Discussion: Full-susp vs hardtail?

This has been hashed out a little in years past but can we kick this around again? At Untamed this year, I did an informal estimate while loading bikes and came up with approximately:
60/40 hardtail/dually (including all teams). I think there is a pretty fair consensus these days that the 29er is the way to go in AR unless maybe you're of small stature, but the suspension question seems unresolved (weight vs comfort vs expense). Anyone with a strong opinion either way?

Given that the correct number of bikes to own is n+1 shouldn't you have both a hardtail and a full susp?

My opinion is less than 100km total riding means hardtail, over that means full susp.
Lots of road riding increases this number, big heavy packs decreases it.

I love that full suspension. Late in a race when you don't notice a big stick/rock in the trail, it's pretty nice when the bike just plows over it instead of ejecting you into the brush.

Worth noting: At races w/o singletrack, I've seen people riding hardtails with CX tires and they were flying. Seems like a bit of a gamble, but it worked for them.

i agree w Wally80! except i only have a 29er HT so that's what i've been using for everything. i might fall into the "small of stature" camp at 5'5" but i LOVE the 29er and ride a medium frame.

also agree w bobjenkins79 on the cx tires, we've used them with great success at races where historically there isn't a lot of singletrack. and even if there is, singletrack on "skinny" tires is super fun! (and he should know, since he's the founder of Cedar Cross).

or you could ride "WEDALI-style" w mtb tire in front and cx tire in back, but that's sort of off-topic from the original question.

Can't speak to expedition races, but 29er HT has been working well (MI trails are pillowy soft..the squishy fork is often overkill), although on Wilderness Traverse hydrocut I really miss my old full suspension bike.

I think the important question is whether your AR bike will be your only bike. If it is then buy a bike that will make most of the riding that you do fun. For me in BC that means a full suspension bike. I agree though that for races that have mainly road riding a full suspension may be overkill. I don't buy that reliability is a big issue but certainly weight, cost and efficiency may be. If the race actually has a proper mountain biking section then full suspension will be worth it - easier on the body and easier technical climbing.

I'm looking to retire my 26 HT Stumpy. If price was not a factor, a high-end full-susp would be my pick. In the world of reality, the choice is between a nice HT 29er or entry-low/mid level full suspension. Most of our races are 24 hrs or less, so I am leaning toward the 29 HT. Thanks for the input so far.

Suck it up and buy a full-carbon full suspension 29er. And your teammates would be forced to follow suit. The real decision is trail bike (crush Hilla-Zilla at Fort Rock on a Scott Genius) vs marathon/ stage race bike (more AR specific, Scott Spark 900).

Anything 24 hours or more definitely full suspension. If you're doing mostly sprint races with the odd 24 hour or longer I suggest a Specialized Epic.

I agree with revy. If you can only have one, get something useful for the majority of your riding. Personally for any AR a day or less, I have a 29er HT. Most bike sections won't be all that long in those races, and the nice thing about the 29er is even thought it is a HT, it will take the edge off the bumps. Also it is nice and light for hike a bike sections, and efficient on roads. But for longer races, having the full squish takes some taxing off the body.

During the latter stages of our last race (maybe a bad time to make any definitive decisions) I decided to go FS on my next bike. The LBS was offering a great deal on demo 2014 Trek Superfly FS carbon, so I stretched the budget a tiny bit to accommodate that purchase.

Well done. Late in a race is the best time to make decisions about comfort, warmth and weight. Nothing opens up the purse strings better.

Wally80 - agreed!

When you're thinking "I need a costly new bike" late in a race, that is a true lucid insight.

Other thoughts like: "This is no fun, why do I keep doing these?" or "I'm never signing up for anything longer than a 5k" are clearly a product of your delusional state and should be completely disregarded.

I'll chime in and agree with Revy and BiT, although I've only gone as long as 24hr races (out there for 30 though!) I can't complain with my carbon 29er, stupid light and pretty smooth. They are making carbon seat posts now (Niner) that are designed to absorb road chatter and as I have drunk the Niner Tea have one and can attest it is pretty effective. So, a good seat and seat post and if one can afford a carbon bike it is not a bad way to go.

Mind you, in chatting with Simpy about it when they raced Argentina and those horrible washed out, rutted out, bumpy as hell roads, pretty sure he said it would not have mattered if he was on FS or HT, it was all bad.

I was in Argentina on FS and I still feel pain when I think about those roads! On a serious note, those washboard roads left one of my teammates with a neck injury that continues to bother him after 18 months.