my mind on what’s possibly with only 130mm travel up front.

Jeebus how did you survive the landings off the rock gardens!? I walked two of them and I was on a FS trail bike.

What did you get?

Trek Stache

Recently bought a 456 steel frame 2nd hand for £90, i built up with bargain Fox Talas 140’s off eBay, some carbon Answer Pro taper 720mm bars, it rides brilliant on the downs, can wind down to 120 for climbs, i’ve really been enjoying it, stable, bombproof. It just go’s to show you don’t have to have an expensive full sus. Saying that my Yeti 575 with the carbon back end, Hydroformed top tube,was a brilliant climbing machine – £3,250 new,..since sold it..do I miss it ? Yes and no. Just bought an old Lynskey Ti 456 frame, new project for the new year. To be honest, i’m enjoying the quality build hardtail experience, great fun.

For me, I have a evil soverign and a 5. I can’t be without either of them. The FS gets me riding more because I can have fun even when I am tired. However, when I am fresh, the HT is infinitely more fun.

If I have to choose, it will have to be the FS as surely more riding is better?