I think that's why hardtails are making a huge come back. Back to basics and simple fun. No complicated shocks, 10 pivots points, hours of maintenance, busted bearings, loose pivots…
^^^ This. A whole pile of my riding buddies are on SS hardtails for of our "backyard" riding. Simple. Reliable. Fun.
I started with a geared hardtail and adjustable fork. Then I lost the front gears, then the rest of the gears, then I de-TALAS'd my fork. Why? Less fixing, more riding.
Even on fullies, you see the majority of bikes going back to the double triangle. Gone are the CNC connections and monocoque front ends. Back to the basics, just do it right this time. I'm hoping to see durability becoming the trend du jour. My steel hardtail has made me realize replacing my cracked fully every few years is just plain stupid.
That's where carbon could be a breakthrough. Maybe someone will finally build a burly, durable, abuse-proof full susser frame that'll last 10 years. That would be revolutionary.
-- Founder of Abit Gear MTB shorts --