Originally Posted by mikejo
Ideally, you should have both. However, after having a full susp, I went back to hardtail. It seems like all the full suspension bike manufacturers are always trying to compare their bike's climbing ability to a hardtail. And since I spend 75% of my riding climbing up a 2000-3000 ft mountain, I decided that a steel hardtail (or titanium, but I got a good deal on a steel) was the way to go.
Even after 15+ years of developing the the full suspension, it seems no one can agree or decide what really works for XC riding. Granted, for downhill after a ski lift takes you up the mountain, they are the way to go.
Like everyone says, it all depends on the type of riding you like to do.
Agree'd.
If I could afford two, I'd still have two. I like to hit the "Urban Terrain" one day, jumping off the stairs and such while another day I'll be riding rolling/flowing singletrack. I love the XC trails, but for myself...a straight up XC hardtail would crumble beneath me. (again)
Ideally, I'd have an XC HT, AM dually, and a decent FR/Urban rig. (but we'll not get into that, hehe) I've already gone off topic.