Hardtail vs Full Suspension: Let's have a talk 

When Clint says "Let's have a talk" I know that I have time to cook, eat my food and read the whole LoTR trilogy having something interesting in the background.

Feb 2016 I bought a 700 hard tail specialized Rockhopper, it was a nice bike, I thought I did not need full suspension. I started watching videos, originally to learn how to repair my bike. I came across this channel and a few others. I remember watching the first hardtail vs full suspension and the fever started. around mid may I demoed a trek Fuel, then I demoed a Santa cruze 5010 at a local trail demo day. I was hooked. Most LBS in my area, cater to road bikes, not my kind of people. then I found a bike store that was all mountain bike. All the sell is specialized which was fine with me. I am a gadget nerd and I didnt want to buy a bike that I would then sell after 1 or 2 years. so I went for the carbon version of the stumpjumper and have never looked back. It is soooo much more bike than I need but I can say I have never regretted it. I am 49 and I dont have back issues but my back was sore after riding the hard tail, not so with the FS and that was reason enough for me. Maintenance hasn't been bad, I did blow the rear shock, early on, replaced under warranty. My LBS does brake and gear adjustments as well as basic service on the dropper free of charge for the life of the bike. I know FS cost a lot of money but if you can afford it it is absolutely worth it.

I am 77 and started 2 years ago with a hard tail and then after a year a Trek full suspension and then after 2 years when I felt my skills were good I moved to a Giant/Anthem/Pro 29. Your advise is great.

Thanks for the clean, professional, and well organized videos, very helpful. Your genuine passion is admirable.

I'm new to mountain biking and I learn so much from your videos. Thank's a lot, Clint!

great talk, I always learn something new or reconfirm my thoughts. This is such a great thing you're doing here with "Project 27.5 Plus. Can't wait for the next segment!! Remember to Live-Life-Loud!!

Thanks for talking about back injuries. I bought my first dually after damaging my spine and it's allowed me to keep riding. A hardtail is just not a option for me.

BRO. Great job on the videos. Huge fan, thanks for all the work and info.

really well thought out topics. i really appreciate it thanks.

One season of riding full rigid MTB in XC races is behind me and I loved it so far. I was used riding on 26" with terible fork which after all those years busting through those races was not working that well. Rigid fork is not a limiting factor for descending as long as you keep in your head to use your body as suspension (skill required). Its not easy to ride, it wears you out alot and you feel it specialy for the last kilometres of the race. But thats just about training and getting more into the shape. About BACK PAIN: I felt it at the start of the season but it wasnt that bad as riding that 26" then I set my saddle into better position and now I got rid of it. Alot of people around me crying about back pain mostly after some race with lot of roots or rocks but all I can answer them is " am good mate, no pain at all".

another excellent video, great points

Getting back into MTB after many years, and because bikes are very different now, I really appreciate your insights.

The year was 1994, I can remember poring over those glossy Trek brochures and drooling over the prospect of owning my first mountain bike. Prior to that I had a small taste of trail biking on my 10 speed road bike which was pretty stout but after seeing someone on a fat tire rig I was like "wow, I need one of those"! I saved my pennies and spent WAY more on a bike than I ever imagined, I believe it was $799 for a Trek 8000 in a pretty dark blue. I'm not sure rear suspension even existed then and most of the bikes had rigid front forks as did mine. So the journey started into a sport I absolutely love even today. I remember great laughs on group rides, challenges to ride up or down the steepest hills, some really sucky products that failed after only days and the evolution of lots of cool parts that compared to today really didn't work very well (but they looked really cool!). So with this story you'd think I was an old crank advocating just ride anything and get out there and while it's true the bike you ride often is perhaps the best when I finally replaced my 94 Trek in 2013 I was simply blown away by how good AND how much fun new full suspension bikes are! Your videos are extremely helpful but I think often we get too wrapped up in all these details of our bikes that simply getting out and test riding one whether it be a demo day, a bike shop rental or even trading bikes with another rider you can really learn what feels right. Can you even buy a rigid mtb today? I recall a time when front forks were new and people thought front suspension might go away because so many of those forks flexed and handled just terribly, mine included. I wonder if we'll see a time in our day that rigid bikes don't exist as well, they seem to have a strong following but who knows? As good as bikes have gotten I can't imagine them getting that much better but maybe we'll see lightweight internal gearboxes, etc and laugh at our derailleurs. As always thanks for the video, I hope all this builds a bigger mtb community.

always informative always good..thanks clint..god bless

Great video, thank you!

i love hardtails, i grew up riding bmx so it was a no brainer for me im never in the saddle. i love not having to worry about dropping my chain as much or doing maintenance like i feel i would on a FS bike. I drool over most of the FS bikes just like the next guy but every time i got to buy one i find myself gravitating towards the simple lines of the HTs.

Clint Love the videos. I have recently decided I am a true hard tail fan. I have a Niner rip nine and live in CT. Perfect place for riding the Niner. However, I have found I lean more towards my hard tail fat bike. Thanks to your videos I am on the list for the 2018 Giant Advanced XTC 1 27.5+! Due out in late June early July. Super fired up and can hardly wait. Appreciate your channel man! Best Mike

hey clint,just found your channel. great contend and keep up your great work. greets from germany

I had lower back surgery in the lumbar area, I think full suspension is the way to go for me no doubt. If I ever want to transfer more power to the rear for more speed etc, then I'll just simply lockout the rear. Otherwise, the investment seems right to take care of your body first upfront then pay for it later. If you have an amazing back and core and will rather play it out and wait and see, then that's a personal call someone has to make. For me already having surgery for a herniated disc, I'm going to choose comfort, it's all about enjoyment for me, not who's the fastest up or down.

My old bike had 26 inch wheels and fairly narrow tyres. When i bought my current bike-a giant hardtail- the 650b wheels and fatter tyres made such a big difference

I have never seen a mountain with my eyes so good thing I bought a hard tail Trek Marlin 7. Mostly just hills and some trails

Still riding my 1994 Trek 7000 aluminum hardtail. I stopped riding like 20 years ago and am now just getting back into riding. I'm currently shopping around for a new bike but I'm in my 50's now, rusty, yet I want to do the smart thing in picking the best choice of type of bike that will physically allow me to enjoy my San Antonio, Texas trails for as long as I can. We have hill country out here with smooth flowy trails that instantly turn in rocky rough limestone. For me cost IS an issue so I'm trying to get the best bike possible for under $2k. I know hardtails of the same price will always come better spec'd on components than a FS. What I'm wrestling with is which would be better for my terrain, age, and bang for my buck, all with a stout consideration to helping the longevity of my mtb'ing life. Right now I'm looking at a very nicely spec'd aluminum Diamondback 2021 Sync'r @$1500 vs an aluminum FS Diamondback Atroz at $1200-$1600. The FS would need several upgrades but it gets me learning a FS I'm debating which to go with.

I love my hard tail but two hours is my limit...it just starts to beat my back up. How much does your full suspension weigh ?

Clint my first FS bike was a Y frame. I agree with most off what you said but would add buying a HT when all your buddy's ride FS will makes a difference. If your not a racer buying a good low end FS and upgrading components as they where is my normal plan as it's less cash up front and loosing 10lbs of body weight is cheaper than loosing bike wt.

plus you can have more efficiency pumping on the hardtail so sometimes you can be faster on the hardtail downhill as well.

As always Clint has great info and suggestions. I can attest that back pain for cyclists is a thing and sometimes it can stem from hip issues as well. The more I ride the less pain I have when I take considerable time off the pain seems to return because as Clint points out you lose strength I your core. So the lesson here is get out and ride. LOL 😎😆😉

I just got myself a Spec RockHopper really new to MTB like true trail riding so im hopping it gives me a season or two before I need to commit to full spen

I have a fractured lower back from seizures and still ride a fully rigid bike. No back pain because I stand over bumps. A rear suspension actually hurts my back because of the bouncing. Its like each bump hits my back twice, opposed to it hitting my knees on my rigid. The extra weight makes peddling more laborous, again hard on the back.

Hi , I’m sixty years old , I’ll be riding mostly on canal tracks , I’m overweight and unfit. I have up to a £1000 to spend, my last bike was a Saracen full sus which I paid £400 for. What mtb bike should I buy? I’m looking at virtus at the moment but am unsure what to go for? What do you think?

I was really looking at a Hardtail for all the reasons you mentioned... then everyone was celebrating the Vitus full suspension and for the price it is hard to not buy-

I keep thinking about getting an Orange P7 frame to build a fun hard tail. I think it would be good to have just for skill building, I feel like I'm losing a lot of what I should have with my Trance. I just can't bring myself to beat on a carbon bike like I would a nice steel hard tail.

What do you think the outcome would have been if would have left the 29in wheels on the hardtail

Clint what do you think of the Lefty fork/ Cannondale bikes overall?

why not do some tests with bikes under 1500 dollar price points?

I think if I choose bike for racing I should make my decision "by brain", weigh the advantages and disadvantages and other boring (for me, sorry) things :) But when I choose bike for FUN, maybe I should trust my feelings ;] Maybe because I am not raicing or sometimes do it just for participating...Prefer fun :> So....whaiting for a video called "Hardtail vs Full Suspension: Let's have a feel"....))) "Like"anyway!

What exactly defines a marathon/endurance racing? Like 60/70k? 3/4 hours ride? Because Im doing those on a hardtail and it’s not that comfortable:p

You should do another one of this comparison right now there are all mountain hardtails whit modern geometry I just buy a giant fathom 29 hardtail it's really blow my mind I didint ride my enduro full suspension for weeks

Hey Clint. I'm currently riding a hard tail (trek superfly) mostly in San Felasco. I'm 50 and think I would enjoy the smoothness over the roots of a dual suspension, but I also want to keep the weight around 25 lbs. I hear your recommendation is 100mm front and back, and you like Giant. Any other brands and models I should consider? Budget is is in the $3-$5K range, but want to get a bike that is gonna last. I am just a recreational rider.

This is a fantastic video I watched both. I'm 44 short and very overweight. Looking to get back into the sport, I have a bad lower back and am torn between a full suspension and a hardtail. I feel like early on yo shed weight and strengthen core a hardtail would be best to ride roads here around the house and some dirt singletrack here in SC. What are your thoughts and where are you located. Scenery looks similar!

maybe I missed a video but what's your opinion on absolutblack oval chainrings? Like your video's, thanks!

Good comparison - I'm just getting back into biking and have been riding a low-end hardtail on trails in Colorado and Utah. I would like to give the Colorado trail race a try next year. What would you recommend as a good bike for that effort? It's 550 miles and over 70,000ft of elevation by the time you're through and you are packing all your gear. My next bike will be primarily for doing that race so any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

I don't know much about the intricacies of mountain biking so I could be way out with this observation, but it looked to me like the test you did was more on single-track type terrain than typical xc terrain. I've watched a couple of xc races and the terrain generally for the most part seemed like wider smoother tracks/roads than what you were doing on this test, kind of somewhere between gravel terrain and single track type terrain. If that's the case, then for a more typical xc terrain the hardtail should do better in relation to the full suspension bike than we see in the test. Perhaps that is why most xc racers use hardtails, if I'm correct that xc racers mostly use hardtails. For typical single-track trail-riding type terrain, I can well imagine that full suspension would be faster than hardtail, and that is surely why a typical trail bike has full suspension.

Clint what is your opinion on trek bicycles like a fuel ex 8 for example

Could you do a video on cyclocross vs XC hardtail, and when to choose either?

would the new 2017 Anthem be a good trail/XC dual duty bike?

Thinking of switching from an Air 9 RDO to RKT 9 RDO frame. With the rear suspension open, would you say it's still significantly more comfortable on small bumps than a hard tail?

I love hardtails, even more with plus tires. And I'm also really glad I learned how to ride a mountain bike before rear suspension was a thing. I'm a better rider for it.

great vid.. I am not sure I will ever get into Cycling as much as you guys.. But I let myself get so out of shape and with this issue I have with my hip.. I can't run.. but I can do some riding.. The Giant Sedona DX seems to fit that entry level point where I will have a decent enough bike to get some of this damn weight off that I have accumulated over the past few years.. If after That.. I am really into biking.. I may upgrade to something more serious. Though where I am in FL.. the trails are mostly paved and not many hills here.. Though still.. I don't want a road bike.. I would still want something that can traverse gravel trails and be pretty quick on the road.. Do you have any other suggestions for Bikes? Giant Revel, Giant Roam, Trek FX, Trek DS.. etc

My first bike was a hardtail, now I ride a 13kg DH bike. Never going back.

Looks like a fun trail-- I love my 2016 Focus Raven max SL with XTR double-- 880 gram frame, just been thinking of getting a pair of those Roval control SL 1320 gram wheelsDo you have any feedback on those wheels?

Would you recommend the Giant stance 2016 or the Norfolk charger 7.3 with upgrades (handlebars etc)

sram nx vs slx?

sir I want to buy your full suspension cycle please sir give respond for my request

You should really be sitting in your rocking chair for this one.

Clint I am looking to get into XC. I don't have an XC bike yet so I am in the market for a new one. I have been riding a trail bike for years, a Stumpjumper 29 but it's 14kg with upgrades which is really heavy for my small frame, useless for getting up the hill quickly, I am always last when I go riding with my mates. Anyway, I would like to find something really lightweight for climbing, but would still be able to use it for trail centres with friends. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Could you do a comparision between gravel and hardtail bikes for riding on gravel and or XC?

Just discovered your channel. Great and super helpful content. I couldn't find any talk about pedals and shoes, particularly flats vs clips. Which one do you recommend for mostly XC with occasional MTB?

I am thinking on getting a new helmet made by specialized angi system

This has been a great video. If you where an old fat guy (I am asking for a freind) 🤣 would you suggest one or the other? Also do you know if the Giant Anthom has a rear suspension lock out so you can kind of have a hard tail if you want it?

aint the bike it's the rider never blame your machine you control it there is no better bike only better riders. my hardtail shredds the exact same hills and trails heavy duty full suspension bikes do and i am the guy that bikes to my trail then home bike for life.

Hello Clint! First thank you very much for your advice and for the sharing of your experiences and insights when you riding both hard tail and full-suspension bikes with 29er wheels in comparison. Now to my question - do you have any plans to test ride the new Scott Spark 29er (2017) that is a full suspension bike that is preferred by the Olympic gold medalist, Nino Schurter's Scott Spark RC that is custom built for an exact fit for him but the carbon frame built with alu wheel set is a very good option to start with. Why I am asking is that you found out that a full suspension bike gives you less fatigue on long rides and so I am in a bit of choice between a Giant XTC Advanced 29er 1.5 (sold in Sweden) with XT group set and XT brakes (180/160) and FOX 32 Float SC Performance 29, 100mm Travel, FIT4 Damper, Remote Lockout, Boost 15x110 Kabolt, Tapered. The Giant H/T is much lower in price point but now the Scott Spark 29er has been offered to a lower price point from the recommended price point about less priced now with $580 so still there is a price gap about $800 between the two bikes. I will mostly ride only grave or dirt roads with maybe 30% or less single track with some cliffs and stones and bogs in the forest. So I would love to hear from your experience what your thoughts would end up in your conclusion after test riding the Scott Spark 29er full suspension bike with the brand new geo for year 2017! Maybe you would "fall in love" with this Scott Spark 29er? I would appreciate if you will have time to give me your thoughts about my suggestion about the Scott Spark 2017 if the model is available for you Cling, in USA I do not know right now? Please receive my full appreciation for your YT-Channel and I do always look forward to see/hear from your rides and very good advice for someone who truly needs the valuable information you always share in very high quality way! Wishing you the very Best always and happy rides! /Best Regards, Charl

Clint why did you migrate away from Specialized? You seem to strike me as a high quality guy who values the craftmanship

Can someone get a decent used endoro bike for $1000?

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