How many of you are riding a FS, or Hardtail ?
Riding a FS or Hardtail ?
- Thread starter ATOMICFIREBALL
- Start date
Started off riding a hardtail, never had problems on one, so I stuck with 'em.
you really dont notice the difference though til you ride
Huh? ?
I am about to put together another hardtail for XC. However, if money is not an issue, I would definitely ride a FS bike. The weights are very close now, and most pedal very efficiently today, possibly better on the rough climbs.
I think the biggest problem with hardtails is the aluminum ones, the most common today, rattle your teeth. The last time I rode 4 hours on one, albeit a heavy DJ model, I felt more sore than 12 hours on my Ti road bike.
I think the biggest problem with hardtails is the aluminum ones, the most common today, rattle your teeth. The last time I rode 4 hours on one, albeit a heavy DJ model, I felt more sore than 12 hours on my Ti road bike.
Ive got an alum. access hardtail and it is great but i agree with sanjuro that they beat the ever living piss out of you. After about 4 or 5 hours in the saddle i am shot. Im currently scrounging money to pick up this guy's heckler to build up for a weekend bike, but im hoping to be able to hold on to my HT for racing and really technical rides.
JP
JP
I don't race XC anymore. I ride a Stumpjumper FSR, 5" front and rear, 28.5lbs. Obviosly not a race bibke, but it climbs great. A lot of the climbing here is pretty rough. I've had a lot of hardtails and like Sanjuro said, they can be pretty fatiguing. On my Stumpy I feel fine on long rides and don't pay for it the next day.
I've been rocking my Giant XtC1 for going on 3 years now, and I don't see myself switching anytime soon. I had ridden various aluminum hardtails before, and was never bothered too much by the way they rode. After trying out my bike with a carbon rear end, and carbon post, I can't believe how long I suffered with what I had.
i have both. hardtail w/ carbon stays for smooth courses and short track races. carbon Giant NRS for everything else. i am considering sellin the hardtail because the NRS is down to 24 lbs. and it pedals great. besides, its much cheaper to maintain one bike instead of two
when i was racing id ride my old aluminum cannondale till i cracked the frame... since then ive gotten a fully and my body loves me. however i am in the process of building the new cannondale frame i got back from warranty. just have to decide if i want to fix my headshok i keep blowing out or find a lefty somewhere.
if i were to have just one, id go for a fully. but i guess it really depends what type of trails you are riding
~matt
if i were to have just one, id go for a fully. but i guess it really depends what type of trails you are riding
~matt
hmm what i guess i meant to say is if money isnt an issue definetly go for a FS because its completely worth it but istarted out with a hardtail and upgraded to a FS and the FS is simply a much more comfortable ride
even with those brakes?
woman! i weigh 130lbs i could put a stick in my spoke and stop myself
you only have one spoke?
nope 32 to be exact
i wish i had my fs built up when i did the xc race at the mt snow nationals. that course was brutal, thank god i at least was on a ti hardtail. i would've died on an aluminum.
I ride a hardtail, but that's due to a combination of lack of funds and no real need for FS... I don't hit anything gnarly enough to warrant it.
but mostly my being poor.
but mostly my being poor.
I've got a FS ride now but will be getting a hard-tail soon. It's what I started riding on and would like to have it for some of the easier trails.
I ride a FS. It was expensive and I'm still paying for it but it's defidently worth it. The ride is so much better in my opinion on a FS bike. I rode one of our team bikes, all of them are hard tails, and I hated it. I had no faith in it. I was scared to bomb downhills on it. I have the Jamis XCR Pro now and I love it. Had to sell my old bike to pay for half of it.
FS for me. Started on a Fuel, then moved to a KHS XC904r(which I have now), but I'm hoping to get a carbon Rush for this season 
HT for me, this after a few years on FS exclusively. I do find myself more beat up if the trail is really brutal, but I like the all around ride better. For the kind of riding I do, a light FS frame just isnt going to last, but a somewhat light steel HT frame will.
I have to say full suspension. I am making climbs on my 25lb ht that I rarely make on my 30lb fs bike, but I descend like a first time rider on my ht.
However, I setup my ht with flat bars and bar ends, where the fs bike is using a XC riser. I am probably going to switch the flat bar with the riser and see the difference.
However, I setup my ht with flat bars and bar ends, where the fs bike is using a XC riser. I am probably going to switch the flat bar with the riser and see the difference.
Please try and report back.
I rode hardtails since pretty much the beginning of mtb, and I still have one for urban/dj/silliness, but for trail riding I'm all about the FS. Yeah I give up a little weight, and standing climbing takes a little more finesse, but those are small prices to pay for better traction and less fatigue. I did a 7 hour mtb ride on Saturday. I probably would not have made it halfway on a hardtail, and that is not because the trails were so gnarly.
Agreed, well kinda.
My 2000 Dean 853 sees the most action out of my current stable. Even though I may not be the fastest on that bike, the ride quality makes it my alpha. However, I also have a 2003 Sycip made out of Columbus something. Even though it's a steel frame, the ride quality isn't on the same level as my Dean. I have no problem taking my Turner out for a ride over the Sycip if that says something.
I picked up a used Heckler a couple weeks ago and I don't think I'll be going back. I plan to keep my cheap-o Access hardtail for a loaner/spare/something different to ride, but the heckler is going to be my main rig.
Dan
Dan
I ride a hardtail right now, a Cover Handjob, i dig it
Bought my first f/s bike in about five years. My last bike was a Fuel 90 w/discs. My new bike is a Stumpjumper Comp. It's . . . wow . . . at 48 years old, I'm hoping my back will appreciate the new bike after long rides.
Still love my other two fully rigid bikes though - very light & they each climb like billy goats on crack.
I'm not used to hearing that "squish" sound from the front fork - guess I won't notice it after a while.
Still love my other two fully rigid bikes though - very light & they each climb like billy goats on crack.
I'm not used to hearing that "squish" sound from the front fork - guess I won't notice it after a while.
my last 4 races = rigid steel SS ( 2 were in a SS catagory, 2 were not)
While I generally race my FS, I do have a steel hardtail that I bring along in case I need to have some repairs done.
I'm still undecided what my final ultimate bike will be.. Right now i have a Trek6700 rigid geared hardtail..Which is an aluminum frame.
Santa Cruz BLUR looks good.!!!!
Santa Cruz BLUR looks good.!!!!
I'm on a hardtail, a Kona Caldera. I've never tried a full sus, and if I do I may hate my Kona, lol. But I'll be riding a full sus if I get a chance to ride at diablo while I'm on holiday in the states.
hardtails do cause a bit more bruising downhill ... but I did our national downhill course on my hardtail last weekend .... errr well didn't "ride" the whole thing, but I made it down alive
I reckon your skill level is better if you learn on a hardtail, so I'm using that excuse ... oh and full sus bikes weight a lot ... I'm only 99pounds so I won't be able to push a heavy bike uphill!
hardtails do cause a bit more bruising downhill ... but I did our national downhill course on my hardtail last weekend .... errr well didn't "ride" the whole thing, but I made it down alive
I reckon your skill level is better if you learn on a hardtail, so I'm using that excuse ... oh and full sus bikes weight a lot ... I'm only 99pounds so I won't be able to push a heavy bike uphill!
Full Suspension 07 Yeti ASR-SL. Full carbon rear, Stan's ZTR/ 240 Wheels, XO, XTR, 23.3 lb race rocket!!!