If you looked at the start line of a cross-country World Cup 10 years ago nearly every bike would have been a hardtail. Hardtails are simple, lightweight and suited the less technical courses of the era. There may have been a few full suspension bikes, but they came with a weight penalty and compromised pedalling efficiency.
Fast-forward to 2015 and times have changed: races are shorter and contain more technical features and manufacturers have closed the performance gap between hardtails and full suspension bikes. This leaves pros and amateurs alike in a quandary.
Do you go for the super lightweight, razor sharp hardtail, or the slightly heavier but more forgiving full suspension bike?
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It's hard to beat hardtails for smooth trails with lots of climbing
Both, of course, have their pros and cons. Nothing can beat a hardtail for flat-out climbing speed and efficiency, but they suffer on the technical features found on modern cross country courses. This is where a full-sus machine excels, happily soaking up descents, roots, rock gardens and drops, at the expense of added weight and a slight loss of pedalling efficiency.
Equipment
How we tested
Results
So what does it all mean?
The verdict
You can read more at BikeRadar.com
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