Having ridden bikes all through the 90’s usual distractions got in the way until about 18 months ago. I have got back into mtbing during this period on a basic Specialized hardtail.

I quite like the fact I have yet to experience a full suspension and I am tempted to leave it this way until my body may need it. Do I live in blissful naivety and ‘save’ this experience or do I muddy the water and test it out?

Don’t get one, You’ll only want to get a hardtail again because its not as fun.

Next step…Rigid singlespeed.

Get one. Most fun you’ll ever have!

Depends on what you like about riding – if you like the direct pedalling and acceleration the hard tail gives you then you will need to be careful about which FS you go for – a try on a giant anthem X might be worthwhile.

I am on my first FS – a turner flux – and love it.

You can’t knock it til you’ve tried it, and if you do, make the time to set up the shock properly, not just ‘twil do ‘ish’
Any mates got one you could try?

Yeah I really like the connection of the hardtail with the terrain. I also worry if I do try one I’ll convince myself I’ll need one!?

My riding tends to be local blasts, trail centres and lond dales rides.

the connection of the hardtail with the terrain

think you’ll find that FS bikes are better connected with the trail! i have a lot of fun on my HT…but so much more on the FS. depends how & where you want to ride though.

Don’t get one, You’ll only want to get a hardtail again because its not as fun.

Next step…Rigid singlespeed.

Take a demo one out. I had a fs after a ht and went back to ht – much more fun. But depends on what you want from riding and how you ride. An anthem is very different to an orange 5 which is very different to a Scott voltage FR

I am tempted to leave it this way until my body may need it. Do I live in blissful naivety and ‘save’ this experience or do I muddy the water and test it out?

Why would you leave testing/trying something until your bodies too knackered to use it well?
Try one you might like it, as mentioned there lots of different type and they all handle/feel different. Kinda like HT’s really eh?

I prefer them, no I might not have any ‘skillz’ from hardcore riding on a HT, but I’m having a lot of fun on my FS & shirely that what counts?

Never had one, never ridden one and don’t feel like I’m missing anything, I get enough thrills and spills from the hardtails.

You’re not missing much….exceopt bills.

“Why would you leave testing/trying something until your bodies too knackered to use it well?
Try one you might like it, as mentioned there lots of different type and they all handle/feel different. Kinda like HT’s really eh?”

Good point, hopefully not too knackered but more in need of comfort?

Never had one, never ridden one and don’t feel likehave no idea what I’m missing anything, I get enough thrills and spills from the hardtails.

I ride both either alternating or a few months on 1 then the other. I love the directness & feel of my Steel HT especially after the rattle fest that was my Al frame.

I love riding my Full Suss as it adds another level & depth to my riding and saves me from pain on some of the rougher trials.

Both are great fun but don’t knock Full Suss till you have tried it – demo somewhere like the lakes and see what it offers

You’re not missing much….exceopt bills.

Thats true, but IF you can afford it then why not? I’m finding myself climbing stuff I couldn’t manage on my HT & descending a lot quicker.
I do really think that you should learn to ride on a HT first though. I love both my bikes & would never part with the HT.

I find riding nothing beats riding a road bike off road

Both are great fun but don’t knock Full Suss till you have tried it – demo somewhere like the lakes and see what it offers

I’m not sure I knocked fs bikes, just said I’d never ridden one nor have the intention and would indicate that your corrections, while witty, are incorrect as you haven’t understood me. It simply wouldn’t give me anything extra to my current style of riding.
Moving towards DH is a different kettle of fish and I’d go for that in a flash if I had the cojones… 😀

It simply wouldn’t give me anything extra to my current style of riding.

Why on earth wouldn’t you want to try on anyway, just to see what it’s like?

I loved riding my old hardtail, but I love riding my full suss a lot more. I mostly ride rocky stuff in the Lakes though.

flow – Member
I find riding nothing beats riding a road bike off road

Road bike? Boring.

I prefer my ride; which I think you shall agree is much more fun.

Why on earth wouldn’t you want to try on anyway, just to see what it’s like?

Because I don’t see how it would improve my climbing, much the same as SSing takes climbing to yet another level.
Why don’t you try something new like accepting other people’s points of view without questioning them??

Fair enough, just seems odd to me to be closed-minded about things – It’s like people who say they don’t like a certain type of food even though they’ve never tried it.

Bit sensitive aren’t we? This is a forum, people debate, question stuff etc

Light full suspension bikes climb better than hard tails unless its dead smooth. Not to mention being faster and more fun downhill, and more comfortable. I wouldn’t try one either, what a stupid idea!

Retro83, can I have a go please?

To the OP

I see no need to avoid reying it

you may not like it.

benefit you know a haqrd tail is right for you

You may like it

benefit you can get a bike you prefer

The only reason not to try it is if you then can’t afford to buy and maintain one, then it might be better not to know……

Bit sensitive aren’t we? This is a forum, people debate, question stuff etc

😆 Not at all!
So how would a fs omprove my climbing?
How would a fs that simply rides over all obstacles improve my descending?
If you simply want to crash over things without a thought then fine.
I can sit on the ht for 4-5 hours without problems and it gives me better feedback and drive.
I came down a descent with a guy last year, he was on some Specialized fs. I’d say we were hitting speeds in the region of 50km/hr, off road. He was sufficiently impressed to comment on my ability to stay with him. The only difference I saw was that he descended sitting in the saddle and I had to do it on the pedals. I probably enjoyed it more than him, but I couldn’t possibly comment on that.

Rorschach – Member
You’re not missing much….except bills.

I see this quoted so much and have yet to understand it. I’ve owned 4 different FS bikes since 2004 (though 1 was replaced under warrenty twice), mainly single pivot FS’s (simple designs, but I like the susension action over 4 bars), and happily ride them all year round. The only ‘extra’ bill I’ve had over my HT owning colleagues is a yearly bill for a shock service, hmm an extra £70-80 a year. So where these extra bills that are costing me the earth?

It’s a sweeping statement that holds little basis in fact IME.

(…and to answer the obvious “bearings for 4 bar/multi-linkage systems” retort, we happily replaced my m8’s giant bearing every 2/3 years for pennies from a bearing shop, WOW the expense)

🙄

Try the FS out first. I have a HT and a FS, I currently have to sell one of them and I’m afraid it’s going to be the FS. I find that the HT is just more my kind of ride. So make sure you try it before you buy it!

don simon – Member
So how would a fs omprove my climbing?

I find I can climb better on rough ground on my fs rather than my ht as though it’s heavier it’s got more grip and lets me maintain a smoother pedaling rhythm.

I find that the HT is just more my kind of ride.

You can’t say that!! How stupid 🙄 . Don’t you realise that if you don’t fit in with the narrow minded views of others, then you’re some kind of freak, dear god man. Use the edit button, you’ve still got time… 😉

I find I can climb better on rough ground on my fs rather than my ht as though it’s heavier it’s got more grip and lets me maintain a smoother pedaling rhythm.

Fair enough, I just found that when racing it was always the HTs at the head of the field and the FSs that appeared to be going backwards on the long hard climbs, we’re talking about 400m climbs here.

Don’t you realise that if you don’t fit in with the narrow minded views of others

Except that he’s actually tried a full suss so has made up his own mind. Oh the irony of calling other people narrow minded 😆

I can sit on the ht for 4-5 hours without problems and it gives me better feedback and drive.

Better than the full suss that you’ve never tried? :p

Oh the irony of calling other people narrow minded

Oh the point being missed… 😉

The point where you make a tit of yourself? Keep going, it’s funny. 😆

I’m not sure I knocked fs bikes, just said I’d never ridden one nor have the intention

It simply wouldn’t give me anything extra to my current style of riding.

Because I don’t see how it would improve my climbing, much the same as SSing takes climbing to yet another level.
Why don’t you try something new like accepting other people’s points of view without questioning them??

lol.

I’m happy that folks want to ride FS bikes, my personal choice is an HT and I have not seen any evidence to tell me that a FS will serve me better. The most convincing argument in favour have been that not trying a FS akes me stupid, and that I’m making a **** of myself. If you can only resort to insults, might I suggest that you improve your

Bit sensitive aren’t we? This is a forum, people debate, question stuff etc

ability to debate and question and be a little less sensitive. Accept that, thankfully, not everyone is as narrow minded as you, people have different needs and wants and can live together without insults when things don’t go their way.
Enjoy the rest of your afternoon, sweetheart.

Suspension’s alright for gurls and old men, I suppose.

😆

don simon – Member

The only difference I saw was that he descended sitting in the saddle and I had to do it on the pedals.

You mean to say, he didn’t really know how to ride a bike? 😕

Possibly, but I wouldn’t dream of trying to sit on an HT unless going ridiculously slowly. The point being that a FS gives a level of comfort that not only allows you to ride though/over any obstacle without thought but you also lose any sensation of feedback from the trail.

don simon – Member

The point being that a FS gives a level of comfort that not only allows you to ride though/over any obstacle without thought but you also lose any sensation of feedback from the trail.

I can see how your extensive knowledge of riding full suss bikes could lead you to such a conclusion.

Don’t you realise that if you don’t fit in with the narrow minded views of others

Oh boy, where to start with this utter naivety of this poster. 🙄

He said…

If you simply want to crash over things without a thought then fine

..in spite of the fact that,

I’m not sure I knocked fs bikes, just said I’d never ridden on

So he thinks (like many others blinded by their own ignorance) that no skill whatsoever are required if you happen to have a shock and some linkages making the middle section move about?
I challenge him to sit down all the way on a comfy armchair skills compensator, over black graded rough rocky stuff, off 3 or 4 feet jumps and drops offs on steep terrain, I’ll be happy to call the ambulance for you. 😉

But wait, this is what his point is really about about isn’t it? It’s the same old usual (and uttertly yawnworthy) blinkered view from those who get quite defensive in these HT vs FS debates, the common theme I notice is that most don’t own or have yet to try (read can’t afford possibly) the style of bike they so readily knock.
The usually always ends with a testosterone filled statement about how rad and super gnarly they are, getting so much pleasure out of beating all those poor fools with no skills (assuming and generalising to the max) because mountain biking it’s such a big competition isn’t it? And your life depends on it? 🙄

As proven with the next post..

I came down a descent with a guy last year, he was on some Specialized fs. I’d say we were hitting speeds in the region of 50km/hr, off road. He was sufficiently impressed to comment on my ability to stay with him. The only difference I saw was that he descended sitting in the saddle and I had to do it on the pedals. I probably enjoyed it more than him, but I couldn’t possibly comment on that.

Let’s all bow down to the Sam Hill of the HT world. 🙄

Anyway, back on topic.

The truth is, both are well worth experiencing.
Ht riding is an essential ground base to teach new riders all the basics they need to know, FS will help take the sting out of the really rough stuff but you still have to transfer the skills your learned on a HT (like standing up while descending LOL) 😉