Help me decide...

Bossman429

New Member
Trying to figure out if I should go with a new 29" hardtail (such as the jamis dragon sport) or a used full suspension bike off Craigslist/this site.

I used to really be into mountain biking but haven't done much of any of it in the past 5 yrs or so. The bike I have now is old, like 14-15yrs old but it still works and gets me around hartshorne woods and allaire just fine. (It's a 17.5" giant iguana, with a 48mm rock shox Indy s fork... Which I'm probably 30lbs too heavy for...) Needles to say anything I'm looking at is going to be an improvement. When I was younger I rode it everywhere...up and down the Hudson valley, blue mtn in ny, smokey mountains in nc....

Anyways my price point is 1000-1500 and I've seen some decent full suspension bikes out there? I'm going to ride all over, a lot in harshorne and allaire after work but plan on hitting various trails throughout the state.

Will I be disappointed with a hardtail when I hit the "rockier" stuff in northern nj? I'm not worried about crazy down hill such as mtn creek... Ill rent a bike there and trash theirs. Would you rather buy a new hardtail for 1500 or a used full suspension bike for the same? With a new you get a warranty, usually a few free tune ups from the LBS etc and know what your getting.

I guess what I'm looking for it a good XC bike that I can hit the technical areas with and power on through them

Decisions decisions....
 
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Thin Diesel

Well-Known Member
I can't tell you what to buy but I live in NNJ & ride all the trails here on a HT. Love it. I'm sure there are others on the board that do the same. good luck deciding.
 

MikeP

Well-Known Member
I hear you, before buying a new bike in 2010 I was riding a hardtail Cannondale with a 70mm Judy fork. Keep on mind a 29er hardtail setup tubeless will take some of the bite out of the trail. Start looking now, with the 14s coming out there might be some leftover 13s on sale. But if you think you're gonna ride rocky north alot a FS bike will be alot more fun.
 
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Bossman429

New Member
I was thinking I'm going to see a big difference from my current bike to a 29" steel HT just because there is that much more sidewall in the tire, I can run a lower psi, and the frame is longer and will have more flex to it....

MikeP. You say a FS will be more fun in the rockier stuff... Bc it will be easier or just a bit softer? I'm pretty young and fit so I don't NEED the FS to take it easy on my back just yet... But I'm trying to figure it out if I NEED the FS to absorb bumps and ruts while pedaling up obstacles (not get bounced off the ground and loose traction/momentum). That's my main concern with a HT
 

MikeP

Well-Known Member
I bought a FS bike and didn't love it, a Trek Top Fuel (26" FS). I built up my Misfit and felt like I came back home. I've rode this bike in alot of different spots some rocky, some rooty. Down south a FS really isn't needed, Wiss is the rockiest place around and I'm fine there on my Misfit. 1700 miles in and am still a HT guy. I do plan on selling the Top Fuel and getting a 29er FS as a 2nd bike but until my back tells me it's time Missy is my go to bike.


My suggestion is to demo a few bikes. Try one of each. There's shops around that have demos. Or see if there's some local riders that'll let you ride their bikes.
 

soundz

The Hat
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Everyone is built different. I run rigid 29er and ride northern trails all the time. And its not because i cant afford a fork. And I'm 39 :D
 
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wonderturtle

Well-Known Member
bossman - saw your other thread about riding in hartshorne. my opinion (since Hartshorne and Huber are my main parks and based on your indication that youre young).....go the hardtail route. IMHO, a full suspension bike is total overkill in those parks. sure, a FS bike will let you bomb down the hills faster....but Hartshorne is not conducive to "downhill bombing" (IMHO) since it gets so damn crowded with blind corners, etc.

unless you plan on doing a LOT of riding up north and feel you need FS for those parks...I'd go the hardtail route.

my 2 cents...
 
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Pearl

THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING
Fun fact of the day;

A $1000-$1500 HT will be better overall bike (component wise) than a $1000-$1500 FS bike.
 

MikeP

Well-Known Member
Fun fact of the day;

A $1000-$1500 HT will be better overall bike (component wise) than a $1000-$1500 FS bike.

Yeah like I said if I was gonna have just 1 bike it'd be a 29er HT. My Misfit is set up 1x10 so for a second bike a 29er FS 2x10 will be a nice change of pace.

You can get a real nice bike for $1500, if you can scratch up another 200-300 you'll get a nice component upgrade.
 

TFTRL

Member
I'm new here and recently been in similar situation as what your describing. My advice is open mind and try out as many bikes as you can. Go with the one you feel best connected with no matter the bullocks! For example, I NEVER thought I'd pick the one I ended up with but it spoke to me. Been out on some trail rides three times now over at CCC and I'm loving my decision more than ever. Good luck.
 

pooriggy

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Will I be disappointed with a hardtail when I hit the "rockier" stuff in northern nj?

I've always ridden a hardtail so I don't know anything else. If I tried a fs bike I may want one, so I don't get on fs bikes.
Ignorance is bliss.
 

MikeP

Well-Known Member
I'm new here and recently been in similar situation as what your describing. My advice is open mind and try out as many bikes as you can. Go with the one you feel best connected with no matter the bullocks! For example, I NEVER thought I'd pick the one I ended up with but it spoke to me. Been out on some trail rides three times now over at CCC and I'm loving my decision more than ever. Good luck.

Where you riding CCC Sunday? I was one of the guys working on the trails.
 

TFTRL

Member
Where you riding CCC Sunday? I was one of the guys working on the trails.


Ha! Yes twas me suffering man. lol But I was having a ball! Love the inner trail section. Thanks for maintaining the trails!

Tonight me and a friend are going to check out Parvin's trail.
 

MikeP

Well-Known Member
Parvin is flat without much other than flatness. Should be fun for a SS bike. If you don't know your way around CCC real well I can show you around.
 

extremedave

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
I'm new here and recently been in similar situation as what your describing. My advice is open mind and try out as many bikes as you can. Go with the one you feel best connected with no matter the bullocks! For example, I NEVER thought I'd pick the one I ended up with but it spoke to me. Been out on some trail rides three times now over at CCC and I'm loving my decision more than ever. Good luck.

Very good advice. Try not to get all googly-eyed over the first thing you ride, as almost anything modern is going to feel pretty good.

It used to be HT 29er vs. FS 26. Now, I'm not so sure. With 650b looming and 29er FS bikes pretty well sorted, it's hard to steer someone to the 26er. Still great bikes, and you can probably find some great used deals. YYMV. I love both my HT and FS 29ers, but if I could only have one it'd be the FS.
 

TFTRL

Member
Very good advice. Try not to get all googly-eyed over the first thing you ride, as almost anything modern is going to feel pretty good.

It used to be HT 29er vs. FS 26. Now, I'm not so sure. With 650b looming and 29er FS bikes pretty well sorted, it's hard to steer someone to the 26er. Still great bikes, and you can probably find some great used deals. YYMV. I love both my HT and FS 29ers, but if I could only have one it'd be the FS.

Thanks for the props eDave. Originally years ago I was just literally against 29ers just because they became so popular that I thought much of it was hype. Then I tried a few. Game over for me since then. But again, that's just my experience. Try as many and as many style as your budget will allow IMO. It will speak.

Parvin is flat without much other than flatness. Should be fun for a SS bike. If you don't know your way around CCC real well I can show you around.

I'd dig that. I'll let you know the next time I plan on going. You can contact me too whenever you want. Name is Tony. :)
 

Monkey Soup

Angry Wanker
I live in the north and ride in the rocks. I used to ride a rigid bike, then a C-Dale F frame, then finally got into FS. Up here, I'll never go back to hard tail. It's got nothing to do with getting beat up, and everything to do with being able to shred harder and faster over the rough terrain. As for wheel size, buy whatever hype your into.
 
i've got 29 ht and 29 fs... love both differently but equally. HT for tight single track, fs for more aggressive riding down hills (but not downhill riding) and over rougher terrain... but i'll take either-or to whatever park i go to based on how i feel that day :D
 

Allamuchy Joe

Not White House Approved
JORBA.ORG
From my experience, the hardtail will make you faster but will also fatigue you more in technical terrain. As you get older, that really makes a huge difference in the rockier areas. That could be the difference between riding a 15 miler or a 20 miler. Or, riding 2 or 3 days in a row.

I switched a long time ago, but I have a buddy who loved his hardtail until recently -- "steel is real", etc. Well, we went out to Moab and he rented a FS bike. As soon as we got back, he purchased the same model he rented out there. He has not looked back and he is no where near as fatigued after a ride. (When I say fatigued, I mean aches and pains after a ride -- not normal muscle usage).

I would recommend getting the bike that best meets your local trails, since you will be riding those 90% of the time. If you ride Allamuchy with a hardtail you will definitely feel it, but does it matter if you don't ride the techny stuff that often? Probably not.
 
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