Mountain Biking - Anyone gone back to Hardtail after FS?

Has anyone returned to a hardtail after owning a quality FS bike? If yes, was it just a question of Fun?


Thanks, Bob.

Yes. I wanted to improve my skills. Or actually.....I want skills. :p I still own the squishy, though.

Don't look at me.

I had a fs xc then went back to hardtail cause I like to rocket all over the place. I can accelerate so much faster, but I do notice the climbs on my fs were more efficient because the suspension helped keep the backtire in contact with the ground so there is less slippage on loose rocks and on ruts, unlike the bouncy rearend of the hardtail. I may switch back, possibly an epic or something. Had a jamis xc expert frame. it was nice.

I kept my hardtail frame and converted it to SS. It's still a quicker handler by far than my duallie, but they're equally fun. It's just different kinds of fun.

I kept my hardtail frame and converted it to SS. It's still a quicker handler by far than my duallie, but they're equally fun. It's just different kinds of fun.

Well put :)

I can say after riding full rigid,hard tail and FS...........I love my Bullit!

The more time I put on my dualie, the more I see where having a hardtail again would be an asset on many of the trails around here. You cant beat the controlability of a stiff, light hardtail.

I've just gone full suss this weekend - why did I even read this thread?? :eek: :D

I had two FS bikes, both the cheap $300 kind. I now have a specialized hardrock and I love it. It's good for trails and I can get the power down to the ground instead of just wasting it compressing springs. Unless you're doing lots of jumping and *need* the suspension, then I'd go with hardtail and learn how to land properly on the occasional jumps you do take.

I've just gone full suss this weekend - why did I even read this thread?? :eek: :D
If I had the money, I would love to have both. A friend who races says he figures he is 1/5th faster through some terrain on his FS. The evolution and refinement of bicycles is impressive.

Sonic_Molson - were you on the NFSCheats forum a few years ago? Or am I thinking of someone else.. name sound familiar though.

Anyway, sorry to go off-topic - haven't ridden a FS bike on trails, but I've ridden Enduros and a $4k Scott FS before... just in the parking lot and on curbs and stairs though. I'll stick with hardtails I think.

I love riding my hardtail & had no intention to get a full suss, but started doing XC racing this year & some of the couses were much more extreme and technical than I expected and the hardtail just get's thrown around too much - I just got new FS frame this week for that reason - but I intend to use the hardtail still very often.

*raises hand*

i got a hardrock after my costco full suspension ****ter ^_^ i still ride that bike though, i love it too much, its so plush.....

are you from T.O.? (just askin', kuz your name... great trails down in the Don valley)

Ive gone back after 3 seasons, CF trek 9.8... for what I ride, so far it's been better. The carbon takes a bite outta roots, but I do notice that climbing rocky sections I have to use more finness.

*raises hand*

i got a hardrock after my costco full suspension ****ter ^_^ i still ride that bike though, i love it too much, its so plush.....

are you from T.O.? (just askin', kuz your name... great trails down in the Don valley)
Yup, I live in the Beaches and used to walk my dog where I plan on doing my biking. Mostly the trails just south of the Loblaws. See you out there.

Hmmmm, I thought I posted to this thread already...

I rode a FS for three seasons after having been on a hardtail for about 10 years. At first, the FS allowed me to clear stuff I couldn't ride in the past. It was amazing. I didn't have to pick lines or use body english to get through technical sections. Gradually, I lost the mad skillz I had acquired over the previous decade. In 2004, I switched back to a hardtail. It was really tough at first, since I had completly lost the ability to pick a good line and I was getting bucked off on rough climbs. Eventually, I got my groove back and remembered how to ride. I don't know if I'll ever go back to FS. I picked up a rigid SS for cheap, so I'll see how I like that this summer.

I've had dualies for my last three rides. Started off with an '01 Brodie Diablo and totally loved it from the getgo. The single pivot rear was low-tech but what a totally tough frame. That one got stolen a year ago and I promptly took it as a sign that I needed a much more high-tech frame and picked up a Yeti 575 on Ebay. Night and day...it was so cushy and responsive that I lost a lot of skill like pinkrobe. I've since picked up a burly RM Flow SE (yeah, the pink one). It's more of a jumping bike in terms of geometry, but I bought the 19" which makes it more of a super strong XC ride (I'm 6' 200lbs).

Now it's back to the basics. I love the fact that I have to watch where I'm going now so that I don't get my seat jammed up my backside. Super fun.

I just built up a Rocky Blizzard frame around Christmas to use as my winter bike. My ETSX was put up for the winter. Snow's gone and I am still riding the Blizzard. I forgot for awhile how great a good hardtail could be. Now I have a choice depending on where I am headed. Longer marathon rides will probably be on the ETSX and the shorter rides on the Blizzard. Suspension is nice, but I feel so much more connected to the trail on the hardtail.

With a current personal quiver of 9 bikes, if I had to pick one to keep and get rid of the rest, it would be the Blizzard. Best all around hardtail I have ever sat on. Rocky dialed the geometry well. Combine that with the 100 mm front fork and disc brakes and I am in pig heaven when the trail gets squirrelly.