is the hardtail a dying breed?

7448stewart
7448stewart Posts: 79
edited March 2016 in MTB general
Hi, some of you may know me from such topics like "how do you change gear" and "am I too old to go pro". Now I know dome people on here will get there back up from this question and no doubt we'll see a comment from cooldad (as it seems he has to comment on everything!) But I have been out over the Xmas holls many times on my LTD hardtail to many different places, trail centers like gisburn and grizdale, Lee quarry, Rivington and even some downhill at the amazing bike park Wales but I can honestly say that I only see many 2 other riders on hardtails, it seems that everyone is going for full sus and I believe that the hardtail is now an endangered species!

What do you all think?
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Comments

  • mpatts
    mpatts Posts: 1,010
    I must admit I don't see many hardtails out where I am.
    Insert bike here:
  • balmybaldwin
    balmybaldwin Posts: 127
    Hard tails have their place... if you are riding at trail centres, then expect people to bring their bigger bikes (if they have more than one!)

    I love my hard tail, its fantastic for learning proper skills on, not to mention it will take a luggage rack for long treks.

    It'll be a long time before hard tails are phased out I reckon.
    Bikes:
    Cannondale Killer V 1995 (Promo model) - My first Race bike now converted to a commuter
    Lapierre X-Flow 712 - XC fs rocket
    Pivot Mach 6 - Enduro Machine
    Pinarello FP2 - Roadie
  • pesky_jones
    pesky_jones Posts: 2,890
    It's because the hardtail riders are going so fast you don't notice them
  • spongtastic
    spongtastic Posts: 2,651
    No, I've got two and binned a full suss because I don't need it riding around East Anglia, mind you I don't miss it riding in Wales, Scotland or the Peaks.
    Visit Clacton during the School holidays - it's like a never ending freak show.

    Who are you calling inbred?
  • Chunkers1980
    Chunkers1980 Posts: 8,035
    Pros only ride full sussers
  • pesky_jones
    pesky_jones Posts: 2,890
    Chunkers1980 wrote:
    Pros racers only ride full sussers

    :roll:
  • Stevo_666
    Stevo_666 Posts: 61,758
    Maybe people are finally realising how daft it is to have suspension at one end of a bike but not at the other :wink:
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • Briggo
    Briggo Posts: 3,537
    balmybaldwin wrote:
    Hard tails have their place... if you are riding at trail centres, then expect people to bring their bigger bikes (if they have more than one!)

    I love my hard tail, its fantastic for learning proper skills on, not to mention it will take a luggage rack for long treks.

    It'll be a long time before hard tails are phased out I reckon.

    Oh right, so you cant learn 'proper skills' on a full sus eh?
  • Chunkers1980
    Chunkers1980 Posts: 8,035
    If I had a full susser, I'd be able to change gear properly
  • Cqc
    Cqc Posts: 951
    Cooldad hasn't commented, maybe you possed him off... :)
  • apple eater
    apple eater Posts: 302
    I hope they aren't dying out as i've just bought another 2 new ones. I don't own a full suspension, not for any reason other than i just don't own one!

    I see plenty of hardtail riders when i'm out and about. I would probably say i see about an even amount of both.

    I do seem to see a lot of full suspension bikes on trailers though. Have they all broken down or something? :?
    I don't know enough to make smart r's remarks about peoples choice of parts 'n' things, yet!
  • ednino
    ednino Posts: 684
    Briggo wrote:

    Oh right, so you cant learn 'proper skills' on a full sus eh?

    Sounds like a comment from someone that has always ridden full suspension :roll:
  • kajjal
    kajjal Posts: 3,380
    Depends how far south the riders are from. More rugged types from Yorkshire are so tough they don't even need front suspension and will quickly remove any offensive full suspension bikes from their trails :shock:

    Seriously though round our way it seems fairly balanced and the older riders (mid life and post mid life crisis) tend to have full suspension. I have tried both and much prefer hard tails for XC riding :wink:
  • mcnultycop
    mcnultycop Posts: 2,143
    Chunkers1980 wrote:
    If I had a full susser, I'd be able to change gear properly

    Ha ha.

    I've been out on my hardtail today. In fact I've only been out on my hardtail for the last two weeks, whilst I've been off work. Less cleaning required, plus my dropper on the FS has gone back as it is broken so I had no choice. If I'm on the FS I'll go to places that are a bit techier, I'm not so I've just been enjoying the xc experience.
    Nerve AM 7.0
    Scandal
    Felt Roadie
  • pesky_jones
    pesky_jones Posts: 2,890
    Briggo wrote:

    Oh right, so you cant learn 'proper skills' on a full sus eh?

    Well, its harder to learn from your mistakes if you don't know your're making them
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Cqc wrote:
    Cooldad hasn't commented, maybe you possed him off... :)

    Nope I was out actually riding. An actual bike. A full sus because I am not poor.

    I have full sus, hardtail, rigid and a road bike.
    My FS gets used the most because it batters my body the least, and my body is quite old.

    The road bike doesn't get used much because I am only a little bit gay.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • angry_bird
    angry_bird Posts: 3,787
    To be honest if you're not riding a heavily geared rigid singlespeed then you're doing it wrong and are probably gay.
    Angry Bird's offroad bikes
    Winter
    Racey
    Special Favourite

    If in doubt, blame Wiggle.
  • WindyG
    WindyG Posts: 1,099
    edited January 2014
    I have a hardtail and full sus. The hardtail gets used more over winter or for flatter shorter rides as it is lighter and maybe a bit quicker, the full sus is better for longer riding and sometimes I just enjoy riding it. I have raced them both and neither is much better than the other, oddly I fall off the full sus more.
    Giant Anthem X3
    Scott Aspect 10
    Schwinn Fastback Comp
    Cube Reaction GTC SL
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    Awaiting delivery of my new hardtail, the first time I've properly had one for 8 years, and I hated that one. Hopefully this will be better. Sole MTB, so no real choice.
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    Pesky Jones wrote:
    Briggo wrote:

    Oh right, so you cant learn 'proper skills' on a full sus eh?

    Well, its harder to learn from your mistakes if you don't know your're making them

    Do they matter if you don't know about them? You only need the skills to ride the bikes you ride.
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • BloggingFit
    BloggingFit Posts: 919
    Can't beat a Hardtail during the Winter months as less to clogg up and weight to haul about on the whole.
    Bird Aeris : Trek Remedy 9.9 29er : Trek Procaliber 9.8 SL
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    BloggingFit wrote:
    Can't beat a Hardtail during the Winter months as less to clogg up and weight to haul about on the whole.

    You can beat a hardtail in winter, rigid single speed.
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • Briggo
    Briggo Posts: 3,537
    ednino wrote:
    Briggo wrote:

    Oh right, so you cant learn 'proper skills' on a full sus eh?

    Sounds like a comment from someone that has always ridden full suspension :roll:

    Does it.
  • miceden
    miceden Posts: 225
    99% of what you see at a trail centre will be full suspension, simple reason I think is that its probably just that little bit more fun on one... you can be a bit more carefree on a full suss, bomb through stuff you'd ordinarily have to maybe dance around on a hard tail.

    I don't think hard tails are by any means dead although the majority probably ride full suss... both have their place, both have their advantages and disadvantages.
  • Corners R Us
    Corners R Us Posts: 214
    Mix of both. Tend to use my hardtail for grimy winter work and the the full sus for longer rides whatever the season. At the moment the full boingers in mid-winter overhaul/update so the hardtails covering riding duties. In a nutshell nice to have two bikes to chose from in case ones broke/in bits........
  • jt_intheuk
    jt_intheuk Posts: 146
    cooldad wrote:
    Cqc wrote:
    Cooldad hasn't commented, maybe you possed him off... :)
    A full sus because I am not poor.

    I ride a hardtail because I am poor.
    I've got Soul.
  • angry_bird
    angry_bird Posts: 3,787
    miceden wrote:
    99% of what you see at a trail centre will be full suspension, simple reason I think is that its probably just that little bit more fun on one... you can be a bit more carefree on a full suss, bomb through stuff you'd ordinarily have to maybe dance around on a hard tail.

    I don't think hard tails are by any means dead although the majority probably ride full suss... both have their place, both have their advantages and disadvantages.

    Don't think I've ever been to a trail centre and seen 99% full suss. Also if I'm honest I have more fun on the hardtail picking my lines and stuff, true it's slightly faster and a lot easier to blast through stuff on a full suss but that doesn't necessarily make it any more fun.
    Angry Bird's offroad bikes
    Winter
    Racey
    Special Favourite

    If in doubt, blame Wiggle.
  • miceden
    miceden Posts: 225
    Angry Bird wrote:
    miceden wrote:
    99% of what you see at a trail centre will be full suspension, simple reason I think is that its probably just that little bit more fun on one... you can be a bit more carefree on a full suss, bomb through stuff you'd ordinarily have to maybe dance around on a hard tail.

    I don't think hard tails are by any means dead although the majority probably ride full suss... both have their place, both have their advantages and disadvantages.

    Don't think I've ever been to a trail centre and seen 99% full suss. Also if I'm honest I have more fun on the hardtail picking my lines and stuff, true it's slightly faster and a lot easier to blast through stuff on a full suss but that doesn't necessarily make it any more fun.

    Totally agree with you - a hard tail is a lot more fun, and, on a technical level much more rewarding. My hard tail is my first pick, it sees at least 3-4x the amount of use my full suss gets... was just trying to explain the general joe public tendency towards full suss is all
  • WindyG
    WindyG Posts: 1,099
    njee20 wrote:
    Awaiting delivery of my new hardtail, the first time I've properly had one for 8 years, and I hated that one. Hopefully this will be better. Sole MTB, so no real choice.

    I'm surprised by that I thought you would have had a HT as the norm.
    Giant Anthem X3
    Scott Aspect 10
    Schwinn Fastback Comp
    Cube Reaction GTC SL
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    Nope, lightweight full sus - Titus Racer-X, Epic, Epic, Epic, Top Fuel, Top Fuel. Broke the Top Fuel, warranty replacement is a 29er, couldn't justify the additional expense of the FS, so hardtail it is!

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