aside from the obvious benefit of having the bumps of the trail go easier on one is bum, what other benefits does a full-suspension frame deliver over a hardtail?granted everything else in the bike is the same except the frame, does it actually allow you to go faster or give you more control?

it all depends on the rider. but for trail riding u should get a full suspension. for xc riding a short travel full suspension or hardtsil would work.


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hope l helped and good luck with whatever u do

It really depends on the rider, & kinds of riding u r doing. For fire roads & smoother trails, a hardtail will be fine. Some cross-country riders prefer hardtails because they tend to be lighter, & climb a little better. This depends on the bike, the more travel u have in the rear, the more it will slow u down when u r climbing.

On longer rides, however, the rear suspension makes up for its weight by saving some ware on the body. On more technical sections of trail, a hardtail requires more bike-handling skills so as not to slide off of rocks & other bumps that may have otherwise been soaked up by the rear suspension. Some riders like to use 29-inch wheels, which helps to smooth out some of the bumps without the energy loss of rear suspension, but that comes at the cost of some maneuverability.

hardtails r a bit faster on the uphills, & if u do end up getting a hardtail u will just have to learn to become loose & have ur legs be ur suspension.
Also if u r buying at the low end of the spectrum, then dont sacrificee good componentry for rear suspension. ex. if there r two bikes for $800, one is a hardtail & one is a full suspension, usually the hardtail will have better components because the money for the full suspension is going into the rear suspension, & chances r it does not come with a very good quality rear shock. In my opinion, search Craigslist for a used one that is in as good of condition as possible. just remember research research research