5 Of The Best Upgrades You Can Make To Your Hardtail | Beginner MTB Tips
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- Опубликовано: 26 июл 2024
- Rich has got a list of 5 of the best upgrades you can make to your hardtail! These upgrades will definitely benefit you if you're a beginner but if you're an intermediate or an advanced hardtail rider, you'll definitely reap the benefits too! Let us know which upgrade you think is the most worthwhile in the comments below 👍
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Now, of course, you don't have to make any of these upgrades to have a great time on your bike, but each of these definitely has benefits to make your ride more comfortable, fluid, durable and problem-free. Change out your tyres or pedals if you're struggling for grip either on the ground or on the bike, add a dropper if you want to stop to make adjustments less and there is a whole host of benefits to going tubeless with a great pair of tyres and maybe a tyre insert! Let us know which upgrades you've made to your bike in the comments 👇
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What upgrades have you made to your hardtail?
New grips
New brakes
Grips brakes seat etc now I'm getting a new one since there over all just fun
wider bars made a big difference
pedals, saddle, grips, riser bars from flat bars, forks, brakes..
Hardtail warriors where you at? 💪⚡
👏
I am a hardtail rider and i am a rash rider when on the road with my hardtail and it is the best for performing stunts
@@AGaltitude88 💪
@@sanashams322 Awesome dude
YEEAAAAAAAAAAH WOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“There’s a reason we all start out on them. They’re affordable...” he says sitting next to a 4 grand Pole Taival. Hmmm
That being said, entry level hardtails are significantly more affordable than "entry level" dual sus bikes. You can buy a LOT of bike in HT compared to even a cheap FS bike.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Nah... I have one. It was less than 2k with Pikes.
@@takegoodcareoftheforestdew5339 oh, checked website and it said 4k, was running GX and 34 performance elite tho
@@EpicMTB just checked myself - nearly a grand more than I paid earlier this year. That's a big increase. .
Finally a hardtail vid I’ve been waiting for this day
Same
ruclips.net/video/Gqzxuj3I8sc/видео.html
Budget hard tail guy myself.
Same
They used to have a Hardtail Week playlist but it seems like they deleted that recently... not sure why... most were with Blake too!
How many times can we show Rich hitting that corner?! 😜
Ground hog day, surely they’ve got a few more ‘stock clips’ 😒😖
The answer is: yes
And when did skidding around corners become the accepted norm, anyway,?
We need a hardtail week back
I think we can all agree we need more hardtail videos!
I feel like they've made this video like 3 times now
But the defo forgot new grips, most hardtails come with hard hella uncomfortable grips and its a hella cheap but useful upgrade
Cheap this and cheap that...some of us just love Hardtails.
a small few... his hard tail was like 4 grand anyway😂
And some of us still love and prefer hardtails over full sus even after decades of riding. Not everyone appreciates the completely muted feel of full sus, also some people enjoy picking the perfect line which is so much more satisfying on a hardtail, I prefer how much power you can get to the back wheel on a hardtail too.
Not a cheap upgrade, but a mid range fork( or high end if you want) is a great upgrade since there is no suspension in the rear. A rockshox 35 gold is my personal favourite for mid range forks.
A Marzocchi Bomber z2 is also an awesome upgrade. I threw one on my Trek Roscoe and it took the bike to a another level. (but i keep denting my back rim lol)
Went tubeless much better ride.
always buy used
that pole is beautiful! we need more hardcore hardtail vids :)
try some @hardtailparty vids
@@o1o1oo1o yeah I watch a lot of his videos he’s great, but mainly does bike reviews rather than gmbn style of vids with upgrades how to ride maintenance tips hacks etc
Seriously! I'd love more of the Megavalanche on a hardtail videos. Suits my style of hardtail riding
I'm 53, been riding MTB since '87 and my one and only ride is a hardtail. It's a Chameleon and I do have both plus and 29 wheelsets so it's like having 2 bikes, but I'll leave all the FS bikes for the rest of you.
Hey man, few questions. What's your favorite and worst part of the bike, and would you recommend spending that much on a hardtail? Thank you
What I wanna know is do you miss full rigid and should I buy one?
@@Ag3nt0fCha0s Honestly, I think people who would want to ride full rigid are crazy. I think for a mtb having that front suspension is crucial. Full rigid would be too jarring on your body. Especially the wrists. I've owned my hardtail for 20 years and when the front suspension was going out i noticed my wrists were hurting more from it. When I finally put a new fork on there it was so much better on my wrists. I honestly don't know how anyone can ride full rigid on mtb trails. As a kid (in the 80's) I would ride BMX bikes that had no suspension and it was fine, but I also didn't constantly ride over rocks and tree roots like I do with a mtb. Just my thoughts. I would probably go full suspension for that smoother ride but hardtails weigh less, require less maintenance, and cheaper to buy.
my old hardtail didn't have a dropper but my new one does and I can't imagine life without one. absolute game changer
Just bought the GIANT Fathom and i was told it was a game changer. Yet to take delivery of the bike and genuinely curious to why its such a plus. we'll see I guess
We need more Hardtail content for all the warriors out there! Dropper post and tubeless tires were definitely the best upgrades on my Commencal Meta HT AM! Love it
Just bought my first bike in well over a decade. A bare basic HT by Scott, the Aspect. Stretched my budget to land a better helmet and flat pinned pedals. Next I'll likely look at tire configs and rotors, shoes, followed by a dropper. But it all depends on the terrain I'll be exploring the most. I need to better understand the basics of gear ratios and shift mechanics to know what to do there. But I don't mind the "rabbit hole" nature of learning. It's part of the fun. Thanks for the solid tips, it's been exciting to get back in it!
I’m still riding my trusty Scott Evolution.
Bought it new in ~1990 and still awesome. 🤘😁
Flats are the only way to go! I've never had a problem bailing and when you need to kick out your foot to save you in a corner , the foot is automatically there.
The hardtail is the Fender Telecaster of mountain bikes. She may not be the most sophisticated, but she knows how to party.
That’s the best way to put it
And both help you meet women, mostly nurses in the bikes case.
A MUST are: Ergon grips, RockBros flat pedals, 35mm rise handlebars, Maxxis tire...dropper maybe....that's ALL!
Super - I am one of the few that had actually gone from fully (back) to hardtail. Love that GMBN presents more XC and hardtail "stuff" - keep up the good job
Why did you wen't back?
Covering your tube in another sliced up tube, works wonders against flats if you don't mind extra weight
My upgrades on my hardtail- grips, peddles, tires, tubeless conversion in that order
How ya doing rich? Been waiting for a video like this because I’ve been riding my hardtail for a couple years now and I’ve wanted to add some things! This video is really helping!
Just completed a full self-build on my dream hardtail. Cotic BFE Max Steel hardtail in Sexy bright blue. Silver Pike 150mm Ultimate forks,. XX1 Rainbow cassette and chain with full XO1 drivetrain and gorgeous carbon 170mm cranks driving a sram oval chainring. Deity carbon 800mm bars, Rockshox 175mm dropper, Hunt Trail wide wheels with Vittoria inserts. Big Betty 2.6 rear and Magic Mary 2.6 front. Deity Tmac pedals, stem, clamp and Knuckleduster grips. Silver DMR Defy 35mm Stem. Rainbow hardware Code R Rsc brakes with 180/200mm rotors bringing her to a full stop 💪. Proud as punch of it. Puts some expensive suspension bikes to shame. Climbs like a dream and descends like a bullet. Hardtails rule 💪👍👌
Nice, send us some pics! upload.gmbn.com 🤘
Great vid... very helpful! Thanks! 🤙
“The best bike is the one you ride.”
woo! hardtail video, gotta love it.
one of these days I need to pickup a cushcore for that back tire. luckily florida is pretty flat and harmless, but it's still possible to get rowdy, or even just misjudge a jump and case into a curb/stone
Thanks for the vid! My first upgrade was a set of flat pedal(inexpensive...). At last I've done the dropper post(huge upgrade!) Don't forget that a good pair of grip handle is a good upgrade to do so.
Love it been waiting for this one.
Same here.
Super helpful!!🤙🏻 awesome video as per🤙🏻
Inserts for dayyyzzzzzz!! Made a big difference in the feel of my bike. Going wider on the tires helps a lot too. If you have 2.4 or large with inserts it will feel awesome.
I find this video very useful. Thank you GMBN 😀
Done everything bar the dropper post and inserts on my hardtail. I recently purchased a 3k full suss Giant Trance which is amazing- but want to use that in better weather
. So, these winter months I use my hardtail for fitness.
I am using my hardtail mostly for bike packing so I upgraded the disk rotor in the rear (originally 160mm) to 180mm. I have done that on my commuting bike already and to me it seems it does not change the breaking power (more than blocking is not possible) but the feeling is way better.
Additionally it helps slightly with cooling especially with the extra load, I had one time when the feeling from sheer joy switched to outright panic immediately after I felt that the breaks were losing power going downhill with quite some speed.
Old video I know but I have a confession.
I've spent more on upgrades than I paid for the bike 😑🤕
Hydo brakes, handlebars, grips, saddle, pedals, rotors, turned it to a 1x so new chain wheel, chain guide and cranks, rattle can paint job, headset, chain. Still want to upgrade forks, get a dropper and go tubeless.
But those are the most expensive things to do so I'm struggling getting any of those.
It's the best shit bike in my town and id fight anyone who disagrees 😁
And I plan on turning it electric at some point in the future.
🤯
I'm surprised upgrades to shifters and derailleurs aren't mentioned. When I was a newbie to mtb in 2000 I bought a somewhat beginner level bike (2000 Gary Fisher Paragon $1,100). I had issues with the shifters and derailleurs. Sometimes the chain would fall off when shifting into the highest gear on the front chain ring. Plus the rear derailleur was a bit off and didn't shift smoothly. I even took it back to the dealer to have them adjust it. I was thinking I messed it up, but after they adjusted it I still had the same issues. I ended up buying a better quality bike (2001 Klein Attitude Race $2,000) with Shimano XT and XTR components. WOW, what a difference in performance. I quickly fell in love with my bike. It performed so well. No issues with shifting. My Klein still runs great today. I consider it the best purchase I ever made.
This hardtail is more expensive or at least on the same level as many full sussies :D
bike sus
No lie. You can get a Sracen Myst for that money and still have money left over.
@@linusmushroomtips776 GET PUT OF MY WALLS
Thanks for validating my purchases m8
Best looking bike ive seen on gmbn in ages
I'd definitely add decent shock absorbing grips, like ESI or the like. And if the budget allows, damper tuning. With just the front suspension it becomes more important.
This was great 👍🏾
A dropper post is first on my hardtail wish-list! :)
so helpful ! Thank you! i'm beginner too, and i didn't upgrade my trek marline 5 over 1 year!
Great video!
Me, a bike mechanic who just built a fully custom steel hardtail watching this video- *signature look of superiority*
Love your Pole HT... 🤩
Thats pretty much what I have planned for my hard tail... saracen instinct 2007 26er ... dropper, tubeless tyres, dmr v8s, halo wheelset, sram sx eagle, shimano deore 4 pot brakes and a NOS 140mm rockshox revelation rct3... already had a custom paint job, just waiting to accumulate all the other parts :-)
I have a rear suspension bike and a hardtail and honestly hardtails are more fun
Less maintenance also
Can't believe this is filmed at Nesscliffe 😆 first learnt to ride a mtb growing up there 😝
A really good alternative to tubeless is the Schwalbe Aerothan tube. Tried tubeless in the summer and it was a desaster. For example the setup lost air pressure over time so I had to pump my tyres up over and over again. For someone who likes to keep everything low maintanance the new Schwalbe tube may be a better upgrade 👍
I also found tubeless is pain in the a**. I also had defects with it but you can't repair it instantly. Tubeless technology needs more 4-5 years.
Some nice upgrades for my commencal meta ht am
That pole frame is so 🔥
Hardtail. For life ☝️😷
Hardtail all day! Love my full squish but dam hardtail is where the fun and hard is
GMBN! I would want you guys to check out the new S ride 1x13 speed groupset! hope you make a video of it soon!
Thanks GMBN for let us know what to upgrade on our bikes like my 90's style venting KHS Hard tall. I'm new to the mountain bike world 🌎 so I need all the help I can get 🤟🏿😁🤟🏿=One Love
Glad to help!
I've a SC Chameleon 2019, as soon as i got it did a few upgrades - brakes to Magura Trail Sport, Dropper PNW 150mm, Hunt Wheels, Tyres WTB Vigilante and Trail Boss, saddle Ergon, grips Ergon, pedals HT.
Nice!
Finaly a hardtail vid
So a whole video on upgrades basically about tyres👌😂
**searches dropper post prices in the philippines**
me: aight, imma head out
Indian enters the chat
Fox dropper post ₱21,000 kasama na remote. Pero pag walang remote, ₱19,000 PUCHA
Dropper post is a must.
I love my entry-level hardtail much so that I my upgrades cost more than my bike. The upgrades. Deity Aluminum Flat Pedals, Raceface 35 Carbon Bars, Aluminum Raceface Short Stem. BelAir 3 saddle, ODI grips, PMW Loam dropper post, Loam lever. Custom headset cap.
If you are starting out with clipless pedals, i strongly suggest getting the shimano mtb pedal system and switch to the SM-SH56 cleats, and unscrew them all the way. That saved my ass quite a few times, because you will still get out if you fall automatically by your body movements. and it is still strong enough that it wont come off when pedaling or rattling about.
The one thing I'd do is skip the tubeless/liner option, and go straight to Tannus Tyre Armour. It lets you run a lighter casing, and still at tube, but the liner wraps the tube. So with the lighter tyre, it's not that big a weight penalty. (especially if you consider cushcore + sealant weight)
Tannus is amazing, and makes changing a tyre a breeze compared to all the horrible sealant goo. That stuff is grim. I've not had a flat in over a year on my beginning HT... and I've been slamming the hell out of the rear wheel becuase I'm a bit of a crap rider still. (getting better.... honest)
Top 5 Budget Hardtail Upgrades are as follows:
1) Tires (Most come with non-tubeless tires)
2) Dropper
3) Pedals
4) Seat (in case you don't fit yours...)
5) Front Fork (even 2k bikes are coming with Recon's/Sektor's these days)
Once you get these dialed, the rest wear out and you can replace it with upgrades.
My upgrade was a whole new hardtail 😅🤙🏼
Beautiful Taival you got there
dope vid would recommend doing the dropper post first
This is what I need to do
1:36 “It’s just a faff (sp?)” Love it. I’m gonna appropriate that particular phrase, although it will take a while for my fellow Yanks to get what I mean....Another of my faves is “crack on”.
Yesssss finally done hardtail specific content for those who wanna rip but not spend $3000+ on our bikes!
what’s funny is the hard tail they used is like 4 grand tho
@@tomtricks6838 fair, but it's nice to have some relevant technique stuff
But once you do all the upgrades you'll have spent $3k+ total (or least I would have). I'm still debating which route I want to go; buy a cheaper hardtail and upgrade a little at a time or just buy a nice hardtail and enjoy the ride. Tough decision.
I don't have a dropper post yet but I have my eyes on the PNW Ranier gen 3 post!
Go for it. Have the PNW Pine 27.5, works great, even in the cold (30-40 deg F/ 0deg C), no issues for 2 years.
Hello!!! I was just wondering what tire pressure to put in my hardtail?(Great vid btw!!!)
I purchases a bergamont roxter 3.0 "marathon" in either 2018/2019, I paid £380 for it and its been a brilliant bike, first upgrades were grips stem and bars, I stopped using when I went off of mtb riding and just near the end of 2021/start of 2022 started riding again, I've since then got new stronger wheels with sealed bearings, chunky tyres (magic Mary front and nobby nic rear), better suspension (only suntour raidon air forks nothing flash) and fully serviced it fresh replacement parts nukeproof neutron pedals, I did however change the stem back to original because the frame is a large and felt way too short with the 30mm stem and it's fun but I'm setting money aside to get a 1x10 setup but bills get in the way
I have a titanium light speed obed I have had since 1995. 26 in wheels. I put a dropper post on it, a high rise bar, 2.3 tire in the front and went tubeless. I also upgraded from the regular Shimano Spd to the Shimano saint which gives me a bit of a platform and less of a whiffy feeling if I miss getting back in the clips. Disc brakes are out of the question because I could only put them on the front and not the back. I've had the fork serviced so it's almost brand new.
@Anton Chigurh that actually makes no sense. It still leaves me with a rim break behind. And it is not 85% of your braking. You use both brakes. Then you have the expense of doing all of that, a shifter, and a wheel. I'd rather save my money for a modern mountain bike
@Anton Chigurh Let me break it down. I have 26" wheels. Finding a set up? Really? I have a triple chain ring. Finding shifters? Really? Even my mechanic isn't going for this. Trust me when I say I do know what I am doing. Having a front disc and a rear rim brake is a recipe for disaster. There is no way a disc brake is going on the back as there is no place to put it and I will stop you right there at the suggestion I have something "welded" to a titanium frame. At that point the expense exceeds everything. There are numerous reasons for a new ride -- modern geometry, way more travel, etc. so I can scream down technical descents. Bigger wheels, more bang for my energy . buck when I turn over the cranks. The old one gets to be a spare. Always have a spare. At 70 I am a way more aggressive rider than I was ten years ago. As in -- way more.
@@foxykc you didn't explain all of that, so how would he know? Looking at your first comment, it makes it seem like you just didn't like the idea of mixed brakes. Looking at the most recent comment, you explained the practicality of it (rather aggressively) and now it is pretty clear that no, its doesn't make sense. However, he couldn't have known that.
@@bananasstuff3344 mansplaining. He's mansplaining. He's leaping to conclusions. He's making an assumption that I don't know what I'm doing. I have occasionally had to repeat myself three times when talking in person to a man before he hears what I have to say. . I already stated in my first comment that putting brakes on the back was out of the question. The idea of having a more powerful break, a disc brake, on the front and a v brake in the back makes no sense. There is no mountain biker I have ever talked to who thought that even remotely made sense. Including my mechanic, the guy I paid to do this. Your man made the assumption that I don't know what I'm doing. That's even Ruder than what you are accusing me of doing
I always swear by my 2013 Giant XTC , nothing original on it accept the frame, but I love my hard tail!
I'm surprised you didn't link Rich's vid on clipless peddles from the other day (I assume same day filming)
Hardtail for life.
Pole Taigal
Now, I'm in love with my Nukeproof Scout 290 Race but..................that Pole looks a right weapon 😎
Rich/GMBN would use tyre insert probably just rear if you rode like XC/Trail riding and occasionally bike parks. (I ride chalky trails, Salisbury Plain, South Downs Way stuff)
Great video Rich and #GMBN 👊
Chromag , 170mm dropper , 150mm fox 36, 2.5 tyres with inserts big boy 203mm brakes and I can hang with my DH fellas in our local trails 🤘🏾long live Hardtail shredding !!
Sounds rad! 🤘
Also with flats !!!!! Just dig those heels in flow your way through it , the bike can do it just got to be willing to hang on for the ride . That being said I’ve learned a lot from all you fellas keep up the good work and pedal everyday !!!!
I love hard tails
On a Hardtail your legs are the suspension and for the suspension to work at its best your feet need to be attached to the bike. And their are a lot of decent well priced SPD compatible shoes now and it's cheaper than trying to find the right flat pedal and shoe.
Bingo
you know you're doing it right when your fork costs the same price as the entire stock bike
Never heard of inserts until now, and i have to say that these could really make me want to try tubeless (yet i doubt i can get those where i live)
well you can because you have the internet clearly
The latest upgrade I’ve done to my 2019 Giant Fathom E+3 29er was retro fitting a Tannus Armour Insert onto my rear rim. After giving the setup a shakedown of nearly 60, I can confirm that this has transformed the back end of my bike for the better. Now it’s planted and the predictable even when your rolling over gnaarlier trails and small impacts that once used to travel straight up my spine and absorbed by the Tannus. Together with the benefit of riding lower pressures and added protection from punctures and rim damage (as well as the amazing price, I brought a pair for less than £100), this is a no brainer. I can not recommend the Tannus Armour Tyre insert strong enough.
Already did everything except for the insert
*Bike companies should design modular hardtails that can be upgraded to full suspension.*
That would immediately cost the same as a full sus and would still be a hardtail...
Dropper, short stem, better pedals, bar-end plastic streamers in rainbow colors.
I started on cliped padels. Never looked back.
Yeah, the only thing i don't like in my XC bike is it can't take too wide tires. Would be nice to go 27.5+ sometimes.
Tubeless tires also give you more suspension
the best upgrade of all, money....
Before my bike got stolen, the rear wheel wouldn't lock up all the way. I got used to it and it acted like an ABS lol.
I was thinking of going tubeless but decided not to when seeing how much tubeless ready rims cost. Would cost as much as my bike.
Also winter is coming, so this time make a video with proper winter tires that have spikes ;)
You can make any wheel “tubeless ready”. Gorilla tape, tubeless tape, etc. there are lots of videos on how to do so. The tires are the main thing that needs to be tubeless ready, and they’re under a hundred each usually.
Which dropper post should I buy? Are there some which are not so expensive
Don't you just love these people who tell you to upgrade and spend hard earned cash when they get given all the upgrade bits?
Didn't you guys buy a "cheap" Voodoo that you were going to build up with some upgrades?
I was just wondering that myself
A
My cheap voodoo was a £500 bantu
My bike came with maxxis ignitors which I think are quite grippy
Hardtail tip: try a beefier and/or wider tire in BACK, not front. The opposite of full-suspension.
Just added inserts to my Christmas list. Got the link if anyone needs it