[Closed] How many people only ride a hardtail?

I ride a HT out of choice. I've had a huge range of FS bikes but I always turn back to HTs. I just find FS bikes boring and sterile. I've found it faster on the trails I ride. FS does have its place though.

I still own a FS, but i've not ridden it for well over a year. I just ride my 456 all the time!

Singlespeed that hardtail of yours; you'll soon be leaving those riding buddies miles behind, as you sail off in front!

both my bikes are hardtails, never ridden full suspension so don't know any different, just ride the bike you have and enjoy it 🙂

I've currently got a ht and a rigid single speed, every now and again I buy a full susser but I just sell it a couple of months later.

I just prefer the more direct feel of the ht/rigid set-ups.

I only ride hard tail. Currently scandal 29er and kona unit 29er single speed. Have ridden a few full sus but prefer the feel of ht. I ride with a few guys on full sus and have never been left standing, just work on that fitness 🙂

Not ridden a skill compensator for about 15 years. Nothing in the uk really warrants it.
I love hardtails! You'll develop the leg muscle required to soak up the bumps in time.

Hardtail and fully rigid, but that's how I like it. Have had a FS it was ok, but soon returned to hard tail, dabbled with suspension forks, but again not my thing. It probably depends where you are riding, but round here it's plenty smooth enough to not warrant it.

I only ride hardtails, it has never stopped me riding anything.

Had a couple of full sus bikes, but just didn't enjoy them. Miss the positive acceleration in a full suss and the weight increase. Ride a scandal, C456 and a Pipedream Ti. Not 'as' quick as the full susser mates on decents, but far quicker on the climbs up and feel like I have ridden the descent that the bike riding it.

I ride an HT and a rigid SS.I cant afford a full susser or the maintenance costs

Yeah fitness level for me for sure at the moment. Just need to build my legs back up.

I'm kind of looking forward to getting back on a good steel hardtail.

Think the only thing I'll miss is the 12x135 rear end.

I was a hardtail only guy. Then longer travel full suspension bikes got a lot better and lighter and more reliable. I kept my hardtail because I loved the idea of riding it, but now I'm used to riding a full suspension bike I find I never enjoy it as much unless I'm on the right trail. The right trail usually means riding something less exciting at a slower pace, which isn't really why I enjoy riding a bike.

You will enjoy it, it's a bike, bikes are fun and as a change it'll be great but if you're used to full suspension you may well end up hankering after your old bike after a while.

I've got 4 fully rigid bikes now. Not rad enough for bounce.

Just a bFe here at 160.

Not ridden a skill compensator for about 15 years. Nothing in the uk really warrants it

Just riding an inbred at the moment. Recently sold my 160mm fs, in raising funds for a new one that's due for release soon

Me. Big tyres and a dropper post mean I'm pretty comfortable on everything. I dont do jumps or big drops though. (that's a lack of skill/balls)

Do have a couple of FS bikes but my HT is the only bike I ride these days. Just more involving and harder to ride fast, which makes it a lot more fun.

Two HTs here. Sold my FS back in 2005 and honestly not missed it.

Just a Cotic Solaris here. Plenty of bike for most of the trails I ride however I don't do 'big' jumps or drops. Would consider a FS in a few years time if my riding keeps progressing. Just one mountain bike for me.

Got an FS (my first) in the pipeline, but will still have 3 HTs to choose from. Never found anything for my skill level that I couldn't ride on a HT - was in Scotland on holiday last week and the BFe coped fine with the Nevis Red (I was however the only rider I saw all day riding it - albeit slowlishy - without full bounce).

The right trail usually means riding something less exciting at a slower pace, which isn't really why I enjoy riding a bike.

I guess it depends on what sort of trails you regularly ride. Trips to Morzine for example, I'll take the big FS as it's more fun. Local rides down south and all trail centres, HT every time. If I lived somewhere with proper mountains and lots of natural rocky trails then my FS bikes would probably not be in bits at the back of the shed.

Have had : iDrive and AS-R.

Now only ride Steel* HT MTB and 2x fully rigid multi-purpose bikes [1x Steel*, 1x Al. and both hub geared]

*"It's real" LOL

Love the hardtail and love the full suss - both seem like the best bike at the time and both feel like cheating in their own way.

Never owned a full susser.
Have ridden loads, but just never got round to buying one.

They're fun, must get round to picking up a cheap secondhand frame sometime.
No rush though, happy with what I've got.

Ive never even had a go on a full suss. I'd like to, just to see what its like, but they're just so expensive now.

Sold an asr-sl to fund my Solaris build after mainly ignoring the fs in favour of hardtail. Now also ride fully rigid ss

sweepy - Member
Ive never even had a go on a full suss. I'd like to, just to see what its like

It's like any bike, but a bit squishy and with added complications.

I've only ever owned a HT. You just don't need a FS for the vast majority of surrey hills riding

I had my first go on a full sus earlier this year and i am not convinced.. I have always ridden hardtail and\or rigid and have been riding exclusively rigid for the last year or so

I ride a hardtail as my main bike, I have a full on dh bike too but my hardtail covers the rest and then some. Mines a ti stanton slackline and I do everything from ride xc to race dh on it. Hit plenty of big jumps, drops etc on it so don't worry about a lack of bounce, the legs turned out to be great shock absorbers 🙂
It may take some getting used to if you sit down and pedal a lot but it'll make you a better rider in the long run (maybe, don't hold me to it).

Rode one for most of the winter/spring.

Loved it for short blasts and longer easy rides, but was bloody glad to get back on my FS for the rockier stuff that I enjoy the most.

I find the rear bounce really brings the trail alive.

I only ride a HT, bought a few FS in the past but always ended up selling them not long after, hartails for life for me I think...

80% of my riding on on a hard tail (surrey hills), I do have a FS AM bike but it is used primarily used for Alps holiday and pre-holiday "training".

I've had several FS bikes (mostly towards the XC/race end of the spectrum) but they're all gone now and I'm back to my aging Cove Stiffee and my CX bike.

I'd like a new FS (more a trail version rather than full on XC though) but can't justify it. Barely even ride the HT, most off-road stuff I just use my CX bike.

I've always only had a HT. Would quite like an AM full sus, or even a full on DH bike, but they seem so expensive. I'd have a hard time justifying the cost to myself, never mind my family.

Me and I'm just about to go out on it.

Ta ta 😆

Ha enjoy mate.

HT only for me, tried many a FS bike but just too expensive and complex.
For what I ride a well set up HT frame gives the best experience and I've never found myself "underbiked"

yup, I've got four of 'em. Never owned a FS, ridden a few yes but always preferred hardtails.

prefer ht's generally. Ride mine all the time. Only really proper DH that needs FS really.

I have just changed to a hard tail only and although I am really enjoying it I am finding it hard work for long days in the peak. It's made me decide I need both, does depend where you ride.

Mine is a lot of peak riding too. That's what worries me.

I'm think strong steel frame (Alpine) 140 upfront and the biggest rear tyre I can fit.

Never ridden the peaks but to be honest I think the Dialled Alpine is an amazing frame and you'd love it. Being steel it would probably have some give too as I think they are based around fulfilling the needs of ( Alpine ) real mountain rides as well as UK stuff.

Rear tyre choice makes a huge difference as does experimenting with tyre pressures. (maybe run a rear DH tube in a large tyre at slightly lower pressures?)

Happy with what I have got, ht and rigid ss, both 29er. Cannock Chase is my local, I would be over biked on fs 😉