So I bought my first FS last year and I’m just not enjoying it as much as my old HT.

I guess I was in a position where I didn’t need one, but always wanted one and was a scratch I had to itch!

It’s not inspiring me to ride, I don’t actually enjoy it as much as I thought I would.

The HT was just easier for me. I spend 60-70% of my riding going up and on the flats and the other through the red routes of Friton Forest which are pretty tame.

I used to get excited about riding but now not so much.

I’m seriously thinking about another HT and I’m not in a position to own both.

Looking at 2nd hand prices of bikes I’m going to take a hit on mine which will limit my HT options.

In a moment of madness I am considering buying a frame and shifting over all the stuff on my FS to the HT. No idea if it will all fit or what I would need as I’m not techinally minded at all!

Other option is to trade out for a HT. The bike is 2016 Trek Fuel EX9.

There’s nothing wrong with either/both. HTs are fun… on some terrain they’re horrific, even up out of the saddle, but then again on them type of ruts, the FS isn’t exactly nice either.

I’ll take the Trek off your hands for £50. I think that’s fair.

Absolutely not. Its all down to what is fun.

I did the same a while back. Just could not enjoy the FS. So I sold it (took a hit too) but am happy back on a HT.

You’ve got to go with what you enjoy really.

Have you got the ex9 with 29″ wheels or fat 27.5″ ones?

Might be that it’s a bit too much bike for what you do which is why you aren’t enjoying it so much.

I think you get on some bikes and they just feel right for you whether it’s fs or ht.

When my mate who was dyed in the wool hardtail decided to go fs he tried about 5 bikes which all had great reviews / reputations etc. He found them all competent, but actually the one with the lowest spec / highest price for what you got just felt brilliant to him (Kona Process 134). Couldn’t put a logical reason on why – it just felt poppy / encouraged loads of fun. He rides it on all sorts of rides and it does really well for him. On the flatter / really xc rides he has an old Kona Cindercone that he uses some time still though too.

If you’ve got 29″ wheels what hardtail frame would you look for? Got to check the rear axle standard, the BB standard and the headset standard at a minimum. If you’ve got boost and get a non-boost new frame then it’s not just the rear axle that’s a drama – you may also need non-boost specific cranks.

Seatpost could be a different size too thinking about it.

Maybe go and test ride a few hardtails to see if they excite you more again?

It’s 27.5. Not looked too much in to frames but the few that I have are Bird Zero, Mantra Carbon and OnOne.

Yes.

Probably a bit gnarcore for what you want but these are a bargain imho:

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/psa-cotic

Go test ride some – that’ll help make your mind up. If you test ride the hardtails and they don’t excite you then testvride some different full sus bikes too. Might be the geometry you aren’t excited about as much as the rear suspension.

Or maybe try riding at some different places to mix things up?

A Trek Stache 29+ has replaced my FS….

Not at all, HTs are ace. If you enjoy riding a HT more than a FS and are only able to have one bike (space/cost/whatever), why the biff are you still riding a FS? 😉

Not at all, HTs are ace. If you enjoy riding a HT more than a FS and are only able to have one bike (space/cost/whatever), why the biff are you still riding a FS?

Cost – can’t afford both!
Why still riding FS – need to offload/swap it first!

I’ve just gone back to a hardtail, because the running coats of a new full suss were worrying me when I had a couple of little problems, it’s no worse so far tbh, and I feel happier riding it in all conditions. The only time I miss the fuss suss is when I get to a decent sized drop, but that doesn’t happen that often for me.

HT all the way for me now I think.

From what I see, FS bikes are designed to be ridden in dry Californian conditions not British mud and road salt. Same as carbon road bikes, which always get rusty lower headset bearings unless you take them out and grease them as soon as you buy the bike.

Have got so used to the rigid fat bike that the HT is about as far as I’m prepared to go with suspension, and even that feels boingy. Both FS feel like lethargic misery wagons they don’t accelerate, climb or steer properly and I CBA dragging them round

I just sold my FS. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve ridden it in the last couple of years. Tbh, it was never the bike for me – superb for pointing DH, but I like a pedal too and it was a total slog for that.

There’s very little you can’t ride on a HT IMO.

Happy hardtail hunting!

I did the itchy/scratchy thing with a lethargic misery wagon of a FS and hated it, sold it, went a year or so and itched/scratched again with a fun sponge, hated it, sold it, went about 6 months after the new Flares and Rockets came out and bought a Flare*. Initially loved it, then hated myself for loving it, tried (pathetically) to sell it a couple of times, built it back up and now I love it again. I’m learning to live with the self-loathing although I am lucky enough to have a HT to yank out as well if I feel the need to atone for enjoying riding a FS.

I sold my FS frame and shock and got LBS to move rest of parts onto a new HT frame and fortunately only needed to buy a new front mech as everything else was compatible. I’d suggest you do similar (lots of people on this forum and/or a good LBS will be able to assist you with which frame to buy to reduce compatibility issues).

You will take a significant hit selling your bike, but if you are willing to buy a 2nd hand HT as a replacement this will offset some of the losses.

Life is too short to persist riding a bike you don’t enjoy.

If you dont love it, time for a change, life’s too short. If you only have one bike,a steel hardtail.

Can’t say any of my FS bikes over the years have been lethargic ‘misery wagons’!

Personally I get on a hardtail off road and it’s fine for the downhill bits when stood up having fun / doing jumpy bits, but the rest of the time I hate it due to bumps. Prefer to pedal smoothly sat down on the boring bits and I find them hard work on the ht. The ht I’ve got just gets used for the work commute and the occasional play on the local pump tracks.

Different strokes for different folks and all that.

I definantly do not love it. Maybe its the bike in general and not FS in general. My LBS are always helpful so might ask them what would fit… or you guys!

Pretty sure I will be ok with the fork if I stick with something that takes 120mm. The brakes, gears, dropper hopefully.

Wheels/hubs – no idea!

Some info on mine:

Fork
Fox Performance 34 Float, FIT4 3-position damper, E2 tapered steerer, 15QR, 120mm travel

Headset
FSA IS-2, E2, sealed alloy cartridge

Wheels
SRAM Roam 30, tubeless strips & valves, 15mm front, 142×12 rear

Shifters
SRAM X1, 11 speed

Rear derailleur
SRAM X1, Type 2

Crank
SRAM X1, 32T X-Sync

Cassette
SRAM XG-1150, 10-42, 11 speed

Seatpost
RockShox Reverb Stealth, 2-bolt head, 31.6mm, zero offset

Shimano Deore XT hydraulic disc

Don’t think you’re mad – but I love hardtails.

I had a Banshee Rune and a little Stanton Slackline and found that I rode the Stanton more and more so I swapped it for a Switchback which was pretty much the death of my Banshee for me – it just made more sense on my local trails. The Banshee was immense on really techy, rocky, steep stuff – but I just don’t ride that stuff enough to need it.

The steel Stanton became a Ti one and I’m still really happy – a hardtail has been my main bike for two years now and I’ve got no desire to get another bouncer.

A friend of mine has a 27.5+ Cotic, think it’s the Solaris and loves it. They’re incredibly capable bikes and if you’re not getting on with a full sus then that’s what I’d recommend trying.

Luckily for me I have room for both but my HT has been replaced by a fatbike with a Bluto.

My HT was a fun, slack thing and so is my fatbike but it’s even more fun to ride.

So test a fatty too.

So a HT frame suitable for

120mm forks (tapered)
142 rear dropout
31.6 seatpost

If you can find something that matches all these go for it!

I’ve checked Cotic and they are for 148mm rear droputs, must be something out there…

Bird zero tr?

Looks like they normally have a 130mm tapered fork so could work. Threaded bottom bracket and appears to have a 142×12 rear axle.

Always liked the Bird Zero, will have a look in to that one further.

I bought a Zero TR in November and the full susser hasn’t really had much use since, enjoy riding it and the ease of cleaning it afterwards especially during those muddy winter rides. Still manage to keep up with most of my friends on full sussers too!

Luckily for me I have room for both but my HT has been replaced by a fatbike with a Bluto.

My HT was a fun, slack thing and so is my fatbike but it’s even more fun to ride.

So test a fatty too.

My HT tends to only get ridden in winter or for long distance summer rides. I also have a bluto equipped fat bike and out of a full sus, 29er HT and that, it’s by far the most fun to ride. Also by far the quickest downhill which always surprises me.

I went back to a hardtail, WHyte 29CS so a very nice one but hardtail nonetheless. Don’t miss rear suss or replacing bushings at all.

I’d like to try 650b+ though. Looks like enough extra squidge for more fun.. maybe as an SS with normal mud tyres for winter use as well.

Just sold my fs and have a Genesis steel ht 29er on order.

EDIT: Oops double post

650b+ looks like an option if I sell mine and not PX it out.

Pump the shock up to max pressure and lock it out. Instant hardtail that can be converted to FS in seconds.

only needed to buy a new front mech

What are those ? 😉

HT/FS – I really prefer HT for South of the UK, including BPW!

I am in a minority in my riding group as most have big heavy FS. They consider them as “the next step up” and consider HT as “cheap” – I can’t explain to them why I prefer HT as they’re mainly recent riders who unlike me, didn’t start on a fully rigid, which I am considering going back to.

The main benefit of FS that I can see is uphill traction. Very similar to the 2wd/4wd thing ; I prefer 2wd, however slow that makes me.

Moving back to a HT… am I mad rad?!

FTFY. And yes, you are.

That way radness lies, can I play with radness, you don’t have to be rad to work here but it helps, etc…