A If you're wondering whether you should buy a hardtail or full suspension (FS) mountain bike for adventure racing, you're not alone. A few years ago, the decision was pretty easy because full suspension bikes in general were not that great. The rear suspension technology was still in its formative stages and the bikes weighed a fair amount more than a hardtail. However, over the last two or so years, someone could definitely choose a full suspension bike without feeling like they got screwed.
Some things you should consider when deciding on which type of bike to buy would be:
- what type of adventure races you are planning on doing,
- what other types of riding you'll be using the bike for (x-country racing, free riding, downhill),
- typical adventure racing mountain biking terrain.
In general, we adventure racers are very concerned about weight, so we typically try to get the lightest things possible. So it follows that an adventure racer would go for the hardtail because it's lighter. But the main benefit of a decent FS bike is that the added suspension in the rear of the bike enables you to pedal over stuff that you couldn't normally pedal over with a hardtail: You gain riding efficiency. The mathematically inclined can then do the calculus to figure out if you are better off with a lighter bike or one which will let you spend more time pedaling and less time standing.
The shorter the adventure races you plan on doing, the less important this decision becomes. Hi-Tec type sprint races of just a few hours have short mountain bike sections and it won't really matter which type of bike you use. However, if you plan on doing multi-day races that have several long bike legs, then you may want to consider your bike choice more carefully.
Secondly, it probably doesn't make a lot of sense to buy a bike based on doing one race a year while you do a different kind of riding all the other time. For example, if you do free riding 100 days a year and do one 2-day race, you should choose a bike based on how you plan on using it the majority of the time.
Additionally, you need to consider what kind of terrain you would be riding in an adventure race. You typically don't have 100 miles of technical single track riding in a multi-day race. You may have some single, some double, fire roads, gravel roads, dirt roads and paved roads. The less technical the terrain, the less likely the need for a FS bike.
Last, there is the comfort factor. Riding many hours over bumpy terrain with a backpack is pretty harsh on the body. So anything that can add some comfort (without sacrificing too much in weight or performance) is a good thing. You should consider looking at some of the FS bikes that have very simple, short travel suspension (like 1-2 inches). Or you can look at using a hardtail along with a suspension seat post like a Cane Creek Thudbuster (which is what I use).
Want more info? - Read this good discussion on hardtail vs. FS bikes at mtbreview.com.
