BikeRadar Podcast | What's better, a hardtail or full suspension mountain bike?

Tech ed Tom Marvin and MBUK staff writer Will Soffe discuss the finer points of the hardtail versus full suspension bike debate

Podcast hardtail vs full suspension mountain bike thumbnail.

Ian Linton / Immediate Media

Alex Evans

Published: June 21, 2021 at 9:48 am

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BikeRadar's Tom Marvin and MBUK's Will Soffe discuss what they think is better, a hardtail or full suspension mountain bike.

We all know there isn't a straightforward answer to that question, and views on which is better will range from lukewarm to boiling hot on both sides of the debate.

Whether you're sitting on the fence or are a devout supporter of one camp or the other, be sure to read up on the best mountain bikes under £1,000 for most things hardtail, and lift your budget slightly to find out what the best mountain bikes under £2,000 are with full-suspension frames.

Either listen above or download the podcast on your device of choice to listen later.

Don't forget to subscribe to the BikeRadar Podcast via Apple or Spotify, or just search for us on your preferred podcast provider. With over 500,000 listens so far, we wouldn't want you to miss out on future episodes!

BikeRadar podcast

BikeRadar podcast

Senior technical editor

Alex Evans is BikeRadar and MBUK’s senior mountain bike technical editor, as well as a regular on our podcast and YouTube channels. Working for BikeRadar and MBUK for nearly 10 years, Alex has been living and breathing mountain bikes since he was nine years old. Competing in his first downhill race aged 11, he went on to race in DH world cups and other international events across Europe – and even represented Great Britain at the downhill European Championships. Before moving back to the UK when he landed a job as MBUK’s features editor, Alex lived in the French Alpine mountain biking hotspot of Morzine for eight years. There, he clocked up an enormous amount of riding – and broke more bikes than he cares to remember. Alex now calls Scotland’s famously gnarly and gruelling trails of the Tweed Valley home, which is where he tests kit and bikes. While once a gravity racer, Alex now rides to the tops of his descents and feels most at home on an enduro bike or eMTB. He’s no stranger to flat-out efforts, however, and isn’t shy about donning Lycra to ride cross-country, or even competing in the occasional road hill climb event. Although he’s retired from official competition, he loves a challenge, especially when it comes to trying to top his local Strava leaderboards – just for fun, of course.

Height: 178cm
Bike size: Large/480mm reach