A friend of mine met Steve on a hike in greece this year. They drank quit a few beers together and steeve paid for all of it. He realy is also a great guy outside of GMBN and EMBN.
I can't believe I have to say this again. Hardtails make easy Trails fun instead of boring. The trails closest to my house on my Enduro bike are a snooze fest where I can just steamroll everything. Those same Trails come alive on my hardtail with every little bump and side hit becoming a playground. When I drive an hour into the mountains my Enduro bike lets me ride things I couldn't on my hardtail. And if I take my hardtail to the mountains I can have an absolute terrifying but epic time also.
I came up from the beginnings of mountain biking too, I'm 62 now. Still riding a hardtail, it's not about what I can afford. I like that Toyota type quality of a hardtail, it 's simple and just always goes. I am fighting the aging process, I want the workout, the riding up hill as well as down. I like the responsiveness, the lighter weight, feeling the trail. After riding trails for years on a CX bike the hardtail seems really smooth now anyways. A big shout out to World Champ Pauline Ferrand Prevot for winning on a hardtail! It really is about skill and the bike is just a tool, some like power tools some hand tools, they both get the job done, with the end result being fun...
..."all out there riding our bike having fun"...and...3...2...1 Massive OTB! I'm ipmressed guys, that was some superb timing and I hope your stunt rider was well compensated... and that it only took 1 take.
Let's take a moment to appreciate just how skillful Blake is on a bike...any bike. You don't realise it until you put him up against someone who can't match his level of skill, even a great rider like Steve Jones.
I also absolutely LOVE how Steve is no Bullshit. LOL. Even though this video reverse-convinced me because Steve was so raw and honest, make of these! Love these honest none-sugar coated videos. Next one: Clipless is always better or Carbon is always better than Alu. Wireless AXS shifting is always better. :)
I’m also 57 and started out on rigid forked bike in the 80s. I’ve only owned a hard tail and love it. Whenever I ride a full sus, I feel like I’m driving a truck through the woods. I’ve rarely encountered something I felt my hardtail couldn’t handle. Riding clipped in is a great point and it really shows in the two clips through the roots. That said, I would love an e-bike. They are a different animal but so much fun.
At one point here semi recently I had a FS XC bike and a rigid hardtail. For most riding here outside DC, I reached for the rigid HT for 97% of rides. So I sold the FS bike
@@eXaviar haha its not becausce they are breaking the build quality is great , I've been getting them through cycle to work scheme so might aswell get a newer model.
With smaller brands pushing the geometry of progressive hardtails and the bigger brands getting onboard, hardtails are becoming more and more capable and enjoyable. I recently got myself the current generation trek Roscoe and it's probably the most fun bike I've owned and the one I use the most. For the most part it is perfect for 90% of my riding, for the 10% that it isn't I jump on my Slash. As others have said in the comments, a hard tail makes you get creative by finding new lines or bombing what would be chill trails on a full sus. They're also great for technique, as an already confident rider my riding has progressed massively since getting onto a hardtail. They're definitely not just for beginners!
I got a trek Roscoe 9 as my first bike. I am at this point where my skills have progressed tremendously, and I’m deciding if I should get a full suspension fuel EX. Love to hear that you are very happy with your Roscoe
The fuel Ex is also a great bike, the Roscoe has very similar geometry aside from the lack of a rear shock. Since writing my initial comment I’ve sold my Slash and currently just riding my Roscoe, albeit with a few modifications. Maybe consider looking to do a few upgrades to get more out of the Roscoe which you can always transfer to another bike later on. Just a thought, or if you want a Fuel EX. Crack on!
I have both a hardtail and a full sus but find myself taking the hardtail out more as it just more fun to ride , that said I’m not nearly at these guys levels 😂
I got a Giant Fathom 1 2021 29er in 2021. Straight out of the gate the full sus guys were on my case to upgrade. I can appreciate how good a full sus is, truly an engineering marvel and another beast all together, but all I ever wanted was to ride my own bike because it rides so good. I was too busy being amazed at the progression in bike tech and competency in general to care about full sus. Even still I had the privilege of riding some great full sus bikes, like a carbon fibre giant trance 27er and one of those top of the line canyon carbon fibre spectral. They are definitively more forgiving, it felt like I could approach any berm at speed because the bike could just be shred into it without any worry about losing traction. It took me a long time to master some fraction of the level of confidence on a hard tail and it's been satisfying as heck.
Built my first hardtail this year- a singlespeed Ragley Big Al. Hardly touched my full sus Trance ever since. Amazing how capable modern hardtails are!
Love my Ragley Marley frame... it's just a tad too short. I'm really digging the geo on the new Scouts, but my bright metallic orange paint on my Ragley just looks so good.
I'm 10 yrs older than Steve and grew up in the country where all of the roads were gravel and the old quarry is where we learned to repair bikes as every ride seemed to break something. I still remember the early front shocks which we thought were great, but are shit by today's standards. When full-sus came out my body said thank you very much. Steve, I'm in full agreement with you as I also have no desire to beat my old bones up any more than I have to. Blake will learn this too one day, but right now he's still thinking with the wrong head, because he still can.
Nice! Love the counterpoint and push back. I relate to the “right tool” notion. I ride a hardtail, a Stanton Sherpa. Buying used, it was an affordable entry point into MTB for me at age 50. I enjoy learning about bike maintenance and making upgrades over time. I love the simplicity and weight. I ride once a week. Perhaps a full-sus is in my future, but I enjoy greens and blues as a new rider and the hardtail doesn’t feel limiting at my pace.
In absolute stitches. LOL The root section brought back so many memories. Hilarious trying to convince and all the proper defense responses. So good! You two are hilarious together. Steve, you are fun to watch.
I’ve ridden full susser. But I prefer hard tail bikes some of the points were valid but I ride black grade trails on a hard tail. It doesn’t let you get away with messing up it bites you in your backside takes a bit more skill on a hard tail
I am 53yo I started riding MTB 3 years ago, I started with a trek marlin 5 and than I got an Orbea lauffy , than I got a Santacruz Hightower v3, and nowadays I ride my loved Yamaha Moro 7 E-Bike, I love my Moro but I most admit that I will forever have a spot in my heart for my hard tail, so much I just ordered a nukeproof scout.
One of my biggest regrets was never getting into biking earlier. I got into it when I was 20 and have been cycling for over 30 yrs. I absolutely love the sport.
Great video. Steve Jones looks like most of my riding partners when I pull out the hardtail. I absolutely understand why people dislike them, but I think they are missing out. Hardtails are a fully immersive tactile experience. While I enjoy mindlessly smashing through trails on the Enduro, feeling every rock and bump on a hardtail keeps me completely present.
@9a2er I've taken the hardtail into some serious chunk and rock gardens. Not my favorite terrain for the hardtail but it's nice to have the bragging rights when you survive
Riding a trusty Hardtail for decades now...the last one for over twelve years. Then the new one only because of new standards and I wanted to try a dropper post (the old Rocky Mountain Flow had a 26.8mm seattube). Spent over 4k because of the Rohloff gearhub and some other beloved stuff and I'm very very happy with it! Several years ago a friend of mine and me tried out some full sus-bikes with around 120-150mm of travel front and rear and we blazed all of our hometrails. Both we are hardtail-lovers and for us we decided, that our hometrails would become kind of boring on a full sus. P.s.: Allways good entertainig work from GMBN💚
Built myself a custom hard-tail starting with the Titanium Switch9er Ti Gen IV (UK custom frame builders) cos I loved it so much, took it back to bare metal with some nice custom wrapping on the rear 40%. Hydraulic Brakes, Fox 160mm in the front with 160mm front disc, 1 x 10 SRAM in the rear with 140mm disc. Big knobby tyres, inner dropper, titanium pedals and 29inch carbon rims and nice wide handlebar with a shorter stem. Took me 3 years to save for it but its my pride and joy. Headed out to Wales to shred some bike parks over the bank holiday weekend just passed. I just find doing large drops and jumps so much more satisfying as you sink into the landing with your knees.
I too started in the days of full rigid bikes, before mountain bikes were a thing, when BMX was new and scary. Steel frames and big chain rings, with brakes that barely worked. In my 40’s now, and still on a hard tail. Planning on building a full sus eventually, but loving the hard tail for getting my skills back into shape. Need to see more videos like this. Y’all have a great split on perspectives, and they play off each other very well.
When I sold my last 26” HT I thought that was the end of my relationship with them. Then realised a HT is probably the most versatile bike out there. Had 29er ever since and can’t imagine life without one. It’s my go to bike if I want to grab a bike and just go for a ride, 0:33
Growing up mtn biking in early 90s Ive had enough time on a hardtail, never again, embrace the modern mtn bike, it really is what we always wanted!!! No more hardtails ever needed!
You have inspired me a fat 34 year old truck driver in usa to get on a mountain bike. Started on a full suspension 08 fuji and broke the swing arm within a month. Just layaway a polygon hard tail. I'm currently in a bankruptcy so the budget is killing me. But I want a full sus so bad I can taste it. The hard tail will keep me occupied until I can figure a way into a full sus.
I rode a poorly designed full suspension for nearly 20 years during covid lock down I had enough and bought a GT Aggressor Expert hardtail and love it.
61 and still enjoying my hardtail and my full sus bikes. The hardtail for it's ease of pedalling uphill and the technical downhill runs. Then the full sus for carefree fast riding downhill with less favourable uphill struggles. Enjoyed the video though Blake.
after years off the bike (wrong purchase back in the days, wasn't feeling it, abandoned my bike and had no fun) and a lot of back and forth, i finally got myself a RM Altitude Powerplay last year, its a great E-MTB and i ride it as often as possible and its my favorite bike ever, its a beast that plows through (and up!) everything! It really did rekindle my love for bicycles and got me back riding. That said, a few months ago i decided to additionally get a NP Scout 275, just a basic spec, nothing crazy and i must say, i also love it very much. its a completely different experience and now im also back on a regular bike! WIN WIN
How useful is a high end hard tail to me? I have got one. Two or three hours at a gentle pace, once per week. Ebike it is then because I want to ride every day. Full sus or HT? Well, Steve Jones has well and truly answered that question. Basically, will your body respond well to repeated hits or won't it? Mine won't so full suspension it is. My ego is NOT happy about that. :-)
i just turned 52, started MTB just 3 years ago. my first "real" bike was a HT with 120 fork. more XC than trail (as i discovered on any Black diamond) fast forward to last week.. i own a 115, a 140, and a 160 - decided to go back to my roots and get another HT. so looking forward to pushing it hard! the things i hear about this specific HT i just built is that it loves to be pushed beyond what you would think are the limits of the travel and frame.
I started to rid my Sonder transmitter hardtail 1 months ago, and I really love that bike. Sometimes is a little bit tricky to go downhill but I think it can help me to improve my riding skills and then be a better rider with full susp if I want to upgrade in the future. Also everybody said to me to start with hardtail so I did that.
Too right Steve Jones, I am turning 48 this coming December 4th, and have been thinking a lot about my biking skills and how much more I need to progress to be the best I want to be before I hit the proverbial hill; no pun intended. Steve, you are my hero! Go to it mate!
I'm 60 years old, and I ride road and mountain bikes. I've ridden hardtails since I began riding in my 20's. Most of the trails I ride are not very technical, and I love the flow on switchback sections. I also love the advantage of climbing with a firmness instead of squishiness. I ascend steep climbs a lot here in southern CA.
Well, at 61 I have come back to riding a hard tail for the last 6 yrs, after a sojourn with motor cycle and a racer when I was younger. I also fell on roots 3 yrs ago and bust my shoulder in 3 places. But I am enjoying, wish I'd come back to mtb ing 20 yrs ago. Video gives me more faith in biking. And the comments are great.
Hardtail is about the money...this is actualy very true. I see a lot of people, including me, who would not say no to a good full sus but the price is way too high. So they rather buy a good and afordable hardtail than a very expensive fully. Another point that i will say over and over again: For people who do not have proper trails nearby or living in a rather flat area without those "double black diamond" Trails a hardtail is often more than enough to have fun. A big enduro fully would possible take the fun away because it makes live too easy ;-)
Some might argue "Well, if you REALLY liked mountain biking, you would just grab the cheapest FS bike you can afford." In my opinion, if any reasonable FS bike is already a major purchase for me, I'd rather go all the way (within reason) than part of the way. To me, it's between a $3k+ FS and whatever HT I have lying around. There's some truth in the hypothetical statement that I'm not bothered to pay real money for a mountain bike: I am not serious enough a rider to consider one just yet. However, part of the reason as to why I mess about on a HT bike is because I don't consider myself a serious rider; I'm after the thrilling experience of navigating mixed terrain on a sketchy old HT - not using a FS bike to do blistering runs down technical trails. Since I am not yet willing to develop the skills necessary in pushing a FS bike to its limits, I'd rather not prematurely ride one and have it essentially be a comfort cruiser.
Started off on a hardtail like most MTB'ers. Then rode a full suss for over 12 years & said I'd never go back to a hardtail. Then bought a Nukeproof Scout just over two years ago & I love it.
Well Blake, you got that right? I myself I love a hard bike, especially with the lockout shock in the front because it makes it a good bike just ride and all conditions you don’t get the bounciness of a dual suspension. It gives you the energy you put in it is what you get out of it.
I live in a mountainous area with great riding. All mountain bike and hard tail cover the spectrum. Hard tails are excellent for enjoying mellow terrain, traveling and riding in less mountainous areas, gravel rides, etc.
As someone who bought my 1st MTB in '87 (GT Avalanche) I only ride a hardtail. To me, it's truly what MTBing is. I've had full suspensions and while they were fun, it blended a moto feeling with MTB for me and it isn't the feeling I like on a bicycle.... as for a motor assisted MTBing, I'll just jump on a 450 if I want a motor.
So Funny!!! My trails are rooty like that „brutal“ part on their flowy parts…. And guess what: I ride my Stanton Switch9er much more and with more fun than my Pivot Switchblade Fully! Hardtails are just FUN!!!!
I learned on a hardtail and now have a full suspension and wouldn’t go back. However I do want a second bike that’s a hardtail cause I miss the feedback you get from the trail sometimes.
Dude, these presentations are always amazing and engaging. As you're talking about, "these bikes are for everyone", a guy goes down in the background and i point like we are three guys talking. Awesome content!
I still bomb about on a Hardtail at 51. It does come unstuck at times. Sometimes you have to go a bit quicker than you would like. However sometimes it is rather nice to see those on a full suss look back and see you on a ht riding just as well as them. I ride ht because a, I like them, b, I can't afford of a full suss or to run them. and c, there is a lot less to look after. I don't dislike full suss but at present a HT is alright fro where I ride. Which if you think it's all nice. It's Exmoor which has it all.
I'm using a Brusko Machete AM Hardtail before then i tried a full suspension (Banshee Rune, GT Force, Trek Slash) bike. I admit that I enjoyed the fullsus that time. But it didn't take me a year to change back to a hardtail. A Dartmoor Hornet then a Commencal Meta HT. Felt I'm one with the trail even more. I couldn't be happier when i returned to using a trusty hardtail. Best decision going back ❤
I’m 26 now, riding since I was 4, and into MTB since 14 I guess… never had enough money for something non-rusty so used hardtails were the only choice. Had my TREK 3700 from 2013, got some skills on it, then was a Dartmoor Primal on 2017. Hella fun bike. On the chunky stuff (trails or city) it let you fight for your life and damn that is the spicy part of riding that brings a real extra fun. But Ful suspension bikes always were like a Holy Grail of a bikes for me (and I’m sure not only for me). So savings, work and last year I got a Canyon Strive cf7. And … I was surprised how actually BORING my town and trails could be. I mean with same habits and techniques on the places where you have been fighting for a life on hard tail it feels like full sus just “OK we’re going here and there, so what?” So now I’m bit confused. Having a dream bike without pure riding emotions that you used to dream about sucks. Guess I’ll sell the Strive and go back on a hardtails… or will ensure myself that full sus are best and skill up to fit them
I have a hardtail for just general paved pathway riding in a comfortable riding position for when my back hurts. It's my most used bike. I've got 7 other bikes too, but I ride my hardtail MTB the most. I do have a Cane Creek suspension seatpost on it though and some Thickslicks. In the early 90's I was sales manager of a bike shop, and most bikes didn't have any suspension back then. We used to make fun of people with full suspension bikes, lol. They were so heavy back then. I think front suspension started at $1500 back then, in 1993/4 dollars. I got a FS Stumpjumper back then with Shimano XT on it for $1500 retail.
I bought a hardtail cause I bicycle to work and a doublesuspension is heavier and softer in the rear, but I realised that there are limits for it just like Steve said! A doublesuspension can take more and forgive more mistakes and still let you have fun. I need to think about the rearrim everytime I come across jag a trail that's a bit over my limit.. You can put it this way, if you don't thrust your skills you can thrust your doublesuspension, but with a hardtail you first need to thrust your skills.
My Nukeproof Scout is my most crashed, most ridden, most insane, most loved bike I have. It's done (been crashed at) the Forest of Dean (as pictured above), across Norfolk and most recently the Malverns Classic Enduro and Slalom courses. It is The One Bike.
Steve Jones: "Hardtails don't teach you better skills. They just teach you different skills - and they teach you bad technique." Steve Jones watching Chris Akrigg on a full suspension ebike: "How did he learn to do that?!"
A got a hardtail bc i didn't have the $$ but wanted to learn and get out on the trail with friends. After years, I finally saved up the money to buy a proper MTB. ...i bought a hardtail 😁 better components everywhere else, less $$on maintenance and I'll i have to do is keep riding it and having fun 🥰😎 If i had loads of extra money I'd certainly have a full squishy bike too
Blake, I know what you wanted to say about the shaky stuff. You have to be good to ride it on the hardtail fast whereas fullsus kind of does it for you. So on the hardtail, you can challenge yourself on a terrain where a slight mistake does not result in fatal injury. Hardtail does not make you a better rider, it makes riding more fun.
I love my hardtails. I have carbon wheels on my custom built Specialized Chisel and was laughing at Steve's comments. I help coach my sons Nica XC team and it's hard to beat a dialed in hardtail for speed on flow. We do take them to the Mts and it can get spicy for sure. All good and enjoyed the video. Riding is fun no matter what you are on for sure.
Kudos to Steve being so sporting at 57 and Blake always making it look so easy. Love hardtails for life, they really make the trails alive and force you to be more active on the bike and use your legs as suspension. Not the fastest but always more fun IMHO. Cheers
@@letsgoletsgoletsgoletsgoletsgo yhea but finding deals like those isn't realistic for the majority of us. You can rent a cheap hard tail at Decathlon for like 10€ a day and it would be an amazing video.
I started riding mtb in '84 on fully rigid. I only ride hardtails now. Never wanted a full suspension. My best riding buddy uses a rigid, single speed 29er on his neighborhood, old school, rake and ride trails. I'm 69 and my buddy is 77. If I ever did ride a full suspension, I think it would have to be an ebike. I have enough of a job getting up steep stuff on a lighter hardtail. Maybe when I'm pushing 80. Meanwhile, I still gotta try to keep up with my 77 year old friend on his custom 29er rigid ss!
9:00 I work in a bike shop, and one of the most common issues I hear with full suspension bikes, is that people feel like the bike is sliding, or drifting, because they are not used to the back tire having suspension
Great show guys, you two work well together...I just came back from Derby, Tasmania, Australia and tried most of the tracks there. I went down some tracks twice, to see the difference between a hard tail and a soft tail bike...after riding both types of bikes for many years, I found in Derby, that on the green, blue and black trails I preferred the hard tail more. Only when it came to the double black trails is where the soft tail bike came into its elements. At age 55, I did notice my legs where buggered after riding on the hard tail at the end of the day, but I enjoyed the skill and interaction with the bike much more. It's like you become part of the bike, so much more feedback to learn your limits as a rider.
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Hardtails are not just pre-fullsuspension bikes, or "can't afford better". It's similar to how some people like riding fixed gears, others like CX bikes on trails... Hardtails give you challenge, fun, good effort, with all the pros and cons mentioned before. If i had ton of money, i would still build a hardtail, no doubt.
Lots of people out there can afford a full sus but choose a hardtail. On a lot of trails (anything thats not super rocky) they are faster and more fun. Great conclusion that its not about the bike, what ever bike you are on is a fun time.
I went from a 130mm Forked hardtail to a Full sus 170mm enduro bike. It's fun to take the hardtail out to the more mellow trails and has a similar challenge as riding the full enduro on rougher trails.
I resto-modded a 20 year old hardtail found in a scrap pile. It's now rocking fox forks and a 1x10 train. It's my go-to bike for messing about/training on. My Trance carbon susser is for big days, but I wouldn't part with my hardtail.
I have 1 HT and 1 Enduro FullSus. My go-to bike is the HT. I only ride the FS on the gnarliest of tracks. I've found that when you learn to keep your feet on the flat pedals on the HT, it helps you go even faster on the FS.
A fat hard tail with a PNW Coast Suspension dropper post and Manitou Mastadon fork. Glides over snow, sand and mud. Climbs like a goat. Fat tires soften the chatter. Fork and suspension post absorb the bigger hits. Haven’t ridden my old full squish since
I've had FS bike, but I think it's all about having fun on the trails, got back to a HT (Modern Geo) and realized its all I will ever need...so for me HT all day!
Still miss my 96 rockhopper rigid bike. I could pass guys on downhill bikes at places like Keystone and Copper. It was lighter and more responsive and yes I road clipped in so the bike and I were one. I would love to see a show where they take some of those old bikes and test them out.
Writing this while still in hospital after crashing with my hardtail: adjust your suspensions properly, folks! My rebound caused the front wheel to loose traction. Nearly lost my pinky finger. It was bent so badly it ripped the capsule and came through the skin. Full sus or hardtail: proper setup is super important for safety.
His face expresion when he was shaken to bits on those roots is priceless.
It's a vibe, roots are fun on hard tail
lol amature face 😂
@@mtr.t not very fun on my old knees and elbows. Not at all.
@@mtr.tnope. Been heading hardtail for quite a few years now. Roots aren’t fun, especially a big network of them, uphill
There is quite a certain chemistry between these two, they need to do more films together!
Very informative and absolute riot the way you two carry on!
Big disagree. Steve seems like a real dickhead.
A friend of mine met Steve on a hike in greece this year. They drank quit a few beers together and steeve paid for all of it. He realy is also a great guy outside of GMBN and EMBN.
Came here to say the same. Love these two!
Film😂
I can't believe I have to say this again. Hardtails make easy Trails fun instead of boring. The trails closest to my house on my Enduro bike are a snooze fest where I can just steamroll everything. Those same Trails come alive on my hardtail with every little bump and side hit becoming a playground. When I drive an hour into the mountains my Enduro bike lets me ride things I couldn't on my hardtail. And if I take my hardtail to the mountains I can have an absolute terrifying but epic time also.
Agreed!
Same thing goes for short travel fullys
Agreed. Idk but I'd say a hardtail made me into a better rider overall
I have a hard tail as I ride more on the road than off road and up hill also,no electricity helping.
Just started riding a hard tail after like 20 years, having a blast with it.
Steve and Blake the combo I never knew I needed 👏
I came up from the beginnings of mountain biking too, I'm 62 now. Still riding a hardtail, it's not about what I can afford. I like that Toyota type quality of a hardtail, it 's simple and just always goes. I am fighting the aging process, I want the workout, the riding up hill as well as down. I like the responsiveness, the lighter weight, feeling the trail. After riding trails for years on a CX bike the hardtail seems really smooth now anyways. A big shout out to World Champ Pauline Ferrand Prevot for winning on a hardtail! It really is about skill and the bike is just a tool, some like power tools some hand tools, they both get the job done, with the end result being fun...
top man I am 3 years ahead and it gets harder
..."all out there riding our bike having fun"...and...3...2...1 Massive OTB! I'm ipmressed guys, that was some superb timing and I hope your stunt rider was well compensated... and that it only took 1 take.
Perfect timing
15:50
I need money for that
I need money for that
Let's take a moment to appreciate just how skillful Blake is on a bike...any bike. You don't realise it until you put him up against someone who can't match his level of skill, even a great rider like Steve Jones.
I definitely concur that Blake can ride anything and expertly pull off pretty much "anything" on a less than modern bike.
Jesus what a difference in decending through that rough stuff, blake did it so smoothly!
30 years younger knees are noticeable
He told it, he was clipped on and was not pushing feet down to keep them on pedals.
I also absolutely LOVE how Steve is no Bullshit. LOL. Even though this video reverse-convinced me because Steve was so raw and honest, make of these! Love these honest none-sugar coated videos. Next one: Clipless is always better or Carbon is always better than Alu. Wireless AXS shifting is always better. :)
I’m also 57 and started out on rigid forked bike in the 80s. I’ve only owned a hard tail and love it. Whenever I ride a full sus, I feel like I’m driving a truck through the woods. I’ve rarely encountered something I felt my hardtail couldn’t handle.
Riding clipped in is a great point and it really shows in the two clips through the roots.
That said, I would love an e-bike. They are a different animal but so much fun.
At one point here semi recently I had a FS XC bike and a rigid hardtail. For most riding here outside DC, I reached for the rigid HT for 97% of rides.
So I sold the FS bike
@@GummeeH3 I'm in Annapolis. From Bacon's to Patapasco to Fountainhead, the hardtail has never left me wanting.
I'm on my 3rd ragley in about 6 years, absolutely love them.
i wonder why you have a new hardtail every two years? :P Just joking :P Just ordered a Big Wig
@@eXaviar haha its not becausce they are breaking the build quality is great , I've been getting them through cycle to work scheme so might aswell get a newer model.
With smaller brands pushing the geometry of progressive hardtails and the bigger brands getting onboard, hardtails are becoming more and more capable and enjoyable. I recently got myself the current generation trek Roscoe and it's probably the most fun bike I've owned and the one I use the most. For the most part it is perfect for 90% of my riding, for the 10% that it isn't I jump on my Slash. As others have said in the comments, a hard tail makes you get creative by finding new lines or bombing what would be chill trails on a full sus. They're also great for technique, as an already confident rider my riding has progressed massively since getting onto a hardtail. They're definitely not just for beginners!
I got a trek Roscoe 9 as my first bike. I am at this point where my skills have progressed tremendously, and I’m deciding if I should get a full suspension fuel EX. Love to hear that you are very happy with your Roscoe
The fuel Ex is also a great bike, the Roscoe has very similar geometry aside from the lack of a rear shock. Since writing my initial comment I’ve sold my Slash and currently just riding my Roscoe, albeit with a few modifications. Maybe consider looking to do a few upgrades to get more out of the Roscoe which you can always transfer to another bike later on. Just a thought, or if you want a Fuel EX. Crack on!
I have both a hardtail and a full sus but find myself taking the hardtail out more as it just more fun to ride , that said I’m not nearly at these guys levels 😂
I got a Giant Fathom 1 2021 29er in 2021. Straight out of the gate the full sus guys were on my case to upgrade. I can appreciate how good a full sus is, truly an engineering marvel and another beast all together, but all I ever wanted was to ride my own bike because it rides so good. I was too busy being amazed at the progression in bike tech and competency in general to care about full sus. Even still I had the privilege of riding some great full sus bikes, like a carbon fibre giant trance 27er and one of those top of the line canyon carbon fibre spectral. They are definitively more forgiving, it felt like I could approach any berm at speed because the bike could just be shred into it without any worry about losing traction. It took me a long time to master some fraction of the level of confidence on a hard tail and it's been satisfying as heck.
Built my first hardtail this year- a singlespeed Ragley Big Al. Hardly touched my full sus Trance ever since. Amazing how capable modern hardtails are!
I just built up a ragley blue pig as a mullet and my god i love it to bits
Yeah. I sold my full Sus after buying lightweight xc hardtrail
@@heinzbeanzz7267That was my dream a few years back but never got of my butt, glad to hear someone did it and loves it 👍👍
Love my Ragley Marley frame... it's just a tad too short. I'm really digging the geo on the new Scouts, but my bright metallic orange paint on my Ragley just looks so good.
I built myself a custom hardtail this year too! immediately sold my full sus Trek
More Steve is needed on GMBN
I'm 10 yrs older than Steve and grew up in the country where all of the roads were gravel and the old quarry is where we learned to repair bikes as every ride seemed to break something. I still remember the early front shocks which we thought were great, but are shit by today's standards. When full-sus came out my body said thank you very much. Steve, I'm in full agreement with you as I also have no desire to beat my old bones up any more than I have to. Blake will learn this too one day, but right now he's still thinking with the wrong head, because he still can.
Nice! Love the counterpoint and push back. I relate to the “right tool” notion. I ride a hardtail, a Stanton Sherpa. Buying used, it was an affordable entry point into MTB for me at age 50. I enjoy learning about bike maintenance and making upgrades over time. I love the simplicity and weight. I ride once a week. Perhaps a full-sus is in my future, but I enjoy greens and blues as a new rider and the hardtail doesn’t feel limiting at my pace.
This is the first honest discussion about hardtails in gmbn. Yes, FS are easier and more confidence inspiring, but hardtails are cheaper! Checkmate!
Please. Let these two lads make more vidoes together. Please! 😂
In absolute stitches. LOL The root section brought back so many memories. Hilarious trying to convince and all the proper defense responses. So good! You two are hilarious together. Steve, you are fun to watch.
the smile on his face while whining about sweating and downplaying the hardtail tho, it definitely brought back some vigor into him
Very, very enjoyable! And Steve is so funny 🙂 Thank you both!
I’ve ridden full susser. But I prefer hard tail bikes some of the points were valid but I ride black grade trails on a hard tail. It doesn’t let you get away with messing up it bites you in your backside takes a bit more skill on a hard tail
I am 53yo I started riding MTB 3 years ago, I started with a trek marlin 5 and than I got an Orbea lauffy , than I got a Santacruz Hightower v3, and nowadays I ride my loved Yamaha Moro 7 E-Bike, I love my Moro but I most admit that I will forever have a spot in my heart for my hard tail, so much I just ordered a nukeproof scout.
One of my biggest regrets was never getting into biking earlier. I got into it when I was 20 and have been cycling for over 30 yrs. I absolutely love the sport.
Got into it when i was 26. Same feeling but such is life, better late than never
@@TheSpaceBrosShow Im just now starting and Im 44 lol
@@duanen2337 hell yeah man 🎉
I’ve gone back to a hardtail. SC Chameleon mullet. Most fun I’ve have in years. Back to basics sort of experience.
Great video. Steve Jones looks like most of my riding partners when I pull out the hardtail. I absolutely understand why people dislike them, but I think they are missing out. Hardtails are a fully immersive tactile experience. While I enjoy mindlessly smashing through trails on the Enduro, feeling every rock and bump on a hardtail keeps me completely present.
@@outdoorsandiego Try hardtail in rock gardens which is the only surface I have to ride on in the region 😂
@9a2er I've taken the hardtail into some serious chunk and rock gardens. Not my favorite terrain for the hardtail but it's nice to have the bragging rights when you survive
Riding a trusty Hardtail for decades now...the last one for over twelve years. Then the new one only because of new standards and I wanted to try a dropper post (the old Rocky Mountain Flow had a 26.8mm seattube).
Spent over 4k because of the Rohloff gearhub and some other beloved stuff and I'm very very happy with it!
Several years ago a friend of mine and me tried out some full sus-bikes with around 120-150mm of travel front and rear and we blazed all of our hometrails. Both we are hardtail-lovers and for us we decided, that our hometrails would become kind of boring on a full sus.
P.s.: Allways good entertainig work from GMBN💚
Built myself a custom hard-tail starting with the Titanium Switch9er Ti Gen IV (UK custom frame builders) cos I loved it so much, took it back to bare metal with some nice custom wrapping on the rear 40%.
Hydraulic Brakes, Fox 160mm in the front with 160mm front disc, 1 x 10 SRAM in the rear with 140mm disc.
Big knobby tyres, inner dropper, titanium pedals and 29inch carbon rims and nice wide handlebar with a shorter stem.
Took me 3 years to save for it but its my pride and joy. Headed out to Wales to shred some bike parks over the bank holiday weekend just passed.
I just find doing large drops and jumps so much more satisfying as you sink into the landing with your knees.
I too started in the days of full rigid bikes, before mountain bikes were a thing, when BMX was new and scary. Steel frames and big chain rings, with brakes that barely worked.
In my 40’s now, and still on a hard tail. Planning on building a full sus eventually, but loving the hard tail for getting my skills back into shape.
Need to see more videos like this. Y’all have a great split on perspectives, and they play off each other very well.
When I sold my last 26” HT I thought that was the end of my relationship with them.
Then realised a HT is probably the most versatile bike out there. Had 29er ever since and can’t imagine life without one. It’s my go to bike if I want to grab a bike and just go for a ride, 0:33
Idk I picked up a second hand ht over fs even tho they were similar speced and priced. The simplicity is attractive.
We need more of these two together in videos
Growing up mtn biking in early 90s Ive had enough time on a hardtail, never again, embrace the modern mtn bike, it really is what we always wanted!!! No more hardtails ever needed!
You have inspired me a fat 34 year old truck driver in usa to get on a mountain bike. Started on a full suspension 08 fuji and broke the swing arm within a month. Just layaway a polygon hard tail. I'm currently in a bankruptcy so the budget is killing me. But I want a full sus so bad I can taste it. The hard tail will keep me occupied until I can figure a way into a full sus.
I rode a poorly designed full suspension for nearly 20 years during covid lock down I had enough and bought a GT Aggressor Expert hardtail and love it.
Bring this man more often, the combo of you two is just perfect !
It’s the dysfunctional Dad & Lad combo. Absolutely hilarious and yet so relatable. Hardtail for life!
Started on a hard tail. Went full suspension. Back on late model hard tail with modern geometry. Love it.
61 and still enjoying my hardtail and my full sus bikes. The hardtail for it's ease of pedalling uphill and the technical downhill runs. Then the full sus for carefree fast riding downhill with less favourable uphill struggles. Enjoyed the video though Blake.
after years off the bike (wrong purchase back in the days, wasn't feeling it, abandoned my bike and had no fun) and a lot of back and forth, i finally got myself a RM Altitude Powerplay last year,
its a great E-MTB and i ride it as often as possible and its my favorite bike ever, its a beast that plows through (and up!) everything!
It really did rekindle my love for bicycles and got me back riding.
That said, a few months ago i decided to additionally get a NP Scout 275, just a basic spec, nothing crazy and i must say, i also love it very much. its a completely different experience and now im also back on a regular bike! WIN WIN
We need more Steve with Blake!
How useful is a high end hard tail to me? I have got one. Two or three hours at a gentle pace, once per week. Ebike it is then because I want to ride every day. Full sus or HT? Well, Steve Jones has well and truly answered that question. Basically, will your body respond well to repeated hits or won't it? Mine won't so full suspension it is. My ego is NOT happy about that. :-)
Another great video to distract me from work. I just love the simplicity and direct drive of a hardtail.
i just turned 52, started MTB just 3 years ago. my first "real" bike was a HT with 120 fork. more XC than trail (as i discovered on any Black diamond)
fast forward to last week.. i own a 115, a 140, and a 160 - decided to go back to my roots and get another HT. so looking forward to pushing it hard! the things i hear about this specific HT i just built is that it loves to be pushed beyond what you would think are the limits of the travel and frame.
I started to rid my Sonder transmitter hardtail 1 months ago, and I really love that bike. Sometimes is a little bit tricky to go downhill but I think it can help me to improve my riding skills and then be a better rider with full susp if I want to upgrade in the future.
Also everybody said to me to start with hardtail so I did that.
For a true riding experience - the hardtail rocks - I love mine - Gravel bike packing trips in particular - it’s the one !!
Too right Steve Jones, I am turning 48 this coming December 4th, and have been thinking a lot about my biking skills and how much more I need to progress to be the best I want to be before I hit the proverbial hill; no pun intended.
Steve, you are my hero! Go to it mate!
Best GMBN video in ages. Great points made by both, great chemistry between them, so funny. As others have said more Blake and Steve please 🙏😀
I'm 60 years old, and I ride road and mountain bikes. I've ridden hardtails since I began riding in my 20's. Most of the trails I ride are not very technical, and I love the flow on switchback sections. I also love the advantage of climbing with a firmness instead of squishiness. I ascend steep climbs a lot here in southern CA.
Good to see you on the channel, Steve!
Well done guys that was good viewing.Keep up the great work.
Well, at 61 I have come back to riding a hard tail for the last 6 yrs, after a sojourn with motor cycle and a racer when I was younger.
I also fell on roots 3 yrs ago and bust my shoulder in 3 places.
But I am enjoying, wish I'd come back to mtb ing 20 yrs ago.
Video gives me more faith in biking. And the comments are great.
Hardtail is about the money...this is actualy very true. I see a lot of people, including me, who would not say no to a good full sus but the price is way too high. So they rather buy a good and afordable hardtail than a very expensive fully.
Another point that i will say over and over again: For people who do not have proper trails nearby or living in a rather flat area without those "double black diamond" Trails a hardtail is often more than enough to have fun. A big enduro fully would possible take the fun away because it makes live too easy ;-)
Some might argue "Well, if you REALLY liked mountain biking, you would just grab the cheapest FS bike you can afford." In my opinion, if any reasonable FS bike is already a major purchase for me, I'd rather go all the way (within reason) than part of the way. To me, it's between a $3k+ FS and whatever HT I have lying around. There's some truth in the hypothetical statement that I'm not bothered to pay real money for a mountain bike: I am not serious enough a rider to consider one just yet. However, part of the reason as to why I mess about on a HT bike is because I don't consider myself a serious rider; I'm after the thrilling experience of navigating mixed terrain on a sketchy old HT - not using a FS bike to do blistering runs down technical trails. Since I am not yet willing to develop the skills necessary in pushing a FS bike to its limits, I'd rather not prematurely ride one and have it essentially be a comfort cruiser.
Awesome video 😂 Steve and Blake should do videos together more often.
🙄🙄Really?
Love it man you guys are hilarious. Love it. That’s for real man. I love it. Good job.
Started off on a hardtail like most MTB'ers. Then rode a full suss for over 12 years & said I'd never go back to a hardtail. Then bought a Nukeproof Scout just over two years ago & I love it.
My mate, 75 years old, very little experience of DH took his HT Whyte 901 to Dyfi to ride Lovey Dyfi and Super swooper and loved it
Well Blake, you got that right? I myself I love a hard bike, especially with the lockout shock in the front because it makes it a good bike just ride and all conditions you don’t get the bounciness of a dual suspension. It gives you the energy you put in it is what you get out of it.
I live in a mountainous area with great riding. All mountain bike and hard tail cover the spectrum. Hard tails are excellent for enjoying mellow terrain, traveling and riding in less mountainous areas, gravel rides, etc.
As someone who bought my 1st MTB in '87 (GT Avalanche) I only ride a hardtail. To me, it's truly what MTBing is. I've had full suspensions and while they were fun, it blended a moto feeling with MTB for me and it isn't the feeling I like on a bicycle.... as for a motor assisted MTBing, I'll just jump on a 450 if I want a motor.
That’s what is called camera skills. Perfect zoom in. Cameramen needs a rise for his anticipation skills.😂
So Funny!!! My trails are rooty like that „brutal“ part on their flowy parts…. And guess what: I ride my Stanton Switch9er much more and with more fun than my Pivot Switchblade Fully!
Hardtails are just FUN!!!!
I learned on a hardtail and now have a full suspension and wouldn’t go back. However I do want a second bike that’s a hardtail cause I miss the feedback you get from the trail sometimes.
I said the exact same thing and just got a hardcore hardtail it’s amazing definitely need both in your life.
That was 15 min of unscripted youtube gold. Can’t believe they replayed that crash at the end
Dude, these presentations are always amazing and engaging. As you're talking about, "these bikes are for everyone", a guy goes down in the background and i point like we are three guys talking. Awesome content!
I still bomb about on a Hardtail at 51. It does come unstuck at times. Sometimes you have to go a bit quicker than you would like. However sometimes it is rather nice to see those on a full suss look back and see you on a ht riding just as well as them. I ride ht because a, I like them, b, I can't afford of a full suss or to run them. and c, there is a lot less to look after. I don't dislike full suss but at present a HT is alright fro where I ride. Which if you think it's all nice. It's Exmoor which has it all.
I'm using a Brusko Machete AM Hardtail before then i tried a full suspension (Banshee Rune, GT Force, Trek Slash) bike. I admit that I enjoyed the fullsus that time. But it didn't take me a year to change back to a hardtail. A Dartmoor Hornet then a Commencal Meta HT.
Felt I'm one with the trail even more. I couldn't be happier when i returned to using a trusty hardtail. Best decision going back ❤
I’m 26 now, riding since I was 4, and into MTB since 14 I guess… never had enough money for something non-rusty so used hardtails were the only choice. Had my TREK 3700 from 2013, got some skills on it, then was a Dartmoor Primal on 2017. Hella fun bike. On the chunky stuff (trails or city) it let you fight for your life and damn that is the spicy part of riding that brings a real extra fun. But Ful suspension bikes always were like a Holy Grail of a bikes for me (and I’m sure not only for me). So savings, work and last year I got a Canyon Strive cf7. And … I was surprised how actually BORING my town and trails could be. I mean with same habits and techniques on the places where you have been fighting for a life on hard tail it feels like full sus just “OK we’re going here and there, so what?” So now I’m bit confused. Having a dream bike without pure riding emotions that you used to dream about sucks. Guess I’ll sell the Strive and go back on a hardtails… or will ensure myself that full sus are best and skill up to fit them
I have a hardtail for just general paved pathway riding in a comfortable riding position for when my back hurts. It's my most used bike. I've got 7 other bikes too, but I ride my hardtail MTB the most. I do have a Cane Creek suspension seatpost on it though and some Thickslicks. In the early 90's I was sales manager of a bike shop, and most bikes didn't have any suspension back then. We used to make fun of people with full suspension bikes, lol. They were so heavy back then. I think front suspension started at $1500 back then, in 1993/4 dollars. I got a FS Stumpjumper back then with Shimano XT on it for $1500 retail.
I bought a hardtail cause I bicycle to work and a doublesuspension is heavier and softer in the rear, but I realised that there are limits for it just like Steve said! A doublesuspension can take more and forgive more mistakes and still let you have fun. I need to think about the rearrim everytime I come across jag a trail that's a bit over my limit.. You can put it this way, if you don't thrust your skills you can thrust your doublesuspension, but with a hardtail you first need to thrust your skills.
My Nukeproof Scout is my most crashed, most ridden, most insane, most loved bike I have. It's done (been crashed at) the Forest of Dean (as pictured above), across Norfolk and most recently the Malverns Classic Enduro and Slalom courses. It is The One Bike.
2000 klein attitude race all night sometimes during the day, 23 year old retro hardtails still do the job, just gotta love it!
Steve Jones: "Hardtails don't teach you better skills. They just teach you different skills - and they teach you bad technique."
Steve Jones watching Chris Akrigg on a full suspension ebike: "How did he learn to do that?!"
A got a hardtail bc i didn't have the $$ but wanted to learn and get out on the trail with friends.
After years, I finally saved up the money to buy a proper MTB.
...i bought a hardtail 😁 better components everywhere else, less $$on maintenance and I'll i have to do is keep riding it and having fun 🥰😎
If i had loads of extra money I'd certainly have a full squishy bike too
Blake, I know what you wanted to say about the shaky stuff. You have to be good to ride it on the hardtail fast whereas fullsus kind of does it for you. So on the hardtail, you can challenge yourself on a terrain where a slight mistake does not result in fatal injury. Hardtail does not make you a better rider, it makes riding more fun.
I love my hardtails. I have carbon wheels on my custom built Specialized Chisel and was laughing at Steve's comments. I help coach my sons Nica XC team and it's hard to beat a dialed in hardtail for speed on flow. We do take them to the Mts and it can get spicy for sure. All good and enjoyed the video. Riding is fun no matter what you are on for sure.
Kudos to Steve being so sporting at 57 and Blake always making it look so easy. Love hardtails for life, they really make the trails alive and force you to be more active on the bike and use your legs as suspension. Not the fastest but always more fun IMHO. Cheers
It would be amazing to see a video like this but with cheap Decathlon bikes
sam. and the boys did a cheap enduro bike version one of them was riding a rockrider full sus, fun episode
@@letsgoletsgoletsgoletsgoletsgo yhea but finding deals like those isn't realistic for the majority of us. You can rent a cheap hard tail at Decathlon for like 10€ a day and it would be an amazing video.
I started riding mtb in '84 on fully rigid. I only ride hardtails now. Never wanted a full suspension. My best riding buddy uses a rigid, single speed 29er on his neighborhood, old school, rake and ride trails.
I'm 69 and my buddy is 77.
If I ever did ride a full suspension, I think it would have to be an ebike. I have enough of a job getting up steep stuff on a lighter hardtail.
Maybe when I'm pushing 80. Meanwhile, I still gotta try to keep up with my 77 year old friend on his custom 29er rigid ss!
9:00 I work in a bike shop, and one of the most common issues I hear with full suspension bikes, is that people feel like the bike is sliding, or drifting, because they are not used to the back tire having suspension
truly thought Blake dropped the F bomb at 2:25 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Great show guys, you two work well together...I just came back from Derby, Tasmania, Australia and tried most of the tracks there. I went down some tracks twice, to see the difference between a hard tail and a soft tail bike...after riding both types of bikes for many years, I found in Derby, that on the green, blue and black trails I preferred the hard tail more. Only when it came to the double black trails is where the soft tail bike came into its elements. At age 55, I did notice my legs where buggered after riding on the hard tail at the end of the day, but I enjoyed the skill and interaction with the bike much more. It's like you become part of the bike, so much more feedback to learn your limits as a rider.
Hardtails are not just pre-fullsuspension bikes, or "can't afford better". It's similar to how some people like riding fixed gears, others like CX bikes on trails... Hardtails give you challenge, fun, good effort, with all the pros and cons mentioned before. If i had ton of money, i would still build a hardtail, no doubt.
Riding a Kona Big Honzo steel out here in Montana. Getting my bones rattled but I love it.
Lots of people out there can afford a full sus but choose a hardtail. On a lot of trails (anything thats not super rocky) they are faster and more fun. Great conclusion that its not about the bike, what ever bike you are on is a fun time.
100%. I find my hardtail way more fun on most trails
2021 Marin San Quentin 1. Put on some flat pedals, cheap dropper, grippy dropper lever and grips and haven’t had a single issue since.
I went from a 130mm Forked hardtail to a Full sus 170mm enduro bike. It's fun to take the hardtail out to the more mellow trails and has a similar challenge as riding the full enduro on rougher trails.
What riding pants is Blake wearing ?
Love it. I'm with Steve... it's the right tool for the situation that matters. It's exciting to do it the other way, but not practical.
I resto-modded a 20 year old hardtail found in a scrap pile. It's now rocking fox forks and a 1x10 train. It's my go-to bike for messing about/training on. My Trance carbon susser is for big days, but I wouldn't part with my hardtail.
I have 1 HT and 1 Enduro FullSus. My go-to bike is the HT. I only ride the FS on the gnarliest of tracks. I've found that when you learn to keep your feet on the flat pedals on the HT, it helps you go even faster on the FS.
Great Conversation Blake, and some great learning points for Both Bikes........🤝🏾🇺🇸💪🏾👍🏾
Love it. Love my hardtail, but it aint coming on rough trails anymore.
He's using Dodi's bike but they were using footage of Rich's. Anybody else notice that?
A fat hard tail with a PNW Coast Suspension dropper post and Manitou Mastadon fork. Glides over snow, sand and mud. Climbs like a goat. Fat tires soften the chatter. Fork and suspension post absorb the bigger hits. Haven’t ridden my old full squish since
I have emtb and a full sus but i love getting out on my hardtail, they are so much fun
I've had FS bike, but I think it's all about having fun on the trails, got back to a HT (Modern Geo) and realized its all I will ever need...so for me HT all day!
Love the banter and sharing of wisdom.
Still miss my 96 rockhopper rigid bike. I could pass guys on downhill bikes at places like Keystone and Copper. It was lighter and more responsive and yes I road clipped in so the bike and I were one. I would love to see a show where they take some of those old bikes and test them out.
Writing this while still in hospital after crashing with my hardtail: adjust your suspensions properly, folks! My rebound caused the front wheel to loose traction. Nearly lost my pinky finger. It was bent so badly it ripped the capsule and came through the skin. Full sus or hardtail: proper setup is super important for safety.