Full Suspension vs. Hardtail ?
 

Hi,

I am a novice when it comes to bikes.

I was considering purchasing this bike (my budget is not huge):

ST 540 S Bike from Decathlon in the UK (£499.99).

But I am unsure if I should get this full suspension model or a hardtail.

Most of my riding will be on pathways (70% of the time). I may also go for some rides in the forest (30% of the time).

Any thoughts on best bike suited to my needs? Is it a mountain bike or something else perhaps? If mountain, full suspension or hardtail?

Thanks for any advice.

K33f

I would not get a FS for that usage. I might not even get a MTB. Unless you intend to hit roots and rocks HARD, consider a rigid fork hybrid.

Whenever you’re on a budget, look for a bike with as few extras as possible. The fewer features to spend money on, the more money there is for each feature you actually get.

I second. My bike is an old Trek mountain bike with no suspension at all and I have no problem taking it through a forest path. I feel as though the rigidness allows me to feel the path better. As to pathways, the knobby tires of a mountain bike will probably not allow you to sustain higher speeds for anything other than short burst. If speed and flexibility are your priorities, go the the hybrid way. If you don't care for speed so much but rather have better traction in the dirt, go the MTB way.

I third. If you're set on a MTB get a hardtail, maybe something like this; https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/.../rp-prod200320
Otherwise consider something less aggressive like this (although £50 more); https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/.../rp-prod199723

You also might want to look into a Comfort Bike, it's really a very basic MTB but it has more adjustability for comfort and makes a great all around riding machine, jmho. Most bicycle manufactures make a version of a "Comfort Bike" and example is the Del Sol that we used to own:
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...be1505035b.png
They make these with 1x and 3x chain ring set up's and go up in price level for better components, etc. They are extremely versatile and make great commuters and recreation bikes! JMHO. :)

I've always considered hybrids (commuters, comfort bike, whatever they are called these days) to be a compromise of everything, and as such, not really good for anything. E.g., if you took one off-road, you'd be horribly disappointed due to the limitations of the bike. If I was going offroad 30% of the time, I wouldn't be looking for a bike that's only a 3-out-of-10 offroad. I'd rather get a mtb that can be quite decent offroad, and isn't challenged at all by cruising on a path.

If going 100% on a pathway/greenway, that's a different story, and a hybrid might be perfect.

Based on what you say, I'd go for a mtb and put less aggressive tyres on it, that are still capable off-road, but more suited to gravel paths. I'd also go for the hardtail. "Keep it simple". If you find yourself wanting more grip offroad, then you can get better tyres - much easier than getting another bike! If you find yourself on tarmac 100% of the time, you can get very urban-specific tyres and still be very happy.

Agreed. Full suspension, even front susp. is overkill in your case. I dig my Specialized Crosstrain for commuting, but really could do without the front shocks.

Some suspension might be good for forest rides, but I'd go for a smaller travel suspension (like the 80mm on the Rockrider ST 120) as it'll be lighter and won't bounce about so much on paths.

If you're in the UK, I'd also be looking at the Carrera Crossfire, which is an off-road biased hybrid with 63mm front suspension travel.