When do you need full suspension

A longer wheelbase also helps to keep the full suspension balanced and controlled at high speed, while the hardtail can start to feel skittish. Hit some rocks or roots and the additional traction afforded by the rear suspension is obvious as the hardtail skips and bounces. Here, despite the 20mm less suspension travel, the additional stiffness and improved damping of the RockShox fork found on the Big-Seven helps it to regain some ground.

Descending summary: Additional traction, shock absorbing rear suspension and geometry designed to descend, the full suspension wins hands down when the trail heads in a similar direction. That said, a better quality fork, similar to that found on the hardtail, would mean an absolute knock-out win for the full suspension on the descents. Here, the more aggressive position, rigid rear end and lighter weight of the hardtail sees it ride up the road with the full suspension in its dust.

The full suspension does have lockouts front and rear for these situations, but these just greatly firm up the suspension, and so there is still some give felt. Despite the lower quality components, the One-Twenty 7. The hardtail, with its lower weight and rigid rear end, is more efficient when your ride consists of road or smoother trails and plenty of pedalling.

With this in mind, the better quality hardtail would best suit a rider with racing ambitions or someone seeking a well-rounded bike to use for both commuting and weekend trail riding. Following this, below we give a rough guide in price points for where dual suspension bikes should be factored into your purchasing decision. Sure, for this money you may be able to find a used full suspension, but anything new will have far too many compromises for the intended purpose.

If buying new, buy it from a place that specializes in bicycles. This price has some full suspension bikes trickling in. Some exceptions exist, such as from Giant and Jamis — but they are few and far between. However, the increase of internet-based direct-buy outlets has meant there are some bargains to be had if the face-to-face service and support is not important to you. Brands such as Polygon , Vitus, Calibre and Fezzari can be considered here.

Just beware that there are some component compromises, especially in the suspension quality, to an equivalent priced hardtail. At this price you start to see the full suspension bikes receive a level of componentry that will perform and last without issue.

The big brand options start to feature name-brand suspension, including suspension lockouts front and rear. Here, the bikes are much heavier than the equivalent priced hardtail, but that weight comes with confidence on the trail. Your decision will depend on if you want to race or not. If cross country racing, a carbon hardtail at this price is going to be more efficient, more reliable and far lighter — for all other forms of riding, the full suspension would be our pick.

Home Features Hardtail vs full suspension mountain bike: which is best on a budget? Hardtail vs entry-level full suspension mountain bikes. In this case, both bikes feature clutch-equipped rear derailleurs for improved chain security. Where the lack of a rear shock may concern some, the rear end is especially designed to offer some flexibility to take the sting out of bumps on the trail. But, thanks to its carbon layup, retains excellent stiffness when pedalling.

While the flat spring seatpost on selected models further enhances vertical compliance and helps reduce rider fatigue when climbing in the saddle from those incessant high-frequency vibrations on the trails. From the entry-level CF SL 5. Engineered for precise handling, the front fork across the entire range has mm of travel.

But where the hardtail design offers many benefits alone, bike design is a holistic game. When coupled with our stiff carbon framesets, it helps ensure a ride that stays true to its name and exceeds all expectations. There are 14 different models available, including four female-specific WMN versions, along with frame-only options.

The Canyon Lux range is adapted to rapidly evolving world of cross-country mountain bike racing. As XC tracks become more technical, the extra traction and capability afforded by a full suspension chassis can make the difference between winning and losing.

Our Canyon Lux models provide the modern progressive XC bike that an increasing number of racers demand. As one of Canyon's longest-serving full-suspension builds, the Lux range comes in a design honed for XC and marathon racing. The entire range features mm of rear suspension travel and an ultra-lightweight carbon fibre frame rolling on inch wheels.

With a total of 8 models to choose from, including frame-only options, the Lux range delivers some of the finest full-suspension options for XC riding and racing. Wheels size is a crucial factor in mountain bike configuration.

Where inch wheels were once the norm, in more recent times, larger Firstly, the larger diameter helps the wheels roll over the rough terrain since less forward momentum is lost when encountering roots, rocks and bumps on the trail. This in turn means inch wheels require less power to pedal off-road and make it easier to maintain your speed. The improved rolling capability also increases comfort on long rides.

But while Larger wheels are heavier, something that's compounded due to the fact that it's a rotating mass. As a result, acceleration is more sluggish and they are less maneuverable on technical tracks. Another factor is the correlation between wheel size and rider height. For riders under cm, inch wheels can pose clearance issues when moving the bike beneath them. A hardtail mountain bike is always cheaper than an equivalently specced full-suspension model.

It's always preferable to buy a quality hardtail bike over a cheap full-suspension bike. As with every build, there's a lot more to a bike than suspension alone. The components, groupset, frame geometry and materials all influence performance, comfort and reliability - and shouldn't be ignored. Whether you choose a hardtail or a full-suspension model will depend very much upon the terrain and your budget.

But know that quality builds exist for both, and within each camp, there are options available at various price points. For those entering the world of XC racing or trail riding, hardtail vs full suspension remains a key consideration, but we hope this has made the decision making that bit easier.

We'll see you on the trails! With the incredible growth in Trail and Enduro riding, we've designed three specific ranges to tackle the varied terrain. Our customer support experts are waiting to answer your questions. Expand navigation. Search: suggestions appear below.

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See all Strive. Spectral See all Spectral. Its very rigidity makes a hardtail feel more natural when you climb out of the saddle. This is thanks to the suspension maintaining tyre contact with the ground on lumpy descents.

Full suspension can even be welcome on uphills, such as when traversing steps and waterbars. With its simpler frame, without shocks or pivoting bearings, a hardtail will be less expensive than a similarly-equipped full sus MTB. You might not develop such finesse if you rely on a full susser that allows you to plough through near anything. Having said that, the very fact that full suspension can be more forgiving means that beginners often find mountain biking more enjoyable on a full susser.

Take, for instance riding long, rutted downhills.