Hardtail

Key facts

Suspension

Hardtail

Wheel size

29″

Typical travel

100–140 mm

Bike types

MTB

How it works

A hardtail has a suspension fork at the front and no shock at the back. The rear wheel sits in a rigid triangle, so every pedal stroke goes straight into the ground and there is nothing behind you to set up or service.

Where it shines

• Cross-country racing and long climbs, where weight and efficiency count.
• Dirt jumps and pump tracks, where a stiff rear end pops off lips.
• A first mountain bike: fewer moving parts, a lower price, less to go wrong.

The trade-off

On rough descents the rear wheel kicks back, so a hardtail asks for good line choice and active legs. Riders who learn on one often find a full-suspension bike easy afterwards — the habits carry over.

Related articles

• Full-suspension bike — A mountain bike with suspension at both ends. The rear shock keeps the back wheel on the ground over roots and rocks, which means more grip, more control and less fatigue.
• Suspension fork — The telescopic front fork that lets the front wheel move up over bumps instead of throwing them into your hands. It is what steers the bike through rough ground.
• Wheel size — Mountain bikes roll on 26′′, 27.5′′ or 29′′ wheels. Bigger wheels roll over obstacles more easily and carry speed; smaller ones are quicker to turn and throw around.
• Cross-country (XC) — Mountain biking as an endurance sport: as much up as down, on light and efficient bikes, where fitness wins races. The only mountain-bike discipline at the Olympic Games.
• Trail riding — The most common way to ride a mountain bike: loops that climb under your own power and descend the good stuff, on one bike that does a bit of everything.
• Dirt jump (DJ) — Riding a line of hand-built dirt jumps on a small, stiff hardtail — for height, flow and tricks. Close to BMX in spirit, and where many riders learn to fly.