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Top of the line Hardtail vs Budget Full Suspension

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Top of the line Hardtail vs Budget Full Suspension

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flag braysteph23
Posted: Jun 20, 2020 at 19:28 Quote
So I’m sure it gets asked all the time but when it comes to a top of the line hard tail compared to a more minimal/budget full suspension what’s the better use of money? Take the Santa Cruz Chameleon vs the Giant Trance. My budget it right around that 2k range. Any thoughts?
flag Danzzz88
Posted: Jun 20, 2020 at 21:12 Quote
braysteph23 wrote:
So I’m sure it gets asked all the time but when it comes to a top of the line hard tail compared to a more minimal/budget full suspension what’s the better use of money? Take the Santa Cruz Chameleon vs the Giant Trance. My budget it right around that 2k range. Any thoughts?

This is a difficult one, it all depends on budget and reaching a threshold where the suspension is no longer a gimmick or only useful on light trail riding and actually becomes a performance benefit over a hardtail.

It's all about balance, for example I would say a £1500 hardtail makes more sense than a £2000 full sus. But then a £3000 full sus makes more sense than a £3500 hardtail... You reach a threshold where the money stops going towards better frame geometry, kinematics, materials and decent parts and then simply just starts going towards more expensive parts say from Deore to XT.

Anyways 2000 dollars is not "top of the line" even for a hardtail but will get you a very very good one. On one hand I wouldn't say you would get a good suspension bike new for that money...on the other hand if you go second hand you can get a fantastic full sus only a few years old that will rip that hardtail apart on anything but the smoothest flatest trails.

It takes a certain level where the frame is actually decent I guess is what I'm trying to say, then from that point money goes towards blingier lighter parts in general... Like you wouldn't buy a bike from Walmart and attach 3000 dollars of parts to it as the frame is still crap.. and a big heavy alloy pig with crap components and poor design of a suspension bike will feel worse than a carbon hardtail almost everywhere. But then you reach a point where the tables turn, the hardtail frames stop improving and the full sus frames start being decent and then for every extra 1000 you pay is just to knock 500 grams off your bike.

So for that money new I'd go hardtail, used I'd go full sus. You can probably find a used YT Capra or Jeffsy for that price that will put way more smiles on your face than a new hardtail and even if scratch or a bit mucky will still look way more trick too...
flag ski-n-bike-da-east
Posted: Jun 21, 2020 at 11:36 Quote
Get a full suspension for that price, because there are decent fs bikes with good geometry available for 2000
flag Chief2slo
O+
Posted: Jun 21, 2020 at 20:42 Quote
Marin and fezzari both have great full suspension bikes at the 2k mark. Id go that route.
flag RodneyPierce
Posted: Jun 21, 2020 at 22:09 Quote
Chief2slo wrote:
Marin and fezzari both have great full suspension bikes at the 2k mark. Id go that route.

Ill add to this and say to check out the Vitus Mythique! You cant beat that bike for two times the price!
flag friendlyfoe
Posted: Jun 21, 2020 at 22:32 Quote
A bad fork is the one thing that is basically impossible to ride around. I'd rather have a hard tail with a great fork than a full suspension bike with an average one any day.

Commencal meta hard tail would be what I'd choose in your shoes. If you can spend a couple hundred extra to get the top model you got a fox 36 performance.
flag Reaperactual
Posted: Jun 21, 2020 at 22:44 Quote
RodneyPierce wrote:
Chief2slo wrote:
Marin and fezzari both have great full suspension bikes at the 2k mark. Id go that route.

Ill add to this and say to check out the Vitus Mythique! You cant beat that bike for two times the price!

Full sus:-
+1 Vitus Mythique.
Giant Trance 3

Hardtail:-
Nukeproof Scout.
Ragley Marley.
Vitus Sentier.

Well under budget, lots of cash left over for upgrades!
flag onyxss
Posted: Jun 22, 2020 at 0:37 Quote
braysteph23 wrote:
So I’m sure it gets asked all the time but when it comes to a top of the line hard tail compared to a more minimal/budget full suspension what’s the better use of money? Take the Santa Cruz Chameleon vs the Giant Trance. My budget it right around that 2k range. Any thoughts?
Its simple, you want to ride HT or FS on your trails? You want personal car or van? There are cars that cost more than basic van. Go demo HT and FS, decide if you like rear suspension more than HT...after that you will have easy answer to your question. There is no use of buying discounted van if you will be riding around town mostly, no matter the super-duper pricing... Big Grin
flag ovaltine1
Posted: Jun 22, 2020 at 7:17 Quote
At that price range, I'd go full suspension and for just a little more money you can buy a new YT Jeffsy or Capra for $2300. I am the fourth person out of my friend group to buy a YT and I'm very impressed for what you get. If you're stuck on $2k, there are lots of slightly used full suspension bikes on this forum, craigslist, facebook marketplace, etc etc. Personally I'd go less used and newer instead of higher quality and more beaten up but that's just my 2 cents
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