I tried going back to a hardtail and didn’t really enjoy it. I much prefer FS. I progress way more on it as I have more confidence to try new things. Just more fun on every trail for me. I mostly don’t like the unbalanced feeling of a hardtail, I’d rather ride fully rigid I think. I ride mostly DH/FR as well so a hardtail isn’t really the best tool for the job.

Its quite interesting that many of these bike forums about performance of different bikes and wheel sizes etc all seem to end up with “speed “being mentioned,who actually worries about a second here and there on a day out in the hills?what percentage of riders actually race competitively?everytime you go on a ride with company you end up waiting around for someone to catch up anyway

A few folk saying it’s faster downhill on FS than HT. While I accept that FS can be faster downhill (smoother ride, increased traction, etc.), I’m going to say that in this case, no-one’s good enough to reach the limits of their HT. You’re faster on the FS because you suck and it compensates for your mistakes. Most people aren’t good enough to be under-biked on a HT. I guess what I’m saying is that HTs are great but they demand more of your abilities.

asdfhjkl – Member

A few folk saying it’s faster downhill on FS than HT. While I accept that FS can be faster downhill (smoother ride, increased traction, etc.), I’m going to say that in this case, no-one’s good enough to reach the limits of their HT. You’re faster on the FS because you suck and it compensates for your mistakes. Most people aren’t good enough to be under-biked on a HT. I guess what I’m saying is that HTs are great but they demand more of your abilities.

We all suck, that’s the world we live in.

But instead of improving, why not use the quickest bike you can actually ride instead of trying to ride outside your limits and crashing ?

All this stuff about skill compensators is probably bollocks as well. I can ride all the same stuff on a hardtail as I do on a full sus, it’s just more fun on the latter.

As I already posted, I’m getting rid of the FS as I massively prefer my HT.

If you prefer FS then ride one. If you prefer HT ride one. If you prefer rigid then ride one.

Bikes are meant to be fun so ride the one you enjoy.

Could argue that why have disc brakes when you need more skill to slow down with canti’s and so on

Prefer HT for the majority of my riding. Only time a FS makes sense to me is if you are doing mostly downhill such as at Bikeparks.

I only have a hardtail at the minute, and it is just different and at the minute I am really enjoying it. Ride all the stuff I did on FS some of it slower some faster.
I will get another FS to go with the hardtail next year provided I can find the right one, short travel rear 110/120 ish, 140ish front and fairly slack 66 ? with short stays any suggestions ?

That’s where I was going wrong…….I was using the HT for downhills that I use to fly on my FS…….I found the bike bouncing so much that I couldn’t focus….everything was a blur.
It didn’t help that my mate was flying down the hill on his FS and I was playing catch up….where as in the old days it’s was the other way round

Maybe I should change my ride style…….or a buy a bmx like my first bike….Raleigh super tuff II burner

Yeah I’m that old!!

I did an Enduro on my HT,I must be #radtothemax 😉

Attitude, skill, fitness, bike. Probably in that order. Arguing about the type of bike is just kicking at the small things. For most of us, putting time into the first three will have by far the biggest overall effect on a ride. The confusion and argument comes from either not acknowledging that you need to ride each kind of bike differenty using diferent skills, or believing that the bike will make you faster/better.

whitestone – Member
I switched from FS to HT last year, I’ve only one MTB and most of my riding is away from trail centres so it suits me. If I rode mostly at trail centres then I’d have a FS but at the moment it would be a luxury for me.

One thing that I think you really do need on a HT is a dropper seat post – I have a plain seat post in at the moment as the bike is in bikepacking mode and if you get on anything bumpy without putting the seat down it’s like a bucking bronco With a dropper post it’s not too bad, you need to chose different lines to those on FS and I certainly wouldn’t want to go on a full-on DH course on it.

very much same here. I went from a 100mm Rock Lobster 853 and a 5 to a Soul with a reverb and 120mm forks. It does absolutely everything I want to do, it’s more able than me 🙂

After 2 yrs I did miss the FS a bit so 3 months ago bought an Anthem SX, which I find very complimentary to the Soul. Different bikes, ride them different ways as Northwind and others say, enjoy them both.

For me it is not about skill, it is about using the bike best suited to the terrain. I happen to have a high level of skill as started riding BMX almost 40 years ago and have ridden ever since so that may be blurring things but not by much.

I like very light bikes and due to where I live a rigid single-speed is all I need and I would think the fastest choice (other than fitting nasty gears)

I am interested in going fast and do go after KOMs on Strava, many of them uphill or containing a few ups and downs.

+1 Scraggy. The ‘speed’ thing is neither here nor there really, unless you’re chasing Strava times and absolutely must be quicker everywhere than everyone else (and we all know people like that!).

Tomato, tomato. One person’s crutch or skill compensator (mine, freely admit to it!) is another’s go-to bike. Now I’ve ridden stuff on the FS and not died I’d be happy to go back and ride it on the HT.

I’ve recently bought a slack titanium 29er hardtail after years and years of riding full suspension bikes. I’d be lying if I say I don’t miss suspension, but as others in said in this thread: it’s different, not better or worse. With full sussers my style was to just steamroller everything. With a hardtail you pay a heavier price with choosing the rougher lines, and it doesn’t compensate for your mistakes like rear suspension does. I am a pedal masher and I am enjoying the efficiency and simplicity of being back on a HT until I eventually buy a new FS. If I could have both, I would.

With the big wheels, a 120mm fork, dropper post and relaxed geometry, it’s great for 90% of my riding. I think unless we’re talking about full-on DH gnar or serious racing, the biggest bottlenecks are always skills and fitness, not HT vs FS.

fasthaggis – Member

I did an Enduro on my HT,I must be #radtothemax

I did an inners night enduro on mine. #Brokenhandtothemax 😆

Sold my 26er FS at Xmas and brought a 29er HT, I’ve got do doubt that the HT has improved my riding no end, and that I’m now a fair bit quicker on the same trails than I was on the FS.
Its a different experience on both the ups and downs, but its made me so much smoother through rocky / rooty sections that I feel like a much more complete rider. Having to look further ahead and guide the bike rather than just bash through sections has really opened up my skill set.
I find myself wanting a FS quite regularly, but I think its more from a “oh look, shiny nice things” rather than a “need one to make myself faster” perspective.

I bought an fsr in the late nineties and it put me off riding for 15 years! I just love the directness of hard tails.

I think I’d be faster now on a fs as I live in a rocky area and even the fire-roads can be punishing on the ht.

However the key thing that’s keeping me on an ht is the reduced maintenance, I couldn’t afford the time or money to keep a fs running in peak condition

Had my fs for 2 years spent £16 on a fox top bushing and two top link bearings,so not as expensive as you might think.or maybe ive been lucky so far

Without going in to the “I’ve spent more/less than you” type of willy waving, the HT has been my only bike for 13 months and I’ve done just over 2800Km on it in that time. Replacements:

2 full sets brake pads
2 chains
1 chain ring (it’s a 1×10 setup)
1 cassette
1 bottom bracket

So there’s a cost but it’s not as much as the cost of slobbing out on the couch 😆

As I already posted, I’m getting rid of the FS as I massively prefer my HT.

If you prefer FS then ride one. If you prefer HT ride one. If you prefer rigid then ride one.

Bikes are meant to be fun so ride the one you enjoy.

Couldn’t agree more. Although, funnily enough I’m thinking of selling the very bike (Solaris) that Normal Man loves because I’ve come to the conclusion that hardtails just aren’t for me. I like to sit down and admire the scenery, I’ll take all the skill compensation I can lay my hands on and I enjoy pottering around in the shed, so extra maintenance is a plus too 🙂

faustus – Member
Attitude, skill, fitness, bike. Probably in that order. Arguing about the type of bike is just kicking at the small things. For most of us, putting time into the first three will have by far the biggest overall effect on a ride. The confusion and argument comes from either not acknowledging that you need to ride each kind of bike differenty using diferent skills, or believing that the bike will make you faster/better.

^^This^^

I’ve had both and push comes to shove and I have to live with “Just the one MTB” it’s a HT.

Easier to look after, easier to just pick up and go, admittedly slower for the “Average” rider down a hill but not impossible to get your kicks on, and a certain sense of achievement comes from cleaning stuff that many instinctively assign under the “FS only” category…

But then each to their own so long as you’re out riding does it really matter what you’re sat on?

Most of what I like to ride isn’t about speed – in fact, I like steep, slow, nadgery stuff more than balls-out stuff.. So, for me, a hardtail is as good as anything.
In fact, a lot of the time, a rigid single speed is what I’d choose – I’m in Greece at the minute and even here I’m suffering from singlespeed withdrawal symptoms.
Greek crisis be damned – just bring me a Singular Hummingbird 8)

I like xc hardtails for clocking up miles and sprinting, that’s their job to me.

I dont get the long travel HT thing though, tried it, geometry gets too screwed up, the fast pitches over the front.

Depends what you do/speed.

But definitely agree with others on here that a lot of people who dont get along with HTs sit down way too much. Too much sitting down in general really. How can yo expect to feel strong and not get tired on a DH or a sprint on flat when you spend 99% planted in that saddle? See it all the time, sit down, twiddle, twiddle, twiddle, stand up for the DH and have got that “i’ve pooed myself” stance.

I have always rode a fs and loved every minute of it. Jumps bumps the lot. I brought a HT 10 speed. As a easy to clean winter bike. I find I’m no way near as confident on it. that’s the biggest issue for me. On a full sus I feel invincible!!!

Has anyone switched to hardtail and regretted it??

Yes! but then i put the rigid fork back on.

Nope. Since rediscovering hardtails last summer, my Rune has seen less and less use.

The Slackline that I feel in love with last year was brilliant but too small so it became a Switchback which I love even more. Not sure why I love the so much, especially after years of only having a full suss. Nine times out of ten, I grab the Stanton when heading out for a ride.

Not sure why I love the so much, especially after years of only having a full suss. Nine times out of ten, I grab the Stanton when heading out for a ride.

Same here, despite my Trance being the better bike in just about every measurable way I still seem to spend more time on the Ragley HT, it just feels more lively and fun out on the trails….the low maintenance and abuse it can take appeals too!

“But instead of improving, why not use the quickest bike you can actually ride”

Because your more of a passenger than a rider…..

Yes! Well kind of. Riding>20 years. Most of that on fs. Bought a cx. Love that off road. Bought a Fireline.. ti 29 ht (haha). It’s good on the occasion but for Surrey Hills I pick my 26 fs every time. It’s probably slower but I enjoy it more. I can ride more recklessly.

Don’t understand the maintenance issue. Never been a problem with my Turner… Higher outlay I guess but…

I ride an Orange Five & Cotic Solaris. Love both bikes but could never say one was better than the other.

The FS is certainly easier, and surprisingly much quicker up hill which I put down to the increased traction. Overall I’d say the HT takes a fair bit of adjusting my riding style, searching out the smoother (and hence faster) lines and generally more thinking than simply blasting the Orange through whatever is ahead. It has been commented on by others in the group I ride with that I’m a lot faster on the FS too since getting the HT.

If I was pushed though I’d have to say I find the HT much more rewarding to ride. Also as someone who rides alone during the week a lot I quite like the fact that I can have as much fun, if not more by riding the HT slowly compared to the FS. Simply by concentrating on working the bike over the rough sections as apposed to just hammering through them.

I’m a big HT fan (chameleon with 140mm pikes in my case) but on anything rooty/steep I hit my limit after about an hour or so. It’s a combination of the jarring and being out of the saddle for the whole time – basically joints and muscles are done in. For my riding short travel FS (e.g. scout or solo) is easily the best and most enjoyable compromise.

What a lot of bollocks on this thread. What should be glaringly obvious is that it depends on your local trails. Yes, there are a lot of people on this year’s enduro gnarpoon at Swinley, a place that is probably more fun on an HT. However, my local trails in South Wales are rocky or rooty and the HT is slower, harder and less fun. The local descents on the FS are a high speed technical blast and as such exhilerating. On the HT they are slower, but it’s the rocky climbs that are worst. The rocks are loose and big, and your back wheel gets bounced a lot. FS definitely faster.

And as for fs being boring – that’s you, not the bike. Just speed up, I guarantee it will get interesting if you go fast enough! Just like HT you have to know how to ride it i.e. Fast.

What Molgrips said. Love my hardtail and on trail centre stuff it is the fastest, funnest, Less pedal strikes choice, but anything a bit mountainy the FS is better. (Except the annoying lumpy flat bits where a FS bike is less hard on the back).

Agree with the posts above.

Fs and make it work on red/black dh runs.

Aggressive ht for my local natural trails which are not so demanding, and the ht makes them feel more alive. I also ride the fs smoother from some time spent back on a ht.

Bmx is still the ultimate to master.

had a quick look through this, and havent seen it mentioned yet…. what about looks?
i love skinny steel, i love looking at a skinny dekerf, soulcraft, kona, i want to have sex with them, especially if rigid and ss 😀 that makes me want to ride them even tho theyre not as comfy. comfy? when was biking all about comfort? i want to pick mine up and think “wow thats light!! better hold onto it before it floats away”

i havent seen a FS in all the years ive been biking that i like the look of. linkages, shocks, fat tubes, busy busy busy with the usual suspects names emblazoned all over them.

nah. FS is comfier yep. faster downhill yep. fun, yeah im sure they are as youre blasting through stuff. but theyre ugly, so i dont want one 😉

Recently built up a HT, a Stanton Switchback, to compliment my Pivot Mach6 mainly for local trails which can be technical but have a mix of trail and concrete plus a lot of climbing in between.
I keep the Mach6 (running a 170mm Fox 36) for bike trips and when I ride the more gnaar stuff in HK, especially for DH shuttle days.
I don’t think I could go HT only, but when I do ride it I really enjoy it as I know its limits(read mine) although I am having to dial it down a bit as I have already cracked one carbon rim by going a little too far on it!

edited again to ask- Are the HT die-hards coming from a BMXy background and the FS champions relatively ‘new’ to MTBing/dirt biking in general, or is there no real pattern? Genuine question, not a troll.

Nah came to mtb from bmx and much prefer a full suspension now. It’s more the balanced feeling than anything else. I always find hardtail a bit bouncy and divey unless the fork is set up hard. I prefer to have both ends of the bike feeling the same. I probably prefer fully rigid to hardtail, at least both ends are doing the same thing.

That said I do often feel like going back to a hardtail for a bit, I used to ride my trailstar for everything until I got a full suspension and kinda wish I never tried it, ignorance is bliss and all that!

After about 2 years only riding my Cotic Bfe , they opened an uplift centre close to us and I started riding the downhill trails with my son. After a couple of visits I realised that the faster trails were no fun on my hardtail, so I built my Blur back up. The more technical trails are fine on my HT, but on the faster, more flowing DH trails the full suss is much more fun, because I get rattled about much less.

I still ride my HT about 95% of the time, but for example when we did a 4 day trip to the North Welsh trail centres, I was really glad to be able to take my full suss. For long days in the saddle, FS is much easier on my legs, and on DH trails it is much less tiring.