Mountain bikes
are a relatively recent invention. They were born in the mountains of California at the end of the 1970s, when people like Tom Ritchey, Joe Breeze, and Gary Fisher would ride down the east face of Pine Mountain on bicycles from the Great Depression era that they themselves modified. Since then, mountain bikes have evolved until the element that best defines them appeared: suspension. These have also undergone a strong evolution since they hit the market. The simple elastomer forks were soon filled with air. Since putting a suspension on the front wheel worked, the logical next step was to do the same on the rear, leading to the appearance of softails and articulated suspensions. Nowadays, almost all brands have a wide range of both hardtail and semi-rigid bikes
as well as full suspension bikes
. What are the advantages of each one?

Advantages of full suspension bikes

The main virtue of full suspension mountain bikes is their greater comfort. When riding on rough terrain, the vibrations caused by these irregularities are transmitted to the cyclist. If you are on a five or six hour ride, even the slightest bump can end up causing countless aches. A good rear suspension dampens these shocks from the ground, making the experience of riding a bike much more comfortable. Directly related to this is the feeling of greater physical rest we have when we finish a ride. If you are going to do long rides on tracks, trails, and unpaved areas, it is advisable to buy a full suspension mountain bike. While full suspensions are usually heavier and require a bit more effort on climbs, it is also true that they save us from many jolts that would otherwise be transmitted to our backs, which ultimately results in less pain. Full suspension bikes are recommended for those who suffer from back pain.

With a full suspension bike and a bit of skill, you can go more places than you could with a hardtail

Another highly noteworthy virtue is the greater stability that these bicycles usually have. It is clear that the geometry of the frame has a lot to do with this, but while hardtails usually have more vertical and therefore aggressive angles, double suspension bikes rarely exceed 69º in the head angle, which, combined with a longer chainstay length, results in greater bike stability. Furthermore, when the shock absorber is compressed, the wheelbase increases, and the longer the wheelbase, the more stable the bike. And the most fun of all, with a double suspension bike and a bit of skill, you can go through more places than you could with a hardtail. When you ride over certain rocky sections, having a shock absorber that absorbs the impact of the rear wheel when it lands on the rocks will make the difference between staying on the bike or having to get off, sometimes in a rather unorthodox way.

It is true that individual technique is what matters most, but inexperienced riders will find the same technical section easier with a 140mm travel double suspension bike than with a 100mm hardtail. And for experienced riders, it’s even more so. You could even say that they are faster than hardtails, because with less bouncing of the rear wheel, you don’t lose traction, and you can keep pedaling in areas where with a hardtail you have to get off the saddle and stop pedaling.

Advantages of hardtail mountain bikes

If there’s something that works against all cyclists, especially when going uphill, it’s weight, and in this respect hardtail bikes are unbeatable. Without going into materials and ranges, a hardtail bike is usually lighter than a full suspension, since it doesn’t have the entire rear suspension system, which includes the rear triangle, linkages, shock absorber, and bolts. All these parts can add up to more than a kilo. There’s also the rigidity factor. When we pedal on a hardtail bike, the force of our pedaling goes directly to the bottom bracket, and since there is only a straight, solid bar between the saddle and the bottom bracket, we can transmit almost all the force of our pedaling, resulting in greater propulsion. It’s also important to note that a hardtail bike has greater simplicity. Regardless of all those frame manufacturing technologies that manufacturers tell us about, in the end a hardtail frame is four or five tubes welded together, or a piece made in a single mold. This saves us complex parts and accessories, and the fewer parts, the fewer things that can break.

Moreover, this simplicity is linked to the most important benefit in many cases: hardtail bikes are cheaper. Lacking the shock absorber and the suspension system of full suspension bikes, hardtails achieve cost savings that translate into a lower purchase price, or better equipment for the same outlay.

Comfort vs. Agility

Which one to choose? Are hardtail mountain bikes or full suspension bikes better? Each type of suspension has its pros and cons. In the case of full suspension bikes, the main advantage is comfort. Hardtail bikes stand out for their agility and lightness. There are many factors to consider before deciding which one to buy: the type of terrain you will ride on, age, health, riding technique, budget...