Got a Yeti Arc late last year and now use it almost exclusively. Was recently in Sedona and got this quote when I passed a group of stopped riders. It was a rocky trail but definitely an intermediate trail. Still made me feel good. Hoping to get more such comments in CO over the summer.
He's on a hardtail
fogby
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Got a Yeti Arc late last year and now use it almost exclusively. Was recently in Sedona and got this quote when I passed a group of stopped riders. It was a rocky trail but definitely an intermediate trail. Still made me feel good. Hoping to get more such comments in CO over the summer.
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1,783 Posts
Lol people were flabbergasted the first time I went to Moab with a Salsa Timberjack. **** was hilarious. Full sus is definitely the right tool out there though, I was getting hammered.
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1,488 Posts
Haha, it's definitely fun when this happens. Had similar during the last stage of an enduro race, spectators were gathered at the final rockgarden and as I was passing one shouted something about me riding a ht and massive cheering ensued. It sure boosts morale!
I've also escorted a new-ish rider down a very rocky trail that lasts around 15min top to bottom. When we were done he looked at my bike and muttered "you're on a hardtail" in disbelief
Bike was a Whyte 905, it's no longer with me (I don't even own a ht at the moment) but it was my favourite bike of all time!
I've also escorted a new-ish rider down a very rocky trail that lasts around 15min top to bottom. When we were done he looked at my bike and muttered "you're on a hardtail" in disbelief
Bike was a Whyte 905, it's no longer with me (I don't even own a ht at the moment) but it was my favourite bike of all time!
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7,930 Posts
I rode the AOA Mayhem Enduro around 2012 on a rigid 29er (Canfield Nimble 9). It was a team event, and through some warp in the space-time continuum, I finished 3rd on a stage that was the Fleas equivalent of the Cliff Clavin dream board. Got some cool comments on that one.
I still couldn't get myself to hit the creek gap on the last stage, though.
Ultimately, our team finished mid-pack.
-F
I still couldn't get myself to hit the creek gap on the last stage, though.
Ultimately, our team finished mid-pack.
-F
The hardtail crowd is strong here in CO, I'm very rarely surprised to someone riding where I do on a hardtail or small travel bike. Lots of hardtail SS as well so you'll have company. Enjoy your time out here!
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I was riding my rigid Kona Unit once and stopped where several trails meet and was talking with a guy on an ebike and a young kid on a hardtail (I have two adult kids). The ebiker asked the kid if his father rode and he said no, but he was wanting to get him into riding but, of course he is older and thus would need a full suspension which costs more. The ebiker agreed and I said something like "uhm, guys" and gestured at my bike.
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1,594 Posts
I still ride my rigid Air9 (Niner raw carbon fork) periodically and I get a lot of “dude, hardtail?!” comments, but more oft than not, most people don’t realize it’s hard on both ends. As much fun as that bike is on the right trails, my Turner Nitrous usually gets the nod now.
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527 Posts
I got that a lot on my Honzo SS in Sedona and all over Utah. One time I was at the top of a steep chunky descent in Sedona when a couple women hikers came up behind me and my friends who were both on squishy bikes. They dropped in first, and as I was scoping the line one of the women said, "I bet you won't do it". I looked at her and said, "If I do, I get your number and we go out on a date tonight". She laughed and said, "Deal". We had a great night.
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I used to get a lot of those comments when I first started riding a hardtail in my area (Pisgah). Nowadays, I don't get so many of them, but I also see more hardtails. I get more comments about riding a Guerrilla Gravity now.
Yesterday was out for a ride with some friends and there happened to be a race going at the same time (local races are not closed courses). More or less the entire field passed through the area while we were out there so we saw most of them. There were some hardtails. And at least one guy (up near the front) who was on a rigid SS.
Yesterday was out for a ride with some friends and there happened to be a race going at the same time (local races are not closed courses). More or less the entire field passed through the area while we were out there so we saw most of them. There were some hardtails. And at least one guy (up near the front) who was on a rigid SS.
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1,187 Posts
Seems to all come back to the theory that 95% of riders are overbiked. I have seen gravel bikes, 90's hardtails, 140mm+ travel enduro bikes and dual crown DH bikes on the same trail on the same day. 70% of that trail is probably "optimal" for 100mm XC bikes. 25% of the trail you could ride on a beach cruiser. DH bikes are almost not enough on the other 5%. You could really use a moto with 300mm of travel in some spots (no motos allowed though).
The funny thing is that I almost never see anyone actually riding 100mm XC bikes which are probably the "correct" bikes for many trails around me. Most everyone is over or under biked.
The funny thing is that I almost never see anyone actually riding 100mm XC bikes which are probably the "correct" bikes for many trails around me. Most everyone is over or under biked.
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10,262 Posts
I have been hearing that same comment for years. I can't decide if they are impressed with my 15-year-old bike, or that a nearly 60-year-old dude is riding it. Of close to 40 mountain bikes I've owned since 1984, only two were full suspension. I sold my last full-suspension mountain bike back in 2016.
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On a tangent, a couple of times doing enduro laps at Highland I've had comments about uphill speed. One session I was there with a friend, he was on his Spur and I was on my Oiz and we sailed past a group climbing on much bigger bikes and one of them called out "you guys must be XC riders".
The second occasion I'd been doing laps with my son, who is slower on the climbs. He decided he was done for the evening, but I wanted to get in one more, and I had some energy in the tank so I set off at a reasonable pace on my Lithium. There were a couple of guys ahead of me on the climbing trail, I slowly reeled them in and then passed them, and as I did one of them said "I thought you were on an ebike, I feel really lazy now!"
The second occasion I'd been doing laps with my son, who is slower on the climbs. He decided he was done for the evening, but I wanted to get in one more, and I had some energy in the tank so I set off at a reasonable pace on my Lithium. There were a couple of guys ahead of me on the climbing trail, I slowly reeled them in and then passed them, and as I did one of them said "I thought you were on an ebike, I feel really lazy now!"
The DH couchers were, indeed, impressed by my half-marshmallow. And I felt I coulda done it on a rigid with 47c gravelly Bois. Lol. Ida been hella slow, though.
Prolly take a rigid up there start of next season.
Holds earpiece
Oh, yeah.
Mulligan.
Ima defo take a FOOLY ridged up there start of next season.
![Image]()
Prolly take a rigid up there start of next season.
Holds earpiece
Oh, yeah.
Mulligan.
Ima defo take a FOOLY ridged up there start of next season.
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5,983 Posts
I enjoy my hardtail for several use cases, but I absolutely cannot descend chunky or sendy trails nearly as fast with it. Some trails are more fun on the HT, some are more fun on the squisher.
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3,567 Posts
I rarely get actual comments, but I sometimes get the look especially when they see I have a gray beard and am riding a battle worn Ti hardtail, you can hear it in their face: "Oh $h1t, you're one of those guys". It's like a combo of mad props and that-guy's-nuts. I don't have time to worry about that, because I've usually reeled them in on a winching climb. Once in a while, a squish-boi will catch me on a rocky descent since I'm using body English while they can bomb through....but only sometimes, and I don't make it easy on them.
On the other side of the pancake, I very often see people on rolling 150mm+ Barcaloungers on trails I could probably clean on my gravel bike and I think....yuck. To each their own, but not fun at all to me.
On the other side of the pancake, I very often see people on rolling 150mm+ Barcaloungers on trails I could probably clean on my gravel bike and I think....yuck. To each their own, but not fun at all to me.
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