Going from FS to hardtail- any regrets?

apc1

My Specialized camber is over 5 years old and getting that new bike itch.
Bikes have gone up in price and thinking if I could live with a Specialized Fuse or Santa Cruz Chameleon which are more reasonable price wise than another FS bike- also like the simplicity from a maintenance POV as I do most myself.
I know this is probably the biggest debate going but any views!?.......I know the sensible view might be to try a cheaper brand but my heart rules my head when it comes to bikes!

wilberforce

I sold my Specialized FSR XC FS bike six or seven years ago and bought a Kinesis FF29 frame and put together a 100mm HT. I have never regretted it. I do all my own maintenance and believe my riding has improved.

mully79

Hardtails give you a bit of kicking but are a rewarding ride. I reckon I can ride about 60% of the distance of what I can on the full sus on proper bike trails before im absolutely beat.

reaperactual

Have rode a few full sus bikes but never owned one. Yes it felt more comfy, liked the novelty of riding a full sus and after being battered on a hardtail after a long bumpy ride I sometimes want to own one.

My head rules when it comes to choosing but my heart follows closely and can't help but love hardtails simplicity, direct trail feedback, lower maintenance, technical challenge, etc.

Full sus bikes and spec have improved over the last few years as usual so reckon you can get a good one cheaper these days but can get a lot more higher spec hardtail for similar money.

Buy a cheaper full sus or a hardtail (or both in an ideal scenerio) but guarantee you will love a hardtail as much as a full sus and so will your wallet in the long run.

steve_sordy

reaperactual said:

................Buy a cheaper full sus or a hardtail (or both in an ideal scenerio) but guarantee you will love a hardtail as much as a full sus and so will your wallet in the long run.

Until old age and the decrepitude that accompanies it start to wear away your resilience. I am easier to injure and take longer to heal. If I stand up to save my back from a pounding, my knees hurt. If I sit down to ease my knees, my back hurts. When riding a hardtail I'm like a flippin' jack-in-a-box!

reaperactual

I'm not too far behind you Steve. Soon be riding a full sus saying how bad hardtails are. 🙈

apc1

Thanks for the replys
I forgot to mention I'm 51 years old so the comments are very helpful!
Long travel FS might be the way to go ........ well certainly need to get another FS I think so my body can take less punishment

steve_sordy

apc1 said:

...........I forgot to mention I'm 51 years old so the comments are very helpful!
Long travel FS might be the way to go ........ well certainly need to get another FS I think so my body can take less punishment

Be wary of going too long with the travel. With long travel comes weight, different geometry and neither may suit your riding.
The last two full suss bikes I had were a 160mm YT Capra and a 130mm Whyte T130. The shorter travel bike was my definite favourite and I can 100% recommend one. Mine was the 2017 version before the tyres started getting really wide. My version had 2.2" wide and I never felt the need to go wider. That bike behaved like a bigger travel bike, but in a good way. It was light, manoeuvrable
and soaked up the hits.
The Capra was great for trips to Bike Park Wales and the rougher parts of the Peaks, and a lot of fun. But for where I normally rode the Whyte was supreme.

But then again, a bike is not defined by its travel, but by its geometry.

slowmart

It depends what riding you plan on doing in the future?

I had both full suspension and a hard tail and the majority of time my preference was the hard tail.

Lots of reasons, comfort wise you just adapt, your speed is less so any offs are of less consequence. Simpler mechanics and running costs and much easier to pedal up hill.

But I’m weird, I’ve always liked pedalling up hill

loltoride

I am a recent convert and really loving FS bike feels far more stable but also heavier, I have still not managed to pace myself on FS still riding like its an hardtail hence riding time reduced but certainly more fun. It took me about 13-14 years to go FS I believe I will stick with this format but you never know.