Moving to full sus - how was it for you?

cdb

Am thinking about moving to full suspension. What finally made up your mind? Has it turned out to be what you thought it would? Would you go back to a hard tail?

dusk

I love my full susser but I love to ride my hardtail too, it can't be one or the other in my opinion.

cdb

Thanks dusk. So if you could only have one bike, which would you choose?

kickaxe

cdb wrote:

Thanks dusk. So if you could only have one bike, which would you choose?

I'd pick my Giant Trance trailbike, just because it can get down everything I can, and I don't need to worry about it not holding up.

When moving from hardtail to FS about a half year ago, I was somewhat concerned about how it would pedal, but after getting used to how the suspension feels, I love it

batmo

cdb wrote:

Am thinking about moving to full suspension. What finally made up your mind?

I'd ridden the same bike (well, same frame anyway) as first fully rigid and then as a hardtail for 15 years. My main reason for a new bike was to have disc brakes at last! After a test ride I knew full suss was different enough to be worth a proper go.

cdb wrote:

Has it turned out to be what you thought it would?

I think so. Certainly it's less fatiguing for an old feller like me and I go faster on it than my old bike, although 29" wheels and carbon frame will contribute to that.

cdb wrote:

Would you go back to a hard tail?

Not permanently, but I sill have it and after some TLC will be riding it some more.

cooldad

My body, which is getting old, takes a bit less of a battering.
I have quite a few bikes, but for serious or long rides I stick to FS,

The Rookie

I went from an HT to and FS as my legs were struggling to do all the suspension work as I was getting a bit faster (age has nothing to do with that obviously), I haven't regretted getting a short travel FS, it's rare that it feels like anything but a hardtail (good suspension helps) but I fatigue slower and a lot of my Strava times have improved as an indication, I just find it more fun more of the time.

JGTR

Awesome, never looked back, will never ride a hardtail again!

reformedfatty

My first FS was a bit meh. I went from a 2009 carrera fury hardtail to a boardman fs team, and it felt rather lazy by comparison, a bit sit up and beg geometry. Not helped by awful oem tyres on the boardman but even after changing them it wasn't all I hoped for. I ended up selling it and buying a cotic soul, and that bike was all it was cracked up to be.

My second FS was a genesis grapil, built up from a frame, and that is what I wanted from a fs. Slightly more down oriented than xc whilst still being capable of both.

cdb

The Rookie wrote:

it's rare that it feels like anything but a hardtail (good suspension helps)

Thanks Rookie. I'm very interested in this aspect. I don't like the idea of 'bouncing' down the track. The last thing I want is it to feel spongy. I'm looking at a bike with a Rock Shox Monarch RL.

https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/mtb/nerve/ ... l-6-0.html

The Rookie

I'm not great on Monarch specs I'm afraid, how it feels is a combination of the rear suspension and the shock and the Nerve has a decent reputation.

cooldad

Very competent bikes, the suspension works really well, even at entry level spec, and at the current price it's a serious steal.

I almost bought one last month but ended up with a 29er. At the current price I would most likely have bought the Canyon.

dusk

cdb wrote:

Thanks dusk. So if you could only have one bike, which would you choose?

I'd probably choose my hardtail if I really had to choose. My full susser is faster in most situations and is technically a better bike but if I'm honest I have more fun on my hardtail. However if I lived somewhere different I might have a different opinion.

Angus Young

JGTR wrote:

Awesome, never looked back, will never ride a hardtail again!

^This, and some.

dusk

Angus Young wrote:

JGTR wrote:

Awesome, never looked back, will never ride a hardtail again!

^This, and some.

I feel you're both missing out, hardtails are rad

cooldad

Rad to the power of gnar?

Angus Young

dusk wrote:

Angus Young wrote:

JGTR wrote:

Awesome, never looked back, will never ride a hardtail again!

^This, and some.

I feel you're both missing out, hardtails are rad

Rode one for long enough, couldn't wait to get out of it, don't want to go back to it.

JGTR

dusk wrote:

Angus Young wrote:

JGTR wrote:

Awesome, never looked back, will never ride a hardtail again!

^This, and some.

I feel you're both missing out, hardtails are rad

I don't feel I'm missing out, been riding a hard tails since age of 3, albeit with stabilisers and spokey dokeys in the early days. And one of those grips that made motor bike noises, that was cool.

HT or FS, bikes a bike, you ride it, does same job getting from A to B with a smile on your face.Think OP is overthinking things a little bit, yes they are different but same same still.

rockmonkeysc

I miss my old downhill hardtail but unfortunately my back won't let me ride one anymore.
If I could have any bike but only one (ignoring spinal issues), I'd have a BTR Belter with a Marzocchi 66 ti evo fork. There's nothing quite like a mega slack hardtail on a super gnarly trail.
I do like my full suspension bike but it's a compromise for me to be able to walk the day after riding.

cdb

Thanks to all for the advice. After weighing it all up, and acknowledging my advancing years, I've ordered a full suspension. Haven't been this excited about a purchase for years!

cdb

Thanks oxoman. Went for the Canyon. It ticked all the boxes, and looked like a fair bargain. And not that it should matter, I think it looks pretty cool too...

https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/mtb/nerve/ ... l-6-0.html

Rigga

Best thing I ever did, much faster on my fs

cooldad

cdb wrote:

Thanks oxoman. Went for the Canyon. It ticked all the boxes, and looked like a fair bargain. And not that it should matter, I think it looks pretty cool too...

https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/mtb/nerve/ ... l-6-0.html

A very good bike, and at that price, a real bargain.

Angus Young

cdb wrote:

Thanks oxoman. Went for the Canyon. It ticked all the boxes, and looked like a fair bargain. And not that it should matter, I think it looks pretty cool too...

https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/mtb/nerve/ ... l-6-0.html

You. Are. Going. To. Love. It!

stubs

In the last 12 years I have gone H/T, F/S, F/S, H/T, F/S, H/T, F/S, 29erH/T, 29erF/S, 26er H/T, 29er H/T. At the moment I keep looking at Fatty F/S in the shops.

In conclusion I know fuck all about it and as long as they have two wheels its all okay.

Angus Young

stubs wrote:

In the last 12 years I have gone H/T, F/S, F/S, H/T, F/S, H/T, F/S, 29erH/T, 29erF/S, 26er H/T, 29er H/T. At the moment I keep looking at Fatty F/S in the shops.

In conclusion I know fark all about it and as long as they have two wheels its all okay.

Jesus, make your mind up!

stubs

Angus Young wrote:

stubs wrote:

In the last 12 years I have gone H/T, F/S, F/S, H/T, F/S, H/T, F/S, 29erH/T, 29erF/S, 26er H/T, 29er H/T. At the moment I keep looking at Fatty F/S in the shops.

In conclusion I know fark all about it and as long as they have two wheels its all okay.

Jesus, make your mind up!

I keep buying a hard tail then realising why I bought a bouncy bike. I buy a bouncy bike and get all nostalgic about hard tails I need a rigid bike that converts to a 160mm endure bike at the flick of a switch

cooldad

The idea is to keep them all.

Herdwick

At the moment trying to find the grip limit of the rear end, rear suspension feels weird if you areused at the direct feeling of a ht, it's faster but you need to push more to hit the same fun factor and crash chances raises to the square for every mph you gain
I have ridden a lot of bikes but borrowed ones from friends and extra caution needed so not to wrecked them. I still don't trust my fs to the point to push as hard as my ht although feels faster with almost no effort on safe parts of my local trails

Sadoldsamurai

My full suss introduction was prompted a while back by winning the WMB Gear of the Year prize. I bought a second hand Ellsworth frame to hang the bits on..
My wife loves the Ellsworth, refering to it as the armchair..
Whilst it hasn't had as much/many bearing/bush changes as the ancient Giant NRS she used to ride, it has had a few..The bushes need replacment more often than the tyres..
I now prefer my cheap (upgraded) Calibre Dooooone fatty, it has all the benefits of a 29er, rolls over anything.. is a highly engaging ride, will out climb/traction my legs.. i.e. the legs give out before the traction, and I've several PBs on it on various surface...
Don't go full suss, go fat..or at least try a hardtail 27.5+ would be my advice
8)

johnmcl7

I can see how people end up going back and forth between setups, when I was wanting to buy my first proper hardtrail I went on a demo day and bought a full suspension bike as I loved the feel of it at speed compared to the hardtail as it easily soaked up bumps. Then I bought the rigid fat bike for winter riding and didn't like riding the 29er any more so this year went for the 29+ hardtail as a compromise for summer riding, it's a very quick bike but at times I do miss the rear suspension when I'm tired and doing a long downhill section.

John