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Hardtail Drops?

SquadraCorse

Monkey
Jul 25, 2007
297
0
Ridgefield CT
I've been looking into a new FR bike, and will probably end up going with a Transition Vagrant. The only thing I'm worried about with a hardtail is large drops. What size drops are you hard tail guys hitting? Is there any reason I shouldn't go with a hard tail for FR? I think I have a pretty smooth riding style and I'm not too rough on gear.
 

muddy beast

Turbo Monkey
Nov 26, 2005
1,815
0
hardtails can pretty much handle as much as you can, I know guys who do 10ft drops on hardtails, but I dont know any who go bigger.

The thing is the impact on a hardtail goes straight into your body rather then a full suspension bike where it would be absorbed.

Its all prefferance though, most will recommend a full suspension for any real freeride stuff, but there's still tons of guy's out there throwing down on hardtails...
 

Broken_Spoke

Mr. Big Hot Pastrami
Feb 26, 2003
2,410
0
Bozeman, MT
Thinking of the smoothness issue I road once with a guy that had a Scream and because he totally believed in its bomb proof-ness he was the most un-smooth ham fisted rider I have ever met. He would use almost all 8 inches on an 8 foot drop.
 

Wigga

Monkey
Jul 27, 2004
146
0
kirkland
well there is a guy that has done a 30+ foot drop on a hardtail, and im going to guess that thats out of your league, so they can handle whatever you can if your smooth enough. i love my hardtail, i havent really done big drops, but i am definitely the limiting factor not the bike
 

seand

Monkey
Nov 22, 2003
790
0
seattle
well there is a guy that has done a 30+ foot drop on a hardtail, and im going to guess that thats out of your league, so they can handle whatever you can if your smooth enough. i love my hardtail, i havent really done big drops, but i am definitely the limiting factor not the bike
Yeah, that is Ross Morrell (rides a Balfa Minuteman). There is video someplace of him sending a wicked 30 footer in Utah. Dude is impressively smooth for how big he goes.
 

allsk8sno

Turbo Monkey
Jun 6, 2002
1,153
33
Bellingham, WA
i had a nice kona scab built up that i hit some drops in the 8-12' range on and dj'd too..all with my 7" super jr(complete with QR dropouts)
the landings were smooth. its all in how you land. its slightly different technique than with a fully.
 

bjanga

Turbo Monkey
Dec 25, 2004
1,356
0
San Diego
I do not do any real drops but I do have a Vagrant . . . which I like :]

Send me a PM if you have questions about it, it is a great bike if you are looking for a slacker head angle
 

ATOMICFIREBALL

DISARMED IN A BATTLE OF WITS
May 26, 2004
1,354
0
Tennessee
Here is some dude tooling down a smooth trail in Les Gets.Fast fwd to 1:40 for the riding.
I would much rather be ripping down that on a 7-8" DH bike !

 

giantrider89

Monkey
Oct 16, 2006
423
1
P-town, MN
there is a guy that rides at big sky montana, and has supposedly jumped nearly 200 ft out on a record attempt......on a hardtail!

so i think judging by the other numbers you guys have said.....you can do anything you have the balls for......
 

Summit

Monkey
Sep 23, 2001
369
0
here 'n there
its all in how you land. its slightly different technique than with a fully.
Exactly. If you're doing real 'drops' hardtails are more of a rear-wheel landing first old-school move. I personally prefer the two-wheel stick, but that's much more feasible on a fully than a hardtail. Unless you're talking dirt jumps, of course.

Another thumbs-up on the Vagrant...no plans to get rid of mine anytime soon.
 

HBFR33R!D3

Monkey
Jun 5, 2007
340
0
huntington beach
i dont have any good pics but i've hit 7-8 ft. drops on my 2008 kona shred with marzo dj fork on it and it held up fine. the landings are a little ruff but since i cant afford a fully it does its job