Review of hard-tail vs full-suspension bicycle models

Posted by Jacques Marais on 17 June 2011

If we lived in a win-win world, we’d own at least three or four bikes, each of them suited to different riding styles and terrain. However, try to explain that to your accountant, bank manager or signifi cant other and I bet you’re around three seconds short of a serious sense-of-humour failure. Rather choose one of these to get the best bike for your bucks.

Hard-tail

Every bike brand worth mentioning still produces a top-of-the-range hard-tail specifically aimed at the racing snake market segment. Silverback is no different; its Surplus 1 is a carbon- framed machine of singular beauty, with the best componentry money can buy. A lack of rear suspension makes it superresponsive and light (it weighs in at less than 9,3 kilograms). Add Avid hydraulic disc brakes, a Rock Shox SID front fork and DT Swiss wheelsets to the package and you know you’re up for a demon ride with impressive energy transfer throughout the range.

Full-suspension

In the “˜old days’, added mass and a loss of energy through the compression of the rear suspension were drawbacks of dual-suspension. This is no longer the case. Silverback’s Intelligent Design System (IDS) optimises traction and the transmission of power across the entire wheelbase. The latest Mercury 1 combines a Fox Float RP23 rear shock with the Rock Shox Reba RLT fork, boosting both agility and energy effi ciency.

Shane says
Shane Jansen van Rensburg is a pro rider, racing snake and weekend warrior, all rolled into one. He owns five bikes, but if he had to choose one, it would be “¦

“˜I would side with a dual-susser such as the Mercury 1. When you aren’t racing, all you want to do is have good fun without incurring expensive dental surgery due to trail feedback beemed up the back-end of your bike.’

Three plush rides you shouldn’t miss

Van Gaalen Kaasmakerij
An exhilarating and technical route outside Skeerpoort, looping through a combination of reeds, bush and open veld. Expect challenging singletrack featuring drop-offs, berms and the odd river crossing. Beware the steep ascents and drops if you’re a rookie rider.

Giba Gorge
This classic MTB park boasts the best biking you’ll get in “˜The Kingdom’. Just off the N3 between Pietermaritzburg and Durbs, Giba offers safe and secure riding suited to anyone, from rank beginners to seasoned pros. A range of purposebuilt routes enables you to test your skills on the full gamut of surfaces.

Oak Valley
It might be a premium wine estate, but the forward-thinking winemaker (and avid mountain-biker) Pieter Visser has transformed the vineyards and orchards of this Grabouw farm into MTB heaven.

Full-suss vs Forks

Full-suspension

  • Your butt loves the comfy ride
  • Soaks up rugged terrain
  • Heavier and more stuff can go wrong
  • All-mountain trail exploration
  • Add at least R5 000 to the hard-tail price

Forks

  • Your legs love the lightweight frame
  • You lose energy in the shock “˜bounce’
  • Less control on technical trails
  • For XC racing snakes
  • Save at least a kilogram in mass

Get more online

Check out the brand that patented the Intelligent Design System: www.silverback.co.za
For a full database of mountain biking trails in South Africa: www.mtbroutes.co.za
Singletrack heaven in the North West Province: www.vangaalen.co.za
KZN’s premier MTB destination: www.gibagorge.co.za
Brilliant riding less than an hour from Cape Town: www.oakvalley.co.za

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