hard tail or full susser

"Jon Bond" wrote in message ...
"Jimmy Hitler" wrote in message
...
This has probably been discussed before but I would be grateful your
opinion ...
it might save a big fall out .
Me mate tried cross country racing last year with a specialized full
susser
and did quite well but felt he lost a lot on the hills and as the
downhill's
where not that bad a light hard tail was the order of the day and the
fact
the 99 % of the riders where using them ...he's now the proud owner of a
specialized m5 with lots of exspensive and light goodies attached to it .
Our other mate is adamant that a full susser with lockout would be a far
better option as you have the best of both worlds and the fact that the
world championship was won on a full susser says he is right .. No one
will
shift their opinion .
snip good analysis

Don't bother with lockout. Put a 5th element or a swinger SPV or some other
stable platform technology on your bike if you can, or get a bike like the
blur that helps minimize bob (it still bobs, don't get me wrong, but nowhere
near as much as most of the other designs I tried).

So, to sum all that blabbering up:

Fully for technical courses
Hardtail for fast, smooth courses.

Jon Bond


Well said.
paladin

"Jimmy Hitler" wrote in message ...
snip
What do you think ?...

I think amateur racing is a joke. I think you need a rigid
singlespeed and a soul to go with that.

JD

"Sorni" wrote in message . ..
"GeeDubb" wrote in message
...

You and my wife must vibrate on the same level!

Family newsgroup, buddy.

Bill "just for Jonesy" S.

As soon as I read it, I said to myself, "Oh, **** - Sorni's gonna be
all over that one."

Thanks for yet another LOL.
--
Jonesy

P e t e F a g e r l i n wrote:
On Fri, 12 Dec 2003 09:01:10 -0500, "Carla A-G"
wrote:


"P e t e F a g e r l i n" wrote in message
. ..


http://home.pacbell.net/psf0/5spot/wayslack.jpg

I like the table lamps. Where did you get them from?


Unknown.

I'll have to ask my wife if she remembers where she got them.

I think we got ours from Velogear.com.

P e t e F a g e r l i n wrote:

On Fri, 12 Dec 2003 09:01:10 -0500, "Carla A-G"
wrote:


"P e t e F a g e r l i n" wrote in message
. ..


http://home.pacbell.net/psf0/5spot/wayslack.jpg

I like the table lamps. Where did you get them from?


Unknown.

I'll have to ask my wife if she remembers where she got them.

I wanta know how you get away parking that bike on the light-colored

carpet. We've got similar carpet, and I know I'd be crucified if I

brought any bikes in like that.


paladin

http://home.pacbell.net/psf0/5spot/wayslack.jpg


I've been thinking about a 16mm... Which lens is that?

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

Paladin murmured while asleep:
Unknown.

I'll have to ask my wife if she remembers where she got them.

I wanta know how you get away parking that bike on the light-colored

carpet. We've got similar carpet, and I know I'd be crucified if I

brought any bikes in like that.


paladin

silly, he took the photos while she was out. We know you do stuff like that,
just don't get caught.

Penny

Penny S wrote:

Paladin murmured while asleep:

Unknown.

I'll have to ask my wife if she remembers where she got them.


I wanta know how you get away parking that bike on the light-colored

carpet. We've got similar carpet, and I know I'd be crucified if I

brought any bikes in like that.


paladin


silly, he took the photos while she was out. We know you do stuff like that,
just don't get caught.

Penny


I shoulda figured. After all, the loveseat is such a dramatic backdrop
to that cool dh rig. Kinda fits, right?

paladin

Chris Phillipo wrote:

In article ,
says...
On 12 Dec 2003 08:49:10 -0800, (Jonesy) wrote:


Depends on what "advantage" is being discussed. Nowadays, the only
disadvantages are, in order of importance: Complexity, cost, and
weight.

You forgot "power sapping"

No matter how good the stable platform rear shock is, or how good the
lockout is, there is still more movement in the rear on a FS bike when
climbing smooth stuff (all too common on many face courses).

Climbing smooth stuff, isn't that what those smooth assed roadies do?

I have it on good authority that they don't shave that high. I...
errr, they can't see back there and wouldn't want to risk razor burn
on their buns.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame

(Jonesy) wrote:

Mark Hickey wrote in message . ..

The more skilled the rider, the less the FS advantage matters (and the
FS disadvantage still counts as much).

Depends on what "advantage" is being discussed. Nowadays, the only
disadvantages are, in order of importance: Complexity, cost, and
weight.

.... and pedaling induced bob, and reliability, and the potential for
some quirky behavior in certain circumstances (kinda like Shawn).

On most XC courses, a HT is
the fast way 'round, at least for those who know how to ride well. If
OTOH, just pointing the bike in the general direction is about as
technical as you wanna get, a FS might make you faster.

Or, if you're not going to race, you might just have more fun (Moore
Fun?) on a FS bike. If it's all about speed, get a road bike, and
don't go on the trails. And if it's about racing, get sponsored so
you can afford the lightest, flimsiest POS to get to the finish line,
but no further.

The real question is: if you are not going to race, why bother
looking at what racers ride?

You don't have to have a number pinned to your Yurroracerwannabee
jersey to appreciate going fast, at least not with the animals I ride
with. If the task at hand is to hang on (or lead), it's going to be a
lot more "fun" if you aren't wasting a lot of energy where you don't
need to. Besides, I like the way a hardtail reacts - the way you can
flick it around and make it REALLY dig when necessary. And there are
plenty of really, really tough climbs around here that make me
appreciate the light weight.

Don't get me wrong - FS is cool too, and I appreciate them for what
they do well... it's just that the kind of riding I like to do is more
fun (for me) on a bike that doesn't make me feel like I'm riding on a
mattress.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame