[Closed] This weeks poll: hardtail vs full sus

No.

Out of the 5 people i ride with regularly we have 4 FS's and 1 HT.

I'm in the 50/50 camp, admittedly riding the susser a lot right now, but its new, and its dry...

I expected the 50/50 camp to be the winner, its been an interesting poll as its gone on.

I use an FS bike.

I also use a Hardtail.

I also use a rigid fixie.

I use what I want for whatever I want to do. 😀

2 hardtails to 3 bouncers soon to be just the one hardtail and 4 full sus.

I have 3 HT bikes ...
Sold my only FS ... but it was an Orange

Being in the "Super Cydesdale and then some" Category getting rear suspension to hold up well is a bit of a PITA

Just about to go from 29 ht to 29 fs. Have 26 fs as well.
My bad knee can't do hard tails anymore.

Only 1 in 8 of my lot ride hard tails.

I enjoy both, full sus for hard peak district rides.. hardtail for most other riding.

I did have both but sold my ht to a mate who offered a good price. Tbh I didn't use it much after getting the fs, partly due to being injured over winter (when I planned to use the ht more) and partly as my ht weighed 5lb more than the fs!

Do the poll results mirror the mix within your friends and riding buddies?

Quite a few folk with decent HTs who are reluctant to swap for a mediocre FS
A FS is also perceived as being too 'pro' 🙂

I have 4 h/tails & 5 FS's...well,when they're all built up & fully functional I have,but at the moment 3/1 to the h/tails.....

Edit:Most the lads I ride with or know have a mixture of bikes as well,so it can be any amount of combo's being ridden on a ride....

One rigid, two HTs, one FS.

The balance has swung back to HTs (and rigid) among the guys I ride with. FS definitely in the minority, apart from when we go on a trip

Been riding 12 years and owned 2 Full suss bikes a superlight and a spesh enduro

Sold the enduro as i found it a bit boring unless i was in the alps. Now have a stanton slackline and love it!

Also own a scandium voodoo hardtail

I have both as do a few guys I ride with although the hard tails seem to used fot mucking about in rather than proper rides although in my case it's because my hard tail is a teeny BFe.

At trail centres I seem to be the only HT rider!

50/50 on an average local ride

and about half of the HT riders have a FS for the times when they want it

so that makes 25% HT only, 50% both, 25% FS only

Currently on 2 hardtails one geared, one single - both 29ers.

I have been through numerous full sussers and hardtails but just finding a 29er hardtail does the job for me now.

I believe regional differences in the mix will show some significant trends adding wheel size into the mix would be very interesting, as with fork and rear travel.

Around my way, rigid SS or at least SS is very popular with the "old hands", with many of the SSers also having a full suss for big days away.
I guess it depends where you ride. If you live in the Lake District instead of the West Midlands, I suspect the ratio of stiff to boing would be somewhat different.

I'm surprised there are (at least) 6 people on STW without mountain bikes...!

Yes I have one of each...

With my riding regulars it's a 60/40 split with HT's being the most popular.

I've got 3 FS & 2 HT (+1 fully rigid commuter) but only ride the one FS at the moment as I can't get to grips with the 3x9 set-up on the others any more after riding 2x10 for a couple of years.

Tempted to convert one of the HT's to 2x10 and get shot of the rest.

A FS is also perceived as being too 'pro'

Curiously I always see it the other way around. If I'm not skillful enough to ride somewhere I'll full sus it 🙂

I'd say my riding mates are about 50/50, people seem to go through phases of one or the other.

SPDs Oakleys and Camelbaks are also on the 'pro' list, as is anything Kashima 🙂

[i]A FS is also perceived as being too 'pro' [/i]

What does this mean?

I have a HT it's my only bike, I've pretty much only ridden HT, never really liked any FS I've ridden, and I've had some nice ones ( Foes and Nicolai) . I know what's going on when I'm on a HT.

I've two full sussers and a hardtail.

My hardtail is ace - I won't BS anyone by saying "I never ride my other bikes" because that's a lie - I have my full sussers for a reason and I hugely enjoy riding them both. My hardtail was originally built out of spare parts as a posh commuter that would cope with some offroading, but it quickly morphed into the perfect all day bike. It climbs beautifully, never feels harsh and gives huge amounts of feedback. That it will happily do the commute in and out of London makes it a very special bike in my eyes.

I'm surprised there are (at least) 6 people on STW without mountain bikes who told the truth...!

FTFY

I suspect a number on here rarely ride tbh and are only here for the crack

As for the bikes what I always say is if I could only have one bike it would be a FS but it also get the least use.

if I leave the county I take my FS if not I ride HT summer and SS hardtail winter

Syaing that will be FS tonight as it is dry and it is working

What does this mean?

Ah, ok, I fail the 'pro' test with spds, and occasional Oakley ( v old half jackets if that makes it less pro) no camelback though....

Having thought about it though, it's covered in XtR Easton and Hope, so massive 'pro' fail.... I'm shit as well, but at least I look good eh? 😆

I'm shit as well, but at least I look good eh?

[i]I suspect a number on here rarely ride tbh and are only here for the crack[/i]

And what a lovely crack it is

Aye, it's a very "pro" car park on a Sunday isn't it. 😆

Great spot for riding though

To be honest I ride what I like and don't get too fussed about looking pro or not. I'll happily admit to be overbiked too but I'm having fun so who cares? Don't ride in Oakleys though because in too tight and would be hacked off if they broke.

I love hardtails and can happily get along with having one as my only bike, however I have a bouncy bike because I can.

depends what and where you ride.

100% HT now in my usual group. 2 FS riders have recently got a 456 and C456 between them, and that's what they'll be riding mostly, and on our next Scotland trip. Five and a Trek are resigned to the garage.

On the trails round here, I'd guess 75% HT, 25% FS, with quite a noticeable number of CX bikes. But there are hills, and they need to be ridden up.

I live in south wales. Most people I ride with ride a 26" FS, and if they dont they are saving to buy a one.

I have 1x hardtail and 1x full suss. Selling them both and converging on a medium travel FS.
Love the way a hardtail climbs but that gap to FS is steadily narrowing.

Looking too pro?

I look like a fat middle-aged IT-pro. Much like everyone else on a mountainbike.

I own three hardtails and am in the process of building another. Never owned a FS though I've ridden a few. Ride south and south west England, south Wales and Rhayader trails.

Like nickc says.. [i] I know what's going on when I'm on a HT.[/i]

If Dave declares it a Phatride, we bring FS bikes. Otherwise we bring out the HTs

2 x hardtails here (1 fully rigid)

me too like to know whats going on when on a bike

never quite got the measure of full suss even though my ASR SL only had 90mm rear travel . agree some stuff quicker on full suss but realistically overall reckon they are the same point to point over 20-40 miles

The only FS I own these days is for DH use, I have 3 other MTBs all HTs.

I've owned a medium travel "Trail" FS in the past but always prefered the HT and having more than one full bouncer just becomes a maintenance PITA.

I'd rather have the DH bike for DH days and the remaining 90% of my riding happens on a HT.

Having said that I do know one fella who only owns an FS bike (Specialized epic) and he uses that for all the same stuff I do on my HT... Makes no odds really.

Always had a HT until this week I have just built up my first FS bike but saying that I will be ordering an 456 EVO built bike from on one tomorrow.

50/50 here, when out riding I do seem to see a lot more FS than HT so a bit of a surprise on the poll, not that STW is a UK wide demographic.

A 120mm SLX hardtail is usually fine for Cannock

lets not take anyone's choice of bike too seriously eh? 🙂

Well put Donk! Ride what you want...who cares what other people think.

Depends on my mood.

Most days I'll be on the rigid singlespeed as it's just what I like. If I wanted to go fast I'd go on the FS though. Riding group is probably split 33/33/33 rigid/hardtail/FS. Although I'd say the trend seems to be to go; cheep Hardtail -> FS -> rigid or hardtail as riders get faster/more experienced. Gues that's partialy leveling the field on group rides and partialy not wanting to bother with so much maintenance as they're inevitably the ones riding more. The slow/sociable group is almost exclusively FS bikes!

(not that I thought rocketman's post was particularly derisory, his tongue may well have been in his cheek when he posted that, but I've seen plenty of other worse comments before that seemed sincere)

The slow/sociable group is almost exclusively FS bikes!

1 x Rigid
1 x Hardtail
1 x CX

I've had a FS in the past but riding around on the South Downs at the speeds I'm happy to go downhill at doesn't warrant me buying another. This of course doesn't mean I won't one day get another. If money were no object I'd get one tomorrow.

Hardtail only here, only got my first hardtail on 2007, so by that rate I reckon it'll be about 2032 before i make the jump to full suss!

Hard tail, but only because I snapped my FS frame and can't afford a similar quality replacement (don't you just love having a big mortgage!!). so swapped all the bits onto a HT. Very happy with it tbh, but as soon as funds (the Mrs) allow i'll be back in the FS brigade.

Most riders I know who are intermediate level and better ride full sussers. I'm normally one of the only ones on a hardtail.

Rigid
29er
Single Speed
Massive pedals

Change the ****in' tyre pressure if you cant handle the gnarly routes.

I have a 140mm HT, rigid SS comuter and saving for a 650B FS

Usually hardtails are in the minority around here (South Yorkshire), God knows why, it's flat as owt. I solely ride hardtail, and will do until my body gives up. Like others have said, I know what's going on with a ht, it makes everything a challenge, trying to ride as smooth as possible. A lot of the guys ride full sus because afraid to get rid of their 6 inch insurance policy, or at least it seems that way. Probably 20/80 split ht/fs.

I have to admit, I do like being the only hardtail rider, particularly when it's the rest of them trying to chase me down the trail (call me pro, I don't care 8) )