What is a hardtail?
 

I was just kinda wondering what makes a bike a hardtail. Feel free to explain any other types of bikes too. I am not sure what my bike is but its a mongoose D40R.

The back end of the bike has no suspension.

HT (hard tail)- front suspension...no rear
FS (full suspension, fully, squishy, dully, ect.)- but front and back suspensions
Rigid- no suspension

Has no Rear Shock.

Hardtail:
http://www.gravity-slaves.co.uk/scen...nce_albert.jpg

Full suspension:
http://www.bikemagazin.sk/content/id...army_green.jpg

(this one's for you gastro :) )

ahhh, the pictures for the ilertate people like me. :)

Thanks for the replys guys, so i am guessing mine is full suspension, which i am assuming is good..lol

would you guys reply to my thread in bike mechanics? Please, if ya know.

I did so.

A hardtail is a throwback to an earlier time, like when motorcycles were regularly raced on board tracks at state fairs :D.

Why are full sus better?

Why are pneumatic tires better than solid rubber ones? Why are disc brakes better than coaster brakes? Because we are living in the 21st century now :)

Not all full suspension bikes are better than hardtails though. I would rather have a cheap hardtail than a cheap full suspension any day.

As long as you are happy with it.

It isn't always better. It's only better for more aggressive riding, but not always. The mass majority of dirt jumpers will take a hardtail over a full suspension bike anyday.

riding a hardtail is more challenging!

I'd take a hartail over a full suspention XC bike any day. Excpt for the Specialized Epic.

Oh, oh, somebody just opened a can of worms...

It all depends on the course. So far this year I have raced my Ellsworth Truth (fs) ten times and my Ellsworth Enlightenment (ht) zero times. An efficient full suspension is a thing of beauty.

Oh, I would take my Truth over an Epic any day as well. This is just personal preference though.

this one would be closer to gastro's ride:

http://specialized.com/OA_MEDIA/2005...roSXTrln_l.jpg

Full Suspension a.k.a softtail...(note that the tail is suspended and this, soft, compared to a HARDtail...)

http://specialized.com/OA_MEDIA/2006...06P3_brz_l.jpg

the 'tail' of the bike or rather the frame is not suspended, thus hard-tail.

each one has their own advantages, but starting out in most mountain biking disciplines i highly recommend a hardtail.

Cream Soda, that's not what a soft tail is. A soft tail is a bike without pivots, and a very short amount of travel in the rear.
http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/06/C...ge/6vp9red.jpg

And I think my pic was closer to Gastro's because he has an 06 66 fork on his bike, and a new rear shock. But the colouring is different.

Alright no fighting before this goes any further.

I currently own a full suspension, and I'm ditching it for a decent HT. KonaRider does downhill riding on a HT.

I see a HT as harder to handle then a FS. It's all in the skill, and the jelly legs!

I'd kill for a FS in adelaide, we got some REAL rocky trails and DHing hardtails with 120mm forks isn't the best thing for sore wrists

Well for sure riding on sore wrists isn't the best thing.

Recover and absorb some of the shock with your arms. Or get a better fork then 120 mm...

Define Better ???
 

Define Better???? Is more expensive better?? Depends on the application.

For relatively smooth singletrack, a full suspension bicycle is not required. Even for choppier stuff a full suspension is not required. What is typically required is more riding skill.

For rough as hell downhills, full suspension is typcially required. Horses for courses.