Hardtail vs full suspension of same price more or less

[Hvd]

Hi guys. I have to buy a new bike as I outgrew my current mtb. I'm looking at a Silverback Sola 1(hardtail) and a Mongoose Salvo Expert(full suspension) They cost almost the same as the Mongoose is on special from R25 000 and is now R15000. I know it looks obvious that I should get the mongoose because it is a massive special, but I don't know much about full suspension bikes and in my area I don't need a full suspension, but it is actually cheaper bow than the Silverback so I don't know which one to get. More for a hardtail or less fir a full suspension that I don't know much about(it might be bad quality or not efficient for cross country riding..I also want to do about 25 mile rides on the road sometimes) Can I please get your opinion on which I should get and what would be most efficient for my area which is mostly all flat and a few relatively flat trails and also price wise? (Note: the hardtail is R2000 more)

Edited December 10, 2017 by Hvd

[scubes]

well...

based on your riding terrain of mostly flat and i assume not too technical then i would go with the sola 1 which is far better on the road and for cross country than the dual suspension mongoose will be

 

test ride them both if you can?

 

i had a sola 2 which was a fantastic bike to ride i really enjoyed it fast on the flats and climbed well too

 

the sola 1 is lighter than the mongoose and has a double crankset instead of the triple on the mongoose

 

also the sola 1 has better brakes

 

maintenance wise the hardtail will be easier and cheaper to maintain. the mongoose may be cheaper now but not in the long run

Edited December 10, 2017 by scubes

[AlanD]

A full suspension bike is really nice to have and makes for a lekker plush ride on the technical stuff but if you dont plan to ride anything other than flat terrain, it renders it useless. Having said that though, it might inspire you to ride some different terrain.

 

The hardtail will be much easier to maintain and of course cheaper in the long run so although the Mongoose is cheaper initially, it will be more expensive going forward to maintain.

 

So, if you only plan to ride what you currently ride (flat) then go for the hardtail, but if you wanting to takeyour riding to the next level then go for the Goose.

[Fox3]

Could you perhaps help us out with some specs on the 2 bikes?

[Chingy182]

I agree on initial feedback that hardtail sounds like the way to go.

i've also had a Sola 1 for about 2 years and loved it a lot.

It's a great racing bike, but you will struggle when doing more technical stuff.

 

Another thing I think should be factored in perhaps on your decision is your age and weight.

Dual suspension just gives a more comfortable ride in the saddle in my opinion

[eddy]

I have a Specialized S-Works Epic which I havn't ridden once since October last year when I came back from the Berg-and-Bush.

 

I have ridden my hardtail Cotic 15 times in the last 6 weeks alone.

 

No point in riding an expensive to maintain DS if you don't need it. 

[Jewbacca]

If you get the right hardtail it is also a trail shredder.... something modern with a slackish head angle and steep seat tube....

 

Miles with a smile and super fun on the descents.

[solty]

From your brief description of the terain you ride, the Silverback hardtail is the way to go. The dual suspension is likely to be heavy, sap your pedalling energy and be a waste unless your trails are savagely steep and rocky, rooty and rutted with lots of jumps.

Modern tyres also have a lot more volume than they did 15 years ago, and the larger air volume already offers a lot of cushioning on a hardtail. Just run them tubeless and don't pump them rockhard.

[Mr lee]

Which year models are you looking at?

 

The mongoose has pretty entry level components with older model XT derailleur (at least has the clutch which is great) while the Sola1 will more than likely be latest gen XT with a few SLX bits so you should never feel the need to want to upgrade. 

 

The Sola1 would easily be upgradeable to 1x11 if you should feel the need whereas the mongoose would require quite a few changes.

 

The front shock on the Sola1 is awesome while the Mongoose has a decent entry level air shock.

The rear shock on the goose is entry level. 

 

Give us some more information about your weight, age and possible back or neck issues you may have or have had.

Edited December 11, 2017 by Mr lee

[popcorn_skollie]

It would come down to the full specs of both bikes to determine which is better value for your money. But purely from a maintenance perspective a hardtail is always the easier and cheaper option. You would never have to worry about a pricey rear shock service and pivot bearing replacements. Nice to haves are, well... nice to have. But if you don't need it don't bother. You'll be paying for maintenance on a bike with features you don't need.

[scubes]

I can add that I traded my hardtail in for a full sus.

 

Recently I had to service the bearings on the full sus, not a very cheap thing to do, on my hardtail I had no such concerns.

 

Also I can add that the full sus is a much better ride for me on tech terrain and on rocky descents, than the hardtail was. However it is definitely slower on long flat rides and on long non-rocky climbs. On rocky climbs I prefer the full sus.

 

With the full sus I do find that I can now comfortably ride more rocky/rooty trails than before and am less fatigued at the end of it than with the hardtail. So a full sus can open up a new world of trails for you.

[Eugene]

From your description, you don't need anything fancy, so, if I were you, I would keep your old mtb. If you have outgrown it size wise, buy another bigger fame. They are super cheap on the Hub.

 

Then spend the money on a nice road bike for those 25 mile rides that you do.

 

That way, you have both.

[Headshot]

Hi guys. I have to buy a new bike as I outgrew my current mtb. I'm looking at a Silverback Sola 1(hardtail) and a Mongoose Salvo Expert(full suspension) They cost almost the same as the Mongoose is on special from R25 000 and is now R15000. I know it looks obvious that I should get the mongoose because it is a massive special, but I don't know much about full suspension bikes and in my area I don't need a full suspension, but it is actually cheaper bow than the Silverback so I don't know which one to get. More for a hardtail or less fir a full suspension that I don't know much about(it might be bad quality or not efficient for cross country riding..I also want to do about 25 mile rides on the road sometimes) Can I please get your opinion on which I should get and what would be most efficient for my area which is mostly all flat and a few relatively flat trails and also price wise? (Note: the hardtail is R2000 more)

Full suspension is a nice to have, but if you are limited to something like the Mongoose Id say rather stay away. In the UK you'd be able to pick up a very decent trail oriented hardtail that would be fun to descend with as well as better for long slogs on the gravel. Here, these bikes are hard to find although Trek have just released a decent looking all purpose hardtail and there is a Silverback plus tyred trail oriented hardtail too.