Show me your Long Travel Hard Tail Builds please… It's friday after all

@fotorat

Why ride a full sus? I mean, an MX bike is a lot less tiring and also faster…

I ride a bike to have fun, not to prove a point about being best or fastest.

What on earth is there on the Bristol 12 course that requires even lifting your bum off the saddle, let alone FS? A discarded energy gel wrapper? A twig? My amusingly over-forked Marin is overkill round here.

Thats the other reason for riding a HT… if your trails are tame it makes them more challenging!

anyone got a Cotic Bfe built up, or a simple with longish forks?

in transalp mode; note the SPDs. with hindsight i think i'd ride with flats net time if taking the Alpine. pedalling efficiency doesn't bother me all too much on the ups. i'm a slow, slog-it-out fecker on climbs. although, contrary to what i've just said the SPD's do mean you needn't concentrate so much on the long downs, but there were/are a fewe trails that i'm happier riding with flats.

and in general-messing-around mode:

i've ridden a variety of FS and can't say i've ever really taken to them (with the exception of the liteville 301). i don't like the brake-jacking; the bouncy, undirect feeling; faffing with set ups; and the fact that i needn't think too much and just ride regardless of good line choice.

@ fotorat, assuing you're not trolling then give it another go, but ride with your weight forward over the fork. unlike a FS where the bike does the soaking up for you, you need to ride over the front giving your legs more space to move.

there are a lot of riders out there riding FS and it is clear that they little idea of good handling skills as they rely on technology to get them over/out of tough spots.

how do you find the alpine? and what’s the max length fork? my mate is after a LT HT and was hoping to use his 36's.. that said I think he would change forks for the right HT .. he is a ragger and loves DH and jumping. There are a few nice one on here that may suit the bill frame wise.

by the way despite my comments on FS, I used to have a demo 8 and a commencal furious + others, my skills were not great but I managed to hammer through the black run at Cwm Carn as the bike did all the work for me… I was happy doing step ups and jumps but I was just a passenger relying on technology, it was very good fun but ultimately I did not learn to ride properly, which is my hope that the HT will teach me to learn some skills.

I've owned a few really nice sussers in my time from Foes to Nicolai, and they were really a lot of fun, but now I just have a Chameleon with a 140mm fork on it. Now, I daresay that I'm a smidge slower on that than I was on the sussers, but f**t it, I'm not racing so who gives a shit? Any anyway riding a HT "feels" faster. Also a LT HT means I can do most things reasonably well with just one bike.

In the vast majority of situations not having rear suspension is not actually that much of a disadvantage. My bike's lighter, I don't have to mess about with all those bearings and pivots, and the cost of looking after another shock, and slinging it downhill, I don't really care what the back wheel is doing anyway.

Granted it's not for everyone, but if you know how to handle a bike, it's certainly not a backwards step.

My old Metalhead, I still have this frame in the loft. Is this even considered long travel anymore?

I think you'll find the pro's race mostly with SPDs, only one or two at the top (Sam Hill, eg) use flats, simply for extra pedalling power. Freeride is totally different though!

the kind of skill I was on about refered to riding like this link, now that is full control and handling at its best… even on a DH bike I wouldnt like to try and compete with that.

going as large as a lot on 8" full sussers, smooth and fast, as for this one.. well

just shows a HT can be ridden just as hard, you just need the ability… but I dont 🙂

I think you'll find short travel HT are the next big thing. I tried a LT HT and found the the bike did all the work for me… I was happy doing step ups and jumps but I was just a passenger relying on technology, it was very good fun but ultimately I did not learn to ride properly, which is my hope that the ST HT will teach me to learn some skills.

And this is a fine example i'm sure you'll agree…

😉

fotorat- some serious trolage going on there.

I always get stuck behind some numpty on a HT in singletrack sections, they have to pick thier way through the rocks and roots and I can simply pile straight through.

That just means they haven't got the skillz to pay the bills.

Good rider on HT > bad rider on full sus. Add to this the fact that riding a HT makes you a better person and its a winner.

i guess mark even a ridid SS would be relying on technology? you could try running? no bike = no tech 🙂

all I am saying is: In the right hands a HT is just as good as a full sus, not my hands I admit!

Mark the brake should be on the front, relying on rear wheel skidding is not ideal braking 🙂

go on then…
wound down..

wound out…

rides best inbetween the two at 120mm tbh, needs some love at the minute, or maybe a more careful rider 😛

Mark the brake should be on the front, relying on rear wheel skidding is not ideal braking

Rear brake is needed for manuals though unless slamming onto your backside, almost certainly in front of a bus stop full of giggling women, is your bag of fun!

alpin, that stem….just….no!!!!

and i love alpines too….

my Ti 456. simply sublime and I cannae wait to take it around GT next month 🙂

Jeez, next you'll be trying to tell us singlespeeding is wrong. I love my 456 and I couldn't have got as good a full suss for the same price. As others have said you just need to learn how to ride it.

Here's two:

Alpin's Dialled Alpine is waaaay out in front IMO

dont know if its 'long' travel but its 130mm

Bfe with big forks?

It's now got Lyrics on and rocks even more.

As to why – fun, simply. This is my jump/FR/**** about bike and it's just more involving to ride than my Turner.

Where a LT hard tail will crap all over a fullsus of equivalent travel is in really tight, steep technical conditions. Shorter wheelbase, more responsive, less soggy, lighter. Go and ride with Ash from Trail Addiction, and you might understand…

slowrider – Member

alpin, that stem….just….no!!!!

and i love alpines too….

what do you know???!!!

Syntace VRO. cool system. looks better from the front, i'll give you that. surprising how much difference it makes on long, 3 hour, slogs on the ups.

beagle – Member

Alpin's Dialled Alpine is waaaay out in front IMO

beagle, i love you…… and IMO everything you say from now on is gospel.

CTR – it rides like bike. 160mm is supposed to be the ma and i don't think i'd have anything longer on there without running lots of sag.
the Lyriks are over-pumped; when just sitting/riding along there is only about 10mm sag but on the downs – when my weight is over the front – they sit at ~30mm sag. top bicycle. i did think about selling it after riding my 'old' Sanderson for over a month. i liked the longer top tube of the Sanderson for XC rides but for the sort of riding i enjoy the most, the Alpine is spot on. no real point in having two bikes that do the same thing.

Where a LT hard tail will crap all over a fullsus of equivalent travel is in really tight, steep technical conditions. Shorter wheelbase, more responsive, less soggy, lighter.

yup, and exactly the sort of riding i enjoy!

lol alpin, what do i know? i know your stem is gopping! it reminds me of the adjustable stem on my sons trailer bike.

the rest of it nice though, loving the 70's pimp purple/gold combo.

Is 140mm long travel?

null

Is 140mm long travel?

that curtis is stunning, and i'm also liking the alpines alot!
in the market for a LTHT, think i've just found 2 more contenders 😉

if 140mm-ish counts as long travel?

At last..some DMR!!

Love the Trailstars. I had an older short travel APS version but it cracked at the headtube. So I bought this s/h LT version with reinforced HT 🙂

Almost got a Blender but Trailstars seem a bit more versatile.

HT vs FS

It's not unlike boarding vs skiing. Skiing is better is every way: faster, manoeuvrable, on flats etc. But the simplicity and directness of boarding wins me over every time.

Bikes? I have and love both. The FS comes into its own on rougher trails.

Great thread – I'm looking for exactly this type of bike, but too much choice! Normally ride an 07 Enduro SL, FS. Quite a 'long' bike, but I love it and it suits my *cough* heavier frame. Have a craving for a similar 'style' (burly?) HT, get back some skills etc. Not having much knowledge, had been looking at Orange Crush – maybe P7, but obviously much more out there. Any suggestions for a good buy? Prefer ready built, and prefer way under a grand….