So I’ve done a couple of rides now on my hardtail and to be honest I feel dead clumsy.

My last load of bikes have been full sussers so I’ve got used to predicting how they would ride.

Out on the hardtail and it just feels weird, there is no rear suspension compressing or pedal strikes and I’ve realised you need to stand up and let your legs soak up some of the movement.

All in all it feels great though, different but great.

I take it you can re learn how to get the most out of a hardtail and not rely on suspension !!

I swap between the two and whilst it’s weird, neither are an issue.

I spent 4 hours yesterday on the HT and loved it.
I spent 2 hours on the Suss today and loved it way way more

I try and ride my hardtail as much as possible. The fs just feels so capable and fast when I swap them and I feel it keeps my skills sharper

I go between my HT & FS…I don’t think it’s about re-learning more a case of being less lazy.

I’ve spent so much time on HT’s that I ride my FS like its a HT which keeps me sharp as pick clean lines.

If I ride the FS lots and then get back out on the HT it takes a ride or two to get back to 100%. If I ride the HT lots and then get back on the FS I’m pretty quick.

Just give it some time and sharpen your skills.

To be fair I’ve not really rode properly for over a year so it all feels new.

Felt ace earlier though flicking down a dry and dusty trail.

I’d presume so!

I’ve never ridden a full susser so I can’t comment on that side of things, but I do find myself unweighting the saddle on rougher stuff.

That’s different to fully ‘standing up on the pedals’ though, for a burst of speed or power.. it’s more like standing just enough to allow an inch or so of the rear end kicking on bumps, as and when needed.. It’s probably not even visible to see really, as you just stand up enough to prevent the bike kicking you up the bum.

I just do it automatically without consciously thinking about it, basically more of your body becomes part of the suspension system than it does on a full susser.

The hover

^ this for short rough sections, i ride between rigid and full suss. Swaping between the 2 usally take 5mins to get use to them.

Cheers.

It’s made me realise how lazy and how reliant on suspension I’d become.

Is this a prequel to a stealth classified add 😉

To my shame I’ve never owned, and rarely ridden a HT. I rode rigids for a few years then had a long break and then FS.

I really fancy one now.

thestabiliser – Member
The hover

That’s a good way of describing it! 🙂

Double post

No no no not at all mate.

I’m loving the bike to be honest just trying to get my legs to realise I haven’t got 5 inches of suspension to look after me anymore.

If it isn’t smooth and uphill then stand up! (And that’s on anything, hardtail, full-sus, rigid.) This is not road biking! 😉

Decent front forks are a must though for riding fast bumpy stuff, or at least for me, as I find myself putting my body weight forward and making the forks work to take the flack. That would be suicide for Dh riding, but I’m an xc bimbler!

The hover is right 🙂 YOU are the suspension..
Float over stuff.. Love to let the bike do it’s own thing and remember that it will go over more than you think it will..

Drop the saddle on steep stuff.. slide around.. find your edges maaaan (and promptly ignore them) have
FUN!

I’m thinking about putting a sus fork back on one of my bikes for full razzability although a full sus is still not something I’d consider.

I ride my 180mm supergnarpoon, then jump onto my hardtail, and as long as i don’t crash in the first 5 mins or so, i just about work out that i can’t hammer into the rough stuff at warp 9 and have to weight/unweight the bike properly…. 😉

tee hee — I’m not very quick to be fair, but I do enjoy the challenge of hard tail riding — allows you to purge your head of all but breathing, arm and leg (and body) movements, and trying to pick the right line…

Although I’ve borrowed FS bikes before, haven’t actually owned one – rigid or HT all the way 🙂

You back at Lossie?

You back at Lossie?

No mate Im still down in Oxfordshire missing Scotland like mad though !

We should get out for a bimble fella… we could swap between the T-130SX and yours, as i’m slightly curious about the Whyte HTs too.

Checkendon way is fun for us and local enough to both if i recall.