It depends where you live! I live in Graubünden, Switzerland, a lot of biking ist gravel and firewoods uphill and demanding trails downhill. So,No fullsus needed,if "surfing" and reading the trail is yours.I ride hardtails,the eccentric alu Evo 29,you need strong walled tires. In my opinion I ride the fullsus when the trail is ondulated with a lot of big roots and rocks,there is more flow on the fullsus,also on trails uphills a fullsus let's you keep in the saddle. The eccentric frame is 6066 t6 alum. It rides fantastic,for 260 bucks.... Nice if you can have both,
@@MrTonka oh for sure I understand, it's also a if I could afford a decent one as my plus sized hardtail is a bit slow but pretty good on soaking up bumps. It's nice ride and all I could afford as a FS at the same price or a bit over is a bit lacking in specs and would not be as good as big wheeler HT, cheers and hi from Australia
Glad to see another RUclipsr proudly reppin Stanton. Such a diamond of a brand who deserves every bit of the notoriety that seems to be more and more coming their way as ppl discover just how brilliant their bikes and frames are. Ohhhh how I long to own one myself someday.. :) . Cheers to the hardtail revolution!
Joe, I took your advise and bought a hard tail 22 years ago! Seriously! I still have it and am now finding new ways to bring simplicity back to my riding (can you say single speed...I knew that you could!) congrats to the new sled👊🏻 looking forward to upcoming videos😁👍🏻
I’m sure I’ll get ridiculed, but I love my Big S Fuse. I own full squish trail, enduro and ebikes, but the one that gets pulled out of the garage more often than any other is my mid-fat. Wishing the head angle was a little more slack, but do appreciate the playfulness. Winter rides, mud rides, hammering climbs, bike packing, love the versatility!!!!
looks like a fun ride, with the addition to plus size tires on hard tails it is making hard tails more trail friendly because the tires themselves adds as a small amount of suspension.
Awesome. One thing go note: stanton measures the 65.5 deg HA at 25% sag on a 140mm fork. So with a 150 to 160mm fork and without sag. The HA angle should be around a 63 ish HA
After riding full suspension Enduro bikes for the last 2 years I went and got myself a Nukeproof scout 27.5 hardtail 2.8" tires I am having a blast on it, fast on flow trails and fun to jump
Cool ride. Switched back to a hardtail two years ago and been having a blast. Just rotated back to full suspension this week. Almost bought a new RDS Middlechilld aggressive steel hardtail, but wanted to ride the new Ripley V4 too much (after demoing 18 different bikes). This hobby is so much fun. So many options. Keep rockin.
I bought a Stanton slackline about 3 years ago, it was a super fun build and I agree with everything you said in this video, got me super stoked to ride tomorrow!
Have always ridden dual suspension ever since I got into mountain biking and have gone thru numerous frame. Recently got back into it and decided on a hard tail. Got myself a Niner SIR 9 steel 29er, my first 29er. Holy smokes, I am now a believer. Steel is real! I love the feel. To be honest, I don’t miss my dual suspension. Maybe I am getting old LOL.
I had to force myself to ride my FS trail bike this past weekend. I almost exclusively reach for the hardtail. Even when traveling, it's a hard decision. haha. Glad you're digging it!
Nice dude, I gave my trusty old hardtail to my brother in-law last spring and it has become clear that something is now missing from my stable. Especially when it comes to xc rides with lots of climbing, I do miss having a hardtail.
I bought and rode the hell out of 4 different squishys before going back to a HT with a Production Privee Shan 27, and after a year I have no regrets and no interest in going back to full suspension 😁
Its amazing what happens when a bike that checks off all of your wants gets to you. I am one who just recently went to a FS and i dont have plans of going back but i bet if i got on a bike that fits just perfectly and has all those positive things other then a rear suspension i bet i might rethink that. Awesome bike check man.
Just built an aggressive hardtail to spice up my local trails. It has a 65 degree HT, 2.8 minion DHF tires. It is really capable, but not as much fun on tech trails. But the difference in cornering, pumping, climbing and jumping/bunny hopping compared to the FS bike is a big improvement. Really glad I added it to my quiver. The modern hardtail is undergoing a rebirth right now for good reason.
It's always nice to hear of people learning about or going back to hardtails. I grew up on BMX bikes and my first MTB (90's!) was a hardtail. One of my favorite bikes ever was my steel Kona Unit SS. More recently I had a Kona Raijin (Ti bike) and a Pivot Les that I tried my best to make more shreddy. But really I agree with your assessment. For today's gnar a very slack front end and longer fork is a huge benefit.
Budget hardtailer here . . simple components and surprisingly durable with over a year of riding replacing one chain . Just re greased the front fork (simple ) . Yeah the 10 speed drive train does limit some climbing but those limits have made me stronger . I was told I could be faster on a better bike and that maybe true but I am having fun even at an age in the upper 50s . I do like that oval chain ring on your bike and when things wear out I may upgrade the drive train and the fork . If everything is falling apart at the same time then maybe get a new bike but I may stick with the a hardtail as it is so much fun to ride and simple to maintain
Great video. I really agree with you in most points! Riding a HT is really fun and definitely increase your skills as you ride it. I have 2 MTB a Yeti SB115 and a GT Aggressor (custom build). The GT was my pandemic project and I built it from scratch; thus, at the end I end up converting a $600 bike into a $2K HT capable of ride any terrain that the Yeti does ride. I feel delight riding my Yeti, but the GT (HT) has become a lovely bike as well. My skills and endurance have increase a lot since I star riding my HT almost a year ago.
Great choice! what makes you ride more, is better for you. and that's whats important. About coloring and design, I have been saying exactly the same for years: you must like the way your bike looks. It needs to call you to ride it. Also, I own a 2018 Specialized Stumpjumper (Aluminium) and a 2016 Kona Unit steel single speed. Even doing basicly the same with both, the unit has 20-30% more milage.
I absolutely love that you're doing what you love. Every bike has its place and can be fun. I still ride my old Bontrager Racelite (steel 26" hardtail from 1996). I don't ride it much, but it gets used. GREAT video!
Just purchased a fat caad 1 lefty to have a dual purpose bike. Hardtail trail bike with 3.8 tires spring to fall and 4.8's in the winter. Sold my hardtail a few years back and its the bike I missed the most.
I got a DB Sync’r this year after riding FS for 2solid yrs. Put a PNW dropper, Renthal carbon bars, Stans Flows, and a Pike 150mm on it - and it is a trail boss now! So much fun! I ride it most of the time now because midTN trails are perfect for that bike. I still have a fullsusp bike for when I travel and go to chunky trails. The thing is....now I want a Titanium Hardtail 🙈
That's how i would build a Sync'r! Yeah man, i want the TI version something fierce. May have to reach out to Stanton to see if we can work something out...... :D
I also have a hardtail and FS to switch between. (Specialized Fuse and Ripmo AF) I predict your next full squish is the SB165 which looks like a hell of a good bike
I have a Commencal Meta HT 29 as my backup hardtail. It's always nice to go back and feel the liveliness of the trails again. I may not go as fast and smooth like my Ripmo, but sometimes I just was to cruise a simple trail and take it easy.
I was also looking at that frame! I ended up going the 2020 Commencal meta HT AM. It was quite a bit cheaper and the geometry was still great. Can’t wait to get this build going🤘🏽
I agree with everything you said. I had a number of enduro bikes which were great for building confidence but once my skills had progressed the same trails felt boring. With my hardtail the same trails have a whole new fun factor and I'm riding new lines.
Nice looking ride! I like the idea of a HT but I don't think my destroyed back would enjoy it too much. Looking forward to future videos and finding out which Yeti you've bought now.
I have an sb5.5 and a Stache 7... ride the Stache 3-4x more often. Most of the local trails have tons of elevation gain/loss but not super technical making the 29+ hardtail the weapon of choice most days.
I will be getting my 2019 stach 7 for xmas and I am counting the minutes.. super excited coming from a very upgraded marlin 6 that kept rubbing front wheel on fork.
For a moment I thought you were going to say Kingdom. I'm currently planning to build up a titanium hardtail. A Kingdom Vendetta to be exact. I was considering Stanton but Kingdom ticked all my boxes. Enjoy your new hardtail. They're loads of fun. I can't wait to get mine done
I’ve been happy with my 2002 KHS Alite 4000 aluminum hard tail. That’s the only mountain bike I’ve ridden since around 2003. However the top tube has a crack in it near the weld against the seat post. The frame has a life time warranty from manufacture, but in a long process of working out a replacement for the dying 26” sized frame.
I am 68 yrs young and I ride a Hardtail TREK 29" Gary Fisher Wahoo. I am also at a place that I can afford whatever I want. Yes, I am beyond the years of flying off of cliffs and breaking another shoulder which takes forever to heal. But each time I test ride a cushy full suspension, I notice how cushy it is and get back and ride the Hardtail that I love. (I reposted this from an answer below.)
i have a titanium HT Voodoo Zocalo w/ carbon I9 trail wheels and 130mm fork to slack it out a bit, its not as slack as the Stanton but as you say i ride it bc it makes me better and its darn fun on the flowy trails here in Dallas...and...i jump and do drops equally as well on on it too. i still have my full sus Intense and love both equally. so i am all in on your strategy just 2yrs ahead of the curve.
One thing I love about the hardtail is that your bottom bracket height stays more consistent and I can ride over logs without bashing chain ring and you worry about pedal strikes less. You still need to rachet over rock gardens but your pedal is less likely to smack into something as your rear suspension compresses even with pedals leveled.
Man, at first i thought you were Jordan Juicemaster. Sigh... thanks though. lololol Thanks dude! I never imagined it would be so much fun! And yeah, i think it's a looker too.
Nice vidoe. As a man in my 60s I have lived my hard tail dream many years ago. We used to ride Mt Snow with no suspension at all back in the day. My shoulders and arms would hurt. Enjoy your new bike. Me full suspension all the way.
That’s one sweet bike. They’re finally making slack, aggressive HTs which is awesome. I love to throw a leg over one every once in a while, but the FS doesn’t beat me up as much and let’s me ride longer as I get older. Ride on, whatever we ride! 🤘
Amen brother!! That almost plus tire tech and new bike building tech does help take the sting out of it. But if i'm gonna ride 3 consecutive days, i too want rear suspension. :)
Mr Tonka i have 2.6s on my Bronson and love ‘em. I do a lot of east coast Appalachian mountain gnar riding and they are so good in the rocky bits, yet with a bit more psi I can still rail turns at bike parks. They’ve got to be extra great for a hardtail. Look forward to vids of you sending it on the new rig.
I'll say as someone that started on a hard tail here in Central Florida where you're pedaling flat ground, or worse inclines, that have roots.... It's a fucking nightmare. Climbs with roots are the worst with a hard tail, every time your back tire hits a root it just wants to stop the bike since there's no rear suspension to roll the tire up and over the root/rock. If you're somewhere that has relatively smooth climbs then sure a hard tail is no problem. Going downhill where you can get speed, sure roots and rocks aren't a problem with a hard tail. I got my first full suspension 6 months ago and haven't looked back, it's night and day different how much easier it is to pedal the local trails here with a full suspension bike. I have my hard tail still, and some times want to go ride it again, but I always use my full suspension because I know how much harder it is to pedal the hard tail on our trails that are all full of roots everywhere. Now I just let my family/friends use my hard tail when they want something to ride.
I was considering the Stanton or a Cotic as I live in the UK, but settled on the RSD Middlechild, thanks in no small part to Steve over on Hardtail Party. Just have to wait until April for it to ship.
Diy deal. Piece of wood with a flush mounted bolt in the back of it. Then PVC pipe cut to the correct length to keep the frame off the wall. Then a bolt through a bottom bracket size washer through the bottom bracket into the flush mounted nut in the piece of wood that is mounted to the wall.
I was looking at Stanton bikes for a while, but ended up buying a Kingdom Vendetta. I'm having a blast on the Ti HT during the winter months here in NorCal
Nice balanced perspective and mirrors some of the thinking i went through. I bought a SC Chameleon to compliment my Tallboy and more often than not the hardtail gets grabbed first....so much fun and does make you a more accomplished rider over time as line choice and pump action make a huge difference. Thanks for sharing. Mark
I switch it up between my hardtail and fs constantly. The hardtail makes something's more of a challenge that start to get boring after doing them a bit.
Last summer I bought a Surly Karate Monkey 18/32 SS, Not long after I blew the seals on the XC fork and ultimately replaced it with a 140 Rockshock. It made the bike smoother, more playful, and so addictive my 5010 just hangs there looking sad.
@@thomflowers2095 I've only seen standard dropouts. Adjustable drop outs were on my secondary list of criteria, so if they had them, i would have gotten them. That's not to say they won't do custom stuff though... not sure.
@@MrTonka thanks for the reply. Hit me up if you're ever in the Austi area. I rode with a group calle Lakeway Area Mountain Bike Enthusiast, or LAME. And coach for the local Lake Travis mountain bike team.
Thank you Mr. Tonka for the tips. im planning to buy a new bike but i dont know what kind of bike is good for me.. when i so your vlog its give me a tips to push for GT avalanche bike. Hehe thank you sir!! Good bless Have a safe ride for us..
Awesome! I am about to pull the trigger on a new Specialized Enduro! Then was thinking about selling my Yeti SB 5+ for a Hardtail:) your bike looks perfect! Can’t wait for the Bike derail review. What size tires are on it? They look like plus?? We need to ride again soon!
Absolutely sick bike 🤘🏼 I built up a 2019 Chromag Stylus that I absolutely love. It’s my only bike and I ride everything from XC to DH. It’s a riot. Just swapped it to single speed and street tires to ride it at Rays Indoor MTB in Cleveland. Can’t wait to try it out there.
I had been out of the bike game for many years or some might argue I was never in it but when you reach a certain adult age money is less a factor and I decided to purchase the last MTB bike and looked at full suspension and realized I did not want to be that guy who over bought. So I ended up with a Salsa El Mariachi Ti, with XT components. I have yet to put it to the full trail riding experiences but this gives me desire to push the envelope more.
You went for the Steel version over Ti then? Was that just down to price or something else? I’m demo’ing the Bird Zero 29 this week, another UK small brand hardtail, it’s aluminium but I’m interested to see how the big tyres take the sting out of a stiff frame.
I’d never ridden a hardtail before and didn’t know if I’d like it. So I didn’t want to throw down 4x the cost of the steel frame as an experiment. Hope you did the HT demo! 👍
Ha bud ya like you I love yeti sat here looking at yeti new acr what something different 😂😂now you made me look at Stanton being British made I am going to check this out love look at this build your as well 👍🚒
Great video! Just subscribed to see some more of your Stanton. They’re really respected over here in the uk in the hardcore Hardtail scene. I was debating on getting a steel frame Hardtail as my upgrade this week myself, but went for another aluminium HT instead. Stanton was a bit out of my budget, but they look great, and the people who ride them love them to bits.
My fave feel bike of all time is still an old school cromo GT hard tail - best feel, best overall ride over any aluminum or carbon ride I’ve ever had. Fast, flowy singletrack like on the videos.
Love it mate! Steel is definitely real! I've a banshee titan, and a nordest bardino and I nearly always take the Dino out instead! It's so much fun and rewards your efforts!
Been on steel Hardtails for the passed 5 years 3 frames first one was cheap outdated 90s with some modern parts got me back into mountain biking 2nd was an On one 456 I Loved it but after the 2nd year I cracked that Frame Now I am On a NS Bikes Surge Evo solid frame with 160mm forks I Love it! the only complaint is I could use a bit more reach as I Like bikes with a Bit Longer top tube but she dose the job and then some..
best bike i have ever riden is the bike i currently own, a trek remedy 7. love the feel and way it rides and i won't be swapping it for a long time. however, i understand your thoughts behind choosing a bike made out of steel/titanium. i bought myself a café racer. a peugeot from the 70s and it rides so nicely due to being made out of steel.
After a year on a 400€ beginner bike, I got myself a Ragley Blue Pig and I regret nothing. It will take years till I'll get to a point where I'll want to ride stuff this bike ain't capable of. Also I've cleared my first table top on this baby two weeks ago. I'm madly in love.
I did the same thing bought a hardtail had a lot of fun since I’ve gone back to a dual sus only with bigger tires I went full stache..I don’t care about the weight I don’t race I ride to have fun..
Looks like a sweet ride! I thought for sure you were going to get a bigger bike haha or maybe its going to be a hardtail and long travel bike for traveling. Its nice yo have options. Thats why I landed on the geurrilla gravity. I pretty much have 4+ bike configurations I can do.
It’s not the same, the bike will NEVER be fully locked out. You can especially notice it when you lock out a fork. It will bob. There’s about 10-20 mm of play. Hardtail provide direct power in your pedal stroke. So when you ramp up to hit a jump, you are going 90% max rather than 70%.
Thanks for the stoke! I'll probably hit my local trails in the Seattle area after the rain goes away (5" in the last 48 hours) with my Canfield Brothers epo carbon hardtail which hits all of your spec's too, IMO. :)
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
It depends where you live!
I live in Graubünden, Switzerland, a lot of biking ist gravel and firewoods uphill and demanding trails downhill.
So,No fullsus needed,if "surfing" and reading the trail is yours.I ride hardtails,the eccentric alu Evo 29,you need strong walled tires. In my opinion I ride the fullsus when the trail is ondulated with a lot of big roots and rocks,there is more flow on the fullsus,also on trails uphills a fullsus let's you keep in the saddle. The eccentric frame is 6066 t6 alum.
It rides fantastic,for 260 bucks....
Nice if you can have both,
"Hardtails are cheap" - Mr. Tonka buys a hardtail at the price of a good, well-equipped full-suspension aluminum bike.
I showed them!! LoL
Carbon full sus bike, not alloy. Titanium is expensive as shit.
every time i ride a hardtail, i'm reminded on why i LOVE hardtails!.....****AND why I LOVE my full sus more ;) lol
Lolol love all the bikes!
so true
I love hardtail mountain bikes, I don't know if I would own a FS
@@Jabba1625 I do like the forgiveness of FS. On the days i'm tired or riding multiple long days in a row, i do appreciate that suppleness.
@@MrTonka oh for sure I understand, it's also a if I could afford a decent one as my plus sized hardtail is a bit slow but pretty good on soaking up bumps. It's nice ride and all I could afford as a FS at the same price or a bit over is a bit lacking in specs and would not be as good as big wheeler HT, cheers and hi from Australia
So stoked to see you on a hardtail working on your skills! Stoked to see the progression and get out for some street riding!
Yeah bro, i'm pumped to see what what we find on the other side of the Bay!
instablaster
Glad to see another RUclipsr proudly reppin Stanton. Such a diamond of a brand who deserves every bit of the notoriety that seems to be more and more coming their way as ppl discover just how brilliant their bikes and frames are. Ohhhh how I long to own one myself someday.. :) . Cheers to the hardtail revolution!
Not to give too much away, but stay tuned, you may have an opportunity to own one yourself. :D
Joe, I took your advise and bought a hard tail 22 years ago! Seriously! I still have it and am now finding new ways to bring simplicity back to my riding (can you say single speed...I knew that you could!) congrats to the new sled👊🏻 looking forward to upcoming videos😁👍🏻
You’re not the first one to suggest a single speed. Haha.
Mr Tonka based on those I’ve known, I won’t be the last😊👊🏻
I’m sure I’ll get ridiculed, but I love my Big S Fuse. I own full squish trail, enduro and ebikes, but the one that gets pulled out of the garage more often than any other is my mid-fat. Wishing the head angle was a little more slack, but do appreciate the playfulness. Winter rides, mud rides, hammering climbs, bike packing, love the versatility!!!!
not a chance! Not from me anyway!
Hardtail gives different feel. I have both hardtail and dual suspensions and keep riding them regularly.
EbutUoy Riding is all that matters!! 🤘
Who in the fq???
Great bike dude! I have a steel hardtail and it's the bike I grab the most. My full suspension hasn't really been used in about 6 months.
I swear, half of my stress these days comes from deciding which bike to ride!! haha
I’ll put that full suspension to use!! Haha
looks like a fun ride, with the addition to plus size tires on hard tails it is making hard tails more trail friendly because the tires themselves adds as a small amount of suspension.
They do! I went with 2.6 tires on this and it’s a great mix of feedback and dampening. 👌
2.6 tires would seem to address the biggest weakness of HTs, tech climbs. Bigger tire, less likely to bounce off rocks and kill your momentum.
Awesome. One thing go note: stanton measures the 65.5 deg HA at 25% sag on a 140mm fork. So with a 150 to 160mm fork and without sag. The HA angle should be around a 63 ish HA
Slack for days!
Did the same. Cromag primer hardtail with fox 170 . My yeti sb150 is my second bike now. Love it.
I looked at Cromag bikes for a hot min. Yours sounds rowdy!
After riding full suspension Enduro bikes for the last 2 years I went and got myself a Nukeproof scout 27.5 hardtail 2.8" tires I am having a blast on it, fast on flow trails and fun to jump
So much fun jumping them!! Really upped my consistency off the lip.
Cool ride. Switched back to a hardtail two years ago and been having a blast. Just rotated back to full suspension this week. Almost bought a new RDS Middlechilld aggressive steel hardtail, but wanted to ride the new Ripley V4 too much (after demoing 18 different bikes). This hobby is so much fun. So many options. Keep rockin.
That middle child is a sweet HT. That was my second choice.
I bought a Stanton slackline about 3 years ago, it was a super fun build and I agree with everything you said in this video, got me super stoked to ride tomorrow!
Hell yeah! Stanton Owner's group!! That's awesome!
Have always ridden dual suspension ever since I got into mountain biking and have gone thru numerous frame. Recently got back into it and decided on a hard tail. Got myself a Niner SIR 9 steel 29er, my first 29er. Holy smokes, I am now a believer. Steel is real! I love the feel. To be honest, I don’t miss my dual suspension. Maybe I am getting old LOL.
I had to force myself to ride my FS trail bike this past weekend. I almost exclusively reach for the hardtail. Even when traveling, it's a hard decision. haha. Glad you're digging it!
I bought a new hardtail MTB a few months ago and I love it. With the right tires, it's just fun.
Sweet!! Fun is the goal!
Nice dude, I gave my trusty old hardtail to my brother in-law last spring and it has become clear that something is now missing from my stable. Especially when it comes to xc rides with lots of climbing, I do miss having a hardtail.
They seem to be exceptional at attaching themselves to our hearts as well. haha
I bought and rode the hell out of 4 different squishys before going back to a HT with a Production Privee Shan 27, and after a year I have no regrets and no interest in going back to full suspension 😁
I don't blame you!
I'm almost 50 and beat up, no way in hell am I getting a hardtail. It looks like a beautiful bike and hope you enjoy.
Thanks, Will do!
turning 46 here, my full squish bikes mellow out my local trails too much and I don't feel like getting a short travel full squish bike.
@@MattPayne1 Same, i didn't see the benefit of a 100mm full suspension. I prefer the snappiness of the rigid rear end.
@mtb supertroll Stoked you're getting back into it! Making me stand up all the time is something i see as a benefit. It's making me stronger! :)
I'm 54 and my daily ride is a Ti hardtail singlespeed. Local trails or Pisgah, that's my go-to.
Its amazing what happens when a bike that checks off all of your wants gets to you. I am one who just recently went to a FS and i dont have plans of going back but i bet if i got on a bike that fits just perfectly and has all those positive things other then a rear suspension i bet i might rethink that. Awesome bike check man.
Thanks dude! Hope to see you around soon!
@@MrTonka yea im sorry I keep telling you I'm coming down. I just need to commit and do it.
Just built an aggressive hardtail to spice up my local trails. It has a 65 degree HT, 2.8 minion DHF tires. It is really capable, but not as much fun on tech trails. But the difference in cornering, pumping, climbing and jumping/bunny hopping compared to the FS bike is a big improvement. Really glad I added it to my quiver. The modern hardtail is undergoing a rebirth right now for good reason.
Took the words right out of my mouth! Glad you're enjoying it!
I have been thing about doing the same think. Only difference is I am going for cross country bike. You have helped me make that decision thank you 👍🏻
Happy to help! :)
The Stanton guys are top class. The magic of steel is definitely a thing. My gf rides a Starling Swoop which is absolutely amazing.
Nicholas Stanfield I’ve yet to meet them in person... maybe someday. 👍
It's always nice to hear of people learning about or going back to hardtails. I grew up on BMX bikes and my first MTB (90's!) was a hardtail. One of my favorite bikes ever was my steel Kona Unit SS. More recently I had a Kona Raijin (Ti bike) and a Pivot Les that I tried my best to make more shreddy. But really I agree with your assessment. For today's gnar a very slack front end and longer fork is a huge benefit.
It’s a great time to be a mountain biker!
Budget hardtailer here . . simple components and surprisingly durable with over a year of riding replacing one chain . Just re greased the front fork (simple ) . Yeah the 10 speed drive train does limit some climbing but those limits have made me stronger . I was told I could be faster on a better bike and that maybe true but I am having fun even at an age in the upper 50s . I do like that oval chain ring on your bike and when things wear out I may upgrade the drive train and the fork . If everything is falling apart at the same time then maybe get a new bike but I may stick with the a hardtail as it is so much fun to ride and simple to maintain
Stoked to hear that. I'm 46 and i'm hoping i'll be riding a hardtail in 10 years!
Great video. I really agree with you in most points! Riding a HT is really fun and definitely increase your skills as you ride it. I have 2 MTB a Yeti SB115 and a GT Aggressor (custom build). The GT was my pandemic project and I built it from scratch; thus, at the end I end up converting a $600 bike into a $2K HT capable of ride any terrain that the Yeti does ride. I feel delight riding my Yeti, but the GT (HT) has become a lovely bike as well. My skills and endurance have increase a lot since I star riding my HT almost a year ago.
Brilliant!!!...Can I ask you if you have chosen a REGULAR or LONG Switchback frame?.. ( size 16,5..right?)
Thanks, and you're correct. It's the 16.5" variant.
Love hardtails! I have a 27.5+ Specialized Fuse with a 150 mm fork. Love it for all the reasons you summarize. Welcome to the club.
Fuse is a sweet bike! Thanks!!
The Stanton Switchback is in the top two of my new HT choices. My other option is the Sonder Signal Ti. Congrats on the sweet new whip!
Sweet!! I haven’t tried the Signal, but I’ll be biased and suggest the Switchback. 😬
Great choice! what makes you ride more, is better for you. and that's whats important.
About coloring and design, I have been saying exactly the same for years: you must like the way your bike looks. It needs to call you to ride it.
Also, I own a 2018 Specialized Stumpjumper (Aluminium) and a 2016 Kona Unit steel single speed. Even doing basicly the same with both, the unit has 20-30% more milage.
This guy knows!
I absolutely love that you're doing what you love. Every bike has its place and can be fun. I still ride my old Bontrager Racelite (steel 26" hardtail from 1996). I don't ride it much, but it gets used.
GREAT video!
Thanks for the kind words!
Just purchased a fat caad 1 lefty to have a dual purpose bike. Hardtail trail bike with 3.8 tires spring to fall and 4.8's in the winter. Sold my hardtail a few years back and its the bike I missed the most.
mario darocha nice to have a bike that can do it all. 👍
I got a DB Sync’r this year after riding FS for 2solid yrs. Put a PNW dropper, Renthal carbon bars, Stans Flows, and a Pike 150mm on it - and it is a trail boss now! So much fun! I ride it most of the time now because midTN trails are perfect for that bike. I still have a fullsusp bike for when I travel and go to chunky trails. The thing is....now I want a Titanium Hardtail 🙈
That's how i would build a Sync'r! Yeah man, i want the TI version something fierce. May have to reach out to Stanton to see if we can work something out...... :D
Me and Cory have been thinking of getting hardtails for the local trails, and only using the full suspension bikes out of town or are the bike park.
Not a bad plan!
The Rockey Mountain Growler is a super aggressive ht. Al frame but still super fun. Very affordable.
I also have a hardtail and FS to switch between. (Specialized Fuse and Ripmo AF) I predict your next full squish is the SB165 which looks like a hell of a good bike
Oh, that's a lot of bike! I'd ride that in the park all day!
I have a Commencal Meta HT 29 as my backup hardtail. It's always nice to go back and feel the liveliness of the trails again. I may not go as fast and smooth like my Ripmo, but sometimes I just was to cruise a simple trail and take it easy.
+1 for having a back up bike. But it seems now that i have 2 primary bikes. haha
What black trails do you recommend for me at alifia, I just finished all of the blues
All of them! They're all good. My favorites are Moonscape, Gravitron, Gatorback, Franken Stairs
Mr Tonka which are the easiest? To get started?
I was also looking at that frame! I ended up going the 2020 Commencal meta HT AM. It was quite a bit cheaper and the geometry was still great. Can’t wait to get this build going🤘🏽
Sweet! Hope you love it!!
Great video. I think you made a lot of great points for a hard tail. I think I'm going to have to do a similar video.
Thanks. Get to work.... Less yappin, more brappin. :D
Mr Tonka Hahaha, I’ve loved my hardtail way more than I thought.
I agree with everything you said. I had a number of enduro bikes which were great for building confidence but once my skills had progressed the same trails felt boring. With my hardtail the same trails have a whole new fun factor and I'm riding new lines.
100 % truth!!
Nice looking ride! I like the idea of a HT but I don't think my destroyed back would enjoy it too much. Looking forward to future videos and finding out which Yeti you've bought now.
You may be surprised at how forgiving the steel frames, with carbon wheels and 2.6 or 2.8 tires are.
I have an sb5.5 and a Stache 7... ride the Stache 3-4x more often. Most of the local trails have tons of elevation gain/loss but not super technical making the 29+ hardtail the weapon of choice most days.
I will be getting my 2019 stach 7 for xmas and I am counting the minutes.. super excited coming from a very upgraded marlin 6 that kept rubbing front wheel on fork.
I know the logic. haha
For a moment I thought you were going to say Kingdom. I'm currently planning to build up a titanium hardtail. A Kingdom Vendetta to be exact. I was considering Stanton but Kingdom ticked all my boxes. Enjoy your new hardtail. They're loads of fun. I can't wait to get mine done
We're all about them boxes. haha Stoked for you! Drooling over the TI frames!
I’ve been happy with my 2002 KHS Alite 4000 aluminum hard tail. That’s the only mountain bike I’ve ridden since around 2003. However the top tube has a crack in it near the weld against the seat post. The frame has a life time warranty from manufacture, but in a long process of working out a replacement for the dying 26” sized frame.
That'll be tricky. Hope they get it sorted out for ya.
I am 68 yrs young and I ride a Hardtail TREK 29" Gary Fisher Wahoo. I am also at a place that I can afford whatever I want. Yes, I am beyond the years of flying off of cliffs and breaking another shoulder which takes forever to heal. But each time I test ride a cushy full suspension, I notice how cushy it is and get back and ride the Hardtail that I love.
(I reposted this from an answer below.)
I just sold my switchback to fund my SC 5010.. I Will miss that Bike.
R.I.P. Switchback.
i have a titanium HT Voodoo Zocalo w/ carbon I9 trail wheels and 130mm fork to slack it out a bit, its not as slack as the Stanton but as you say i ride it bc it makes me better and its darn fun on the flowy trails here in Dallas...and...i jump and do drops equally as well on on it too. i still have my full sus Intense and love both equally. so i am all in on your strategy just 2yrs ahead of the curve.
You're future me! haha
One thing I love about the hardtail is that your bottom bracket height stays more consistent and I can ride over logs without bashing chain ring and you worry about pedal strikes less. You still need to rachet over rock gardens but your pedal is less likely to smack into something as your rear suspension compresses even with pedals leveled.
YES!! I love the pedaling freedom that comes with no rear squat!
that bike looks really nice!
Man, at first i thought you were Jordan Juicemaster. Sigh... thanks though. lololol Thanks dude! I never imagined it would be so much fun! And yeah, i think it's a looker too.
Was that nicks truck in the beginning 🤔 😄
Steel Hardtails are awesome I just pre-ordered a Ragley Blue Pig Race. I can't wait for it to come in..... In the new year.
Becky Maves congrats! The wait is the hardest part!
I just got a Santa Cruz chameleon hardtail sold my full suspension and a bmx bike to get it and I don’t regret it either best bike I’ve owned.
Yeah dude! That’s a rad bike!
Hard tails are super fun! I've had a couple Commencal Meta AM hardtails. Would love to get a nice steel frame hardtail some day soon!
Haven Outdoors doubt you’ll regret it!
Nice vidoe. As a man in my 60s I have lived my hard tail dream many years ago. We used to ride Mt Snow with no suspension at all back in the day. My shoulders and arms would hurt. Enjoy your new bike. Me full suspension all the way.
Man, i hope to be riding when i'm 60. I don't care if it's a full suspension tricycle 29er eBike! haha
I went hardtail and it's been amazing. Local trails or the bike park, it hasn't complained.
It really breathes life into our old, very familiar local trails!!
@@MrTonka For sure. I think I've had more fun on mine than my full sus. Plus it's simple and reliable
Makes purfect sense !
That’s one sweet bike. They’re finally making slack, aggressive HTs which is awesome. I love to throw a leg over one every once in a while, but the FS doesn’t beat me up as much and let’s me ride longer as I get older. Ride on, whatever we ride! 🤘
Amen brother!! That almost plus tire tech and new bike building tech does help take the sting out of it. But if i'm gonna ride 3 consecutive days, i too want rear suspension. :)
Mr Tonka i have 2.6s on my Bronson and love ‘em. I do a lot of east coast Appalachian mountain gnar riding and they are so good in the rocky bits, yet with a bit more psi I can still rail turns at bike parks. They’ve got to be extra great for a hardtail. Look forward to vids of you sending it on the new rig.
I'll say as someone that started on a hard tail here in Central Florida where you're pedaling flat ground, or worse inclines, that have roots.... It's a fucking nightmare. Climbs with roots are the worst with a hard tail, every time your back tire hits a root it just wants to stop the bike since there's no rear suspension to roll the tire up and over the root/rock. If you're somewhere that has relatively smooth climbs then sure a hard tail is no problem. Going downhill where you can get speed, sure roots and rocks aren't a problem with a hard tail. I got my first full suspension 6 months ago and haven't looked back, it's night and day different how much easier it is to pedal the local trails here with a full suspension bike. I have my hard tail still, and some times want to go ride it again, but I always use my full suspension because I know how much harder it is to pedal the hard tail on our trails that are all full of roots everywhere. Now I just let my family/friends use my hard tail when they want something to ride.
Gotta find the smooth lines and employ some technique when necessary. 👍
I was considering the Stanton or a Cotic as I live in the UK, but settled on the RSD Middlechild, thanks in no small part to Steve over on Hardtail Party. Just have to wait until April for it to ship.
Rode my stache (29x3.0) hardtail at Graham Swamp yesterday. I had a blast. No point did I wish I had a full squish.
Glad you got a HT in the quiver
you and me both!!
Did you use a kit to mount your Yeti frames to the wall... or was that a do it yourself method? Very clean, nice look!!
Diy deal. Piece of wood with a flush mounted bolt in the back of it. Then PVC pipe cut to the correct length to keep the frame off the wall. Then a bolt through a bottom bracket size washer through the bottom bracket into the flush mounted nut in the piece of wood that is mounted to the wall.
I was looking at Stanton bikes for a while, but ended up buying a Kingdom Vendetta. I'm having a blast on the Ti HT during the winter months here in NorCal
Glad you're stoked on it!
Stanton, Pace, Cotic - all great in my book!
Nice balanced perspective and mirrors some of the thinking i went through. I bought a SC Chameleon to compliment my Tallboy and more often than not the hardtail gets grabbed first....so much fun and does make you a more accomplished rider over time as line choice and pump action make a huge difference. Thanks for sharing. Mark
Mark Crocker It’s so obvious once you commit to riding one for a month or two. 😎
I switch it up between my hardtail and fs constantly. The hardtail makes something's more of a challenge that start to get boring after doing them a bit.
Can’t argue with that.
I think you need a Starling bike in your garage. but yes, I'm strongly considering to get a Stanton HT as addition to my Startling Murmur :)
When you buy that Stanton bike, tell them i sent you. hehehe :)
Last summer I bought a Surly Karate Monkey 18/32 SS, Not long after I blew the seals on the XC fork and ultimately replaced it with a 140 Rockshock. It made the bike smoother, more playful, and so addictive my 5010 just hangs there looking sad.
Poor 5010... haha
@@MrTonka Love the look of the Stanton bikes, I was trying to see if they did horizontal drop outs but couldnt tell. Do you happen to know?
@@thomflowers2095 I've only seen standard dropouts. Adjustable drop outs were on my secondary list of criteria, so if they had them, i would have gotten them. That's not to say they won't do custom stuff though... not sure.
@@MrTonka thanks for the reply. Hit me up if you're ever in the Austi area. I rode with a group calle Lakeway Area Mountain Bike Enthusiast, or LAME. And coach for the local Lake Travis mountain bike team.
That hardtail is better than my full suspension! (2020 canyon spectral 5.0)
Nice bike!
A for AWESOME different, not better. 👍
Mr Tonka maybe. Lol my hardtail is a 2007 Cannondale 😆
Thank you Mr. Tonka for the tips. im planning to buy a new bike but i dont know what kind of bike is good for me.. when i so your vlog its give me a tips to push for GT avalanche bike. Hehe thank you sir!! Good bless Have a safe ride for us..
My pleasure and good luck on your hunt for a new ride!
Awesome! I am about to pull the trigger on a new Specialized Enduro! Then was thinking about selling my Yeti SB 5+ for a Hardtail:) your bike looks perfect! Can’t wait for the Bike derail review. What size tires are on it? They look like plus?? We need to ride again soon!
Shane Albertson Enduro-BIG bike. Haha. I’m running 2.6s on the HT. Plump, but it quite Plus. 😂 yeah man, it’s bit a little bit!
Absolutely sick bike 🤘🏼
I built up a 2019 Chromag Stylus that I absolutely love. It’s my only bike and I ride everything from XC to DH. It’s a riot. Just swapped it to single speed and street tires to ride it at Rays Indoor MTB in Cleveland. Can’t wait to try it out there.
Commitment riding it everywhere, I like that! 🤘
I only ride hard tails. just built up a polygon xtrada 7. love it
Chromoly steel is one of my favourite steels. So cool
I had been out of the bike game for many years or some might argue I was never in it but when you reach a certain adult age money is less a factor and I decided to purchase the last MTB bike and looked at full suspension and realized I did not want to be that guy who over bought. So I ended up with a Salsa El Mariachi Ti, with XT components. I have yet to put it to the full trail riding experiences but this gives me desire to push the envelope more.
Go! Go find those limits!
You went for the Steel version over Ti then? Was that just down to price or something else?
I’m demo’ing the Bird Zero 29 this week, another UK small brand hardtail, it’s aluminium but I’m interested to see how the big tyres take the sting out of a stiff frame.
I’d never ridden a hardtail before and didn’t know if I’d like it. So I didn’t want to throw down 4x the cost of the steel frame as an experiment. Hope you did the HT demo! 👍
Check out
Lynskey FS-140 Pro 650
Ha bud ya like you I love yeti sat here looking at yeti new acr what something different 😂😂now you made me look at Stanton being British made I am going to check this out love look at this build your as well 👍🚒
The Britts know how to make the hardtails!!
riding the switchback for 2 years now and i love it
This guy knows!!
Since you're a fan of Yeti and apparently hard tails , have you looked at the new ARC? Any thoughts?
I have, but that's more of a race bike and in terms of hard tails, i'm looking for more of a fun bike.
Great video! Just subscribed to see some more of your Stanton. They’re really respected over here in the uk in the hardcore Hardtail scene.
I was debating on getting a steel frame Hardtail as my upgrade this week myself, but went for another aluminium HT instead. Stanton was a bit out of my budget, but they look great, and the people who ride them love them to bits.
joshua stebbing Thanks and welcome Joshua! As long as you’re riding something you’re stoked on!
My fave feel bike of all time is still an old school cromo GT hard tail - best feel, best overall ride over any aluminum or carbon ride I’ve ever had. Fast, flowy singletrack like on the videos.
Great video 👍 Can you tell me the weight? I couldn’t find this information on their website. Thanks
Mine weights 29.8 pounds including pedals and bottle cage with multi tool.
Fun Fact: Steel is more environmentally friendly (recyclable) than carbon! Great job Joe!
What if it’s a steel ebike?
Very nice Switchback! . I recently cracked my Yeti Sb66a, so back on the trusty Stanton Slackline . not complaining, it's a dreamy bike! :)
Never feel sorry for someone who has to ride a Stanton bike for one reason or another. haha
@@MrTonka haha yup, it's a privilege to ride such a fine bike ;)
Here in Philippines we ride hardtail in Road,Trail,Enduro
R O S E everywhere! 🤘😎🤘
Love it mate! Steel is definitely real! I've a banshee titan, and a nordest bardino and I nearly always take the Dino out instead! It's so much fun and rewards your efforts!
So much fun reaping the rewards! :D
Been on steel Hardtails for the passed 5 years 3 frames first one was cheap outdated 90s with some modern parts got me back into mountain biking 2nd was an On one 456 I Loved it but after the 2nd year I cracked that Frame Now I am On a NS Bikes Surge Evo solid frame with 160mm forks I Love it! the only complaint is I could use a bit more reach as I Like bikes with a Bit Longer top tube but she dose the job and then some..
NS makes some good kit! Glad you're digging it!
best bike i have ever riden is the bike i currently own, a trek remedy 7. love the feel and way it rides and i won't be swapping it for a long time.
however, i understand your thoughts behind choosing a bike made out of steel/titanium. i bought myself a café racer. a peugeot from the 70s and it rides so nicely due to being made out of steel.
It's a nuanced type of difference, but it's a real difference alright. :)
If u want another bike and its got titanium and it's a uk brand bike and got nice geometry it's called sonder signal ti
After a year on a 400€ beginner bike, I got myself a Ragley Blue Pig and I regret nothing. It will take years till I'll get to a point where I'll want to ride stuff this bike ain't capable of. Also I've cleared my first table top on this baby two weeks ago. I'm madly in love.
Everyone i know with a Ragley is madly in love with them. Glad you are too!
I did the same thing bought a hardtail had a lot of fun since I’ve gone back to a dual sus only with bigger tires I went full stache..I don’t care about the weight I don’t race I ride to have fun..
renegade1969 smiles over miles! 👌
Looks like a sweet ride! I thought for sure you were going to get a bigger bike haha or maybe its going to be a hardtail and long travel bike for traveling. Its nice yo have options. Thats why I landed on the geurrilla gravity. I pretty much have 4+ bike configurations I can do.
I'll get another FS bike, maybe a touch more travel than the SB5. Say.... 140 or so. ;)
I saw a bunch of familiar trails on this video... 😂👍 looking forward for the bike check video of the Switchblade 🤘😎
Haha. All good ones!
You know you can lock out your shock right?
i am aware of that, yes.
SoundsUnderground just not the same
@@shortchainstays8762 Not even close.
Not the same at all
It’s not the same, the bike will NEVER be fully locked out. You can especially notice it when you lock out a fork. It will bob. There’s about 10-20 mm of play. Hardtail provide direct power in your pedal stroke. So when you ramp up to hit a jump, you are going 90% max rather than 70%.
Why is your Yeti frame in the background?
There are two. A SB5 frame and an SB4.5 frame.
I love my hardtail, I've ridden them for the last 10 years. You'll have so much fun.
Huck yeah we will!
well i have a hard tail, and it's a blast. even with my shot back and creaky knees. nicest bike i've ever owned.
Leave it all on the field!
Check out Stanton steel full suspension. They are things of beauty.
I’ve been looking at them. 👍
Thanks for the stoke! I'll probably hit my local trails in the Seattle area after the rain goes away (5" in the last 48 hours) with my Canfield Brothers epo carbon hardtail which hits all of your spec's too, IMO. :)
I hope the sun and winds dry them up for you quick!