Can Hardtails handle a Double Black? 

"You alright Steve?" needs to be put onto some merch. Respect the full commitment!

Anyone who has watched some of Steve's videos. You will know he's still a beginner rider. His progression since his first videos is impressive. He's quite a joy to watch as a older and experienced rider. Dude took his spills like a champ and stayed positive. This was great video and would love to see more of this type of content.

I see a hardtail video, I watch. it's a simple life.

That heavy backpack will kill confidence faster than just about anything on the trail.

Big props to Steve, he gets back on the horse every time without doubt!

Respect Steve. That first jump/drop would have definitely have affected me in exactly the same way it did you. In fact, there is absolutely no way I would have had the guys to try that!

I like that you also show the MTB struggle in your videos. Not just a perfect lap on record time. Not everyone is a pro. Good stuff.

Crashes, where after you can stand up, analyse and keep riding, are the best. They drag you back on the ground and when showing them in a video, like you did, makes it's was more relatable, real and enjoyable

Rad brah

I really appreciate that you show the "fails" too. It's helpful to be reminded that even the best riders fall

The amount of times Steve crashes with no fear tells you he is going to be a bad ass rider in time.

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As a dedicated hardtail rider I'm LOVING the HT content!

I came across this video by chance, but it was really fun to watch a "human" or "average" mtber try (and struggle) with trails. The thing about video is that it doesn't do the obstacles justice, so everything there must be much scarier than it looks. Thanks for the video and cheers to Steve. \m/

What's in Steve's rucksack? Shall child, parachute?

Great video and great progression Steve (both in this video and overall the past year or two)! This sort of content is much appreciated by a below average rider like myself. And I definitely learned something with your description of “scooping the pedals” to help in bunny hopping. I’m going to try and session that technique next time I’m out.

Like this kind of a breakdown video. Thanks Nick!

Can you imagine the guys riding this on the hard-tails they had in 92! Nice vid once again

It's so cool to see Steve's progression! He's got a lot of potential I hope he keeps riding bc he gets right back up and tries it again which is great!

It's hard to tell but Steve might be panic breaking causing him to fly over the bars in some situations? Love this vid btw. It's good to see people trying to figure out new features and trails via trial and error.

What a great video concept. I really enjoyed it.

steve is awesome. he knew what he did wrong, and was able to articulate it and keep going.

I have watched a lot of your videos. This is one of my faves. love the volnerablity

Appreciate the good audio and 3rd person shots. Very well done video

This is fun. I ride hard tail and love watching how you guys break these moves down. Thanks.

Steve so well done mate Kudos for keeping on going bro awesome stuff

With the crash at 6:20 ish, it looks as if the fork is way too soft. On a hardtail the fork dives lots under braking as the back is not moving so it puts your weight forward. Maybe Steve should try some volume spacers and a bit more air pressure. I say this as an experienced ex hardtail rider. Also if the fork has low speed compression maybe turn it more towards closed. There's also such a thing as too much front braking power, ik from experience it's so easy to grap to much brake as you start to go forward. Sorry if that all sounds patronizing I don't mean it too I just know these have been problems I've had and if would have saved me some grief to have someone mention them 😅

I love to see raw footage of people trying and failing, and trying again! There is just too much of Good riding around. Not everyone is a pro and Steve deserves kudos. gg man. Couple of OTBs were avoidable, but in a moment of panic I understand how it happens (been there :D)

Excellent Video 😎 Did that Last Weekend 😎

Steve is a trooper. Kept at it!

This one was super fun to watch. Few scary moments. Lol… Ride on 🤘

You go Steve my bro!! I don't know if I'm way off base here, but it looks like Steve could use a size smaller frame. Love the commitment. 👊👍

If you need someone on the camera im in a cast for the next week and a half anyways 😅 love the video digesting trail features one by one, keep it up!

Great job Steve 🎉should be proud

0:12 Everyone: Yeah, pretty different 🤔 Berm Peak subs: …but kind of the same!!!

I only ride a hard tail…unless I go to the bike park or shuttle dh laps. I grew up bmx racing and have noticed that most MTB’ers that started with bmx/DJ take better lines and fall less. To start off with full sus creates a lot of bad habits along with using the suspension to compensate for inability.

Great video. Hardtales are pretty easy to ride. but when you’re going on a double black diamond trail, you better know how to ride that Hardtail can I tell you double black diamonds are my favorite😉

Dude is a certified trail basher! Love riding with dudes that consistently smash themselves on everything but stay in good spirits no matter how gnarly!

That's awesome. Refreshing to see Steve's resilience! Is it me or are Steve's brake levers placed too inward on his bars? When his hand is on the grip there's a good inch gap between his hand and the end of the bar. Guess it could be his preference?

Built in 1992? Now I'm curious what the trail looked like back then. That's before V-brakes - and existing suspension forks were comparatively rudimentary.

Is that Steve Aoki?

new to this channel. Also in Vancouver!

I’ve done 2 blacks I think on my hard tail and every one was like you need a full suspension for that and it wasn’t to bad

Are those rocks concreted into place? Looks like it here and there. What an interesting way to preserve the trail I guess.

this is coming from a point of nativity having never ridden a full sus properly on a trail, but I love my hardtail and it's gonna take a lot for me to stop riding it, each type has advantages but I just love how responsive hardtails are, and I can feel what I'm riding on to adjust how I ride

Fair play Steve..balls of steel dude👌🏻(And I wish I bounced as well as you😂)

If nothing else, this video demonstrated the importance of proper safety gear.

Great video, good to see some failures in your videos… you are real!

It seems that second feature that you rode while Steve rode the ride around, is totally rollable unless maybe you had a 12 inch wheel which I don’t think they make those anymore.

I know this wasn’t meant to be a comedy video but it had me laughing 😂 I also don’t think the hard tail had anything to do with steve crashing.

is it going to help without the big backpack for the first time?

It always seems like those wood features would be slick and slimy. Do you guys ever just slide off those?

Learning how too fall is definitely important

Is he carrying actual books in that backpack?

Man Steve is such a good sport I would have gone home already

I Think bis big Backpack is the real issue!

Man slams more then Johnny Sins

20 years ago we all rode hard tails on Ladies. That's all we had!

You alright Steve

Love hardtails on "hard" trails. My friend asked me if I regretted buying a hardtail instead of a full suss like what he rides. My answer was a big No! I really think Steve should have taken off the huge backpack when attempting some of the harder features. The extra weight would tend to mess up his center of gravity/balance, plus he ability to move more freely in the shoulders

Hard tails are awesome but on super technical rocky downhill not so much.

you alright steve?

I think Steve needs to change his channel name to it’s a challenging life specially on These beautiful HT’s lol have to give you credit riding this on an Enduro bike would be hard enough never mind HT’s so fair playboys

I think Steve's fork either needs more air or compression adjustment. Notice it bottom out and then throws Steve onto his face...

As you grow older hard tails will kill your back if you want to put yourself threw the challenge good for you. 😊

A big factor to consider here is that hardtails get shorter over rolls/compressions/drops where full suspension bikes get slightly longer. This ups the OTB factor in a big way. Even slight over-braking will launch you into orbit much faster than a FS where you often get some reprieve. This makes it a bit more challenging for newer riders, especially on tech sections. Just my measly two cents…

both riding 29?

I feel like a size smaller frame might help that guy a lot. Man's a passenger on that bike

The backpack was a hint. 😅

Fun video! You can definitely do whatever you want on a hardtail but there is way less margin for error. I usually use mine when my full suspension trail bike is out of order and whenever I do use it, I end up with a sore bum and some of the hits are really hard on the ankles. I've found that a lot of people who refuse to use full-suspension bikes just want to brag about using a hardtail. Hardtails definitely have their place in MTB though.

Riding with such a huge backpack is a horrible idea. Throws off the body weight and balance on the bike.

Not being scared having solid balance and being in shape can get you through any trail regardless of the bike your riding

Steve is a bit of a liability!

I have done a double black diamond on a fully ridged

Sick trail but not sure if it registers as a double black for me, maybe it's the GoPro effect, everything looks flatter on camera.....

Saw the title of your video and thought "that's the wrong question." Steve answered the correct question which is; Are you a good enough rider to handle a hardtail down a double black. You should try to avoid painting hardtails as a beginner bike or a bike for less experienced riders. A hardtail requires much more input than your lazy full suspension bikes and it will, 100%, keep you engaged in your ride. Hardtails are for everyone.

Steve is not ready for this trail

fuuuuuuuck

steve's first bail was cuz he at the last minute postured up tryna back off , that sling shot him otb

Sam Pilgrim did it on a Walmart klunker. 👍🏼

Just a bit of advice Steve, looks like your putting too much weight through your arms which is making you stiffen up over rough sections. Try putting your weight through your feet more and being very slightly more rearward, That should help you stay more dynamic on the bike and and absorb features with your body. Keep up the good work!

goofy ah

The issue with a hardtail is staying on the bike I’m the tech stuff, especially if your a beginner beginner with stock crappy pedals and Jordan’s

6:24 you can see steve was braking too much in the front. release itttt and let it rollll.

Lol that no there…

I’ve seen riders shred double blacks on gravel bikes. Obviously a slower pace.

It didn’t wash out, you yanked the front brake pretty hard -> OTB

Why is Steve holding he's handlebars like this? If they are too wide for him - cut it! It's so easy to catch them on a tree if he rides like this :/ Also, I think he's mostly riding with his legs straight, thats why he goes over the bars so much. Thats painful to watch :D

Maybe we should be calling full suss bikes "easy tails"

oh god the more I watch the More I feel mtb is not his thing 😅 I'd fly through all that on my nukeproof scout

Hardtail can handle anything...depends on the rider. You clearly can handle it, but he needs practice.

never watched this guy befor but just by the 1st few mins of his riding I'd defo say he shouldn't be on a mtb there...

Green bike shouldn’t be on this terrain. He’s too new, makes me terrified to watch.

Get that guy a bigger backpack😬