Mountain Bikes

Hardtail mountain bikes are here to stay. So many riders prefer the simplicity and efficiency of a hardtail. I love singletrack and the hardtail is my favorite tool to tear it up. They climb great, are easy to maintain, and are great in the tight and twisty stuff.

Single speeds have also given the hardtail a new lease on life. Riding a fully rigid single speed is much like riding a fixed-gear road bike, maybe the purest form of mountain bike riding possible. I use Phil Wood's eccentric BBs and vertical dropouts to allow the use of disk brakes. Imagine not having to worry about shifting or suspension or wear and tear. Nice thought, eh?

Some hardtail designs allow the use of lugs, which provide a very unique looking mountain bike. The seamless and flowing look of a fillet-brazed frame is gorgeous, but the lugs offer something that will make many heads turn. Either way, the highest attention to detail will give you the best-looking mountain bike on the trail.