Hardtail Talk

[Tom K.]

I'm not a hardtail fan. I ride mine on a "real" mtb ride once or twice a year, and laugh at it's ineptness compared to my 120 mm FS bike.

But I'll always have a hardtail, even if it's ten years old. It gets used around here as my gravel grinder because the wider tires, disk brakes, and huge, old 3x9 gear system works well on some of best, but stupidly steep backwoods climbs.

It's also a nice backup race bike. I've never needed it, and I don't race that often any more, but I put a fair bit of effort into getting ready for my so-called focus race each year. It would kill me to miss it because my race bike broke a few days before the event.

So, after 10 years, it may be time for a new one, and I find myself considering the "plus" contenders -- both 27+ and 29+ -- thinking that might provide more versatility.

Thoughts?

 

[Philpug]

We still have a hard tail to play with, a Klein Attiude Race that we made into a single speed. It is light and playful and since I got rid of my Trance, it has become my daily driver. We have a Fox front shock and I am actually debating on putting on a suspension seat post just to take some of the edge off.

 

[skibob]

Hardtails don't really have a place on serious technical downhills with so many good FS bikes these days. But there are still lots of good reasons to have a hardtail. I am building a 29er out of a steel cyclocross frame in 1x10 for more casual riding.

 

[Josh Matta]

lol there is no saving that Klein....there was never any reason to make a bike that stiff....

Hardtails don't really have a place on serious technical downhills with so many good FS bikes these days. But there are still lots of good reasons to have a hardtail. I am building a 29er out of a steel cyclocross frame in 1x10 for more casual riding.

I think with good Geo and a dropper it really doesnt matter as much.


@Tom K. Go try the Trek Stache. Plus tires make a ton more sense on a hardtail and that bike just rips on anything and is quite light.

 

[Tom K.]

lol there is no saving that Klein....there was never any reason to make a bike that stiff....

I think with good Geo and a dropper it really doesnt matter as much.

@Tom K. Go try the Trek Stache. Plus tires make a ton more sense on a hardtail and that bike just rips on anything and is quite light.

Agreed, that Klein was insanely stiff. Like rattle your fillings out stiff.

I've ridden the Stache a fair bit. Sadly, my shop's demo is a Stache 8, and my yardstick is my Fuel EX 9.9, so the Stache feels like a pig. I suspect it's mostly due to the heavy wheels of the Stache 8. Still, I'm torn between the Stache 9.8 and the Procaliber. If Trek gives in to my wishes, the 2018 Procaliber will be 27+ compatible, and then the choice is made! The Stache would probably be a good call IF it was going to be a single-track specific bike for me, but I currently use my hardtail more on gravel road rides than anywhere else.

 

[Lauren]

I have a Scott Scale 910 as my second bike (third or forth, depending on how you look at it). It's a lot of fun to ride on smooth single track and gravel roads. I love the 29er, hardtail especially on the gravel roads and climbs. However, I live in New England where there's no shortage of rocks and roots, so most of the trails I ride are more fun on a FS.

DH just got a Scott Scale 7-something Plus bike. Hasn't taken it out yet...so can't comment on how he likes it just yet.

 

[Ron]

I finally got my Cannondale FSI Black finished. Ended up going 11x46 30t, Wolf Di2. , k lev dropper 22# with pedals!

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