The Scariest Trail I’ve Ridden On a Hardtail

[@gmbn]

What's the highest-graded trail you've ever ridden? Would you ride it on a hardtail? Let us know in the comments below! 👇

[@jonathan_damour]

Blue trails on my 2022 Orbea Laufey h30 at Vallnord Bike Park. For a first bike park experience that's not too bad :D

[@simongorrod3222]

I've ridden slab track once and bottomed my fork on a 170mm enduro the hardest I've ever bottomed out in the hole at the bottom of that slab, it nearly broke my wrist 🤣🤣🤣. I wouldn't even consider it on a hardtail so props for trying 👍

[@bluezan0]

I didn’t even know there was a trail rating of triple black diamond

[@EldarFarseer]

Black trail on a mountain(Smolikas) in Greece with my Ghost Nirvana hardtail, walked most of it, it was my first black trail, a very nasty experience, it was raining, there was mud everywhere, my front wheel slipping, no grip on my shoes since i was stupid enough to go with vans snickers instead of proper riding shoes and on top of that around the middle of the trail my front fork lost all of it air. But it motivated me to get better to revisit that trail and try to do it again, now i have a proper fork(RS Pike) and some nice crankbrothers shoes!

[@Unite.The.Kingdom]

Black diamond once! Maybe this year will go for it again but I'm happy riding blues and reds.

[@charlesstevenson8751]

I love the fact that Neil demonstrated the skill of assessing a trail and the current risk and realizing it was not safe, and to come back another day. One of the most important videos GMBN has produced.

[@jposerio2433]

It's very humbling.

[@jamesc6876]

i like that the cameraman explained and showed hiking. Show more of the steep if possible by showing Neil standing or climbing in perspective please next time.

[@robertmcfadyen9156]

He should have taken a chance . I would as I have done before .

[@robertmcfadyen9156]

5:10 , he never rode it it is 58 degrees what a fib .

[@robertmcfadyen9156]

I have broken bones .

[@mece700]

Good job, also great for showing that you are using your head as our sport should not be about jumping head first to whatever without giving it a thought at all. Good job!

[@amandanorth6526]

I thought the same. Great example, Neil!

[@rustychain9518]

Absolutely agree, too many people watch videos of people riding insane trails thinking they went into it blind and they don’t realize all the prep that went into the ride.

[@LaurentiusTriarius]

Crashing and long recoveries will make you think a bit, Neil had his fair shares 😅

[@bjornelfsberg3518]

​@@LaurentiusTriarius Yes lol First hospitalization was quite an eye opener 😂😂

[@andrewnieland724]

Loved seeing the sensible decision making! Good job Neil.

[@smv9338]

Love the honesty in this video.

[@gmbn]

Thanks very much!

[@Milessongs]

Bravo Neil, and kudos to GMBN's editorial team (if that's a thing) for keeping it real! Beautiful riding footage, featuring a hardtail, and illustrating good rider judgment when tackling a dangerous situation are all aspects of mountain biking we could use more of. There are lots of us out here who ride all sorts of tracks and it's really great to see more than just another gonzo, life threatening spectacle video.

[@gmbn]

It's a thing Miles! Thanks for watching :)

[@barryfrancis7899]

Wow I've never seen Neil back out of anything so fair play to him. Good to see he him do that we all have our limits and no one wants to get injured 😊

[@gmbn]

It's a super gnarly track! Insanely committing in some sections!

[@robertmcfadyen9156]

I have had a fair share of cycling injuries . KZbin thrives on full fledged risk takers as Red bull does . The ratings point to this .

[@jzekaron]

Even just what can be conveyed on camera, that drop gave me real life shivers. Even on the most extreme downhill bike and wearing full armour I'd still be terrified.

[@gmbn]

It's a super committing one! We'd very much recommend full armour for it, definitely a limit pusher 😬

[@jamesdavidson8624]

I’m over 50 and I am returning to mountain bike riding. I realize that I don’t bounce back from big offs like I used to. I’m very glad to see that you didn’t push through on the few sections! Great video guys!!!

[@gmbn]

Thanks James! Hope you're enjoying your riding again!

[@seanpera9499]

@@jamesdavidson8624 I’m 29 getting back into it, and I’m thinking it’s going to take a couple of Seasons straight to just “bounce back”

[@randommovement674]

As everyone else has mentioned it's nice to see a rider of Neil's calibre be able to walk away from something on camera. That gains a lot of respect in my eyes. Honesty is what the bicycle media needs now more than ever.

[@miindthegaap]

An important attribute. Niel showed an important lesson for the kids out there, obsessed with sending it. You live to ride another day.

[@AnOnym0uS888-5]

The send it phrase is just how people end of with serous injury 🙄

[@erictrelz3519]

Neil, very impressed with your solid common sense. Too many folks on KZbin just say, “have confidence and send it”. You set a great example for all riders today. Thank you! Can’t wait to see what you can do when the conditions are dry.

[@helicopter12345678]

The Don did good 👍 there is a limit to every ride and this was a wise decision 👍👍 plus you looked awesome on the jumps especially over the bridge 🤛🤛 Arthur

[@trotro80]

This and Blake's Megavalanche is the hardest hardtail riding I've seen so far 👏 (Point to note: Neil's on flat pedals here)

[@adamcooper988]

Neil is mortal, who’d have thought

[@stujm8376]

100% respect your decision to not ride slab track, live to ride another day. I love my hardtail my than my full sus and really enjoy putting it through it’s paces, watching Neil make it look easy again just makes me want to go out and ride.

[@ForestMountainBiker]

Huge respect Neil 🫡 I made the mistake you very wisely didn’t on the slab track! Awesome riding, great edit, love the trails, love the channel 👊

[@andrewm190E]

Kudos Neil for knowing when to go and when to say no. Too many videos push the "send it" BS mantra, and that leads to too many avoidable accidents by regular mtb riders that sometimes become life altering mistakes.👍

[@jimstockdale7761]

Well done!!! Nice to see wisdom and judgement being shown, with honesty and humility. All positive examples seldom witnessed.

[@fourocker]

Wet slick rock is no joke, good call to get off, dual suspension wouldn't even matter really. In the dry however a hardtail can be ridden anywhere as long as you ride to the conditions and not try to be a foolhardy hero.

[@bchearne]

I look forward to the summer attempt! Nice riding, and I don’t blame you at all for calling it. Knowing when to leave it for another day is an essential part of mtb

[@jamesc6876]

i would have liked to see him ride the hard stuff on a full suspension in comparison

[@GavSedae]

It's videos like this that stop me buying a full suspension bike. I'm far far from a pro but I love my Marin San Quentin and haven't found its limit yet and obviously love a challenge!

[@k9kayaks]

At my age of 53 I’m just fine and happy with my HardTail SpecializedRockhopper get full enjoy,ent and I know my limits 👍🚵🏻

[@stujm8376]

51 and ride a Cannondale trail 4 hardtail with fox forks. It’s amazing and has been my ride of choice for the past 5 years, never lets me down and gets put through it’s paces on a regular basis…

[@bmwm3man]

@@stujm8376 that's great man. I'm a big fan of my trail 5 too.

[@iancoachwerksllc]

Speed kills

[@stephankoehler800]

Nice riding. At the crazy slab drop, if Neil could have grabbed a full suss enduro or dh bike right then and there, would he have decided that it was rideable and ticked it off? That feature looks proper scary and if it was the slippery conditions that were putting him off, full suss bikes can slip out exactly the same as HTs. Obvs any landing or impact from the drop will be softened by rear suss, but that doesn't mean he'd have still ridden it on any bike in those conditions.

[@jamesc6876]

i just read this after posting elsewhere, defintely make this a series and show damage to bike, what was holding you back most of bike and do this for all bike genres xc, trail, enduro, dh

[@stephankoehler800]

@@jamesc6876 that's a good idea.

[@hojetsala5178]

Thank you for not dying for a youtube video lol. No seriously, being responsible about the risks we take is the most important lesson to learn. This downhill was still super thrilling to watch and some great riding! Really makes me want to go out there too.

[@djbayr9516]

Big fan of hardtails. I do mostly single track and XC style riding and I get all the fun I want out of it. That Orbea actually looks like a solid deal.

[@tuggers1000]

i remember riding my hardtail at Dyfi and every track there on a hardtail is gnarly. Very humbling watching a rider as skilled as Neil not go crazy on the nuts stuff.

[@Will-101]

Wow nice riding mate, i've got a 2021 Orbea Laufye H10, despite the 'older' geometry its still shreds down black diamonds!

[@teapeaster]

Rode a stiffee for years (that's a Cove stiffee) and it was the most fun bike I ever had and it did it all, play, street, x country, dirt jumps and DH. But you do take a battering. And good call on going around. Younger me would have ended up in the netting for sure

[@cassysamel3914]

As someone who started on HTs and has been riding FS the past 7 years, I took my newly built HT for a ride yesterday. The first chunky section reminded why I ride FS the last 7 years 😅

[@chimps4gimps]

Wise choice Neil. Respect for doing as much as you did 👊🏻

[@Magoo71]

Neil, thanks for a great adventure....seems like quite a ride for a Hard tail! I would not do that gnarly drop either......looks too hairy for me....looks too steep to even walk down it...

[@the_spanner_ch7mp]

Think this is the 1st time I've seen Neil back out of something. Fair play because in other videos when he's ridden the Slab on a DH bike he said it as gnarly and challenging. Great video Neil #GMBN 🤘

[@jamesc6876]

thanks for this, was wondering how it looks in comparison. titled "The scariest mtb trail in the uk"

[@philippebenard1075]

Great effort on a really hard looking trail. Really looking forward to a second attempt in better condition. You and this hardtail can do this!!!!

[@matt_acton-varian]

You wouldn't catch me riding the slab in those conditions on a DH bike. Sensible choice, would love to see you try it in summer.

[@seangrammer]

Good on Neil for showing its not all about doing something for the risk of it for the views... Riding a HT or any bike for that matter is all about knowing your own limits and knowing when to adjust your ride. 🤟

[@JohnAlienSmith]

Hardtails for life, not just for Christmas, rode the ‘trek beast’ race in wales so rocky in places my eye sight was getting blurred 🤣

[@tybaltlobenstein9426]

Hardtails are the best! Id love to take mine to the Bike Park someday

[@mrvwbug4423]

That you could ride any of Dyfi on a hardtail is impressive. Dyfi was designed by the Athertons to train pro DH racers and freeriders, with little consideration for amateurs or anything less than a DH bike. Every review of the place I've seen by amateur riders basically says if you're not a pro you won't be able to ride most of it.

[@petewright6408]

This made me feel better about bottling it on my hardtail when I went a while back. Bugged me ever since thank you!lol rest of the tracks were great although I have a small travel full sus now, I need a trip back!

[@SmartLittleFishy]

You made the right call. No need to kill yourself for content. Come back in summer (either week of it) and finished the video. It reminds me of the saying: There are old riders and bold rider but no old and bold riders. I'm paraphrase of course.

[@baconfister]

You did your best, mate. Just need to go back and try it again during the three weeks of no rain per year in the UK (I believe it’s during the middle of July). I can wait for the followup video.

[@SteveTheDiva]

Even getting on a bike on a wet day in January...hats off to ya from America, where we are SNOWED IN and IT IS FREEZING. Went into the garage and stared longingly at my bike, but that was it. P.S., if y'all want videos of someone choosing NOT to throw themselves down a wet jagged slab with a crater in the middle of it on a glorified BMX bike, I'm yer guy.

[@Paul-q3q6u]

50 this year and bought a hard tail to get back in mtb after 20 years as a roadie. Its amazing how the technology has changed. Not sure id have ridden that trial on anything just yet. Inspiring stuff though.

[@junka1975]

So for us mere mortals, if a track has conditions that are too gnarly for Neil, you know you're better off not risking hurting yourself. That's one trail where you could see just how steep it was with Neil standing at the top.

[@Rubblechops]

Have the 22 Laufey. Survived BPW but admit I rode mostly blue and some select reds! Love the look of the new version. Styling those jumps Neil.

[@nickwatkins5227]

Great stuff Neil awesome video this trail definitely sent shivers down my spine I applaud your dedication and determination

[@mikedwiles]

That's real mountain biking. Out there with issues beyond our capability and knowing when to say, "I'll get it next time." In this case, it's really the conditions of the track. Take an extremely difficult track under good conditions. The level can go to impossible in bad conditions.

[@al3440]

I once rode my Chromag hardtail down Shail Master in the Whistler bike park. Thought I was going to die halfway down cause the rear end kicked out a bit. One of my greatest free ride achievements😊🤙🏻

[@dewindoethdwl2798]

Hats off to Neil. In mountaineering we say that the hardest decision is turning away and going down, even though it is often the wisest choice.

[@pscion12]

Yes please, hiking down a section which you have no confidence of, whether or not you have the skill to do it, is the right decision. I’ve seen too many take on challenges that are too much for them, either because of bravado or being egged on by their mates, breaking their collar bones or has the handlebar drilled through the thigh or eating dirt. Learning when to back off is a legit option and skill.

[@ralphcrosby4051]

Intense trail love the skills just shows what a hardtail in the right hands can do

[@Mikesbikerides]

Very good to see that you promote sensible riding. Too many people on youtube doing dumb shit, making other people more inclined to ride unsafely. Well done!

[@loucederberg9544]

Rode my Brooklyn Park Bike mullet to Plattekill back in the day. I’ve never had that bike feel flexy until that day.

[@bigslacker666]

Props for riding that on a hardtail. Really on a trail like that you need the geo more than the suspension as it wasn't mega chunk or huge drops. That day it was more about traction than suspension not that some squish wouldn't give extra comfort. I wouldn't roll a steep slab in the wet like that no matter what bike I was on. Great riding!

[@lilbruin]

Great vid. Thanks for not showing us a big crash today!

[@SwaggyCheeseDog]

I'm new to MTB and my local trail has one rated as a double black. I rode that, but i felt like it wasn't hard so I think whoever rated that trail didn't do a great job. The trail is on the Allegrippis trail system and it is called Ray's Revenge.

[@my2017raptorhardtail]

Hellll yess. Please more hardtail content. Shocked Mr. Hardtail didn't do this bideo being Neil says he hates them 😂 made it even better

[@michaelfleming4015]

There’s no doubt you have the skills. Well done! I love my hard tail 29er.

[@fasterhastur]

Good to see a GMBN presenter scoping out a trail and showing caution. Not always right to just "Send It!"

[@sgoaty]

It's nice to see that Neil is human. Makes me feel better about some of the stuff I'm scared to do (that my bike would handle no problems)

[@brucemacdonald5532]

I do think Neil would actually manage Slab Track in the summer, fair play for tackling it in January!

[@MrThegixerman]

Respect for getting off 😊

[@alexanderscott2567]

I have a Rootdown Ti with similar specs. It's a nice bike, but I don't ride it down stuff like that. Nice for training to ride down stuff like that, and testing other stuff to ride down stuff like that.

[@MyBetsie]

Fair play for dropping into slab track on a HT. It was gnarly enough on the DH bike... In the wet, after a hail storm. Probably a stupid idea to ride it blind in those conditions. I found out why the pros there don't ride it.

[@RyanCranage]

Last year I raced the local Downhill series in the Sport men category on my Nukeproof Scout Hardtail with flat pedals. I got 4th in my last race. I’m a 29yr old Brain Cancer survivor. I’m in no rush to get a full sus with 170mm travel. The trails I ride and the big suspension bikes I can keep up with tell me that taking it slow and learning on a hardtail with flats has been beneficial. I’d rather be under biked then over biked as my skill set has grown because of it. I understand fast kids racing need the best equipment. If you are a young kid learning to ride at 13 years old, a full suspension bike with your feet clipped in. That’s not the bike for you. I’m only dabbling in clips now as I’m looking for the extra control in the rock gardens.

[@VelkePivo]

The parts you skipped I imagine you’d have skipped with a full suspension bike, too. Not sure slipperiness affects an HT any more than an FS

[@daveandmerlin]

Slab track ain't no joke ! Proper scary even on a full Suss . Last year I took the Hardie to the Alps and really enjoyed it the highlight have to be La Thuile and the Crazy place that is called La Grave ....crazy high and Rocky !

[@AnOnym0uS888-5]

Fair play mate i would of avoided those bits two, if you not feeling it best to go back and return another day, i had my hardtaik for a while andni hit most stuff with it, bike parks wales is good fun, i find the blues are better for hardtails

[@doubleL_S]

The reason I'll stick with hardtails for now even though i ride trails like this is because of the ease of maintenance and the price of a full sus. Think I'd just go all out on a emtb full sus eventually though for those epic down country rides.

[@RC-fp1tl]

Respect to Neil! This is why I watch GMBN

[@gmbn]

Cheers!

[@sultanabran1]

awesome video. great skill and good lessons too.

[@nevillepretorius8948]

Enjoyed the video! Love my hardtail!🤟

[@steves365]

I tuned my hardtail with a air suspension dropper post. It's the best tuning for me.

[@deividas_kimontas]

Love hardtails! 🤘

[@bitumen83]

That track is very hard, even on long travel enduro bike it would be a decent challenge.

[@K9Manhunters]

Thanks for the great video. There is no shame in walking😅 As a HT rider, I got used to it😂

[@tablatom]

I ride hardtail fatbikes. Love the rear tyre float

[@LukeShaw474]

Fair play Neil! I'd love to know how the bike handled? Any issues or repairs needed after that ride?

[@jamesc6876]

part 2!!! yes please, full suspension revenge

[@MrTans79]

Total respect Neil 🤘🏼

[@safesclart]

Hardtails still rock, my Orange Crush is pretty much up for anything, it's just whether or not i am lol

[@fraserlordly2432]

That jump trail is a masterpiece.

[@samwise833]

It would be cool to see an actual hardtail downhill series

[@joshdonley2842]

My brother too kis 100mm hardtail down all of topchief at fort William without coming off once. Mad impressive

[@Cheatingforfun]

I started racing Mtb on 1996 and by that time the events have multiplie disciplines on same day. My first mountain bike was a chromoly hard tail with a cheap RS elastomer suspension and I won on my first downhill event. From there I knew gravity will be my thing and I kept racing downhill on that same bike until I was able to upgrade to a full squish. Since today I haven’t found any trail that I cannot tackle on my hardtail.

[@Unite.The.Kingdom]

Excellent! We all still know you have a big pair on you Neil, sometimes I wonder how you can actually walk let alone ride! Do not blame you for avoiding that slab looked more like ice than rock. Why does Neil ride a bike? Because football, cricket and rugby only require one ball 😂

[@ecopennylife]

Good call, no matter your ability, consider walking through difficult sections and assessing whether it is doable on the day, there's no point getting seriously injured unnecessarily. I'm easy, I would just avoid a triple black diamond on my carbon hardtail 😅

[@phreedle]

Glad to see you lived to bike another day. That looked terrifying.

[@pdally1]

Excellent vid. The big question is, would Neil have ridden the whole course if he'd been on a full susser, or were the conditions too wet and greasy to ride it on anything? Ive got an orbea Laufey HT and i love it.

[@boogiedownbronx73]

i started on hardtail and rode black trails fine yes my ass was hurting but i just lowered the seat no dropper.....i have more control with my hardtail than with my DS...

[@tonyhowes669]

What i want to know though... the conditions of the day, you were on the Laufey and walked the two sections.... would you have walked on your full sus? Also, if you had 4 pot breaks, 200mm rotors, and dh rubber on the laufey... especially if the tires were good for wet, would that have made the difference? I know my laufey is much xhanged from stock when using minions, 4 pot brakes and 203s. Speed changes alot at chatel when set up for chatel this way

[@stevenwilliams1497]

Good call mate, no ego 🫡🫡🫡

[@wolfura]

A hardtail vid without Blake, blasphemy.

[@Grotesque18]

Respect. Don't break yourself!

[@Mtb9r]

Won the kamikaze on a full ridge in 1994. Holy Hell

[@yintaozen5353]

Only a high skilled rider that can do track safety assessments and know very well if he pushed beyond his limits, he will end up in ICU bed. It's a big balls and big courage to said that section are beyond his limits and Neil didn't want to pushed too far from his own limits. Cheers Neil, youre the greatest 🤟🏼😎👍🏼

[@paulshanesmith]

I was 58 years old last summer riding my hardtail down a difficult black at Samoen's.. there were a couple of sections I walked but I'd have walked them with any bike.

[@ShadLife]

Nice to see you being smart. I don't even think riding it on full suspension would be smart when it's wet like that. What I like about this video isn't that it is proving full suspension bikes don't have a place. What it proves is for the large majority of riding a full suspension bike isn't needed. I have said this for a long time. Hardtails are the ideal mountain bike and full suspension bikes are great for the really gnarly stuff, but rarely needed.

[@lcdchase]

Yet to find a limit to what’s rideable on the hardtail when it comes to steep/tech/trail riding. Only need the travel for big drops or racing. Lighter for hikeabike, cheaper, less servicing, better climbing…hardtails for the win!

[@rodajayabikeshop5460]

How can is his foot still planted to the pedals with those flats on a hardtail with that crazy trail 😅

[@clumsymucka1158]

I rode that slab track on a Hello Dave it was quite a challenge at 59yr old 😂

[@Flux_Flow]

Yea, fair play. Live to ride another day.