Great video! I bought my first mtb, a hardtail, in April for my 54th birthday. I love it for it's versatility and it will ride anything I want to do, including a 500km bike packing trip over the Rockies. On trails, I usually follow along behind more experienced riders than me on their full-sus bikes and have learned tons by following their line, but there are times when I need to find a smoother line or risk a crash. It's really accelerated the learning curve for me. I may upgrade a few parts that are wearing out but I don't have any intention to go full sus at this point since the hardtail is just so much fun. Gotta say though, the dropper post is literally the best thing ever invented. How did anyone ride mtb before droppers!!??
It also depends on how much uphill vs downhill you expect to ride. You can’t beat the direct, immediate transfer of power while climbing on a hardtail. 💪🏻Going downhill is rough, indeed.
My first bike (current bike) is a hard tail and I haven’t found terrain I wouldn’t try yet. I’m sure full sus unlocks a whole new world but I love the direct feel on a hard tail! I switched to clipless recently and that’s made me feel a whole lot more stable on the bike over techy stuff
How's your adjustment/adaptation with your clipless, eh mate, esp. with unclipping? Lots'a love, cheers, & Mabuhay, from tropical Philippines! #RideOn #KeepBiking
@@yengsabio5315 it’s been much better than expected! In hairy situations, I’ve managed to unclip without even thinking about it but interestingly, there are sections that I commit to more now because I’m clipped in, whereas before, I’d have probably gotten off the bike
I raced on national dh races with my hardtail on flats and inner tubes, it's still amazing and crazy riding one among full suspensions, full adrenaline :))
Riding a hardtail fast on chunky terrain is like riding a unicycle, keep the front planted and let the rear float wherever. Take full advantage of the quick handling in the precision and responsiveness that hardtails have over suspension bikes. It's definitely not for everybody.
Thanks Neil, really appreciate this content. I am strictly a hard tail rider, have been forever and just relish the extra challenges. Yea maybe you can’t go as fast but hey it hurts less when you get bucked. The payoff off is the creativity required in finding alternate lines and using the terrain in different ways to smooth your ride; as you point out so well. It feels fast AF so it is fast AF…to me! Only point of yours where I differ is that I run a heavy casing rear tyre(someone else also mentioned beefier tyre use in the comments above) with an insert and do run as low a pressure as possible. With a harder tyre its just too harsh and the grip is even more critical on a HT, soft tyres grip so well! I will adjust the pressure according to terrain; the steeper the softer for sure. Thanks again!
Gotta love a hardtail… I ride a lot of techie stuff on my hardtail and love it. I do keep my tyres quite high too. 29 in the back and front, because I’m heavy and it just feels better. The point about trail tyres is something I’ve been thinking about, should I put enduro tyres on? The weight doesn’t bother me too much as I like the workout I get from a heavier bike. Forgot to mention I ride clipless, makes it so much easier, just set them on the loosest setting you can, just in case…
I am still very much a beginner when it comes to riding offroad. I have an older hardtail that I bought used and I must say that I think my slowness on technical trails has nothing to do with the bike and everything to do with my lack of skill and fear of falling. I don't have any real bike parks close to me, but some of my local state parks (I live in the Appalachian mountains in Virginia) have lots of multi-use trails and many of them are very rocky and rooty so I have to be very careful, especially since my bike isn't really ideal for going downhill with any speed.
I ride nothing but hardtails - got a bunch of 'em. They're light, easy to throw in a vehicle, and require little maintenance. I set em up firm and slow and huck off everything!
Great vid, Neil. Thanks. I’d really like to see the same techniques discussed on the same trail but in winter conditions, with mud, wet roots and wet rocks.
Just went on a ride and forgot to unlock my shock after climbing… noticed only at the bottom but that ride was shaky, I started to wonder when the workers would repair the berm😂
Great video - yes hard tail with inserts, running pressures to match your puncture anxiety threshold and lots more checking upcoming terrain for smaller features you can ignore on full suss! Physically more tiring too as you are the suspension and riding bumpy uphill sections in the saddle will give you full suss envy every time 😃
Love riding my hardtail. It gets more action than my full suspension bike. I thought my tyre pressures are too high at 26 and 24 and I'm probably 20kg heavier than you. Also carbon wheels and haven't had any impacts or anything. Would you go down if you had a more durable tyre?
LOVE IT! Great vid, on a topic that often goes unmentioned because everyone thinks tech/rough stuff is only for squishy bikes. How about a vid on tricks to make tech/chunky climbs work on a HT? Where I live in Minnesota, USA…most trails are pretty smooth, but there is tech and rocks available in places. Last fall I sold my Occam and built a HT…The HT makes all our trails much more exciting, esp because we don’t have the elevation of many other locations. Many folks ride sus bikes here too, but for most of my riding it’s definitely not necessary by any stretch. No doubt FS bikes handle rough terrain better (or allow the same rider to ride faster and/or more comfortably), but who cares? I ride for fun, not for just pure speed/etc anyway, so why not have a bike that is simpler, lighter, and makes me feel like a kid again?
@@wishiwasayoade7527 Mostly SW metro/twin cities area, but I do love Cuyuna (been there a few times). Planning a winter fat bike trip around New Years to Cuyuna too!
Great video, as always. And yes I like it. I have a question. I rode a commencal ht and I have the intention to change it. Which one do you recommend me the nukerproof scout or the canyon stoic? Thanks
depends. For more trail based riding i would go scout. If you like more enduro based riding i would go stoic. The stoic will also be a bit of a better deal. The main difference is the scout is more of a all rounder whereas the stoic is more of a long and low shredder.
This may be a dirty word, but I'd love to a see a similar video for gravel bikes. I know this isn't what they're for, but I don't have a mtb, yet like to join in! I'd guess most tips would be the same as in this video, but might still be an interesting vid to do?
@@Bazza1968 John Tomac disagrees! Horses for courses, just ride your bike. Whether you agree or not, clearly there is a demand for a gravel bike. Drop bars may concede downhill but have massive benefits on flatter terrain. So if you do a bit of everything, they're great. There's no reason that can't include some techy downhill stuff
A magnetised flat pedal might be a win-win situation for me with my hardtail. Has anyone here ever tried a magnetised pedal? If you may please share your thoughts here? Thanks in advance! Lots'a love, cheers, & Mabuhay, from tropical Philippines! #RideOn #KeepBiking
Because it’s hurts the rider and the bike 😢No seriously, of course it’s good fun once in a while but personally I would not want to go back to rough terrain on a hardtail.
I'll be honest, if money and time were easier to come by, I would probably be on a full sus. But a hardtail is still loads of fun, and I don't have to worry about maintaining an extra shock and linkage. I'm not even sure how much more fun I would have on a full suspension bike, though I'm sure it would be a good deal faster on a few of the trails I ride.
Do you like riding your hardtail on technical rocky terrain? Let us know down below! 👇
I love riding enduro and downhill trails on my Orbea laufey. I'm still faster than all my friends who ride dh bikes
As an entry level rider, funnest thing ever. Even when I'm thrown off the bike, I love every bit of it! 🤙
I ❤ riding in enduro DH XC and dirt jumps on my hard tail
Yes i have done that on somewhat techical terrain on my older xc hardtails.
Love riding my hardtail on technical terrain in sout africa
As a life long hard tail rider - always love the hard tail content !!! Big thing that’s made a difference over the years is a dropper post imo !
Very true, great shout!
Got my first one on the way this week canna not wait, do you have any advise for me sir ? 🙏
I definitely have to get one lol
Great video! I bought my first mtb, a hardtail, in April for my 54th birthday. I love it for it's versatility and it will ride anything I want to do, including a 500km bike packing trip over the Rockies. On trails, I usually follow along behind more experienced riders than me on their full-sus bikes and have learned tons by following their line, but there are times when I need to find a smoother line or risk a crash. It's really accelerated the learning curve for me. I may upgrade a few parts that are wearing out but I don't have any intention to go full sus at this point since the hardtail is just so much fun. Gotta say though, the dropper post is literally the best thing ever invented. How did anyone ride mtb before droppers!!??
It also depends on how much uphill vs downhill you expect to ride. You can’t beat the direct, immediate transfer of power while climbing on a hardtail. 💪🏻Going downhill is rough, indeed.
👍👍 for hardtails..they don't get enough love✌
My first bike (current bike) is a hard tail and I haven’t found terrain I wouldn’t try yet. I’m sure full sus unlocks a whole new world but I love the direct feel on a hard tail! I switched to clipless recently and that’s made me feel a whole lot more stable on the bike over techy stuff
How's your adjustment/adaptation with your clipless, eh mate, esp. with unclipping?
Lots'a love, cheers, & Mabuhay, from tropical Philippines! #RideOn #KeepBiking
@@yengsabio5315 it’s been much better than expected! In hairy situations, I’ve managed to unclip without even thinking about it but interestingly, there are sections that I commit to more now because I’m clipped in, whereas before, I’d have probably gotten off the bike
@@KabirDhupelia Thank you for responding!
I raced on national dh races with my hardtail on flats and inner tubes, it's still amazing and crazy riding one among full suspensions, full adrenaline :))
Riding a hardtail fast on chunky terrain is like riding a unicycle, keep the front planted and let the rear float wherever. Take full advantage of the quick handling in the precision and responsiveness that hardtails have over suspension bikes. It's definitely not for everybody.
I took my hard tail to mountain creek bike park last weekend and had a blast! My thighs are still burning but I managed really well.
When I saw the title of this video, I would have bet money it would have been hardtail loving Blake in it. Well done Neil.
Thanks Neil, really appreciate this content. I am strictly a hard tail rider, have been forever and just relish the extra challenges. Yea maybe you can’t go as fast but hey it hurts less when you get bucked. The payoff off is the creativity required in finding alternate lines and using the terrain in different ways to smooth your ride; as you point out so well. It feels fast AF so it is fast AF…to me! Only point of yours where I differ is that I run a heavy casing rear tyre(someone else also mentioned beefier tyre use in the comments above) with an insert and do run as low a pressure as possible. With a harder tyre its just too harsh and the grip is even more critical on a HT, soft tyres grip so well! I will adjust the pressure according to terrain; the steeper the softer for sure. Thanks again!
Gotta love a hardtail… I ride a lot of techie stuff on my hardtail and love it. I do keep my tyres quite high too. 29 in the back and front, because I’m heavy and it just feels better. The point about trail tyres is something I’ve been thinking about, should I put enduro tyres on? The weight doesn’t bother me too much as I like the workout I get from a heavier bike.
Forgot to mention I ride clipless, makes it so much easier, just set them on the loosest setting you can, just in case…
I was seriously looking for a video just like this last night !
Riding a hard tail on technical terrain makes you feel like a true mtb rider!
🤘
great stuff nikolai. can i ask wgat pressures you run? :)
I still have my Wicked Fat Chance hardtail. I love that bike although there are times that rear suspension would make me feel a lot safer.
I am still very much a beginner when it comes to riding offroad. I have an older hardtail that I bought used and I must say that I think my slowness on technical trails has nothing to do with the bike and everything to do with my lack of skill and fear of falling. I don't have any real bike parks close to me, but some of my local state parks (I live in the Appalachian mountains in Virginia) have lots of multi-use trails and many of them are very rocky and rooty so I have to be very careful, especially since my bike isn't really ideal for going downhill with any speed.
I ride nothing but hardtails - got a bunch of 'em. They're light, easy to throw in a vehicle, and require little maintenance. I set em up firm and slow and huck off everything!
Love hardtails over techy bits no.1
🤘
hardtail are soo amazing!!! definitely my fit, go wild anywhere all ride long!
More hardtail content the better
Great vid, Neil. Thanks. I’d really like to see the same techniques discussed on the same trail but in winter conditions, with mud, wet roots and wet rocks.
More hardtail content please... and no, I'm not being sarcastic.
Just went on a ride and forgot to unlock my shock after climbing… noticed only at the bottom but that ride was shaky, I started to wonder when the workers would repair the berm😂
Great video 😃 I like to ride technical rocky terrain with my fully ❤
Hardtail helped me to become a better rider. But now on enduro bike for the gnalier features like bigger JUMPS and STAIRS! 😈🤘
Great video - yes hard tail with inserts, running pressures to match your puncture anxiety threshold and lots more checking upcoming terrain for smaller features you can ignore on full suss! Physically more tiring too as you are the suspension and riding bumpy uphill sections in the saddle will give you full suss envy every time 😃
Yeh neil! Back to the local for you that is easty! Great video mate from a local shrewsbury lad myself 🤣👍 love eastridge 👌
Love riding my hardtail. It gets more action than my full suspension bike.
I thought my tyre pressures are too high at 26 and 24 and I'm probably 20kg heavier than you. Also carbon wheels and haven't had any impacts or anything. Would you go down if you had a more durable tyre?
Your VW is awesome!
Excellent video...cheers..
LOVE IT! Great vid, on a topic that often goes unmentioned because everyone thinks tech/rough stuff is only for squishy bikes. How about a vid on tricks to make tech/chunky climbs work on a HT?
Where I live in Minnesota, USA…most trails are pretty smooth, but there is tech and rocks available in places. Last fall I sold my Occam and built a HT…The HT makes all our trails much more exciting, esp because we don’t have the elevation of many other locations. Many folks ride sus bikes here too, but for most of my riding it’s definitely not necessary by any stretch.
No doubt FS bikes handle rough terrain better (or allow the same rider to ride faster and/or more comfortably), but who cares? I ride for fun, not for just pure speed/etc anyway, so why not have a bike that is simpler, lighter, and makes me feel like a kid again?
Where do you like to ride? I do cuyuna mostly with my hardtail.
Twin cities rider here, mostly in smaller parks in the SE metro like Inver Grove heights, Eagan, savage.
Not ready for fall to be over
@@nk-dw2hm Agree, but that’s what fat bikes are for! :)
@@wishiwasayoade7527 Mostly SW metro/twin cities area, but I do love Cuyuna (been there a few times). Planning a winter fat bike trip around New Years to Cuyuna too!
@@engine3724 That sounds sweet! I haven't gone fat biking in years.
Great video, as always. And yes I like it. I have a question. I rode a commencal ht and I have the intention to change it. Which one do you recommend me the nukerproof scout or the canyon stoic? Thanks
depends.
For more trail based riding i would go scout. If you like more enduro based riding i would go stoic. The stoic will also be a bit of a better deal. The main difference is the scout is more of a all rounder whereas the stoic is more of a long and low shredder.
good stuff for hardtail riders like me..
Right on!
Nice content 💪
Appreciate it
hardtail for life
@gmbn how much smoother is that trail if you swap tires to 2.6in?
Rigid MTB FTW 🤘
This may be a dirty word, but I'd love to a see a similar video for gravel bikes. I know this isn't what they're for, but I don't have a mtb, yet like to join in! I'd guess most tips would be the same as in this video, but might still be an interesting vid to do?
Or just do 26" rigid MTB and be done with these silly gravel bikes....drop bars and off road are a crap combo....
@@Bazza1968 John Tomac disagrees! Horses for courses, just ride your bike.
Whether you agree or not, clearly there is a demand for a gravel bike. Drop bars may concede downhill but have massive benefits on flatter terrain. So if you do a bit of everything, they're great. There's no reason that can't include some techy downhill stuff
What kneel protections are those?
You're saying how rough that route is... That's a smooth bit compared to most Aberdeenshire trails 😕.
I find any Black trails become to dangerous on my hardtail and im finding it very hard to progress from Blue to Black on my Ragley mmmbop .
Hard-core-tail!!!
Hardtail Rule Number One Speed Speed Speed
you mean so that you skip over the top? :)
hai . . may i know . your . rim specs ? 😊😊😊 thanks 😊
A magnetised flat pedal might be a win-win situation for me with my hardtail.
Has anyone here ever tried a magnetised pedal? If you may please share your thoughts here? Thanks in advance!
Lots'a love, cheers, & Mabuhay, from tropical Philippines! #RideOn #KeepBiking
Seth’s bike hacks recently reviewed some, I’ve been looking at some magpeds myself
ua-cam.com/video/M_8GR5PQMpA/v-deo.html
YEAHH! HARDTAILS!)
🤘
Can anyone tell me what brand and model that digital tire pressure gauge is?
Topeak Shuttle Gauge Digital
Berapa ukuran travel garpu yang kamu gunakan?
I ride my hardtail with tough tires!
yeaahhhh hardtaillll!!!
eastridge not particularly steep 🤣 did you have a stroke 🤣 try the off piste in that case the off piste is next level!! that is royally steep
@GMBN...... also been picked for a scam please do one
Sheeeesh
Hello you beautiful pee... WAIT??! Neil??!
That ain't rough. Not a single one of those trails was rough.
First
☝️
Hang on, this guy is afraid of running carbon rims!!?
Just put me off carbon rims.
Nope only easy stuff
Hard tails are the Swiss army knife of bikes? Do you guys even know what you're saying half the time?
Made perfect sense...for most of us.
A hardtail is a universal bike - you can ride trails, but you can also use it for road riding or for commuting with a locked suspension fork
Just don’t. Get a full squish and leave those poor bikes on pump tracks and dirt jumps.
why?
Because it’s hurts the rider and the bike 😢No seriously, of course it’s good fun once in a while but personally I would not want to go back to rough terrain on a hardtail.
You don’t know what you’re missing bro… adrenaline highs and lots of fun
@@Phlizz i find it fun 🤷♂️
I'll be honest, if money and time were easier to come by, I would probably be on a full sus. But a hardtail is still loads of fun, and I don't have to worry about maintaining an extra shock and linkage. I'm not even sure how much more fun I would have on a full suspension bike, though I'm sure it would be a good deal faster on a few of the trails I ride.