Racing MTX this year and am not too sure whether my DJ hardtail is a good choice or not. Of course, I will lighten it up a lot to make it pedalable(haha). I'm not asking WHAT bike, I'm asking WHAT type of bike. Thank you much.
Your opinions please: MTX, Hardtail or Full Squish?
- Thread starter motomike
- Start date
Are you a really smooth jumper? If so you may be able to get away with a HT, if you are a mere mortal like the rest of us (ie: not lopes) i would go with a minimal travel, purpose built bike such as that specialized.
^^^yes, very smoooooth. That's what I was thinking, but wasn't too sure.
I raced last year on a hardtail, and I'm racing this year on a fs. Norba loves to put flat corners on the 4x courses, and I can take the flat corners faster on a fs. However, a hardtail will snap a fs any day of the week. It really depends on the course. I like my fs because it has more options. It should be a bit more competitive in Super D, and in Slalom, I think it's faster than the hardtail. Ultimately, it comes down to what you are comfortable on.
Remember that not all courses are super well groomed DJ tracks tho..they have rocks, ruts etc.
Think it just depends on the tracks you ride and how you ride. I always liked a HT cause I have a good gate and I think i get a better snap with a HT. If your the first guy into the cornor ala lopes you can live i think with being a little sketchier on a HT. If your not or if the track you ride are rough as crap a FS would be better.
Mike, the southeast courses are won at the gate, so get a hardtail for the effeciency. A lot of us are running hardtails and none of our courses are that rough, except maybe ETSU, but that ca still be competed on very well with a hardtail. At least for our courses, its not about the jumps, but more about the gate.
WHAT?!?! naw, I just built up an M3 for trail riding. :eviltongu haha, yes I am racing DH this year. If I can find some races to go to....biggins said:
i have rocked both and its totally personal opinion. i liked the snappyness and always know where the rear end is gonna go/bounce/jump pump etc over obstacles and in the air on a hardtail. on rougher courses the fs is sweet due to the fact the suspension soaks up everything but the weight and unpredictable suspension makes it a slight difference. i run my fs slolam bikes with almost max psi in the rear shock and the lowest travel setting for the feel of a hardtail but the security if you case a jump. plus the 3 fs mtnx bikes i have had all pedalled like a dream especially the new splinter mxs
I've found that FS bikes allow you to attack more, where as with hardtails seem like you're on for the ride. I thought I felt slower on my hardtail because I wasn't attacking, but it seems that the attacking feeling is the constant need to re-accelerate. On a hardtail they just go so fast you're in over your head quickly. So if you feel fast and smooth on a hardtail. Stay with it, because truely the gate is the most important. Get the hole shot and protect you line.
I find little or no difference in gate starts (timing is much more important IMO), casing jumps is irrelevant (again IMO) to what's faster, and rough stuff doesn't affect me that much on a hardtail. However I notice a huge difference when cornering on any kind of full suspension bike - it's so much more stable and confidence inspiring. I reckon that alone makes me faster on a FS bike.