Pat White is a longtime product manager for Kona Bicycles and Doug Lafavor aka Dr. Dew has been designing bikes at Kona for decades.
In this episode we ask:
- Which factors make a hardtail ‘hardcore’ or more aggressive compared to say an XC or entry-level hardtail?
- What are aggressive hardtails good for in terms of riding style or trails? What are the limits?
- How important is frame material when it comes to designing a hardtail? Is there one material that’s generally superior to the others?
- Are there higher costs involved in building hardtails from steel than aluminum?
- Where does the compliance in a hardtail frame come from?
- Do you look at component selection differently for a hardtail vs. a full suspension bike? If so, what are the key areas where the builds differ?
- Is there any lingering debate about wheel size when it comes to hardtails?
- Are sliding dropouts an important selling point?
- What do you think about Internal cable routing on hardtails?
- There seems to be a focus on making seat angles steeper lately. How do you approach seat tube angles for hardtails compared to FS bikes?
- Are there things you’re able to do with hardtail geometry that just aren’t feasible with a FS design?
- How is the balance between chainstays and reach considered on a hardtail?
- For a lot of riders cost can be a factor in deciding to go with a hardtail. What does the typical hardtail rider look like?
- Do you own a hardtail mountain bike? How often do you ride it?
- What are some tips for riders to get the most out of a hardtail mountain bike? Do we need to modify our riding style, or reconsider preferences for things like tire and fork pressure?
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I enjoyed your post as I am a long time hard tail lover. Not that I reject rear suspension, as I have FS All Mountain bike I love for really rough or fast trails, but there is just something direct about a good hard tail. It kind of reminds me of driving a classic sports car in some ways, feeling more connection with the trail. Plus no pivots to service.
I am no shredder but I do like to ride hard, and thought I’d pass on one thought. I run a Double Down tire at reasonably high pressure (25psi) as the rear wheel takes quite a beating unless you are a true master of unweighting and line choice. Having dented rims and cut numerous tires, this seems like a prudent choice and well worth the weight if you trails are anthing but butter. I’m sure a tire insert would be great also, but it’s too much trouble for my lazy disposition.
Sounds very familiar.
After trials, the art of weight distribution became more front burner. Many hours invested in a discipline that transcribes so well to all things mountain bike were worth every millisecond spent.
Incredible podcast for me. I bought a honzo dl last week (middle-age crisis) and you release this great podcast today. Thank you very much.
Jeff, I say build it your way. Your choice of angles and dimensions will suit your needs and riding style. Build to suit is a fantastic way to arrive at the ride of your life!
What the hell, production bikes are at or well above the budget of custom builds.