Hardtail or softtail for marthon racing?

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Comments

  • hillseeker
    hillseeker Posts: 17
    Wonder what the OP ended up getting in the end. Sounds like my needs are not too far away, although i am not doing any multiday events next year.

    I posted about Spark and Superlight last week. But tbh i am still not sure whether to go for the simplicity of a HT.
  • bobgfish
    bobgfish Posts: 545
    Wonder what the OP ended up getting in the end

    Nothing yet. But have ordered an Epic. A bit boring but should be good. There is a ton of good bikes out there. Some of the 29er's now have a much more trail feel rather than pure XC. I tired to stay on the XC side as I'll still have my old 26er for a trail bike.
    CyclingInTheLowMountainsOfSchweiz

    CyclingInTheFlatlands
  • blablablacksheep
    blablablacksheep Posts: 1,377
    For the money your spending and the racing your doing im surprised you havnt gone into the sponsorship route.

    If your a serious racer getting sponsored be the best idea as the bike company would give you the best kit available and you wouldnt need to spend such a large amount of cash ( a new car) on a bike which is purely for racing and which will get trashed.

    I only say this as my friend competes in races though not distance but still high competitions and sponsorship best move his ever done, and you get name on bike frame lol.

    Bike wise, carbon, 29er a given, but FS over hardtail isnt a given, hardtails can be very comfortable just depends on rider and contact points.

    like you allready said yourself, what did the top 10 riders ride?
    London2Brighton Challange 100k!
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  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    And how easy do you think that is!?

    Dear Speshulised,

    I wood like an S-Works Epic with my name on pleeze. I will win racers. Lots of them.

    Fank you.
    Bob

    Of course it's the best, but very few riders are outright given equipment. Talk to your LBS is the best way down that avenue - more likely to get a discount, but unless you're very good/lucky don't expect much more.
  • mikeyj28
    mikeyj28 Posts: 754
    njee20 wrote:
    And how easy do you think that is!?

    Dear Speshulised,

    I wood like an S-Works Epic with my name on pleeze. I will win racers. Lots of them.

    Fank you.
    Bob
    quote]
    haha i liked that
    Constantly trying to upgrade my parts.It is a long road ahead as things are so expensive for little gain. n+1 is always the principle in my mind.
  • YeehaaMcgee
    YeehaaMcgee Posts: 5,740
    njee20 wrote:
    And how easy do you think that is!?

    Dear Speshulised,

    I wood like an S-Works Epic with my name on pleeze. I will win racers. Lots of them.

    Fank you.
    Bob
    Well no wonder you can't get that sort of deal. Your spelling's atrocious. :lol:
    My photos
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    Pah, why should they care! I'm trying to win races, not spelling competitions :-)
  • YeehaaMcgee
    YeehaaMcgee Posts: 5,740
    njee20 wrote:
    Pah, why should they care! I'm trying to win races, not spelling competitions :-)
    They probably think you're speshul!
    My photos
  • bobgfish
    bobgfish Posts: 545
    I used to be rather good twenty years ago and had my name on a few national titles. I also until very recently used to work for a large bank that used to until very recently sponsor a large cycling team. So I've got some past history and some good contacts. If it was easy to get sponsorship we would all be doing it. The guys that get free stuff for racing are few and far between and very lucky. I'm afraid it will be my hard earned cash that pays for everything...
    CyclingInTheLowMountainsOfSchweiz

    CyclingInTheFlatlands
  • hillseeker
    hillseeker Posts: 17
    bobgfish wrote:
    Wonder what the OP ended up getting in the end

    Nothing yet. But have ordered an Epic. A bit boring but should be good. There is a ton of good bikes out there. Some of the 29er's now have a much more trail feel rather than pure XC. I tired to stay on the XC side as I'll still have my old 26er for a trail bike.

    Good choice the Epic. At least I hope. Am a two days away from ordering on myself - in Expert spec. Where did you order it from here in CH?
  • bobgfish
    bobgfish Posts: 545
    Steinhausen. PM if you would like the details. Debated about the expert but it's white....
    CyclingInTheLowMountainsOfSchweiz

    CyclingInTheFlatlands
  • hillseeker
    hillseeker Posts: 17
    Picking mine up from Horgen - like the guys at Mountainthrill. I like the white...

    So you went with the Marathon I take it?
  • bobgfish
    bobgfish Posts: 545
    Yep went for the Marathon. It arrived at the bike shop today !!!
    CyclingInTheLowMountainsOfSchweiz

    CyclingInTheFlatlands
  • hillseeker
    hillseeker Posts: 17
    I am having some last minutes second thoughts at the moment. Mountain biking for me is more like a cross training. I am mainly a roadie / triathlete. Want to use the MTB for winter training on the bike and cross training in the summer. But could also my self doing some off road tri's and maybe Ironbike. Whilst I am sure the Epic will be more comfortable than a Stumpy HT, I am just not sure it is "worth it" for me vs the HT. Also don't mind saving CHF 1,500 :-) I believe you were in two minds too, for a while.. What are your thoughts?
  • bobgfish
    bobgfish Posts: 545
    You needs are different than mine. I needed something for 8 hour stints. I'd ridden and raced the event I'm doing again and comfort and fatigue are something that's very important. I was so screwed some days that I blindly followed other races without realizing it was the wrong way. Sounds like you will be able to choose either to suit. The full sus will give you more flexibility if it's going to be your only bike. The hardtail is lighter and faster but does that really matter? I did the debate about the price difference as well. Huge difference in price which essentially boils down to frame difference only. I've also never ridden a hardtail in the 12 years of been riding an MTB. I also ride mainly road and do a lot of sportive events. If I do Ironbike i'll have the wrong bike but It will come with a kilo weight penalty and still be just fine. I'll still be in front of a heap of guys on Hardtails.
    CyclingInTheLowMountainsOfSchweiz

    CyclingInTheFlatlands
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    FS isn't necessarily slower. I'm quicker on my FS than a marginally lighter hardtail. In fact I was at my quickest on a bike that was 2lbs heavier than the one I ride now!
  • hillseeker
    hillseeker Posts: 17
    njee20 wrote:
    FS isn't necessarily slower. I'm quicker on my FS than a marginally lighter hardtail. In fact I was at my quickest on a bike that was 2lbs heavier than the one I ride now!

    I guess it is also about which bike gives you the confidence to push on.
  • YeehaaMcgee
    YeehaaMcgee Posts: 5,740
    hillseeker wrote:
    njee20 wrote:
    FS isn't necessarily slower. I'm quicker on my FS than a marginally lighter hardtail. In fact I was at my quickest on a bike that was 2lbs heavier than the one I ride now!

    I guess it is also about which bike gives you the confidence to push on.
    That is a factor, yes, but the differences between HT and full suss are often overstated.
    None of my bikes are racy, they're all pretty "big hitters", but the full suss bikes don't actually suffer on the climbs, unless the surface is glass-smooth, and even then the difference is minimal.
    My photos
  • hillseeker
    hillseeker Posts: 17
    Ok the deed is done. Ordered a Epic Expert today. Should be with me in a week or two.
    Happy days.
  • thelonegroover
    thelonegroover Posts: 1,073
    70% of your riding is fire trail or road, doesn't sound as though you need a full suss. 29er hard tail.
    Planet X Kaffenback 2
    Giant Trance X2
    Genesis High Latitude 2x10
    Planet X n2a
    Genesis Core 20
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    but the full suss bikes don't actually suffer on the climbs, unless the surface is glass-smooth

    That was what I found. Made a bigger difference on the climbs than the descents. A hardtail just skipped over stuff on the descents, but on the climbs I really noticed it as you had to be in and out of the saddle all the time, rather than just riding over stuff on a bouncy bike.

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