Mountain bikes with 500 TTT?

[Cataboo]

I measured my mountain bike a little and despite the fact that I feel like I'm completely upright on that bike, it's about 20 cms longer in the top tube than my road bike. The bars are swept back, so maybe that compensates. I'll go measure the mountain bike in the shed in a while - it's a WSD and I know it's got a really short top tube. I stuck a 120 mm stem on it to compensate.


I ride hardtails. One has a titanium frame & I just upgraded its fork. It weighs maybe 23 lbs and I probably have an ancient crankset in it and other components that could be lightened and so for not a lot of money I could lose a few pounds.

I know I can't get a good full suspension at the same price. And I don't really feel like riding a not so great full suspension.

Hardtail vs. full suspension. Generally I think you can get a much better and lighter bike for your money going hardtail than going full suspension. I have no desire to be riding a 30 lb bike up a hill. Or dealing with a suspension flexing when I'm hill climbing. However, I'm not doing serious downhilling where I'd need a full suspension to even out the bumps.

I used to have a suspension seatpost on my bike, but took it off recently to lighten things - and I can't say I've really noticed the difference, I'm off the seat for bumpy stuff or descents most of the time.

I have ridden a full suspension a few times, and I don't think that full suspension makes me less afraid of things than I am on my hardtail. What I'm usually afraid of is making tight turns at speed (the oh crud, I'm gonna hit a tree if I don't make a sharp left at the bottom of a hill) and what bike I'm on really doesn't make a difference with that. As for going over obstacles, I'm sure going over a log feels smoother when you're on a full suspension than a hardtail, but I think getting over the log is the same either way and the fear factor is the same (however, I'm likely to be up out of my seat with my knees slightly bent for the impact). What helped me in those cases was basically just having a log in the back yard or putting a milk bottle or phone book out on the street and practicing wheelies and bunny hops so that I had more biking skills.

What I am vaguely intruiged about is the 29ers.

If Catrin's not planning on going down rocky mountains or something like that, I think she'd be fine on a good hardtail. I don't think steel or titanium frame is necessary, but I don't think they'd hurt.