I'm currently riding a 2005 Eastpeak with upgraded fork and discs.

It's a great bike but I'm getting cheesed off with the bob on out of saddle climbs.

Came to mind yesterday that going back to a hardtail may be an option.

But would I regret it?

Your thoughts / advice / bank details gratefully accepted.

DS

naaaaaaaaaa, its all good.

Mainly because I'm selling my old hardtail as I fancied a change (to another hardtail).

just get a hardtail as well – you can never have too many bikes.

Yes! No! Ummmm, I dunno, I'm not you, will you? Hard to say really without being psychic…

I didn't.

Just get a good shock with a firm pro pedal setting and bobs your uncle.

I would. Built up a hardtail as thought I would use it loads for local rides and in the dales but never really did. My FS is much comfier and miles more fun.

Hardtail now swapped for road bike.

Keep the East Peak & buy a decent HT, then see which you are using most next year and sell the other 😉

1st get a better shock, one with pro-pedal or have yours tuned?

Though it goes against the grain for this site, my experiences have been – I went from a ridiculously large HT to a FS bike (correct size for me) within 6months of coming back to cycling & have never really looked back. But then due to this site, I was curious, so bought a 2nd hand "well known" steel hardtail to try and as a 2nd bike. Yes it's good, and I have enjoyed owning it, definitley don't regret buying a steeley rather than a Ali HT bike, but would I keep it as my 'only' bike, not a fricken chance.
FS everytime here, but that's no reason for you not to slum it for a while & try one.

Will you regret it? No – but get a 29er though, one that can take large volume tyres.

full sus is for retards. Everyone knows that.

get a rigid 29er and be infinitely more attractive to the girls and the envy of other blokes. 😉

Gave my Eastpeak to my son….I found it far to long, great for going downhill, but not round corners.

Love my hardtail…..but love my road bike even more!

I recently purchased a Soul to supplement my Zesty, mainly because I felt a bit overbiked for some stuff and also because..well you cant have enough shiny bike related things really can you?

I have to say riding a hard tail again was a bit of a shock, so much so that I wondered if I'd made a mistake.

1. I just can't go as fast downhill as I could on the Zesty, as line is so much more important and you don't have the ability to plough through things in the same way ('talent compensation' :)). The shorter fork also initially made me feel like I was far more likely to go over the bars on steep drops…

2. You can't just laze around in the saddle over moderately rough ground and rely on the rear shock to soak it up. This means far more out of the saddle work and knackered legs (at least at first)!

I've stuck with it though and now I find I love the lightness and directness of the Soul. It's really versatile and nimble and I think my riding overall has improved.

Still love the Zesty mind. For all-day comfort over gnarlier stuff and for instilling confidence and grin-ability it just cant be beat!

Limiting factor on descents is mostly in your head not really the bike. Going to HT? Less weight less hassle. Up to you whether you're as fast

lowey – Member
Just get a good shock with a firm pro pedal setting and bobs your uncle.

No no no, the point is bob is no longer your friend, associate OR family member!

I try and ride both my FS and HT regularly. FS allows you to blat down stuff, yes, but HT makes you actually ride down the same stuff, which may well be harder but keeps yr skills up IMO

I got a Genesis Abyss on cycle-to-work last year. It has gradually replaced my sub-5 as my first choice all round bike. Less to worry about mechanically, faster up the climbs, still descends pretty well, jumps much better. Hub in the forest have a few for sale at the moment. Hardtails continue to rule.

Limiting factor on descents is mostly in your head not really the bike. Going to HT? Less weight less hassle. Up to you whether you're as fast

on trail centre possibly but on rocky natural descent you can carry far more speed on a FS

Depends what and where you ride i've got a HT and FS both are good fun to ride

Man needs 5 bikes:

DH
Trail FS
Hardtail
Road Bike
A.N. Other – Street/29er/SS, your choice.

Man needs to ride each every week.

Does this mean I'm not a man? I only have 4 bikes 🙁

I guess it depends upon the terrain you ride and how long you have ridden the FS for (amongst other considerations).

Apart from a very short period in time I have ridden a HT. I bought and built a FS in October and sold it at the start of the year in favour of a Soul as the HT suited by riding style and the terrain far better than the FS.

Guess its horse for courses etc.

TBH to buy a good rear shock or get a TF tune you are part of the way towards a really nice HT…….

Just bought a new steel hardtail as I was feeling overbiked for where I ride the weekends on Santa Cruz Nomad.

I learnt to ride on hardtail and have to say I love the lightness and directness of the Soul. I ride regularly at Swinley Forest and it is the perfect bike for that kind of riding. Took it to the Brecon Beacons for the epic ride from STW and was really happy with how it coped with some rocky non trail centre type stuff.

For me it comes down to what kind of riding you do – the Nomad is perfect for the Alps and bigger days out – less fatigue (although a lot heavier of course) and copes with unexpected tech stuff with some ease.

The other effect of the hardtail is that it has reminded me how to ride again – getting back on the Nomad I think I am a better rider as you have to anticipate the bumps and drops on a hardtail more than you do on a FS

End of ramble – back to work now

Chris

I felt "overbiked" too, and changed to a short-travel full sus. Now happy.

Got both and enjoy both for different reasons 🙂

I only have two bikes, so I must be a great big girlpants.

I am waiting for my Prince Albert HT to turn up after the last year on a 6" FS. Just felt that there was too much between me and the trail on the FS. Have been riding a cheap HT for the past couple of weeks and (sore arse apart) have really enjoyed the 'back to basics' experience.

full suss is for tarts

Been right round the block nearly now started full rigid 1985
did each improvement to full suss over the years .and ended up back on a hardtail this last 3 years loved it untill the demise of the frame
now back on a last century Eastpeak the last 2 weeks even has the narrow bars with barends on and a mega long stem .and crap brakes . it is awefull to ride cant wait to get a HT sorted out .

But definatly wont be completing the circle back to rigid.

I didn't. Went from a Marin Pine Mountain to a Spesh FSR, and back to the Pine Mountain in the space of about a year.

I made just that change before Christmas, and so am in the happy position of being able to give you the definitive answer.

The answer is:

Yes. And no.

Glad to be of help.
🙂

Recently built a decent HT, and it's made my riding better. Riding my FS now just amplifies my meagre improvement in technique.

As a previous poster said, you can't be lazy at any point on a HT.

Got both and enjoy both for different reasons

Defo and when one is in for repair you can ride the other 8)