Which eMTB for € 4,000? The battle: hardtail vs full-suspension

So you want to buy yourself an eMTB for € 4,000? Should you go for the high-end hardtail or the budget full-suspension option? We’ll tell you what to pay attention to so that you don’t waste your hard-earned money and who might be better off with the hardtail. We’ve also compiled a few tips for you to consider when buying.

You’ve been saving for months but can’t decide whether you should buy a hardtail or full-suspension eMTB? Then you’ve come to the right place. We’ll explain what to look for and what’s less important. Hardtails can be great all-rounders but without suspension at the rear, they’re usually less comfortable than full-suspension eMTBs. For moderate off-road use, usually, the only thing speaking for buying a hardtail is the price. If you’re planning on attacking the trails, you’ll be better off with a full-susser. But who is a hardtail for then and what can you expect to get for € 4,000? The FOCUS THRON² 6.7 and FOCUS JARIFA² 6.9 both cost around € 4,000, so we let them go head to head to find out which is the better eMTB.

The Battle – FOCUS JARIFA² 6.9 Nine vs FOCUS THRON² 6.7

For direct comparison, we put the FOCUS JARIFA² 6.9 Nine hardtail head to head with the full-suspension FOCUS THRON² 6.7. Both cost about the same, come equipped with Bosch’s 85 Nm Performance Line CX motor, a 12-speed drivetrain, four-piston brakes and 29” wheels, allowing for a fair comparison. However, there are a few differences in the spec that have a direct bearing on the price. The JARIFA² 6.9 Nine is specced with the larger 630 Wh battery and Bosch SmartphoneHub which turns your smartphone into an onboard computer and navigation device. With roughly the same gear range, the shifting performance of the XT/SLX groupset is superior to the SRAM SX-Eagle drivetrain on the THRON2. The full-suspension FOCUS THRON² 6.7 offers 130 mm travel up front, 30 mm more than the JARIFA2, and at the rear. Both forks can be adjusted to suit the rider’s weight by adjusting the air pressure, though neither of them are high-end models.

The Bosch motor on the full-susser gets operated via the minimalist Purion combined display and remote. It’s not flashy but practical and comparatively affordable. The motor is powered by a 500 Wh battery, which also helps keep the price low. While the full-susser rolls on super wide and comfortable 29 x 2.6″ Schwalbe Nobby Nic tires, the hardtail is fitted with a set of 29″ x 2.25″ Schwalbe Smart Sam tires for less rolling resistance. Unfortunately, neither of the bikes come with a dropper post, which would allow you to drop the saddle at the push of a lever when you stop at traffic lights or before you hit a descent. No matter which FOCUS you’re considering, we would recommend upgrading this aspect of the spec. For a list of recommended models, check out our group test of 8 dropper posts at our sister magazine ENDURO. Unsurprisingly, the JARIFA² 6.9 NINE is the winner in terms of weight. At 22.58 kg, it weighs 1.16 kg less than the THRON² 6.7 despite the larger battery. The difference in weight is particularly noticeable in day to day life when you have to manoeuvre the bike through stairwells or load it onto a bike rack. Both bikes come equipped for everyday use. There are eyelets for mudguards as well as mounting points for a stand but neither of the bikes is approved to pull a trailer. For only € 100 more, you can get the EQ version of the THRON² 6.7 which comes as standard with mudguards, lights, luggage racks and a stand.

The FOCUS JARIFA² 6.9 NINE in detail

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Size	S	M	L	XL
Seat tube	400 mm	440 mm	480 mm	520 mm
Top tube	597 mm	615 mm	634 mm	655 mm
Head tube	120 mm	130 mm	140 mm	160 mm
Head angle	68.0°	68.0°	69.0°	69.0°
Seat angle	73.5°	73.5°	73.5°	73.5°
Chainstay	470 mm	470 mm	470 mm	470 mm
BB Drop	62 mm	62 mm	62 mm	62 mm
Wheelbase	1,162 mm	1,181 mm	1,189 mm	1,211 mm
Reach	410 mm	425 mm	440 mm	455 mm
Stack	632 mm	641 mm	656 mm	675 mm

The FOCUS THRON² 6.7 in detail

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Size	S	M	L	XL
Seat tube	400 mm	440 mm	470 mm	500 mm
Top tube	584 mm	603 mm	627 mm	651 mm
Head tube	115 mm	130 mm	147 mm	163 mm
Head angle	66.8°	66.8°	66.8°	66.8°
Sitzwinkel	74.5°	74.5°	74.5°	74.5°
Chainstay	455 mm	455 mm	455 mm	455 mm
BB Drop	25 mm	25 mm	25 mm	25 mm
Wheelbase	1,175 mm	1,196 mm	1,223 mm	1,249 mm
Reach	415 mm	430 mm	450 mm	470 mm
Stack	610 mm	624 mm	639 mm	654 mm

FOCUS JARIFA² und FOCUS THRON² in review

Take a seat aboard the FOCUS JARIFA² 6.9 Nine followed by the FOCUS THRON² 6.7 and you’ll immediately notice the difference in riding position. On the THRON² 6.7, your position is a lot more stretched. In contrast, the upright and relaxed riding position aboard the JARIFA² hardtail means you have less pressure on your hands and a better view of your surroundings – a bonus when sightseeing. Together with its direct and agile handling, it has the edge over the full-susser in winding city streets and traffic. This is where the hardtail is able to play to its strengths with its lower weight, steeper head angle and narrower handlebar. With the help of your smartphone and the COBI.Bike app, the Bosch SmartphoneHub on the JARIFA² turns into an intelligent control centre for navigation, listening to music and tracking your fitness. If you want to leave your smartphone at home, there is a small, somewhat rudimentary display for basic riding data, similar to what you’ll find on the Purion. Even if the navigation feature of the COBI.Bike app is a little slow, the SmartphoneHub is great to have on long rides and in city traffic.

Even if their intended uses seem to overlap on paper, the FOCUS JARIFA² 6.9 Nine and FOCUS THRON² 6.7 differ in their capabilities.

The lack of comfort aboard the FOCUS JARIFA² 6.9 Nine compared to the FOCUS THRON² 6.7 becomes evident the moment you encounter cobblestones and poor roads. This isn’t just due to the missing shock but also the narrow 29 x 2.25″ Schwalbe Smart Sam tires. You could easily increase the level of comfort on the hardtail simply by fitting higher volume tires. Due to the durable but hard rubber compound of the tires on both bikes, they’re compromised on wet off-road terrain as they offer too little traction compared to performance eMTB tires. Bumps on gravel and forest paths get swallowed up by the chassis of the FOCUS THRON² 6.7, while the rear of the JARIFA 2 passes them on to the rider in an unpleasant way. This is where the THRON² full-susser shows its advantages in terms of braking performance, traction, grip and safety. As soon as you head down a trail, the difference in comfort becomes even more obvious. The full-suspension bike is significantly more fun on the trails than the hardtail and the feeling of confidence it instils in the rider due to the additional traction is on a different level.

Which bike should you buy?

When it comes to off-road capability, the FOCUS THRON² 6.7 is the clear winner. Due to its improved traction, greater feeling of confidence and higher level of comfort, it pulls away from the FOCUS JARIFA² 6.9 Nine as soon as you head off-road. However, with the Bosch SmartphoneHub, its larger battery and thus increased range, as well as its relaxed riding position, the hardtail makes up a lot of ground if you’re out and about in the city and on smooth paths. That said, the FOCUS THRON² 6.7 certainly isn’t bad in these situations and scores for the added comfort over the hardtail. If we had to choose one of the two eMTBs, it would be the FOCUS THRON² 6.7. It’s the more versatile bike and hardly shows any weaknesses in this battle. We would immediately invest the € 100 that you save on the FOCUS THRON² 6.7 in a dropper post, allowing you to have even more fun and freedom of movement on the trail.

Do you need a full-suspension eMTB or will a hardtail do the job?

The eMTB you buy should be suitable for your intended use. If you prefer a relaxed riding style and mainly stay on paved roads and paths, a hardtail can be a good choice. An upright riding position combined with high-quality and, above all, comfortable contact points keep your back pain-free and allows you to take in your surroundings. Due to the lack of a shock and the associated pivot points, a hardtail requires significantly less maintenance than a full-suspension eMTB. Hardtails can also be at an advantage for commuting as you’ll easily be able to fit a rack and mudguards. If you’re not going to stay on paved surfaces but also plan to ride along gravel, forest and meadow paths on a regular basis, you’ll have to carefully weigh up whether to invest your money in a hardtail or a full-suspension eMTB. In terms of traction and comfort, the full-suspension option is clearly ahead of the game, though you’ll usually get lower-end components or a smaller battery for the same price. On the other hand, those who like riding trails can’t avoid having to buy a full-suspension eMTB. For beginners without a lot of trail experience, there are benefits to full-suspension in the city too. Not only do you get significantly more comfort and traction than with a hardtail but you’ll also feel safer and more confident. Small bumps are absorbed at the front and back, making it easier to stay in control of the ebike in every situation. Depending on how actively you ride, how demanding the trails are and how important trail performance is to you, it pays to invest more money. Especially in terms of suspension, the differences between entry-level models and more expensive, high-performance forks and dampers are enormous. For a list of exciting bikes, check out our budget group test (available here) where we looked for and found the best eMTB under € 5,500.

Before buying, you should ask yourself how you’re going to use the bike. What is the use of a large battery if you want to commute in winter and the eMTB doesn’t have any eyelets for mudguards? Factors such as the correct frame size and the bike’s overall concept take precedence over individual components. It’s not important whether the ebike is equipped with a SRAM or Shimano drivetrain, what matters is the gear range. It doesn’t matter whether the bike is equipped with a motor from Bosch, Shimano or Brose nor is the size of the battery overwhelmingly important. The motors on the market today all perform brilliantly and ‘only’ 500 Wh is usually more than sufficient. Ultimately, what matters is the handling and the integration of the parts into the overall concept of the bike and not whether it comes with a Bosch motor or 27.5″, 29″ or mixed wheel sizes! So, ask yourself what you need and which concept best suits those needs instead of worrying about individual components.

Here are a few dos and don’ts to consider before buying

Do

• go for a test ride and decide for yourself how important the comfort, feeling of confidence and ride feel of a full-susser is to you.
• buy an eMTB with a dropper post or upgrade to one. This not only gives you more freedom of movement on the trail but also in everyday life. You’ll no longer have to get off the saddle at traffic lights, simply dropping the saddle to get your foot on the ground instead: regardless of whether you ride a hardtail or a full-susser.
• buy dropper posts with integrated suspension – the ultimate option for a hardtail! There aren’t many that are worth the money but you do get them. A model we can recommend is the Merida TEAM TK with suspension.
• fit 2.4–2.6″ wide tires for more comfort and braking traction. Good tires are black gold.
• adjust the contact points to make the ride a lot more comfortable. Everyone has different preferences. You’ll just have to experiment until you find something you’re happy with.

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Don’t

• overestimate the battery capacity you need – 500–630 Wh is usually sufficient. Larger batteries and dual battery solutions only become necessary on very long all-day rides with lots of climbing. If you’re not emptying the battery, you’re carrying around unnecessary weight. The additional weight usually harms the handling of the bike. Modular systems with range extenders give you the best compromise between range and handling.
• be blinded by high-tech components and technical features. While they can make a difference, not everyone needs them. It might be worthwhile to choose the cheaper build and to have individual components and accessories retrofitted at your trusted dealer.
• save on the brakes. We recommend four-piston brakes with 200 mm rotors on an eMTB, regardless of whether it is a hardtail or full-susser, whether you’ve got a beer belly or you’re a flyweight.
• ignore the suspension. The fork and shock should be set up specifically for you, otherwise even the best suspension is useless. And don’t forget: the shock and fork need care and maintenance at regular intervals, otherwise, their performance will suffer.

You can find more tips in our buyers’ guide.

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Words: Photos: Robin Schmitt