Totally agree, I picked up a honzo just to chase the kids around town and now I'll always have one in my stable. It's made trails I never enjoyed fun again.
95% of people on my local trails are over-biked in a serious way. Modern hardtails are fun, capable, and simple. I've got a Pivot LES and a Chameleon and each gets more usage than my FS.
Love hardtails, but (1) steel, (2) decent brakes with big rotors, (3) more than pumptracks and jump trails - the way the Brits ride 'em in the muddy woods!
cracked the frame on my FS and its going to be awhile until the warranty replacement arrives....I've since dusted off the hardtail and it'll be my primary for the time being. Haven't ridden it in about a year...first few outings were rough....but last couple have been fantastic. Its a completely different riding style, once your muscle memory adjusts, you can shred almost as hard...and its nice not having to deal with all the maintenance and cleaning my FS required.
@Orbea Any way the kids version of these will ever be available in the US? (Particularly with that Manitou JUnit Expert fork...not super keen on the comp at that price point considering Nukeproof has the expert)?
If you want us to believe that you shot on super 8 then you have to add grain. And making it look like 80's video in some places doesn't sell it either LOL.
Just embrace digital or shoot the real thing FFS!
@Lokirides: fair enough, after I wrote "100% not true" even I was second guessing that statement...and yeah you know us hardtailers, we're a salty bunch ;-)
@pnwgnarnivore: I run a 203mm front and a 183mm rear on my hardtails. Not over braked at all. Though I did run 183mm front and 160mm rear and they worked pretty good, except on long, fast downhills. That's why I switched. And, you can ride a hardtails fast and rowdy, contrary to popular "opinion".
Depends on the wheelsize. I rode my 26" Cotic with 180 front and 160 rear, but now I switched to a 29" Pipedream I run 203 and 180. Feels about the same.
@dennis72: well not just wheelsize, rider weight makes a difference as well. I think terrain is is the determining factor too; if you're just riding pump track, jumps, or just live around rolling hills...your demands are going to be much different than living where it's steep and rocky and rooted.
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