Hardtail why?

[timmo]

Having recently graduated to a duallie after always riding full-rigid or hardtail bikes, I'm loving it.
But, having the Stinky in for a service I went back to the hardtail the other day for a bit, and found it a bit less than plush (well, der...).

So, I've heard lotsa guys talking about "hardtail pride" on here since I've been here, so my question is kinda "hardtail why?". What's so good about riding a hardtail? Why do you enjoy it? Do you choose it over a duallie? Or is it your only bike?

All opinions will be considered valuable and worthwhile, (unless decided otherwise).

Cheers
Tim

 

[dunk]

Cheaper
Stiffer
Stronger
Lighter
Less maintenance
and whats wrong with a little ass pounding...ooops shouldn't have said that out loud. :shock:

 

[RCOH]

being one of those people whose first 'proper' mtb was duallie, i also never really understood the allure of HT. When my '98 BigHit got stolen i had to buy a cheap old giant & i hated riding it, only used it for commuting.
I saved up & eventually baought another duallies & that is really all i have ridden...UNTIL

About 3 or 4 months ago my brother gave, yes gave, me his 2002 Norco 125, and it is so much fun to ride. I have taken it on DH tracks, BMX tracks, Dirt Jumps, City rides & commuting. When you ride a HT you feel like you are actually moving, rather than suspension sucking up all your energy, it forces you to pick your line, & there fore you become smoother (eventually), it feels like you have more control when going off lipped jumps, and you carry more speed in rythms.

It is so completley different to riding a duallie that it like discovering what made riding fun again. I would never give up having a duallie, but i am stoked i can have the choice now.

*that was a bit of an Oscar speech *

 

[Squidly Didly]

It keeps your skill levels up too, as you don't have the 6 inches of insurance to save your ass! Keeps you smooth. If you can adapt your hardtail skills into your duallie, you'll be one fast mofo!!!

 

[Techno Destructo]

They're also pretty handy for the occasional hill climb, or those days you don't have a shuttle.

 

[ELX]

I'v got a first dually at christmass and it's sick. I still like hardtail for trila stype stuff and city riding but the dually is alot better for drops and stuff and also for dh

 

[Squidly Didly]

They're also pretty handy for the occasional hill climb, or those days you don't have a shuttle.

Yeah but having a duallie gives you more traction for those hill climbs thus giving you the ability to stomp! Hardtail riders have to sit and spin more in order to keep their tyres form sliding out. boom tish

 

[naz]

style, any halfwit can ride a dually, but riding a hardtail with style that is what it is all about, u learn to be smooth, coz u dont have suspension to save ur ass u have to land perfectly
but eh...
hey squid dont u ride a foes nad a gemini 1000, get outta the thread ur poisoning it

 

[Techno Destructo]

They're also pretty handy for the occasional hill climb, or those days you don't have a shuttle.

Yeah but having a duallie gives you more traction for those hill climbs thus giving you the ability to stomp! Hardtail riders have to sit and spin more in order to keep their tyres form sliding out. boom tish

Yeah, I really wish I was bouncing and bobbing all over the place, dumping energy into my rear shock. :wink:

 

[Squidly Didly]

hey squid dont u ride a foes nad a gemini 1000, get outta the thread ur poisoning it

I have more hardtails than duallies BOY!

Yeah, I really wish I was bouncing and bobbing all over the place, dumping energy into my rear shock. :wink:

SPV shocks work well, so does lock-put, or we could all just learn how to pedal

 

[LEX]

HT give u more of a feel for what u r doing . When i get on my friends AC1 i cant ride the dam thing ,its 2 heavy and i cant feel what the bike is doing.
and as Squidly Didly said it keeps your skill up because u dont have the 4givness of the massive travel.

 

[Techno Destructo]

This is really an apple and oranges comparison.

I'd like a nice dualie as well.

And Squid has owned several VERY nice hardtails.

Kale, it almost sounds like challenge. A hill climb race between me on my ht vs you on a dualie?

 

[j5ive]

different bikes- different styles.

I have the dually for dh and drops. Waiting on a hardtail for urban and dj.

 

[Squidly Didly]

Kale, it almost sounds like challenge. A hill climb race between me on my ht vs you on a dualie?

Man i'm bringin out the Fly biyatch! :lol:

 

[timmo]

I suppose I started this off with kind of a comparison, but really what I was asking, I suppose, was, "If you choose to ride a hardtail over a duallie, why? And if you've got both, then in what situations do you choose the hardtail? or even why do you looovve your HT?"

I haven't had too much probs with pedal bob on the new Stinky, a stiff spring and fox pro-pedal seem to work OK, but then I push up the steeper hills cos I'm carrying a few extra kilos, and riding up nearly kills me!

Edit: I have tried a few DJs on the duallie and the suspension kinda takes all the lift, but that may be technique too. So that's probably a good option for HT.

 

[Daver]

style, any halfwit can ride a dually, but riding a hardtail with style that is what it is all about, u learn to be smooth, coz u dont have suspension to save ur ass u have to land perfectly
but eh...

damn straight!!! Coming from being an XC J-boy, you learn to actually choose a line down a hill instead of just straight-lining it... Hardtails are easier to jump, pedal and push uphills!!!

 

[LEX]

I started out with a hardtail because for like $2300 i can get a top of the line hardtail over a crapy duallie. But then the hardtails grew on me and i luv em, but id still luv 2 have an ac2 to ride more dh stuff on

 

[Sic]

Because there are very few duallies that fall into the ride all day catagory that I want or could affford. My hardtail can be thrown off most things im tough enough to jump off ( which is not that tough ) and can still be ridden all day up and downhill without too much drama. It depends on your riding style, I dont race Dh or do massive drops so I dont need a "freeride" bike but my lack of style and attempts at street riding would break or at least damage a more XC orientated duallie, so I have an overbuilt hardtail that does a bit of everything. Besides theres something about the look of a striped back beefed up hardtail that just gets me going.

 

[fastrider gus]

huckin on a dually rules... i was like WOAAAH! 30ft on a HT!! the other day i over cleared a gap and landed about 25-30ft to flat on my VPS.. i have to say.. wow... its cool...
funky in fact.. i like duallys now..

 

[Rik]

I ride primarily hardtails, have owned a few duallies but keep coming back to the stiff rear end.
Why?
I love the light, nimble, stiff feel a hardtail gives you. Stomp the pedals, you go forward. You do get bucked on big stuff, but hey, learn how to ride Plus I like knowing what my rear wheel is doing underneath me, it gives me positive feedback which I beleive helps me control the bike.
That said, I can't wait to get my FRM going so I can be a fat lazy bastard and not have to worry about picking lines through rock gardens, and learn the art of ploughing :lol: