wales on a hardtail? Options

[dazzleprophet]

Hi everyone

I have ordered a cannondale prophet 1 and also booked up my first wales weekender for the bank holiday weekend but this is where my problem lies the bike will not be turning up on time and it looks like i will end up taking my rockhopper will this bike be ok or am i going to really struggle. I am used to riding in forests mainly
Any help would be good thanks

[Tony F]

Hi everyone

I have ordered a cannondale prophet 1 and also booked up my first wales weekender for the bank holiday weekend but this is where my problem lies the bike will not be turning up on time and it looks like i will end up taking my rockhopper will this bike be ok or am i going to really struggle. I am used to riding in forests mainly
Any help would be good thanks

Depends where you're going. The North Wales trail centres (Marin, Penmachno, Coed y Brenin, Llandegla especially, even the 'black' route) are all rideable on a hardtail. My first proper of-road ride was the Marin, and if I could do it on a ht with my total lack of skill, anyone can. Can't speak for the South Wales centres, and I've not really ridden any natural trails in Wales.

They're faster and more fun (IMO) on a FS, but definitely doable.

Enjoy

Tony

[Suggsey]

Normally I ride my full suss on the Welsh trail centres to limit damage to wheels and my back on the descents but today rode Llandegla plus the masts descent on my hardtail. It limited me a tiny bit on the descents but to be honest not a whole lot and I didnt bust any kit and even got plenty of air (for me) clearing the a frame wooden bridge jump landing on the dirt. What I did find was that after a couple of sections my back was killing but that may just have been because of the slightly different position on the bike when climbing and a lot of out of the seat descending and pedalling.
Just relax and go with the flowand pick the smoothest lines you can to avoid pinch flats.

[Mick]

Depends where you're going. The North Wales trail centres (Marin, Penmachno, Coed y Brenin, Llandegla especially, even the 'black' route) are all rideable on a hardtail.

Agree with what Tony says, I've done Llandegla and Marin on a rigid SS and had a great time, although they are easier and more comfortable on a FS

[that_was_scary]

You will be ok on a hard tail, you may just seem abit roughed up afterwards
Just stick to the smoother lines you will be fine.

I few years ago on holiday in Scotland my rear shock failed so I hired a hardtail for a few days. The first proper desent I went down at full suss speed, I didn't stack it but almost shook my filling out and my eye balls were rattling in my head I took things abit easier after that but still great fun.

You can get more "pop" on a hardtail off jumps which is more fun too

[dazzleprophet]

Thanks everyone you have put my mind at rest so bring on the weekend

[Nik]

all doable on a HT. You will be fine.

[dazzleprophet]

One last thing i usually ride clipless would this be suicide or shall i change to flats
thanks again

[addict]

One last thing i usually ride clipless would this be suicide or shall i change to flats
thanks again

now then mister dizzleprizzle (thats gangster) ride whay ever you feel most comfortable with. Me and the Girlies rode Coed-Y-brenin ( which is Welsh for 'mmm sheep...') The Beast and The Tawr Trail on hardtails, and didnt have any major issues, so i'm sure you''be fine.

[Jarl]

Stick with what you know. And: It's the bike not the rider.

I rode downhill on a HT with flat bars and clipless for a while, at which point I got the risers and noticed a massive difference after a couple of rides. Then a couple of months later I went to flats and again, haven't looked back. I wouldn't go to flats for one ride, though.

With the clipless pedals I was frequently fastest down the mountain with my XC group. With flats I beat about 50 guys on 8" full suspension rigs in the student champs. I'm going to put a proper front tyre on before tackling the cwm carn uplift (currently on a 2.1 nevegal), and I hope I'll get an overtake on someone with a "proper" rig. You can ride practically anything on practically anything if you've got the skill, FS helps make you faster and it's comfier.

The fastest guy riding downhill on a HT at the student champs hit 1:38. The fastest guy full stop hit 1:25. I was just over 2 minutes. You may not be so fast on your HT, but you'll get down it

[dazzleprophet]

cheers thanks everyone

[1gearnoidea]

done it on rigid singlespeed...pish easy..i even did nan bield on my hardtail and had no problems, as above relax those arms and knees and have fun