Hard or softtail?

[Molifi]

I've just completed the Baviaans and need to buy a new bike. Now I'm not sure whether to stick with a hardtail or change to a full suspension. I mostly use it for cross country riding. Speaking to the shops, I get conflicting advice. How does one decide which is best? Please help  !

[AndreZA]

There is no "best". You have to decide. What is you budget. You need to fork out 5-8k more to get a FS with same components as it's HT counterpart.

[dee_biker]

If your bum can survive a 4 hour mountain bike ride then hardtail. If you plan to do multi day events (Sabi, Epic, etc), get a dualler...

[jagwil]

No question about it. FULL SUSPENSION.

[GTfan]

You'll need a duel sus if you're planning on doing the nude ride

[Daxiet]

Not cut and dried. I changed from DS to HT, I am very happy with the change, can quite comfortably handle 100km rides on the HT not feeling any worse than I did on my DS. The catch is to the weight penalty of a DS, to get one as light as you can get a HT for lets's say 25K you'll be paying maybe ~15K more on the DS.

 

That said I found my DS much more fun on technical/rough descents, plus more forgiving on bumpy terrain. HT can jump around a bit and loose traction so I found on the back end of the Sun City course this weekend. Plus never got a single pinch flat on my DS, 2nd race with my HT and got to experience one.

 

All this said, the HT suites me and I have no regrets.

 

[Daxiet]

 

You'll need a duel sus if you're planning on doing the nude ride

 

Very true! I think a saddle without cut away would also be a must .

 

[dee_biker]

 

You'll need a duel sus if you're planning on doing the nude ride

 

[BenDL]

Having completed the Baviaans on a HT makes you more qualified then most to decide! If you enjoyed that and your body was OK with it then why change? A dual suspension is kinder on the body, for long rides.

 

What some of us have learnt is that a full suspension has linkages that have bearings in them that require maintenance / replacement. This can be quite costly, unless you work on your own bike. When you shop around ask about these costs...

 

Best is to have one of each!

 

[Bos]

Hey< ive been riding a Duall for about 5 years, I use to be 100% convinced that the FS was the only way but recently, Im training more and riding the roadbike I started thinking mm.. I wonder what a HT is like.. So I built one.. It weighs 11kgs which is only 2 kg lighter than my FS but makes a huge difference on the climbs(especially the American classic wheels)

I raced it 2 weekends ago and really loved it.. the race was on dirtroads and jeep track and It was short really short (30km)

the bike was great fun and I even overtook a bunch of guys on the downhills (they were on FS bikes)

 

So I started thinking.. mm.. whats the fuss been all about? FS mabe not.. I could sell my FS I dont need it..

 

WRONG!.. I did a ride in knysna the weekend(basically the first 55km of the Oysterfestival ride.. I did ride hard and after about 2 ours I was suffering as there was stutterbumps and by the time I came down that very bumpy last singletrack that Im sure you all know about I was hammered, My kidneys were hurting a LOT.. something I hadnt had since the 24 hour race.

 

Now Im thinking that was only dirtroads and one singletrack... there is no way I would do half the races on the HT.. Im thinking of selling it after caroo to coast and rather try get my santacruise to 12.5kg or so.

 

The short answer is, If you have under R10 000 buy a HT If you have over 15 000 then buy a FS in a hartbeat. between the two the lines are blurred. 

Im 100 % sure that everyone would ride FS's if there was no weight  disadvantage.

[Serendipity]

I have both now after only riding a Full susser for three years. I am enjoying the hardtail a lot and also did the baviaans on the hardtail. I think it is a matter of personal preference. You could probably find as many reasons for riding both of them. If you want my advise - keep both - and when you fell like it - ride the one you feel like. If you can't afford that option, you have to make the call.

[inbred]

For my five cents worth, it depends on how good a rider you are. Look at how many of the pros ride hard tails.Yes, some of them have no say in the matter.

 

If you can downhill as fast on a hard tail then you go for a hard tail.

 

To me anything over 4 days - go for the full sus.

[inbred]

For my five cents worth, it depends on how good a rider you are. Look at how many of the pros ride hard tails.Yes, some of them have no say in the matter.

 

If you can downhill as fast on a hard tail then you go for a hard tail.

 

To me anything over 4 days - go for the full sus.

[Bos]

For my five cents worth' date=' it depends on how good a rider you are. Look at how many of the pros ride hard tails.Yes, some of them have no say in the matter.

 

If you can downhill as fast on a hard tail then you go for a hard tail.

 

To me anything over 4 days - go for the full sus.

[/quote']

 

I want to differ a bit..Downhill is one thing, But youre standing up.. how bout a rough slightly downhill trail? thats a nightmare on a HT, same goes with rocky climbs or corrugated dirtroads.

The overseas Pro's nearly all ride FS's unless its XC which is short enough to allow you to take the beating.

If you look at our pro's, the teams with real "lightweight" FS's in the range ride them.

 

but hey I now have both and Having said all of the above, I do enjoy the HT and havnt ridden the FS for 4 rides, If I had one bike, It would be a FS.

[Boesman Benson]

After I was forcefully relieved of my DS about 4 weeks ago by the you know what have yous.  

Partly due to a bit of financial constraints, I decided to give a fairly light HT a try.  All my spares etc arived today so I will be building my new bike 2night.  The HT will be at least 2kg lighter than the DS.  I'll tell you in 2 weeks time which one I prefer.

[ZIPPO]

So what you are saying money is a factor and what about age?