Full susser or Hardtail

[Jimmy Hitler]

This has probably been discussed before but I would be grateful your opinion ... it might save a big
fall out . Me mate tried cross country racing last year with a specialized full susser and did quite
well but felt he lost a lot on the hills and as the downhill's where not that bad a light hard tail
was the order of the day and the fact the 99 % of the riders where using them ...he's now the proud
owner of a specialized m5 with lots of exspensive and light goodies attached to it . Our other mate
is adamant that a full susser with lockout would be a far better option as you have the best of both
worlds and the fact that the world championship was won on a full susser says he is right .. No one
will shift their opinion .

What do you think ?...

Jim

 

[Zog The Undenia]

Jimmy ****** wrote:

> This has probably been discussed before but I would be grateful your opinion ... it might save a
> big fall out . Me mate tried cross country racing last year with a specialized full susser and did
> quite well but felt he lost a lot on the hills and as the downhill's where not that bad a light
> hard tail was the order of the day and the fact the 99 % of the riders where using them ...he's
> now the proud owner of a specialized m5 with lots of exspensive and light goodies attached to it .
> Our other mate is adamant that a full susser with lockout would be a far better option as you have
> the best of both worlds and the fact that the world championship was won on a full susser says he
> is right .. No one will shift their opinion .

I ride a rigid MTB so I'm hardly qualified to comment. However, the full susser with lockout still
has the weight penalty on the hills.

The world champion rides what he's paid to ride - take no notice of that!

 

[Tony Raven]

Jimmy ****** wrote:
>
> What do you think ?...
>

You should change the topic to "steel or aluminium" or "helmet or not helmet" and when they've
solved those topics, come back to suspension or not suspension.

Tony

 

[A.lee]

On Thu, 11 Dec 2003 20:08:09 +0000, Jimmy ****** wrote:

> This has probably been discussed before but I would be grateful your opinion ... it might save a
> big fall out . Me mate tried cross country racing last year with a specialized full susser and did
> quite well but felt he lost a lot on the hills and as the downhill's where not that bad a light
> hard tail was the order of the day and the fact the 99 % of the riders where using them .

MBR timed the same people on both full sus and front sus only bikes last year at the Red Bull event,
and came to the conclusion that Full Sus is up to 10% faster.IIRC, there was only 1 person who did 1
lap faster on the front sus only bike.Typical comments were that the full susser felt slower, but
when they looked at the times, it was actually faster. Full sus bikes used to be heavy, but it is
easy now to get one around 25lb total weight - that is pretty much what front sus only was a few
years ago.The extra 3-5lb is only going to affect the lightest/fastest racers - and even they are
going/have gone full sus now, as it is so much easier and forgiving to ride them,and IME, you feel
less 'beat-up' after racing on a full sus bike. Alan.
--
To reply by e-mail, change the 'minus' to 'plus'. http://www.dvatc.co.uk - Off-road cycling in the
North Midlands.

 

[Jimmy Hitler]

But they where not arguing over these topics ...
Everyone knows a helmet makes you go faster ... ...
"Tony Raven" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Jimmy ****** wrote:
> >
> > What do you think ?...
> >
>
> You should change the topic to "steel or aluminium" or "helmet or not
helmet"
> and when they've solved those topics, come back to suspension or not suspension.
>
> Tony

 

[Andy]

"Jimmy ******" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> This has probably been discussed before but I would be grateful your opinion ... it might save a
> big fall out . Me mate tried cross country racing last year with a specialized full
susser
> and did quite well but felt he lost a lot on the hills and as the
downhill's
> where not that bad a light hard tail was the order of the day and the
fact
> the 99 % of the riders where using them ...he's now the proud owner of a specialized m5 with lots
> of exspensive and light goodies attached to it . Our other mate is adamant that a full susser with
> lockout would be a far better option as you have the best of both worlds and the fact that the
> world championship was won on a full susser says he is right .. No one
will
> shift their opinion .
>
> What do you think ?...
>
> Jim
>
>
>

If you want a race bike then get a light hardtail. If you want an all day "peaks" bike get a full
suss. If you ride in Norfolk then get a rigid bike. Depends on what type of riding you do and where
you do it, innit.