Why did I just enjoy riding my crappy hard tail more than my Epic?

Here's my experience with bikes. As most I started out with a department store rigid hardtail. Then upgraded to a real hardtail. Then I had to have a FS cause it must be better. It made the downs nicer but I still wasn't happy with the sluggish climbing and extra weight. So back to a hardtail. Much happier once again with better power transfer. Then a 29'er hardtail still happy but for different reasons. Then most recently to a rigid 26'er hardtail.

So the moral of the story - go back to a department store bike...just kidding :D
I like the lightweight and power transfer of a hardtail. For me it can't be beat. I love the new rigid ht as well since it's just so responsive and fun to play on. I can't see racing long races on it as it would just wear too much but in closing...

I LOVE HARDTAILS...
 
Well now I'm contemplating a 29er hardtail, but none of the ones that I have ridden seem to respond the way I like.
I rode a stumpjump HT 29er in a size large and it felt really bulky. I couldn't wheelie it or bunnyhop it for crap. Then I used a karate monkey in 18" and it was better but I still couldn't wheelie it right. I felt too stretched out over the bars, the bike felt too long. The stem was normal length but it had flat bars. Maybe with a short stem and riser bars I would feel better, or maybe a 16" frame?
I'm a stocky 5'9 at best, anyone have a 16" Karate Monkey I could try? :D
ALL the Marty's guys ride 18" ones
 
gtluke said:
Well now I'm contemplating a 29er hardtail, but none of the ones that I have ridden seem to respond the way I like.
I rode a stumpjump HT 29er in a size large and it felt really bulky. I couldn't wheelie it or bunnyhop it for crap. Then I used a karate monkey in 18" and it was better but I still couldn't wheelie it right. I felt too stretched out over the bars, the bike felt too long. The stem was normal length but it had flat bars. Maybe with a short stem and riser bars I would feel better, or maybe a 16" frame?
I'm a stocky 5'9 at best, anyone have a 16" Karate Monkey I could try? :D
ALL the Marty's guys ride 18" ones
Click to expand...

Well wheelie'ing may not be the best trait to look at when test riding a bike. They are all going to be much harder to wheelie since the geometry is much different and the bike is obviously longer. See how it performs in tight technical stuff and then make up your mind. That's the best place to see how it performs. If you're good there then you should be good everywhere...
 
Luke I wish you would have ridden that I.F. HT that the guys demo'd. It was awesome. Granted it was like a million dollars, but I could not believe how good it climbed, and how fast it turned. definetly made me want to get a 29er HT. I just dont know if want a S.S. or a geared version.

However, my first problem is finding parts for the 09 stumpy FSR 29er frame that I just got.
 
There's F/S and then there's F/S. I don't have a lot of experience on an epic (few circles in a parking lot), but I understand it's a fairly stiff H/T like F/S.

I moved from a H/T to a 4" stumpjumper several years ago. I noticed a difference but not huge. The biggest difference was that I crashed less. Awkward sticks and rocks didn't send the bike flying off the trail but I didn't feel much faster. I still had to choose the same lines if I wanted to go fast.

A couple of years ago I moved up to 6" of travel and a more relaxed geometry. Night and day. This is what I always "thought" full suspension would be like. Lines? Who needs to choose lines - just smash your way through. Of course there are associated weaknesses - price, weight, complexity and anything over 2 minutes on the road is enough to make you want to kill yourself.

One is not necessariy more fun than the other. But, if you're looking for downhill stability, the Epic with its short, stiff travel and quick geometry hardly qualifies. As for flat technical stuff I could easily see your H/T being similar to the Epic.
 
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