BIKE Magazine recently published their 2017 Bible of Bike Tests. While I was not the least bit surprised that there were no hardtails in the test, I felt the need to call them out on the obvious exclusion.
Frankly, I’m surprised that they responded as I was the only person that commented on the original article, but they did post an article called “Where’s The Love?“. So, yes, they did respond even if it was a half-hearted reply. Their logic was that hardtails are all basically the same, saying “…a hardtail is pretty much a known quantity–much more so at least than a full-suspension bike.”
Part of their logic sounds like it could have been lifted from my manifesto: “Hardtails are simpler, more reliable, and often more affordable–giving them plenty of reason to exist. They’re easier to load up with gear for long adventures, won’t blow a shock or break a pivot bolt in the middle of nowhere and require far less maintenance, making them less expensive to own.” While for me, those are compelling reasons for owning a hardtail, BIKE goes on to pop-poo hardtails saying that they don’t climb or descend as well. Global Mountain Bike Network just showed that they do actually climb better and can nearly descend just as well.
Here was my response:
While I appreciate the explanation, it does fall a little short in making the case for only testing full suspension bikes. The subtext is that hardtails are all the same, ride the same, etc. and are not really worthy of their time.
At the bare minimum, it would have been worthwhile to include this article in the paper and digital editions of the magazine, but it seems that if they aren’t going to devote any column inches to testing hardtails, they’re most certainly not going to devote any space to saying WHY they’re not testing them either.
Still, it’s not that hard for a reasonably intelligent reader to look at the advertisers in BIKE and the bikes that those manufacturers are pushing, and draw the lines to what’s being tested.
The endless fascination with FS bikes just furthers the bro-ification of mountain biking: all terrain is extreme and requires full suspension; there’s nothing out there for those unwilling to spend the dollars on FS.
Let’s be clear. I’m not looking for tests of the latest Specialied HardRock. Those reading BIKE are probably showing up at the trailhead with some pretty sweet hardtail rigs. My last hardtail build (Focus Raven 27R) cost me well north of $1000. There were parts that went on it that cost more than a Hardrock. Does the Focus ride differently than my Ridley 27er? Heck yea. Does it ride differently than my old 26er. Most definitely.
Let’s not paint hardtails with one brush. By BIKE’s logic, there would be no need to compare or test any road bikes – I mean, after all, they’re completely rigid – how could they ride differently?
Come to my site for some hardtail love. Go to BIKE for full suspension idolatry….