Dual VS decent hardtail

[CtnSmith]

Hi all.... I currently ride a Silverback Sola 4 and have done W2W on this bike with no issues. I am wanting to upgrade but am struggling to find a decent 2nd hand XL dual suspension bike in my price bracket(15 — 20) So the question is do I rather buy a new hardtail in that price range? My riding is maybe 2 or 3 times a week. Tygerberg trails and Koeberg for distance. Look forward to your responses

[MarcBurger]

A good XL full sus makes its way through the classifieds for around 20k now and then. I'd say wait for one that does it for you.

XL's just require a bit more patience to find the right one. If you look at the selection of lekker large bikes in that price range, it gives a good indication on what you can get.

How tall are you?

[Bos]

You might want to conduct a search and read through some other similar threads which there has been hundreds of. 

 

You will be getting replies from every tom dick and harry who all have different experiences of a HT, or a full-sus depending on what level bike they rode, what they weigh, what their budget is, what they ride, their age etc..

 

But to set the topic on the right track for the next 3 pages, 

 

If you like technical riding, save up for a DS or get a Dual frame and build your HT parts over on it. On a budget a HT will be slightly cheaper and lighter but If youre riding a lot of tech stuff, long term, youre going to want to be on a DS

 

However, these days you can make a HT pretty comfy by getting wider bars, which allows you to go shorter on the stem, and get some 2.35/2.5'' tyres on some wider rims. 

this being the ultimate

https://www.bikehub.co.za/classifieds/360715-kona-honzo-cr-carbon-frame/

 

enjoy

[Skubarra]

Can be an interesting discussion as there is no right answer. Depends on many factors. Big factor is also your budget and the type of riding you want to do. I rode a HT for almost 10 years and did every race from W2W to Atta on it. Just switched to a FS now and no trail or technical race will ever see me on a HT again, every Strava record I have on the trails is easily smashed on my FS.

 

But I waited till I could build up a lighter FS with proper specs, if I have to choose between a bottom of the range FS and a better specced HT I would opt for a HT.

[DieselnDust]

  On 5/22/2019 at 7:09 AM, CtnSmith said:

Hi all.... I currently ride a Silverback Sola 4 and have done W2W on this bike with no issues. I am wanting to upgrade but am struggling to find a decent 2nd hand XL dual suspension bike in my price bracket(15 — 20) So the question is do I rather buy a new hardtail in that price range? My riding is maybe 2 or 3 times a week. Tygerberg trails and Koeberg for distance. Look forward to your responses

 

https://www.bikehub.co.za/classifieds/category/28-dual-suspension-bikes/?s=&area%5B%5D=1&price_min=15000&price_max=25000&type%5B%5D=1&custom-17=0&custom-2=5

 

 

Both in XL size

[CtnSmith]

  On 5/22/2019 at 7:26 AM, MarcBurger said:

A good XL full sus makes its way through the classifieds for around 20k now and then. I'd say wait for one that does it for you.

XL's just require a bit more patience to find the right one. If you look at the selection of lekker large bikes in that price range, it gives a good indication on what you can get.

How tall are you?

Hi Marc... Thanks for the response 193cm regards Stephen

[CtnSmith]

  On 5/22/2019 at 8:27 AM, DieselnDust said:

https://www.bikehub.co.za/classifieds/category/28-dual-suspension-bikes/?s=&area%5B%5D=1&price_min=15000&price_max=25000&type%5B%5D=1&custom-17=0&custom-2=5

 

 

Both in XL size

Thanks for this... Did have a look at those 2... I am really stuck between a rock and a hard place. I like to buy new and am concerned about buying 2nd hand..

[RobertWhitehead]

I used to be on a HT - I actually had 3 since 2011 and I built a dual sus late last year due to a herniated disc in my lower back. 

 

In my opinion: a dual sus is a fantastic piece of kit, it may weigh slightly more than a HT - mine comes in at 12,35kg with 2,35 tires, but you don't even feel the extra kgs if you're doing a marathon ride. I can concur with Skubarra, dual sus is the way to go 

[MudLark]

And then there's the Trek Procaliber, which something between the two.

[Mongoose!]

My Scalpel (first generation) Hi mod size XL will be in the classifies by this week end

No hardtail will ever come close to it...

[Jewbacca]

I think everyone looks at this arse about face.

 

A dual suss is amazing on corrugated roads where you can sit in the saddle and still put power down without getting battered. It is really forgiving and will leave you less fatigued. 

 

It has better traction, especially on loose or technical climbs.

 

On single track, it allows for mistakes and will assist you on some things BUT the above points are what makes you faster if we are talking 100mm xcm bike.

 

So for me, if you ride most trail networks in SA, a 120mm front/100-110mm rear is a sweet spot as long as it isn't an old Epic with a 75' head angle or a Swift, which is basically a road bike with suspension.

 

IMHO, a trail oriented hard tail ridden on trails as a trail bike will be better and more fun than a full suss xcm bike, but if we are talking modern(ish) geo with a dropper post and above suspension (ish) with a 68-68.5' HA I would go for it.

 

Not all bikes are built equal, so comparing a hardtail to a dual sus is probably a bit too open ended to get any sort of definitive answer.

 

I wouldn't ride a hardtail as my 1 bike ever again.... ever. But I do have one for when I want to zip around Tokai in the wet 

[Shebeen]

  On 5/22/2019 at 10:22 AM, CtnSmith said:

Thanks for this... Did have a look at those 2... I am really stuck between a rock and a hard place. I like to buy new and am concerned about buying 2nd hand..

it's a real tradeoff in the R15-20k pricebracket

 

buy new in that price range and you get an ok bike with piece of mind - 

buy 2nd hand and you get a much higher spec machine, but it can be a sweet deal or a lemon, requires doing homework upfront.

 

I don't think I'll ever buy another mtb new, I'm happy to do the homework and let someone else take the showroom floor knock. but that's me. Being an outlier size you might not find your ideal bike that easily.

 

(this is all just stating the obvious for many)

[Headshot]

  On 5/22/2019 at 10:48 AM, Jewbacca said:

I think everyone looks at this arse about face.

 

A dual suss is amazing on corrugated roads where you can sit in the saddle and still put power down without getting battered. It is really forgiving and will leave you less fatigued. 

 

It has better traction, especially on loose or technical climbs.

 

On single track, it allows for mistakes and will assist you on some things BUT the above points are what makes you faster if we are talking 100mm xcm bike.

 

So for me, if you ride most trail networks in SA, a 120mm front/100-110mm rear is a sweet spot as long as it isn't an old Epic with a 75' head angle or a Swift, which is basically a road bike with suspension.

 

IMHO, a trail oriented hard tail ridden on trails as a trail bike will be better and more fun than a full suss xcm bike, but if we are talking modern(ish) geo with a dropper post and above suspension (ish) with a 68-68.5' HA I would go for it.

 

Not all bikes are built equal, so comparing a hardtail to a dual sus is probably a bit too open ended to get any sort of definitive answer.

 

I wouldn't ride a hardtail as my 1 bike ever again.... ever. But I do have one for when I want to zip around Tokai in the wet 

I think Silverback and Trek make HT bikes that fit into the "almost trail bike but still good for marathon" category. Remember also that a slack HT becomes far steeper when sagged, as sag only happens up front . A dropper post is probably even more useful/essential on a HT. 

 

Going for a spin later on my HT. Love the thing.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

  On 5/22/2019 at 10:48 AM, Jewbacca said:

 

 

I wouldn't ride a hardtail as my 1 bike ever again.... ever. But I do have one for when I want to zip around Tokai in the wet 

If only 3 years ago you could meet now you...

[Spafsack]

  On 5/22/2019 at 11:05 AM, Captain Fatbastard Mayhem said:

If only 3 years ago you could meet now you...

I am facing the same delema, my wifes giant talon 2.75 small weighs in at 13.3kg. She feels this on the uphills, well, all over. I am looking for small lighterweight hard tails, but maybe i should look at a full sus 29 small for the long run, she is 45 after all. I personally went from a Sola 2 to a Superspeed carbon, both were / are hard tails, and i can tell you i feel a massive difference, that 1.5kg less weight makes a difference, so does carbon. But try and find a small carbon bike for a lady, seems almost impossible.

 

Perhaps full sus is better, but as some said, try and max out budget and get one as light as possible. It also depends on your age, and what kind of riding you do.  

[Ispeed_V]

Just remember - Ollie Munnik rode Attakwas on his own branded HT.

 

Why not look at the Signal Pro @ R22000