Hardtail V full sus debate ends now

NatoED

Well having just built up my pronghorn PR6 XC frame i can say that the debate is over . It's a 100mm travel full sus that is lighter than my hardtail (even with the same parts) . It never bobs when pedalling , even when i'm out of the saddle and stomping as hard as I can . The rear shock was fully open too.

I can't believe how amazing the bike feels . anyone who is wondering weather to go full sus but don't want the pedal bob or have to use lock out see if you can try one somewhere .

Dartster

Whether*

estampida

and there is the service issue

some bearing changes are more difficuilt than others and expensive

and how much is an air can service, in edinburgh its £10, but might not be so universally cheap

MountainMonster

The services don't need to be done too often, so it's full sus for me most of the way.

Brood

As a hardtail rider I have no idea about all this servicing stuff.

Is it possible for a novice to learn to service themselves, or is it really better to take it a shop?

Do you service once a year or more frequently?

xand_xand

sounds like youv'e single handedly resolved the debate of all debates....well done.

ooohhh erm .....what about those that just prefer the 'ride' of a hardtail?
And those that prefer the feedback from riding a hardtail?
And those that prefer the lower maintenance of owning a hardtail?
And those that cant justify owning a full suss due to the 'type' of riding they might do?

mmm...thiniks the debate will go on and on and on and on and on....

Actually there is no debate - its just personal choice.

cooldad

xand_xand wrote:

sounds like youv'e single handedly resolved the debate of all debates....well done.

ooohhh erm .....what about those that just prefer the 'ride' of a hardtail?
And those that prefer the feedback from riding a hardtail?
And those that prefer the lower maintenance of owning a hardtail?
And those that cant justify owning a full suss due to the 'type' of riding they might do?

mmm...thiniks the debate will go on and on and on and on and on....

Actually there is no debate - its just personal choice.

They are obviously idiots and their ill informed opinions are worthless.

Raymondavalon

I've got both an FS and [three] hardtail bikes
They all have their merits, where one excels, another may faulter
In essence the entire Hartdail vs. FS debate is endless, a little like "Shimano vs. SRAM"

adrenalinemunki

And what about the main differential, the cost?

I would seriously have looked at FS if the price would have been anything like accessible for me... If I'd have chucked my £600 odd quid at FS instead of my Hopper I'd have ended up with, well, not a lot me thinks.

Saying that, I reckon its the same as learning to ride well using flat pedals before considering clipless, you have to learn to do things properly... Probably similar in that riding a hardtail involves having a more correct technique no? using your body as much as possible to absorb the shocks and maintain traction at the back end?

cooldad

No

ddraver

Yes!

Slow Loris

Maybe!!!1

GhallTN6

Fanbloodytastic.. been waiting for a new FS v HT thread since I bought my hardtail a month ago.. so I now have a 120mm trail HT (whyte 19 Steel), and a 140 all mountain full suss (Yeti 575), how lucky am I, and my wife didn't even file for divorce (Just)

When it comes down to it, If I got made redundant and had to sell one.. well I'd have to reluctantly say the hardtail, not that I don't love it, in fact it's fantastic and fun and exciting to ride, but at the end of the day, would I take it to the Seven Stanes or the Alps instead of my Yeti, nope, so therefore having a full suss means I have more choice in what I ride.

I can understand why people like to ride a HT, but I can't understand anyone that would say they would never have a FS, at some point, if you want to go faster, over bigger and better terrain, then a FS is the only way.

From what I see, HT riders tend to be quite fit and they don't like the fact that having a FS can slow then down on the climbs which many tend to prefer, whilst FS riders prefer to shred it up on the downhills.

Now we can all sleep at night

bails87

cooldad wrote:

No

ddraver wrote:

Yes!

Slow Loris wrote:

Maybe!!!1

+1

1mancity2

:shock:

1mancity2

GhallTN6 wrote:

I can understand why people like to ride a HT, but I can't understand anyone that would say they would never have a FS, at some point, if you want to go faster, over bigger and better terrain, then a FS is the only way.

From what I see, HT riders tend to be quite fit and they don't like the fact that having a FS can slow then down on the climbs which many tend to prefer, whilst FS riders prefer to shred it up on the downhills.

X2

I started out on a HT as did my riding buddie, I got a FS before him and he was "what the hell have you got that for?" 12months on and he now has a FS.

Horses for courses and they both have good and bad points but I will always be on a FS.

cooldad

bails87 wrote:

cooldad wrote:

No

ddraver wrote:

Yes!

Slow Loris wrote:

Maybe!!!1

+1

Potato

Long_Time_Lurker

I do too many long climbs and XC riding.
Prefer to spend my limited budget on a mid range hardtail than a low-end FS.

ilovedirt

You all seem to have forgotten how offensively ugly that pronghorn frame is, it's so ugly it makes children cry. Seriously.

(no offense to the thread starter, i just REALLY don't like the look of those pronghorn frames! )

Thewaylander

For the truth of the matter i will be thinking it very hard for the next ten minutes so please tune into my brainwaves to find the real answer of what is best....

Slow Loris

ilovedirt wrote:

You all seem to have forgotten how offensively ugly that pronghorn frame is..

Just googled it as I'd never heard of them and I have to agree. Also looks like a danger to your wotsits with the shock being above the top-tube like that :shock:

meesterbond

ilovedirt wrote:

You all seem to have forgotten how offensively ugly that pronghorn frame is, it's so ugly it makes children cry. Seriously.

(no offense to the thread starter, i just REALLY don't like the look of those pronghorn frames! )

Having googled it, I can only assume that the one on their website had been run over. All kinds of wrong.



The paperclip bike has competition.

edhornby

1500 quid for the frame and shock, plus all the bits... ht makes more sense to me in terms of cost per ride, and it's more maintenance, and if you use the mountainbike for cycle paths or tarmac as well then the HT wins out

so no

xand_xand

cooldad wrote:

xand_xand wrote:

sounds like youv'e single handedly resolved the debate of all debates....well done.

ooohhh erm .....what about those that just prefer the 'ride' of a hardtail?
And those that prefer the feedback from riding a hardtail?
And those that prefer the lower maintenance of owning a hardtail?
And those that cant justify owning a full suss due to the 'type' of riding they might do?

mmm...thiniks the debate will go on and on and on and on and on....

Actually there is no debate - its just personal choice.

They are obviously idiots and their ill informed opinions are worthless.

And you matey = Gareth Hunt

supersonic

I can find 100 quid hardtail frames that are lighter - so that's the weight 'argument' gone.

Looks like it has a lot of anti squat - I bet there is pedal kickback too in some gears.

biohazard74

I honestly hate the fs hardtail debates. Why? Because i proved to myself that each bike has its purpose. I have one of each and i do love my fs to death but there are times i preffer my hardtail. It all depends where. If i did have to choose tho i definately choose the fs. There are times i just lock out my rear shock on the fs when needed.

NatoED

sonic there is zero kick back when I ride it. My comment wasn't meant to be serious . I know there will never be a solution to the HT FS issue.

I have to say It is a really good ride , it feels just like my hard tail on climbs . It is a really nice frame.

supersonic

Lol, I thought you might have been slightly on the wind up ;-)

Be intersting to see the anti squat charecteristics, as the low dropped chainstay pivot is very similar to early LTS and some current canyons.

Growmac

Hardtail? Full Sus? Pah, I rode fully rigid for years. Bunch of pussies. :-)

delcol

who cares just get and ride thats the whole point in having a bike aint it...

i have both,,, hardtail which i tend to ride more over here (uk) especially through winter (easier to keep clean)
and 2 full sussers which i use through summer and for trips abroad...
do i have a preference.. well i would'nt want to use my hardtail in whistler bike park especially the garbanzo zone.
and i would'nt want to pedal my dh bike up any killer climbs on a big xc loop..
so for me it depends were and what time of year it is as to which bike i choose....
in my opinion both have their place...

Ryan Jones

Growmac wrote:

Hardtail? Full Sus? Pah, I rode fully rigid for years. Bunch of pussies. :-)

Ohh here we go, one of these rigid riders who clogs up the Follow The Dog over the chase