Hardtail or Full Suspension

[Eldron]

Thanks for the feedback

 

First choice for me would be a duallie, but having just moved house its hard to see where to get cash to source a duallie

 

Ahhh life - it always gets in the way of fun :-) We're looking at houses here in Denmark - the prices make yoour eyes water and your bank manager grin!!!!

 

Time for marginal gains I reckon - hit the gym and do tons of core to protect back/shoulders/neck/arms.

 

Maybe go one size wider on tyres with slightly lower pressure?

 

Thicker grips?

 

One of those Cannondale SAVE seat pillars?

[sirmoun10goat]

Ahhh life - it always gets in the way of fun :-) We're looking at houses here in Denmark - the prices make yoour eyes water and your bank manager grin!!!!

 

Time for marginal gains I reckon - hit the gym and do tons of core to protect back/shoulders/neck/arms.

 

Maybe go one size wider on tyres with slightly lower pressure?

 

Thicker grips?

 

One of those Cannondale SAVE seat pillars?

 

I run Stans MK3 flows, with Bontrager 2.35, so the wheels do have some extra volume.

 

I like the idea of thinker grips - think some nice new ESI chunkies

 

Most of my time has been spent on the bike up until, but that will gradually decrease, and my plans are to spend time focusing on core and shoulders. Seems like I am at least thinking on the right lines

[Eldron]

I run Stans MK3 flows, with Bontrager 2.35, so the wheels do have some extra volume.

 

I like the idea of thinker grips - think some nice new ESI chunkies

 

Most of my time has been spent on the bike up until, but that will gradually decrease, and my plans are to spend time focusing on core and shoulders. Seems like I am at least thinking on the right lines

 

It sounds like you've got it sorted! Enjoy and best of luck - it definitely is a bucket list item.

[mrcg]

Easy decision - if you value your ass and want to have some "fun".

Even guys on fully's have saddle sores, but on a HT you will bleed!

ONLY go with a fully! Beg, borrow or rent one.

Remember the drought has exacerbated the trails situation: it's gonna be harder and rougher out there.

If you really don't have a choice, then make sure you lower those pressures accordingly (make sure you have enough stans!!), get a proper saddle and prep your behind. Ride with your front sus full open. You won't need to do extra training to cope better AFAIK - your current training should suffice.

Good luck!

[Jewbacca]

Easy decision - if you value your ass and want to have some "fun".

Even guys on fully's have saddle sores, but on a HT you will bleed!

ONLY go with a fully! Beg, borrow or rent one.

Remember the drought has exacerbated the trails situation: it's gonna be harder and rougher out there.

If you really don't have a choice, then make sure you lower those pressures accordingly (make sure you have enough stans!!), get a proper saddle and prep your behind. Ride with your front sus full open. You won't need to do extra training to cope better AFAIK - your current training should suffice.

Good luck!

Sorry but that is rubbish.

 

I usually stir but in a fun way, but by making sweeping generalizations like that you have irked my boggle.

 

You are not guaranteed to bleed if you ride a hardtail. Having ridden pretty much all major stage races, adventures, challenges etc on a fully rigid bike without getting any saddle sores I can attest to the above being nonsense.

 

I would recommend a dual suss because it suits the race, but one can still most definitely have fun and enjoy a nice 8 day holiday race in March.

 

It's 8 days of riding in a row. Nothing more and nothing less. This year there are even 2 short stages.

[WernerLouwBosman]

Hi.

 

I disagree with alot of what has been said. I have only done Epic on a hardtail. No problem.

 

I will take the weight-saving (of the same price class) HT vs Duallie any day. Also, less moving parts is a great bonus at Epic, maintenance wise.

 

Sure, if I had a blank check I would buy a top of the range Duallie, but in my case, a HT was more bang for buck.

 

My opinion on the OP's question:

1. If money is not an issue, buy a top-end Duallie.

2. I would opt for a light HT over a heavy dual any day of the week. Especially that week in March...

[OneLove]

Absa Cape Epic

Not for the faint of heart or soft of bum

[mrcg]

Sorry but that is rubbish.

 

I usually stir but in a fun way, but by making sweeping generalizations like that you have irked my boggle.

 

You are not guaranteed to bleed if you ride a hardtail. Having ridden pretty much all major stage races, adventures, challenges etc on a fully rigid bike without getting any saddle sores I can attest to the above being nonsense.

 

I would recommend a dual suss because it suits the race, but one can still most definitely have fun and enjoy a nice 8 day holiday race in March.

 

It's 8 days of riding in a row. Nothing more and nothing less. This year there are even 2 short stages.

 

Blue Monday perhaps? LOL

In the case of "goat", who seemed a little "light" on the experience side and from Joburg, methinks it's safe to assume his ass will suffer.

Of course exceptions to any rule are built into any argument put forth (see Werner).

My argument was thus not a general rule but one suggested to newbie OP and goat (as first timers). And perhaps we will receive feedback from goat once he's crossed the finish line on his HT. I'd be willing to wager a case of beers his ass will be stukkend! As the other 8 out of 10 HT riders.....

PS: I've done nearly all the local minor and major rides in SA, so can safely talk from experience on my ass....on a DS and HT.

See, no need to get all excited!?  And it's not even Friday yet....

[Eldron]

 

Blue Monday perhaps? LOL

In the case of "goat", who seemed a little "light" on the experience side and from Joburg, methinks it's safe to assume his ass will suffer.

Of course exceptions to any rule are built into any argument put forth (see Werner).

My argument was thus not a general rule but one suggested to newbie OP and goat (as first timers). And perhaps we will receive feedback from goat once he's crossed the finish line on his HT. I'd be willing to wager a case of beers his ass will be stukkend! As the other 8 out of 10 HT riders.....

PS: I've done nearly all the local minor and major rides in SA, so can safely talk from experience on my ass....on a DS and HT.

See, no need to get all excited!?  And it's not even Friday yet....

 

 

It isn't that straight forward - I reckon shorts/time in the saddle/race prep/chamois lube and saddle all play a greater role in arse destruction than hard tail versus duallie.

 

Personally I reckon a hard tail destroys your body before your arse.

[Grease_Monkey]

Well I know I wouldnt even make day the end of day 3 at the Epic, but on a hardtail I can garruantee I won't make the end of day 1. I think we can all agree hardtails are harder on the body than full suspension bikes, and the Epic is about as tough as it gets - why not make it easier for yourself and ride with a full suspension bike...

[janbiker]

Yes, you can do the Epic on a HT and yes, you can do it on a tandem or singlespeed or fat tires. But is it something to recommend? No.

 

If you're an average rider you'll spend lots of hours on the bike. Excluding prologue and time trial you will ride between 5 and 10 hrs, daily. So spare your legs and bum/rear from that bucking wheel at the back and ride dual sus. Not for the technical descending (although dual will help there as well), but for the many hours on corrugated roads and singletrack. Where after a few days you'll start to feel each bump. You'll be glad to stay on the saddle of the dual sus and not have to stand and take all those bumps.

 

The weight penalty for riding dual sus is minor and while riding the Epic I witnessed a lot of technical problems with bikes of friends and partners, but none with the rear suspension. Service the suspension a few weeks before the start and it will be fine.

 

 

 

 

 

[Eldron]

Yes, you can do the Epic on a HT and yes, you can do it on a tandem or singlespeed or fat tires. But is it something to recommend? No.

 

 

That is a little melodramatic!

 

It's a little tougher on a hardtail but nowhere near fattie/ss territory.

 

I realise humans are getting softer but come on - it's been done thousands and thousands and thousands of times on a hardtail.

[janbiker]

That is a little melodramatic!

 

It's a little tougher on a hardtail but nowhere near fattie/ss territory.

 

I realise humans are getting softer but come on - it's been done thousands and thousands and thousands of times on a hardtail.

No it's not melodramatic. I'm not stating that HT is as hard as SS or fatty, just that there are many ways to ride the Epic. But I would not recommend riding a HT, SS or fat tire and would always advise to take the dual sus.

 

Take also into account that the years of riding endless farm roads are over in the Epic. The terrain has become more varied and so why not use the perfect piece of tech designed to tackle it? Many, thousands of people have ridden the Epic with rim brakes, but I would not recommend that either. It's not because it has been done that it is something to recommend.

[Christie]

I own XC dual, XC ht and have recently added a longer travel dusl. I have done stage races on the XC dual and the XC ht.

The ht is a 8.9 kg rocket - it is a joy to climb most stuff on. Rocky and rooty climbs is less fun. I notice the bumpy ride more than the low weight - on some of the local Cape climbs the 13.4kg long travel dual feel better than the ht for me - I notice the discomfort of the bumpy ride more than the weight of the dual.

The fatigue from riding the ht is not just on long descents - Ive had inner leg cramps from standing on long descends, but the multiple stand-sit-stand that goes on all the time on the ht as you ride. It is not a probkem if you put in enough preparation - you get used to it.

If I had to choose a bike for the Epic, I would pick a 110-120mm dual, like a Tallboy. Investigate selling your ht frame, and getting a 2nd had Tallboy 2.

But if I had no money for a new bike and an entry, I would train and ride it on a ht.

Duals are just more fun on most Cape trails. Lots of the singletrack are rocky and or rooty, prepare for that.

[Eldron]

No it's not melodramatic. I'm not stating that HT is as hard as SS or fatty, just that there are many ways to ride the Epic. But I would not recommend riding a HT, SS or fat tire and would always advise to take the dual sus.

 

Take also into account that the years of riding endless farm roads are over in the Epic. The terrain has become more varied and so why not use the perfect piece of tech designed to tackle it? Many, thousands of people have ridden the Epic with rim brakes, but I would not recommend that either. It's not because it has been done that it is something to recommend.

 

I think we're talking at cross purposes - a duallie is the best weapon for the Epic - no question.

 

One of the issues raised was money - if you can't afford a decent dual susser then the Epic is completely doable on a HT (with some fortitude). To bang it into an elective category like SSing and Fattying probably makes those newbies on hardtails unnecessarily nervous.

 

Given the choice - I'd like to ride the Epic on a factory bike with a camper van and a dozen support staff and mechanics. We don't all have that kinda lolly so people do the races at the level they can afford. Sometimes a duallie is a luxury not a choice.

[Eldron]

But if I had no money for a new bike and an entry, I would train and ride it on a ht.

 

 

Preach it sister :-)