Hardtail Vs. Full-Suspension

There's been a debate that has arose a few times between fellow riders and myself. Where as I ride a Trek Fuel EX8 which is a full suspension mountain bike, my compadre rides a Trek 4300 series which is a hardtail. I used to ride the same model of hardtail myself but with disk brakes and enjoyed it. A hardtail can climb uphill like no other and is lighter overall than a full suspension. It also allows you to "feel" the ride a little more because you feel every rock, root, and dip because, other than the front fork, there's nothing absorbing the trail. To a trail rider it's not so much how fast your ride is or how long your out, but the experience of the trail and what all you encounter.

I like the full suspension due to my ability to recover from bumps, drops and overall challenging obstacles though. A full suspension bike can go places and recover quicker than most hardtail bikes in that the stress you place on the frame, crank, and headset is absorbed in the front and rear suspension. This also makes for longer life of the frame and also makes for an easier ride altogether. The only draw backs that I experience is a less efficient climbing experience and a little more weight to drive up the hills. Other than those minor hiccups, I thoroughly enjoy a full suspension bike. Being able to flow over rocks, roots, and dips with minor adjusting makes for such an enjoyable ride on the trails.

Does this mean that I do not like hardtail bikes? Hardly. I would seriously consider another hardtail bike, though I think I would prefer it in a 29" and not the standard 26". From what I've read about the issue (and sometimes debates on the issue) 29" hardtail mountain bikes are better suited on rougher terrain as the larger wheels are able to roll over obstacles with greater ease than it's 26" brother. A bike I would like to get is either the Gary Fisher Cobia or Gary Fisher X-Caliber. Both are great options in the 29" hardtail market and would promise to satisfy my tastes for a great riding experience. As for now though, I will stick to my EX8 as it has been a great bike for all those times I wanted to get away and just ride.

If you're in the market for a good trail bike, my first piece of advice would be to expect to spend quite a bit of money. I'd like to say take how much you'd be comfortable spending and then up it by $250. This is seriously a price point the most people just are going to have to accept. I wouldn't spend less than $600 on a new trail bike and that's just a base. Prices for good bikes only go up from there. For example, for my previously mentioned Trek 4300 I paid about $630 and my EX8 cost about $1,700. Some bikes can reach $10,000 and people pay this. Now that's way out of my price point but you have to respect that in the bike industry you do " get what you pay for". At this price point you can depend on a machine that can tackle a downhill trail projecting you at 30+MPH and taking 20-30' leaps and 6' drops while weighing under 35lbs and lasting 10+ years. You can't even expect to pay $130 for a brand new Walmart special and ride it on the trails expecting it to last 1 year.

In the end, hardtail or full suspension, either is a great choice and its all about personal preference. If you have the means, ride both and decide for yourself. Start slow and go from there. A good bike is an investment and if you treat it good it will last for quite some time. If you punish it, baby it later and it will reward you on the next ride. Become familiar with your bike and also with your local bike shop and if you have any questions, ask ask ask! Knowledge is power.

Chris Torrez