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I'm a long time bike commuter looking to get his first mountain bike. The threads on this forum have been extremely useful, so I thank all of you.
One question I can't find the answer to: How much more maintenance does a full suspension bike take as compared to a hardtail?
I always see "less maintenance time and cost" listed as pluses to hardtails, but I haven't been able to get a feel as to the magnitude of the difference. 10 minutes a ride? 10 minutes a month? $50 a year? $150 a year?
I'm used to doing basic maintenance on my commuter bike, but have never dealt with shocks before. Is the FS/HT maintenance difference only in the shocks and pivots or does the increased complication and movement mean more derailleur adjustment and other tweaks for the FS?
If it matters, I'm likely buying a bike in the $800-1000 market range. If it was a FS, it would certainly be used, most likely from a friend who I know maintains his bikes well. A HT I might buy either new or used, depending what is on the market. I would do most of my riding in CT, MA, and VT.
Thanks a lot!
One question I can't find the answer to: How much more maintenance does a full suspension bike take as compared to a hardtail?
I always see "less maintenance time and cost" listed as pluses to hardtails, but I haven't been able to get a feel as to the magnitude of the difference. 10 minutes a ride? 10 minutes a month? $50 a year? $150 a year?
I'm used to doing basic maintenance on my commuter bike, but have never dealt with shocks before. Is the FS/HT maintenance difference only in the shocks and pivots or does the increased complication and movement mean more derailleur adjustment and other tweaks for the FS?
If it matters, I'm likely buying a bike in the $800-1000 market range. If it was a FS, it would certainly be used, most likely from a friend who I know maintains his bikes well. A HT I might buy either new or used, depending what is on the market. I would do most of my riding in CT, MA, and VT.
Thanks a lot!