Hardtails

[Dwnhll 4evr]

Just wondering, I know that there are hardtails built specifically for freeride, but do they really have a hope against some of the duallies?
I mean, are any of the Norco Shore Hardtails, Banshee Morphine and Sirricco, or the Ironhorse freeride hardtails able to compete with some of the duallies?

I would just like to say that I have nothing against freeriding hardtailers at all, in fact i'm getting a Norco Manik as soon as I have the money for it.

Anyway are drops really that much harder on a hardtail than on a duallie?
Also does anyone have any tips or advice on how to do drops effectively and easily on a hardtail they would be much appreciated.

Cheeers.

[@nDr3w]

yeah there are some good freeride hardtails around like the manik for instance. i ride a mongoose hardtail and that seems to handle 5-6 foot drops alrite but i think the dualies probabaly have the upper hand. in regards to the drops a good technique is to land slightly on the back wheel.

hope this helps;)

[berkyburger123]

I voted Norco purely because their Shore Hardtail line has soem tough bikes that are strong and reliable, value for money and there is great variety to choose from.

However, if you are freeriding a dually is almost alwayts better as far as I'm concerned. A dual suspension bike will drop more easily and is a little bit more forgiving on casings etc. It really just depends on what suits you. As I always say in this type of reply ride it and then decide. What suits someone else may not suit you.

[NeBoS]

I use a DMR Trailstar for all my riding applications. I find its the most versatile HT I have ever used.

[Renegade]

I just find the Norco shore hardtail range are equipped for anything. So i voted for them , but someone who rides a banshee morphine would of course choose the banshee hardtail range. It all comes down to personal preference, and what an individual likes better. I havent ridden every sigle brand's version of a freeride hardtail but i can agree with the lad above when saying the norco has a great range of freeride hardtails which are tough to tackle anything and good bang for your buck.

[S_M_I_D_D_Y]

For a pure freeride hardtail, i would love to build up a norco shore ht (the one with 12mm dropouts, cant remember the name). I can just see it now, 66rc, MTX, Hadley, Sram, Avid. MMMM:D

[fattyandthepiemakers]

When you can proudly say to strangers that you use a trek bruiser 2 frame with 85mm Judy forks for freeriding, you know you screwed up somewhere...

[nicho]

what about the NICOLAI 2MXTB.

that bike will handle everything you throw at it. check it out.

[pyley]

KHS BITCHES handle anything ..almost... we hit up lizard rock on them and also on a norco sasquatch...admittedly we have done in a few sets of forks but we have found that the rider is the key to any freeride setup...

and thats all there is to it...

if youve got enough balls you'll try anything on anything...

as for drops i suggest trying to land with bike still between your legs...

and rubber side down...

hope this helps ...peace

[fatkunt]

KHS BITCHES handle anything ..almost... we hit up lizard rock on them and also on a norco sasquatch...admittedly we have done in a few sets of forks but we have found that the rider is the key to any freeride setup...

and thats all there is to it...

if youve got enough balls you'll try anything on anything...

as for drops i suggest trying to land with bike still between your legs...

and rubber side down...

hope this helps ...peace

how did the sasquatch go?

i have done 3-4ft drops on mine, and i am a beginner and a total hack(riding with a broken wrist) and it takes it

[pyley]

mate the sassy went fine... the landings always smooth...have you seen lizard rock? its a good sized little drop...so if youve got balls try to go for 6" then 8" then 80", well maybe not 80" but you get the jist...

my mums calling gotta go...

peace

[fatkunt]

mate the sassy went fine... the landings always smooth...have you seen lizard rock? its a good sized little drop...so if youve got balls try to go for 6" then 8" then 80", well maybe not 80" but you get the jist...

my mums calling gotta go...

peace

can you PM me location? will hit it in 4weeks when cast is off, just wear a decent wrist brace :o

[wbrown]

I use a DA bomb with 66's
http://www.pedalbite.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10209/100_8039.JPG%202.jpg

[fair_enough69]

i ride a da bomb molotov (Although i dont really do freeride , i just ride bmx track and skateparks)

[FoxRidersCo]

I bought an 06 XS Sasquatch on saturday and I have already flatlanded a 12 stair gap and several other large drops and I am impressed with the durability of the Norco.

I am yet to pimp the bike but it is a very good bike even with stock componentry.

The key to riding hardtails is to be smooth :-)

[Marzocchi Maniac]

i have both a norco 4 hun and a norco 250, i set up the 250 on a hit-anything spec and landed a 8-10 foot drop to flat without any damage at all and still smooth. the key for me is to try and land with as much of your weight over the back wheel and try not to let the front slap down. the 4 hun isnt built for freeride but can handle the odd masive case or overjump at the dirtjumps or bmx track without any touble at all. If you think you arn't going to make the landing, dont huck it up to try and make the distance, it doesnt do you any good, just take the impact in with your legs. If BMX's can do huge stair gaps to flat on rigid 20" im sure a hardtail will be fine!

[Bazil_1]

I have the 2006 moddle Sasquatch (Basicly Stock) and have taken it off 6-7foot drops with no problem. the bike feels realy strong at the rear and inspires confidence. i have also taken the bike to Thredbo. it handled fine but i had to slow down on the really rough parts.

[poopoohead]

You see all the trials people on their rigids and doing some wicked hucks and they seem ok....

I think that for the more technical freeriding a hardtail will be better due to the average weight difference, duallys just have more parts. Go figure

[michael_mel]

i ride an avanti manic with pikes (not so much freeriding but abit, more street, trails and soon to be downhill)

[hardtail_rider]

ive got a 24 le toy4 (fluro yellow), manitou minute 1:00, odyssy thermal 40 bmx cranks + BB (soon to be chrome profile 177s), 24 team hub laced to tioga team DH rims, 24 stem, easton bars, hayes ElCamino rear and hayes HFX 9 front.

im gonna post it in "post my ride" shortly

[fleshbone]

well i ride the stp0 06' they go hard all round,but then you can get those ht that can be worked up hard out,like the banshee for instance,you can wack dh forx on it and it wont fuk up,so it depends on what you wonna excel in.

[Elbo]

I ride an Avanti Manic for everything. Bit hard to get up the hills just because of its weight but once you get it rolling it goes great.

[choicenro85]

I got my self a DaBomb grenade last year and it has been sweet to ride. I set it up with all the bits off my old AC1. I liked the 4130 frame and its quality. I'm pretty sure that im going to end up hurting myself pretty bad before anything happens to the frme.

[Huck_This]

Ive got an 05 norco manik with triples, e13, mag30 etc. it'll take anything you throw at it. i haven't gone too big on it yet, dropped about 6ft and stacked on a 25ft gap without damaging the bike at all. Hoping to get 66's soon tho.

[TransitionPete]

Man my ironhorse warrior used to be a cross country bike. But i have built it up to be the most pimpest hardtail for freeriding. :D

[juzzo]

my shwinn see my movie for details:D

[thomas rolleston]

i use a diamondback bsx pro for freeriding and have done 10 foot drops on it they are also easier to push back up so that you can do the drop agian.
also if you want to see how far a hardtail can drop i suggest you check out the movie statement, the guy does a 30 ft drop on a hardtail
check out this pic - the ultimate freeride hardtail - CRAZY TO THE MAX

[anti_pop]

I am using a older model Norco ryde with boxxers, I am a knob, It will snap soon!

[Sethius]

another shout out for the diamondback BSX pro, although its more a jump bike and has a steepish headangle, it handles really well on singletrack, and had my first Dh race on it (although i completely screw that up.)bike was fine,jumps nicely and it isnt that heavy around 15kg, 2kgs lighter than a mates 06 sassie. Specs wise Xt/lx z1 fr's etc, its nice...

[Sutek]

Having just seen the images of our '07 HT frames, and specs, I can say with the utmost confidence that next seasons Sasquatch is going to have you looking for tissues;) It is un-beel-leev-able!!

AND....it should still come in around $1,500!!!

Put the hard word now on your local Norco dealer! Look forward to seeing them much, much earlier this coming season.

[sammy boy]

i ride a norco rampage 03 and it takes everything i throw at it, mostly hucks drops arent about the bike you ride its more balls than aything and you dont need skill to do a big drop but in saying all that, a dually will give you a smoother laning thats it

[rabatt]

my brother rides a jamis komodo for every thing exept downhill, i use it for down hill.

have a look in the foto galery for a vid very shortly.

[Techno Destructo]

Brodie Holeshot.

One of the oldest bloodlines in the freeride hardtail scene. (I think the first Holeshot was made in 1998?)

[Fusion]

I used to use an 05 Manik and it took pretty much anything I could throw at it, hucking (*shudders*), downhill and a bit of street*.


Now I have a sexy 05 Torrent and it's rather smooth, so we'll see how far that takes me. Personally, I don't have the money to ride a dual suspension rig, so hardtails are all I can afford, which isn't too bad, because downhilling on a hardtail is hella fun...!






*when I say street, what I mean is rolling around the skate park trying to get enough speed to get some air... ;)

[soty]

ive been riding a norco tactik for about a year now, in fact just hit up a 20ft stepdown on it today. even though norcos are pretty tough, im not much of a fan. partly because.. they are wierd. but im getting a banshee morphine and thats gonna kick ass. norco shore series hardtails are probably much better for shore/dh/drops and stepdowns than they are at DJ and stuff.

and drops... uhhh like some of these guys have said, landing slightly rear wheel first helps a bit. check out the landing too, if it looks a bit too rough or retarded shaped, theres no shame in walking away.. unless theres like 8 people watching, in which case you'l be pointed AND laughed at.

[nickd]

The banshee freeride ultimate series (scream and morphine) will handle pretty much everything. I'd have to say the morphine takes it over every hardtail except the nicolai frames. (imho :p )

[fleshbone]

well im using the 06' stp0 i send it off anything and it holds up so amazingly,im happy with it,i'll attempt nearly anything with it,i say anything cause im not keen on hucking 15ft on it,maybe 10ft though,the other let down is that it slows me down on dh trax cause there aint much suspension being a ht and all.

[Dwnhll 4evr]

I know it's an old thread, but it's my thread and I have finally got my hardtail, so I thought I'd add it to my poll.
Its an 06 Norco Manik.
Cheeers.

[Doggy]

Voted the Norco's.
I have an 05 sasquatch that I love. I flog the crap out of it and it keeps coming back for more. The only major change I have done was to put an Intense Mag 30 rim on the back and its great

[Atomikryder]

You should get a norco dualie but if you dont have the money the 06 norco manik is a great freeride hardtail;) :D

[Donkey-boy]

I think you should go for something like the ironhorse yakuza bakuto or the norco manik. theyre both good hardtail freeride bikes so either one would be good.:D

[bert]

04 Devinci Hucker

A very robust unit, they handle the big stuff with ease. I have just built it up with some 05 Marzocchi Z1 Fr's and all the rest of the parts that I took off an 05 Versus Blitz that I have been riding for the last couple of months. I'm looking forward the change of style and challenges of freeriding a HT will bring.

bert
whose back may not....

[THE YETI]

For DH a dueli is gonna be better, but it all comes down to what your used to, what your good on and just generally how good a rider you are.

for freeride then it depends on whether you are doing dj style freeride, or just hittin shit continually and goin bigger and bigger.

Hardtails are WAY better for dj style stuff, but a mid travel dueli would go well if you wanna go a bit bigger. If your gonna do dh then go the Banshee Morphine. They are chunky as and you wont break them (do they still have lifetime warranty on the frame?

[dirt_street_park]

I use my specialized P.2 with DJ2 150mm travel, and i do up to 8ft drops with it. And i've never had any problems with it.

[Hardtail En4ser]

ive ridden a haro hardtail... up untill it died recently so im gettin a norco torrent, i cant do dual feels to weird, i think its what u like and your used to, i tested alot of dualies, i ride dh and all that just i dno hard tail feels more right for me