Hardtails – Outdated

It is Pink Starfish & I have ridden it on a HT. I've also ridden it on a FS & it was a lot more fun on that. I'm bored of getting beaten up by the trails on my HT. I have a lot more fun riding the trails on a FS, rather than just making it down them on a HT.

I think you're confusing fun with speed and comfort. MTBing isn't meant to be comfortable, it sometimes isn't meant to be fast – it's meant to be sweaty, painful, muddy, and tiring. And fun.

Can't be arsed to read this thread, but you're in Canada aren't you? Don't you have some bromance to kindle? Some brotography to develop? Or a brobecue to attend?

ok, but your idea of fun and other peoples idea of fun is sometimes different and thats allowed, obviously the full suss is technically a better/more capable bike but fun? Thats a different question. Many people on here have had big full sussers and got bored with them smoothing everything out, I had an 06 Enduro, an awesomely capable bike but got bored with it and I'm now loving having a big hardtail, I may get another full suss in the future just, i might not.

Can't be arsed to read this thread, but you're in Canada aren't you? Don't you have some bromance to kindle? Some brotography to develop? Or a brobecue to attend?

😆

Mr Agreeable

Can't be arsed to read this thread, but you're in Canada aren't you? Don't you have some bromance to kindle? Some brotography to develop? Or a brobecue to attend?

Trying to imply that he's a bromosexual?

Trying to imply that he's a bromosexual?

Obviously jealous of my many brodowns 😉

the double diamond frame that has made up a bike frame has been around for 130ish years i think.
it will be around for a lot longer that that.
many many designs have tried and many have failed.
hence it's popularity with builders.
and in its strongest finest form as a hardtail.

Totally. Broseph.

Some of these posts are like the Father Ted episode where the salesman tries to sell Mrs Doyle a teasmade:

Salesman "but you won't have to go through all that suffering any more"

Mrs D "But I LIKE the suffering"

I think he needs brotox.

J-claw

HT all the way sold my FS for well, being too easy! There is nothing better than beating one of those smug twunts on FS bikes down a nice big rock filled decent ie Walnar scar. It's even better when they ask to go in front because they are on an FS bike like it's a god given right, an you still catch them up.

So HT for the sh1ts and giggles which is MTBing and full sus for those who want to make it easier.. yawn boring!

This topic is in the same league as flat pedals v's Spd's…

good luck on getting people to agree with you lol

HT all the way sold my FS for well, being too easy! There is nothing better than beating one of those smug twunts on FS bikes down a nice big rock filled decent ie Walnar scar. It's even better when they ask to go in front because they are on an FS bike like it's a god given right, an you still catch them up.

So HT for the sh1ts and giggles which is MTBing and full sus for those who want to make it easier.. yawn boring!

good luck on getting people to agree with you lol

Maybe if you all rode some decent trails instead of mincing around Southern England!

This topic is in the same league as flat pedals v's Spd's…

SPDs are for gayers/roadies.

Twunt! im based in Preston Lancs and ride many NORTHERN routes such as WALNAR SCAR in the LAKE DISTRICT. as mentioned above.

Maybe if you all rode some decent trails instead of mincing around Southern England!

Epic Fail.

Does your Mom know you're still up?

Walnut Scar is loose & rocky, but not very steep & pretty wide. Not exactly tech.

Maybe if you all rode some decent trails instead of mincing around Southern England!

oooohhh!!! good argument!!!!!

Not very steep. MMM doubt that…

So J-Claw please tell us all where you super techy trails are?

What's wrong with Southern England? Where else can I mince then?

Blahdy Blahdy F**king Blah.
So what? I've got one FS & one HT, (I've only been riding 19 years mind,) but the 1st one to go would be the FS, & it's getting that way now actually, You are talking quite bollix.

Not very steep. MMM doubt that…

Not steep – Walna Scar ROAD

Techyish – Lakes

Techy – Derbyshire

Techy – Peaks

Ha, J-claw have you ridden Walnar?

'Course he has. That's him there on his schweet 6" travel full susser with its fierce red tyres. Tight setup, brah!

This has gone way off topic now…

Yes I have ridden Walna Scar, on my hardtail – I would have been faster down it & could have picked more fun lines on my FS.

103 posts – Good fishing today 😈

J-Cloth mincing down Walna Scar 😉

http://willwaters.fotopic.net/p37002900.html

Brings back memories of launching off that on my Cotic and thinking I was going to die after miss-judging my speed….

& you are narrow-minded & resistant to/scared of change.

Things move on… Maybe you should too?

The thing is , chap, I'd bet that the vast majority of STWers have or have had FS & HT MTBs and can see the advantages of both, even if they prefer one or the other (I have both, I use whatever suits)

So, you're just never gonna get anywhere with this argument in a millon years……

PeterPoddy – Member

& you are narrow-minded & resistant to/scared of change.

Things move on… Maybe you should too?

The thing is , chap, I'd bet that the vast majority of STWers have or have had FS & HT MTBs and can see the advantages of both, even if they prefer one or the other (I have both, I use whatever suits)

So, you're just never gonna get anywhere with this argument in a millon years……

+1

Singletrack classic weekender won on a on one scandal with a 100mm fork. No downhill penalty, no trials penalty, very quick on the xc race.
Would i have been quicker on my full sus? Maybe on the downhill but choose to do it on the hardtail as i thought it would be more fun!
Transwales this weekend i'll be doing that on the full sus as that will be more comfortable over a week. Could easily do either event on either bike i just go with the flow.
Fingers crossed for good weather next week.

Fingers crossed for good weather next week.

Indeed. I did last year's washout. Looks good until Monday at least!
🙂

Good luck mate! 😀

Horses for courses…. simple! 😀

j-claw that Walna Scar pic is on the Seathwaite side innit? Wouldn't descent that way personally. The other side isn't that steep or tech really but it is pretty rocky. I used to ride trails like that on my old hardtail and it was fun but for me it's massively more fun on a full suss not having your bones shaken to pieces.

Whereabouts is the 'techy derbyshire pic'?

There is nothing better than beating one of those smug twunts on FS bikes down a nice big rock filled decent ie Walnar scar. It's even better when they ask to go in front because they are on an FS bike like it's a god given right, an you still catch them up.

Oh dear.

That Derbyshire track looks uber fun/challenging. Is it the so-called "Beast"?

Just looked at the pic title and it would seem to be this

http://www.gravity-slaves.co.uk/riding/?p=show_spot&trail_ID=40

The weather gods should decide which bike is best 😉

I seem to remember that the OP went tits up OTB down to Seathwaite before we pushed up the back of Walna. 😆

For the last few years I've been riding around on a ubiquitous UK brand, steel 'hardcore hardtail' with 5" forks, stubby stem, chunky tyres, etc.
Now I really liked the look of my bike & I loved the idea of riding a manly hardtail down some pretty tough trails. I liked its simplicity & the fact that it didn't require much maintence & there was definitely a certain satisfaction gained from cleaning technical sections or landing drops & jumps with no suspension to flatter my riding.
However, I've just changed the frame for the complete opposite – a 6" travel carbon frame. Riding this new frame goes to show that I was kidding myself riding a hardtail for so long. The difference is remarkable…
It climbs so much better – no longer does the back wheel hang-up on every root & rock – instead I have traction & I can attack technical climbs instead of mincing up the smoothest line I can find.
Its much more comfortable on the flat – My back doesn't ache & my fillings aren't being rattled out.

Its downhill performance is in another league… The suspension allows me to pick faster more direct lines, stay off the brakes longer & pop off rocks & roots rather than just hanging on for grim death. The brakes work better too & as the suspension compresses, the head angle slackens making the bike more stable & confidence inspiring.

Summary: Full sus is easier/allows me to ride faster.

Basically its much more fun to ride than my hardtail & faster in every situation I can think of. Unless you're riding on the road, or on extremely smooth trails then stop kidding yourself – you will be better off on a suspension bike.

Fun is subjective – all of the things you mentioned above can be part of the fun for some people too. For me at least, just making a trail easier by riding my full susser isn't inherently more fun. Similarly riding a harder trail than I maybe could or would want to otherwise because the bike makes it easier doesn't fool me into thinking that I'm now some riding god. YMMV.

(Owner of full sus, hard tail and full rigid and ride them all, enjoying the differences)

I just got hacked off with cleaning and maintaining full sussers. When I had to ride Rheola on a hardtail cos the full suss packed in again, and found it ok I decided I was over full suspension….got a cotic bfe now (my 'one' bike), which seems great on anything from trail centres to Dragon DH tracks.

J-Cloth mincing down Walna Scar

Look at the concern on his little red sausage face, he looks like he's bricking himself. 🙂

We are all different, ride what you enjoy. Chill out!!

One thing everybody has forgotten is cost?

FS carbon bike (which was quoted in the OP) is about £2k+

Many have not got that dosh or want to spend that sort of dosh therefore hardtails make the sport accessible to many. You can have just as much fun on a HT at a fraction of the cost.

Pick the right frame material and even fully rigid works (steel takes out some of the 'buzz')

To get a FS to a decently low weight you are talking carbon or light alu frames at more than a grand a throw. You can build a SS or HT for about £300 – £500 easy and it will not be that much worse than your £2k+ bikes.

I bought the bike below 2nd hand for example for £350!

For me (only my opinion) Full sus = armchair!

The 'lets make it as easy as possible' runs out when you think well if that is the case lets get a trials motorbike or a jeep etc (make it even easier)? Or alternatively lets go on the road; no bumps!