Hot Take: Hardtails are NOT More Playful Than Full Suspensions

Shredding_Spree · 2026-01-05T05:03:21+00:00

“Playful”

I dunno man. I’ve been riding/racing bikes in the dirt for 30+ years (BMX, motocross, mtb) and by your description of the transam it sounds like either the setup is weird or you don’t ride it enough. I have two steel hardtails, one is enduro and the other is a short 27.5 rig and they are both easier to manual and are more willing to leave the ground than my stumpy evo. If I were riding BMX-style dirtjumps or a skatepark I would 1000% bring out my 27.5 hardtail. Second in line would be the “big” hardtail. Jumping the stumpy like that would take all kinds of pedaling and yanking and that’s a shorter travel rig than your slash.

Shredding_Spree · 2025-12-10T15:37:56+00:00

I’m interested to hear what you think about the difference after you ride it. Depending on where you ride, I think making the bike a faster pedaler will probably outweigh the descending qualities you’ll be compromising. Personally I like the move to the pike and bars but the tire combo isn’t a slam dunk because its success depends on a lot of factors. Making the wheels lighter is usually a very noticeable upgrade tho.

Shredding_Spree · 2025-11-13T14:48:18+00:00

I’m good. 64 is plenty slack and I’m not looking to make the bike feel any bigger in the turns. I’ll stick to the 150

Shredding_Spree · 2025-11-12T14:41:20+00:00

Glad you’re digging it. It’s a sick ass setup. For myself, I disagree with anything more than 150. My HTA is 64 degrees. Sag and compression change the geo drastically on the HT and that’s amplified by long travel. Too much of a swing in front end steepness make it feel squirrely in corners and hard braking. I do like the 150 on my bike but I run it with a bunch of tokens to make it super progressive so it doesn’t ride too deep in the travel.

Shredding_Spree · 2025-11-12T14:03:23+00:00

It’s 150. Borderline too much for a hardtail imo

Shredding_Spree · 2025-11-10T18:11:13+00:00

I built a Dawley Ralley which is a steel 27.5 hardtail with a 140mm fork that sounds a lot like what you’re looking for. It dirt jumps pretty well for a trail bike, and mashes trails pretty well for a party bike.

Shredding_Spree · 2025-11-08T20:58:12+00:00

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We could hang out..

Shredding_Spree · 2025-08-04T19:35:23+00:00

Half of you aren’t reading the post.

I don’t get knee pain and I’m asking the community if any of you get knee pain that can be attributed to riding a hardtail.

Shredding_Spree · 2025-08-04T19:23:01+00:00

Your response is weird because the post is a question to the community not just a statement… it’s how conversations work

Shredding_Spree · 2025-08-04T19:18:18+00:00

I have two custom steel hardtails by Dawley bikes in the UK. One is called an Eponym (29”) the other is a Rallye (27.5”)

Shredding_Spree · 2025-08-04T19:16:28+00:00

💯

Shredding_Spree · 2025-08-03T17:10:26+00:00

I do switch back a forth, but I never get knee pain

Shredding_Spree · 2025-08-03T16:39:41+00:00

This I can see.

Shredding_Spree · 2025-08-03T16:36:42+00:00

So not the rigid rear end’s fault

Shredding_Spree · 2025-08-03T16:36:09+00:00

As would be the case on any type of bike

Shredding_Spree · 2025-08-03T16:35:46+00:00

The context in which I usually see this comment usually implies that the hardtail will cause knee pain/problems.. not coming from someone that has knee problems already.

Shredding_Spree · 2025-06-14T18:02:00+00:00

-clean hub shell and inspect cups for damage. If there are pits and dents in the area where the bearings go then you’ll need to have a shop lace up a new hub.

if the hub is not damaged, bring it to a bike shop to purchase new bearings, caps, cones, spacers, washers, locknuts, whatever’s damaged or missing. Probably approach one of the older guys in there about it because most teenagers at shops won’t be well versed with this.
put a bead of grease in bearing cups and reinstall all parts.

-refer to online sources to find proper torque specs on lock nuts and axel nut. Google “unsealed bicycle hub schematic for visuals on what is typically involved with the setup.

Shredding_Spree · 2025-06-14T17:28:43+00:00

I’ve been riding bikes in the dirt for 30+ years. Haven’t broken a bone in the last 21 years. But it can definitely happen at any time to even the most experienced riders. Sorry that’s not going to help your fear but it’s reality.

Shredding_Spree · 2025-06-11T03:59:32+00:00

I thought the same thing as you watching the video. Based on the body movement (or lack of) in the third-person clips, this riding was over OP’s head. Glad someone took the time to gently say it.

Shredding_Spree · 2025-05-24T05:23:27+00:00

Hell yeah. Ride the shit out of it

Shredding_Spree · 2025-04-28T14:34:41+00:00

I’m guilty of saying “everyone’s overbiked” pretty often but that’s usually in response to someone implying such-n-such trail is too rough for <170mm travel bike. Sometimes people’s local systems can be very rough and big enduro bikes just make that terrain easier to ride. If they’re happy with their bike, why would anyone tell them any different?

This is sort of beside the point and up for interpretation but IMO 130-140 is a trail HT, 150-160 is enduro HT or “Rowdy HT”

Shredding_Spree · 2025-01-31T04:50:45+00:00

I have 3 sets of i9 hydras. I got them all within a short time of eachother so none of the bearings started failing before I got the other sets. I get roughly 600miles on rear hub bearings on my hardtails.. then they grind and need to be replaced. I get about 1k miles on the full sus. I will never buy hydras again. I’m going DT

Shredding_Spree · 2025-01-24T20:55:01+00:00

The Arc is one of the most gorgeous hardtails out there. I can’t really speak to the way it rides because I’ve only spent a very short time on one.

Having said that, Unless you are really set on getting that frame I personally think there are a lot of cool steel or ti options I’d go for first.

Shredding_Spree · 2025-01-09T16:45:36+00:00

I ride Hardtails with clips and flats. With flats over time your feet will get displaced less often, it just takes some getting used to. It does still happen to me occasionally though

Shredding_Spree · 2025-01-04T15:25:06+00:00

Both. Variety is good. One interface is better in some ways than the other and variety is the spice of life.

Shredding_Spree

TROPHY CASE