Hard-tail vs Dual Suspension 2014

[rouxtjie]

..............

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.

................

mmmm, not quite, see there is something to be said about the simplicity of a hardtail. No lockout this and pivot that. Nevermind the additional admin and money of servicing the couch. Is the additional comfort really worth the weight / admin / serving penalty at the same price point. My opinion....No. I like things simple, simple in the fact that I can service and fix thing myself without breaking the bank in the form of tools and bearings.

 

Would I take this frame

http://cielo.chrisking.com/bikes/mountain-bike-details/

 

Over this

http://www.momsenbikes.com/index.php/momsen-bikes/vipa/the-bikes/vipa-xt

 

 

 

Anyday of the week

[Bos]

mmmm, not quite, see there is something to be said about the simplicity of a hardtail. No lockout this and pivot that. Nevermind the additional admin and money of servicing the couch. Is the additional comfort really worth the weight / admin / serving penalty at the same price point. My opinion....No. I like things simple, simple in the fact that I can service and fix thing myself without breaking the bank in the form of tools and bearings.

 

Would I take this frame

http://cielo.chriski...n-bike-details/

 

Over this

http://www.momsenbik...e-bikes/vipa-xt

 

 

 

Anyday of the week

 

That point I made took moolah out of the equasion.

If youre talking performance, which wil always be at some expense..

 

Dont know what full suspension bikes you've owned but they have improved by leaps and bounds. I would swap a pivot and shock service once a year or once every 2 years for the speed of a dual anyday.

 

With your argument I could say what you'll be paying in rear rims what I'll spend on the shock service. Its really not as big a thing as you make of it.

[rouxtjie]

That point I made took moolah out of the equasion.

If youre talking performance, which wil always be at some expense..

 

Dont know what full suspension bikes you've owned but they have improved by leaps and bounds. I would swap a pivot and shock service once a year or once every 2 years for the speed of a dual anyday.

 

With your argument I could say what you'll be paying in rear rims what I'll spend on the shock service. Its really not as big a thing as you make of it.

26 inch = zula

29 inch = GF superfly

 

The zula I didnt like at all, the GF was a bit better...but still it was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back ito not wanting a DS. Its just not for me...performance wise.

 

But lets move on to the real issue here...maintenance and admin. So on the zula I had the shock serviced twice at about 400 bucks a pop...the GF also twice. So it works out to about once a year at about 400-500 bucks for the canister service. Pivots on both also got serviced only once though(cant remember the price for either frame but it wasn't 500 bucks I can tell you that). Rocker broke on the GF and battled to get the part, and over and above cost me an arm and leg to replace(R1500). Then also at 3 towers two years ago, the dust seal pulled out of the piston and exposed dust / mud / elements to it. I then had to overall the shock(not just the simple air canister service) when I returned costing again a moer of a lot. Also I didnt enjoy my stage race that much due to the thing failing and trying all kinds of emergency fixes in the race village with what I had available to me. So maybe I just had bad luck with my DS bikes, but I just had enough....performance wise, my best results in the same races were on hardtails...they are lighter, gave me bigger smiles with NONE of the blerrie admin and overhead of DS bikes.

 

KISS...my motto with bikes.

[rouxtjie]

PS Bos

 

I am not saying DS is kuk, I am just saying that there are people that genuinely prefer hardtails over DS bikes. To each their own

[jcza]

PS Bos

 

I am not saying DS is kuk, I am just saying that there are people that genuinely prefer hardtails over DS bikes. To each their own

.....and some okes just don't know any different.

[rouxtjie]

.....and some okes just don't know any different.

maybe even better that way oom....FRIB.

[Ed-Zulu]

PS Bos

 

I am not saying DS is kuk, I am just saying that there are people that genuinely prefer hardtails over DS bikes. To each their own

So true...

[jcza]

maybe even better that way oom....FRIB.

I'm thinking about FS

[rouxtjie]

I'm thinking about FS

Getting old isn't for sissies hey oom....lol

 

Well you are riding the spruit in baggies....kinda saw that one coming

Edited August 25, 2014 by rouxtjie

[banna]

PS Bos

 

I am not saying DS is kuk, I am just saying that there are people that genuinely prefer hardtails over DS bikes. To each their own

I genuinely prefer DS

[rouxtjie]

I genuinely prefer DS

Exactly......geniet hom

[EtRawlie]

The Hard vs Soft debate seems to have three salient features - performance / comfort / control.

 

If the debate is about performance, then train more hours.

If you run out of hours, start training smarter. There is always a way and sport science is making big headway in this regard. Educate yourself.

 

This leads on to the comfort debate.

The more hours you do the less your arse will hurt - which is normal conditioning of your gooch. The DS vs. HT debate is mostly about comfort, and no one has talked about conditioning the body correctly.

 

You also have two massive shock absorbers - in your legs - learn to use them. If you are not cleated into your pedals you wont have any control, so learn to ride with cleats at all times. The "control on a descent" and the "breaking my rear wheel" debate also hardy mentions the added control of being cleated into your equipment - more important to have cleats than a rear shock. Once again, sticking to the basics.

 

You also mention that this isn't a 26" vs 29" debate - but riding a 29" will smooth the ride out considerably. It is basic physics and geometry. Maybe even witch craft - who knows.

 

 

For me the ultimate goal is to get more hassle free hours out of my equipment - therefor I buy stuff that doesn't break or need ongoing maintenance.

 

This means a good hard tail allu frame, proper front shock, and mid range (i.e. XT Deore) components - they aren't as fickle and work just as well as top end components in that they do actually change the gears (surprise!) - and tubeless rims and tyres. Your rims will never be the same once they have been converted from tubes - buy the right wheels made for tubeless and punctures/air leaks are a thing of the past too.

 

(Yes, I root for allu. Very few of us have a body fat percentage in single digits where going carbon would make any difference in saving weight and thus improved results. Rather, buy allu and eat less pies.)

 

This, along with proper eating and hydration, adequate sleep and a bit of a dog f*ck mentality when the going gets tough, will make you a good cyclist. Not the money you spend, the bike you don't ride, the races you enter, or the rear shock you don't have.

 

Only once you have a bike where you have hacked away all the unessentials will your riding truly come alive.

[Squier]

Ds for me. It's just much kinder on the body on those long rides.

[Gen]

For XC racing HT is the only way. (especially if you don't want the other children laughing at you)

 

Unless you are Absalon on a HT and Nino keeps on dropping you like it's hot on his DS on the fast and techncial descents.. (and nogal on 650b)

 

*runs for the hills*

Edited August 25, 2014 by Gen

[rouxtjie]

......

(Yes, I root for allu. Very few of us have a body fat percentage in single digits where going carbon would make any difference in saving weight and thus improved results. Rather, buy allu and eat less pies.)

.....

Lekker post man....

 

Oh and on the material thing....alu is probably the best material, it checks all the boxes, it light, its cheap, it can be molded into crazy shapes and its tough.

 

Its just not desirable, but that doesnt mean its not good

[jcza]

The only reason why I would want a DS is to go downhill faster.