Hard-tail vs Dual Suspension 2014

[Headshot]

You come form Joburgland - its HT and niner country for sure. if you were in CT or KZN you wouldn't even be asking...

[DieVlieg]

Like any other Mountain biker I have reasoned this in my head over and over again and it is always difficult to explain the topic to someone who is asking for advice. So here goes my best effort....

 

3 Guys Jim, Bob and Roy has to read a book. Jim can read a book without glasses, bob needs glasses to read and Roy can not read. If Jim uses bobs glasses it will actually make him not able to read and no glasses will make Roy able to read better if he does not first learn how to read.

 

But Jim can read better with glasses if it is highly specialized but it will in the long run impair his natural sight. Bob can even become better than Jim if he uses the correct glasses. Glasses can even correct your eyesight problems over time in CERTAIN cases. Roy has the best vision of all three with his glasses on but he still needs to learn how to read.

 

Reading done... Now these three okes want to go driving. Roy can race with the best and his glasses are just there to keep the dust out. Jim as night vision problems and Bob drives like his grandma.

 

The same thing with bikes and their suspension. Find out your weakness and what you want to use the bike for. I know I can improve my climbing easily through training and fitness. My going down skills aint that bad but on technical descents I struggle. Therefore I need a duel suspension bike. I also want to do trails so I will look for a duel suspension with 120 travel bike (do not want to do trails for sport or semi downhill reasons).

 

Then I love the longer distances. Unfortunately a 120 travel semi trail bike will at some point be a huge disadvantage. I can still then use my old hard tail but after 5 hours and half of that on corrugation I hate my saddle.

 

I can not wait for my DS bike. I hope it does not take too much out of my climbing abilities.

[Paddaman]

This debate is purely academic. It is all about what type of person you are and what your riding style is. If you want to have epic bike skills then HT is the way to go. If you want to ride a sofa and enjoy the scenery then DS is the way to go. However, For XC racing HT is the only way. (especially if you don't want the other children laughing at you)

[Evo R]

Very interesting thread.

[VicanZA]

Tail is tail, get it any way u can.

[Klipspringer]

DS. Much more comfortable on long rides. Handles the bumps a lot better. Yes, it is more expiensive to service, but you won't regret it.

[Boerklong]

If I go to the shop I will take the bantam, but if I go to another province I will opt for the double cab

Edited August 24, 2014 by Boerklong

[outoftowner]

Looking at value for money, a well specced HT will still be an upgrade on a heavy DS. Just my 2 cents worth

[floatfox]

This debate is purely academic. It is all about what type of person you are and what your riding style is. If you want to have epic bike skills then HT is the way to go. If you want to ride a sofa and enjoy the scenery then DS is the way to go. However, For XC racing HT is the only way. (especially if you don't want the other children laughing at you)

Dont completely agree, as Nino has won the 2 last uci cross country races on a full suspension. And a lot of people seem to think that full suspension climbs better also..Nino basically won both races on the technical decents.

[arendoog]

I have and regularly ride both .The only advantage a HT has over a DS is when you do a smooth surface climb like a dirt road and some weight +_ 2kg saving .Rocky climbs like most of what we do in Gauteng are easier with a DS .Rider weight is also important .The lighter rider gains less with Ds than a heavier rider

[braailegend]

Seem to have read the term "Softail" a few times here, a fullsus not completely the same as softail, a softail has no pivots

 

http://moots.com/wp-content/uploads/MX-Ybb-1.jpg

[Bos]

To get back to the topic... HT vs ST 2014-15..

The question is asked If new technology has changed anything..

 

The Long answer is. NO.

 

Technology is only trying to make HT frames even lighter and more complient (softer)

The tech getting better will only make a FS lighter and even stiffer to the point that apart from cash there is no point to have a HT, because by using lockout you'd have the same thing.

If a FS and a HT has the same weight and the same price only someone with something to prove will choose the HT. Anyone with a Brain(no pun intended) will choose FS. However there are lots of people who will defend the latter.. flogging that dead horse.

 

To Quote The man in your Question himself.. I had a beer with Kevin Evans about 3 weeks after the Epic where he had that epic dual with the Songo team and everyone else was left fighting for 3rd. I asked him why Nedbank360 and Songo was so far ahead of the rest that epic.. He said that the other teams(Bulls, Merida, Giant etc) did not have lightweight 29 inch FS bikes to offer their teams. And after 3 hours in the typical Epic routes, they would simply ride away from the other guys, who were so fatigued that they had no answer.

 

If like Myself, you ride Mountainbikes because you love it and you spend just as much time on the singeletrack as racing I'd pick a FS(regardless of wheelsize) over ht anyday.

 

There is Merit to where you live though. If you dide mostly district roads and smoother surfaces and never leave your area, or race max 3hour races and you are young and wild.. be my guest

[LazyTrailRider]

The tech getting better will only make a FS lighter and even stiffer to the point that apart from cash there is no point to have a HT.

Yep, I agree. I would have disagreed up until the last 2 or 3 years, but modern FS rigs are making the argument a bit of a silly one. As an example, the 160mm bike I had the pleasure of riding this weekend (granted, at an eye-watering price) climbs virtually as well as my hardtail does, but descends better in most circumstances than a full-on DH rig from 5 years ago. It's a brave new world.

[Ispeed_V]

Like you said "So this has been covered to death"

 

No comment, Popcorn time

[Jigghead]

I've only ever owned HT bikes. I have ridden DS and must be honest that I quite enjoy the liveliness of the HT from a feedback perspective.

 

Having said that though, I believe my next bike will most likely be a DS for no other reason than the fact that I have a few friends who used to share my view on the HT and changed their minds after riding a while with the DS bikes.

 

If you can, ride both and decide from there.

[droo]

This debate is purely academic. It is all about what type of person you are and what your riding style is. If you want to have epic bike skills then HT is the way to go. If you want to ride a sofa and enjoy the scenery smash descents like you're being chased by a rabid grizzly then DS is the way to go. However, For XC racing HT is the only way. (especially if you don't want the other children laughing at you)

 

Fixed.