Full suspension bikes tend to get all the hype in mountain biking, but hardtails are the real work horses. Whether you’re just starting out, on a budget, or just like the simplicity and ride feel of a hardtail, there’s plenty of fun to be had. Not only that, hardtails come in all flavors from hardcore to XC flyweight, making them super versatile as well.
Tell us about your hardtail in the comments!
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Hardtails are the legit way to mountain bike, but I’m okay with sharing the trails with full suspension riders that are old or have health conditions. I mean, more people on bikes, right?
A lot of people say they like the price point. So maybe I’m unique in saying I payed about as much for my Ti rigid Ss as some do for all of the squish. I like the simplicity, less maintenance, and suspension makes me nervous. I feel like I’m riding on a flat tire and I don’t know what the trail is doing. Most claim to like the stability of FS but, without sounding weird and spiritual, if the trail is mad at me, I want to know it. No sugar coating it.
The survey could allow for those of us who split ride time about 50/50 between full squish and hardtail.
I only ride my FS on non-winter singletrack which accounts for just under half of my annual mileage. I ride my HT all year round and it is a fat bike with a front suspension fork and two wheelsets, 26″x80mm and 29″x32mm. Between the two wheelsets there are 4 sets of tires. 26×4 (singletrack dirt, pavement, the non-icy part of winter singletrack), 26×5 studded (icy part of winter singletrack, lakes, rivers, and riding UP the sledding hills), 29×2.6 (dirt singletrack, pavement), and 29x 2.25 studded (winter ice singletrack, winter pavement). Plus all the mullet combos 🙂
I love the versatility of the HT fat bike frame, but I also love the smooth speed of the full suspension.
While the I’ve always wanted to try a full suspension bike I feel that shit would kill me and that’s why I choose to go with a hard tail five years ago. I know my limits on that bike and I’m just fine with that. It handles the technical if I can handle the technical and is great for long distance . 2015 TREK X Caliber 9 29 inch . Raceface 2×10 drivetrain, Rockshox 30 gold fork, Stan’s no tube arch wheels and just mounted up a fresh set of vittori mezcal 3 ‘s. I don’t really need a better bike , I just need to better on mine.
After riding full sqish for a while I finally got the hardtail bug. I was very influenced by hardtail party but his sentiment rings true. For a lot of us, myself included, a full suspension is nice but definitely not necesarry. Hard tails today are so much more capable and I appreciate the additional bike input without having the extra shock. If money was not an issue I would own multiple bikes but I would certainly ride the ht most often.
Current stable of a rigid single speed and a full squish. There are no excuses on the full squish and much more confident letting off the brakes and getting the most out of the trail. But it feels like much more of an accomplishment when you do the same on the rigid single speed and every excuse to walk the steep stuff.
My hardtail is a fatback skookum fatbike. Mainly for the snow. It’s still killer to ride on dirt too. I also have a plus wheelset for it. Very versatile
Hardtail ridged single speed 29er.
Midwest trails.
I have a 1994 Klein Attitude that I had the shop replace the rigid fork with a Judy SL and paint to look close (no fade – think it might have been Surley). Light! Works as a gravel bike on normal tyres, climbs well. Even did the Assault on Mount Mitchell (road) with 25mm at 100lbs. Roadie friends couldnt believe it weighed the same and on downhills if we stopped pedaling it rolled quicker than theirs (bar ends to go aero as well as climbing positions)
I am a beginner and I chose a hard-tail because they are more price friendly, in my opinion better for my riding (mild free-ride bit like 50to1 but on my level), and don’t have bearings to worry about( as i am in my early teens).
A hardtail can make a lot of sense for those of us who live in the Midwest. I like how I’m able to have a very capable rig with excellent components within a reasonable budget and only 27lbs (XL frame). The unlimited antisquat and pivot bearing service intervals don’t hurt either!
Hardtail is by far more efficient for trialsy riding which is a requisite part of my riding.
With a collection of 18 bikes and there are full squish as well as hardtails in that collection, there is a method to the use of a hardtail that makes them highly viable.
Rocky Mountain living and there are a number of us running HT’s and it is fantastic.
My buddy hosts a Singlespeed only party ever year on his mountain spread, doesn’t get better than BBQ, weed, beer, bikes on a finely tuned mountain top singletrack that is closed to the public! Also hosted is the Plussers only party, more of the same but full squish plussers are perfect up there!
I ride my hardtail (Canfield Yelli Screamy) more than my fs bike. It works well on many trails around here, or at Duthie Hill bike park, close to where I live. Easier to clean and maintain too. I ride my fs bike on rougher trails like Tiger Mountain.
Hardtail for me. I just got a 2021 Giant Talon 1 in November (thanks, COVID backlog), and it handles everything great so far! Even the snow on the trails have been fun here in MA.
Been riding ss rigid HT for the pat 10 years. i own a full suspension bike too, an EMTB and recently i purchased a gravel bike 😊 but i always go back to the good old HT. i ride it everywhere, being a nice calm road or rough and technical single tracks with lots of “airborne time”. for me the simplicity is the key and the less technology there is, the more happy i am. these days my HT is a canfield brothers nimble 9 ss.
I started riding on a hardtail it was a diamondback peak 27.5 really good bike got me started and everything. Few weeks ago i broke my collarbone (big oof) I’ve been needing a new bike for a long time because I really have gotten good at riding bikes and when i heal ill buy a downhill bike since that’s what i need.
It’s always good to buy what you need for the riding you are targeting. Enjoy!
I’ve been riding my Banshee Scirocco since 2007. Thanks to good parts n’ pieces. Magura, SRAM, FSA, etc… and low miles, it’s still like new. Haven’t had to bleed brakes. On forth set of pads. 95% city riding for work. Second wheel set (Azonic Outlaw Blue) cause XT rear hub fell apart.
I’ve had 5 FS bikes. The 7” travel bike made local trails mostly boring, still fun but zero challenge.
So the older I got, the harder it was to get to the top of Powell Butte.
I did have a GT STS that weighed 28 lbs. with Hookworms on it. Long story.
In the end a hardtail is just more practical and less maintenance.
And so the Bafang BBSHD should liven things up.
So my normal bike will have to be the single speed that’s a 2 speed with the Sturmey Archer hub.
A good excuse to build the wheels myself. Haven’t had to true them ever in 5 or 6 years.
I have a xc carbon hardtail and a fully. There are hardly any xc trails in Sydneys Northern Beaches area, most trails are rocky, steep and technical. Broke the Carbon frame and decided to get a trail hardtail. Got a Banshee Paradox v3 frame and built it up to my liking. Definitely much more compliant and will ride it at least once a week and whenever its wet and muddy. Saves some maintenance cost compared to riding my fully all the time.
I have ridden for 36 years and have had both hardtail and FS. Love the feel of the hardtail and the skill it takes to take on the trails both mentally and physically.
When my boys learned to ride and race it has been on hardtails so they really know “how” to ride. I believe every kid who is learning and beginning racing should start with a HT. I see many with FS and they lack the finer techniques that only come from the HT experience.
My HT is my Spec Fatboy that I rode in the snow the last two days. New Year’s Day, we will be at the beach on our fatties, socially distanced from the rest of the crew.
FS is easier on my 65 year old back and what I ride most of the year. I have three different Stumpies and a SC Tallboy in the stable.
I’m 56 & I’m in that 55 HT/45 FS club too. I stay pretty grounded in the Rockies & my big air days are over. So my Banshee is my go to steed. I converted my last HT into my townie hybrid & it sees a lot of use. As a biking OG, I grew up on ZERO suspension bikes my whole life until HT’s w/sus forks came along. My first FS rig came just 4 yrs ago when I was living in Phoenix. Ht’s are just a more efficient platform and much easier to keep up maintenance wise. As I started to enjoy my FS in Phx taking on tougher trails, I found that was not the norm. Most of my riding was grab the gear for a quick 2 hr ride, and oh yeah, load the HT. If you can ride & enjoy a HT in Phx, you will really enjoy it damn near everywhere else. My FS is really just a bike park rig now with a changeover of frames soon. I think HT tech has made some huge advancements. Overall rigid, yet supple in vert compliance in the rear triangle. Custom tubing with mixed materials. Better angles etc. It’s a whole new HT world. They’re light years different from just 5 yrs ago.
I’m vacationing in Phoenix soon with a hardtail. Do you recommend any particular trails?
I ride a SS hardtail about half my time on the bike. It’s super efficient and great on the xc trails we have around my area. Some of my fastest Strava times have been set on that bike even though I have had some $10K full squish XC bikes all the while. More bells and whistles and complexity is not ALWAYS better.
I have a HT and an FS. I split my time with them. Depends on how I feel and where I am riding. They both give me great entertainment on the trails.
I split time between my Beargrease(fatbike) Timberjack(Singlespeed) & my full squish 27.5+ trail bike. Living in lower Michigan, you can get away without squish on many trails. I would hope I always have at least one hardtail in my stable. This winter’s project is to build up a geared hardtail with a front suspension fork from a frame I have laying around.
I have a 17 year old Kona hahana that has a seat on the back for kids and sometimes hooks up to a trailer for riding ‘with’ the kids. sees more action than my aurum switchblade tallboy and salsa bucksaw combined last few years. luckily thev5 year old is turning in to a proper shredder and the 3 year old is getting there. defo think about buying a new hard tail, maybe a cotic or chroma, but the kids suck up all the cash these days lol
I have just ordered a MARIN Bobcat Trail 5 M 29er and hope to have it soon … I chose this particular hard tail as I am just starting out and thought this would be a good choice for a beginner..
I ride a Giant Talon 2 and I love it, but I want to upgrade to a full squish because of the chattery trails I ride in the Arkansas hills in the Nortwest and Southwest.
Hardtail getting a rigid fork aswell….
Travelled Europe last year for 4 months and 4000 km later….
we met so many people….
no one got a 29er like me and my wife
here in South Africa it is you must have a full suspension bike 29er
it is all about the image…..
and if you meet people on all sorts if bikes then you realised it is all about getting on your bike and cycling
not what bike you got…
Met an old lady 68 years old with a folding bike with atleast 30kg if gear on she travelled 16000 km on it in the last few year’s full time bikepacking….
P. S. we go i offroad single track
on our bikes aswell
Pls google Gamkaskloof cycling in and out of The Hell
we did it a few times
Greetings from
South Africa
Started riding in 85 when it was full rigid only. Moved up to front suspension and then full suspension. No going back.
I have been riding since 92 owned both hardtail and dual suspension always go back to hardtails most of our trails are flowey single track with some technical nothing crazy I am 52 crazy over for me I ride a carbon hardtail with 27.5 plus wheels it smooths all the roots and most of the rocks out love it
Hardtail!? Try rigid. My current whip is 17 pounds of chinese carbon bliss. Radical improvement over my first mtb in the 90s…mongoose maneuver. YMMV. Have fun whatever you ride!
I guess its a rigid hardtail, but I ride a 27.5/4.0 Framed Wolftrax. It is mainly my winter/bad weather bike. Since I live in Central Indiana I dont get to ride it often enough cause we dont get much snow. When things are good, Im a full sus guy.
I picked up a Rocky Mountain Growler this year and love it!
You can check out my build here: Custom Rocky Mountain Growler
Living on the Northumberland coast I ride a 4″tyred rigid fatty on the beach.
I used to live in the hills, so I’ve still got my steel 26″ hardtail with the 120mm fox forks, but it doesn’t see much use.
I have a Trek marlin 6 29er. That i converted to a 1X11 shimano Drive train. With a Shimano BB UN26, shimano XT FC M8000 crank arms.. Shimano M8000 M7000 M5100 11 Speed shifters & Rear Derailleur, KMC X11 Chain,Sunrace 11-46T CSMS8 11-50T CSMX80, Shimano CSM8000/M5100 51T Cassette and a
Shimano Deore XT M8000 Mountain Bicycle Chainring – SM-CRM81 32T with Teyssor 31.8mm-50mm Stem with Bucklos 25.4/31.8mm flat/Riser bars with Troy Lee design ODI Grips, and Continental ShieldWall Cross King 29×2. TIRES. And upgraded the Stock Teatro Hydro disc Brakes to Shimano MT200 MTB Hydraulic Disc Brake.
I’m older and still own/ride hardtail exclusively. Never owned a full suspension and have no desire to. Currently own a 27.5 Plus HT 1x (2016 Specialized Fuze Pro). My riding continues towards XC here in Southern Arizona so my next bike may be a rigid Fat Bike.
Have a Superfly SS rigid hardtail and Top Fuel FS XC bike and enjoy them both. Depends on the mood but the Top Fuel is more fun and playful with full suspension. But the SS is just so pure and simple and just as fast but requires more work and attention on the trail. Also the SS is the winter/mucky weather bike saving wear and tear on Top Fuel’s drivetrain and suspension.
I have two hardtails, one geared the other is a single speed that I built. I love my hardtails!
The 29er brought back the hardtail!
I currently ride a 2020 Merida Big Trail, I’ve never ridden a full suspension bike. I would find it impossible to reconcile my kids (7 & 9) riding hardtails whilst I rode a full suspension bike.
First started riding mtb on a 1996 Cannondale F1000 with head shock. Did mostly tame trail riding, but in my mid fifties started riding with Enduro guys so bought a Santa Cruz Bronson FS and developed my technical skills.
I then bought a Kona Big Honzo “for my wife” so I could ride a HT on less technical stuff. Turns out she loved it and was riding it all the time. So I bought a second (carbon) one. I now ride it 80%+ of the time. I like how it makes less technical trails more fun.
The dropper post is what fundamentally changed HT’s. Now you can use the most sophisticated rear suspension ever created- legs. The new geometries and 29”/27.5+ wheels and good forks take much of the punishment away. I only pull out the FS for really harsh or technical downhill trails.
Rocking an enduro steel ht. It’s my main and only bike. Sold a full-sus for a ht.
I recently bought a rigid Surly Karate Monkey while maintaining the squishy bits on my Alchemy Arktos 27.5. TBH I waited a week to reassemble the FS after receiving the suspension parts back from the shop because the rigid bike is just so damn fun to ride. IDK is it’s the simplicity, the plus tires, or the porta potty blue color.
Have a Marin Eldridge Grade year 2000 model. I ride Gravel, Cross Country, Track, Trail, Bridal Paths, woods forests & canal paths.
Would not have a gravel bike they are only good for 20/30% of my routes.. I find gravel bike riders are road riders who generally don’t like MTB riders. Its a bit like skiers vs Snowboarders.. (Im a snowboarder)
Hardtails still have there place between Gravel & FS..
I ride a Trek Marlin because I’m a broke high school kid.
I got serious about MTB’in back in the late 90’s strand mapping pole lines for CATV companies. It was the perfect way to do the roads, fields and woods pole lines. I’m still riding my 2005 Trek 3500 and it’s been a good ride all these years and I have to say it’s still in very good shape. Most of my riding is on gravel roads with no music, only 🐦, 🐻 and Bobcats. Entrendor, just to keep the humor going I’M one of those 74 olds still riding a Hardtail. It’s not that bad with a cushie seat. Now you have something to look forward to, keep cranking those pedals. Mr B
S-Works Tarmac, S-Works Epic HT & Intense Primer Factory Edition. Love & ride ’em all, but by far most versatile and all-around enjoyable is the HT. At under 20# w-full Eagle XX1, not sure why anyone would want a gravel bike, when my HT can do virtually anything the gravel bike can do and a lot more!
Anyone else get annoyed beyond belief when the term ” Full Squish” is used? It’s so fucking stupid, and makes all of us look so. Really diminishes all MTB ridrers.
I love my bike… Is hard in technical stuff but amaze everyone when I do the same trails with my fullsus friends…
How about those of us riding full rigid? I’ve dropped all squish years ago and never looked back. I find the whole experience much more pick up and go ride now. No more fiddling with setting up squat or rebuilding forks for me.