Hardtail Mountain Bike

Hardtail Mountain Bike Basics

In the world of mountain bikes there are essentially two different types, there are full suspension mountain bikes and hardtail mountain bikes, each of which is designed for a different use. Full suspension mountain bikes can further be split into front only and full suspension styles that feature front and rear suspension. As the name suggests the hardtail mountain bike has no rear suspension built into the frame however many of them do have front suspension forks.

Until recently when trying to decide which type of mountain bike to buy, the answer was always the hardtail mountain bike. With the recent innovations in suspension design and the superior quality components available it is no longer an easy decision to make. Even with these advances the hardtail still has its place in the mountain biking community and chances are it will stay that way.

To help you decide between a hardtail and a full suspension mountain bike you need to take a look at the type of riding you plan to do. If you plan to spend most of your time on smooth trails or going cross country, you may want to go with full suspension. If the riding you plan to do is mostly rough terrain or "highly technical" you would be much better off going with a hardtail mountain bike.

Hardtail mountain bikes are built to be used in racing and taking in the more serious off road trails. They are made to be lightweight, yet very tough to take the punishment of going down some very rugged terrain on the side of the mountain at full speed.

To do this they need to be very durable, something that full suspension bikes cannot handle because of all of the moving parts involved in making the suspension work properly.

Another advantage of the hardtail is that it is much cheaper to buy in the first place, requires a lot less maintenance and because of this will cost you a lot less in repairs over the life of the bike. Recent advancements in metallurgy and design have taken some of the advantages of full suspension bikes away.

As these advances have occurred manufacturers have learned how to improve the design of hardtail frames. This has made the ride more comfortable by building in a certain amount of give or springiness to the frame.

Because of their popularity most manufacturers also offer slightly smaller frames designed for ladies mountain bike riders. Since these bikes are built for women who are considered to be average in height and weight they may not be suitable for all women so care should be taken when buying one. They also build them in children's sizes and in smaller non gender specific models so that women and smaller men can still get a bike that fits them well.

The Dirt Jump & Freeride Series

Contrary to popular opinion seen in many mountain bike magazines the hardtail mountain bike is not a dying breed, in fact with the recent advances in design they are enjoying a lot of popularity and may be staging a bit of a comeback in the mountain biking world.