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OK, I have a hardtail at the moment and i am currently saving to get a new bike in the forseeable future. I am currently torn between a hardtail and a full susser.
While I do go out on some longer trails mainly based on forest tracks and things ( and i do like to potter about on the street bouncing around on and off little obstacles ), i have to admit that the majority of my miles are built up on the commute to work and back every other day. This commute is about 10 miles each way and geniunely is a case of 5 miles up hill and then 5 miles back down the other side, while not particulary steep overall ( climb from sea level to 350m over the 5 miles ) its a pretty constant incline.
I've had a couple of quick shots on a variety of bikes and i've been really surprised at just how light full sussers are getting - they *feel* lighter than my current steed. My current short list is generally:
-Klein Attitude
- Cannondale F800
- Trek Liquid 10
- Gary Fisher Cake 3 dlx
Without getting too much into which bike is better ( unless you have direct comparison experience of each ) , by question is:
Regardless of bobbing, just how much do you guys feel that a full suspension takes more energy to climb on a hard surface like a road than a hardtail?
do you feel its really really obvious that you need a lot more energy to peddle up hill or is it just that you feel its slightly harder, but not by much.
I wont be racing, and i often tend to sit in the saddle when doing the climb for the commute. At the same time, i want a bike that is comfy for longer rides but will still climb reasonably well, but still be able to handle a few knocks and bumps on some harder decents. If the difference in energy levels was marginal, then i would go FS
I recently changed my tyres to Panaracer speedblasters and they have made a whopping difference to who well my hardtail seems to go along - so i would consider fitting them too.
Lastly, i'm 6ft1 and about 210lbs
sorry for the long post, but i would appreciate you opinions
While I do go out on some longer trails mainly based on forest tracks and things ( and i do like to potter about on the street bouncing around on and off little obstacles ), i have to admit that the majority of my miles are built up on the commute to work and back every other day. This commute is about 10 miles each way and geniunely is a case of 5 miles up hill and then 5 miles back down the other side, while not particulary steep overall ( climb from sea level to 350m over the 5 miles ) its a pretty constant incline.
I've had a couple of quick shots on a variety of bikes and i've been really surprised at just how light full sussers are getting - they *feel* lighter than my current steed. My current short list is generally:
-Klein Attitude
- Cannondale F800
- Trek Liquid 10
- Gary Fisher Cake 3 dlx
Without getting too much into which bike is better ( unless you have direct comparison experience of each ) , by question is:
Regardless of bobbing, just how much do you guys feel that a full suspension takes more energy to climb on a hard surface like a road than a hardtail?
do you feel its really really obvious that you need a lot more energy to peddle up hill or is it just that you feel its slightly harder, but not by much.
I wont be racing, and i often tend to sit in the saddle when doing the climb for the commute. At the same time, i want a bike that is comfy for longer rides but will still climb reasonably well, but still be able to handle a few knocks and bumps on some harder decents. If the difference in energy levels was marginal, then i would go FS
I recently changed my tyres to Panaracer speedblasters and they have made a whopping difference to who well my hardtail seems to go along - so i would consider fitting them too.
Lastly, i'm 6ft1 and about 210lbs
sorry for the long post, but i would appreciate you opinions