Falsesummat
Well-Known Member
I've owned a canyon hardtail for 8 years and am considering buying a full suspension mtb. Is comfort appreciably better and are the slower?
Hardtail or full suspension?
- Thread starter Falsesummat
- Start date
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OldShep
Veteran
- Location
- South West Scotland
I was Mr Rigid for over 20 years. Aged 66 I thought maybe the time had come for suspension. Went to Innerleithen and hired a full sus for the day.
Im still Mr Rigid 😀 I didn’t like the extra weight or the thought of the wasted energy spent going up and down.
Depends what you want to do with it I suppose.
Im still Mr Rigid 😀 I didn’t like the extra weight or the thought of the wasted energy spent going up and down.
Depends what you want to do with it I suppose.
I like Skol
A Minging Manc...
- Location
- Sunny Ashton-under-Lyne
Depends what you mean by comfort? In my opinion comfort is more to do with bike fit and saddle choice than any sort of suspension. I have only occasionally ridden full suspension over the decades and never really seen the point when a hardtail can be comfortable even on a hard day of cross country riding 40-50 miles.
More suspension equals more to go wrong, more maintenance and generally, more weight.
More suspension equals more to go wrong, more maintenance and generally, more weight.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
FS is great if you aren't the most skillfully enabled rider TBH. Loads more maintenance than a hard tail and you do need to look after all the bearings.
Depends on your riding. FS could be overkill.
Depends on your riding. FS could be overkill.
FishFright
More wheels than sense
If you're riding mtb trails rather than the odd bridleway etc modern full suspension is leagues better than a hardtail.
marzjennings
Legendary Member
- Location
- Houston, Texas, USA
Simple question, but no simple answer as it'll depend on what sort of riding you like, how much maintenance you want, and how much you want to spend.
For smooth trails, canal paths, most bridleways, hardtail will be faster. For rough rocky rooty trails where a hardtail is bouncing over everything then a good/expensive full sus will be quicker.
Maintenance effort or cost is effectively doubled due to additional shock, pivots and other wear points.
Cost, a full sus below a £1500 is going to be crap unless you're a maintenance guru, and you'll get more value for your £ on a hardtail. Good full sus starts above £3000 and great above £5000.
If it's basic comfort you're after see you if you can fit wider tyres to you current bike. Run lower tyre pressures, get a bike fit, new saddle, or even suspension seatpost.
For smooth trails, canal paths, most bridleways, hardtail will be faster. For rough rocky rooty trails where a hardtail is bouncing over everything then a good/expensive full sus will be quicker.
Maintenance effort or cost is effectively doubled due to additional shock, pivots and other wear points.
Cost, a full sus below a £1500 is going to be crap unless you're a maintenance guru, and you'll get more value for your £ on a hardtail. Good full sus starts above £3000 and great above £5000.
If it's basic comfort you're after see you if you can fit wider tyres to you current bike. Run lower tyre pressures, get a bike fit, new saddle, or even suspension seatpost.
Yes the comfort is much improved over bumpy terrain. I've found my full suspension bike to be slower, I put this down to gearing and wheel size 27.5 as opposed to 29er hardtail. BUT handling and comfort outweighs the loss of flat speed
Re weight, my hardtail is steel frame, my FSB is carbon, and is by far my lightest bike.
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figbat
Slippery scientist
- Location
- South Oxfordshire, UK
I have a few hardtails and one full suspension. The full-sus is my go-to bike. It’s full carbon fibre so weight is not a problem. It’s a trail bike with 150mm travel but despite this is my best climbing bike - the comfort is good but for me the compliance over rough ground is what I love. The rear wheel just digs in and traction is maintained over rough ground, which helps when climbing off-road. It also offers supreme confidence on rough descents.
It’s my ‘best’ bike so generally only goes out in the dry, but I’ll get it muddy if the situation dictates. I use a hardtail mostly though the winter - much easier to clean and maintain.
It’s my ‘best’ bike so generally only goes out in the dry, but I’ll get it muddy if the situation dictates. I use a hardtail mostly though the winter - much easier to clean and maintain.
Big John
Legendary Member
I'm not a mountain biker but I do have a full suspension mountain bike - a Giant Trance. I ride a road bike and bought the Giant so I could get to work in snowy/icy conditions which would be too dangerous for the road bike. The plan worked a treat. The Giant was rock solid and I felt confident in whatever the elements threw at me. However, since I've retired it rarely gets used, which is a shame as it now sits in my shed. It was the most comfortable ride you could wish for but cleaning it took an age. Getting into all the hidden nooks and crannies was a nightmare. Maybe 2025 will be the year I finally sell it and let someone else get some decent use out of it.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
The Trance is one of the most capable all round full squidgy MTBs from any era. Been through two myself.
I’ve still got one, not been used for a few years though, this is a 26er with a carbon frame.
- Location
- Somewhere wet & hilly in NW England.
Ugly things but they do a job. FS is overkill for many.
figbat
Slippery scientist
- Location
- South Oxfordshire, UK
Just to add to this, I have done two multi-day off-road trips in southern England, B&Bing but carrying everything with me. Given a choice of bikes I took the full sus both times.
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
My FS mtn bike was 12kg, and hard tail before it 11kg. The weight difference isn’t as great as some think.
