“You should get a hardtail. That's what I learned on....” I've heard those words uttered countless times over the years from more advanced riders trying to convince a beginner that the jarring ride of a bike without rear suspension is the best way to enter the world of mountain biking. Unfortunately, while that advice is usually given with good intentions, it happens to be completely misguided. Yes, hardtails are the most wallet friendly way to enter the sport. And yes, they're low maintenance and easy to set up. But if a beginner has room in their budget for a full suspension bike, I don't see any reason they shouldn't start out on one.Now, I have absolutely nothing against hardtails – my first six years as a mountain biker were spent without the comforts of full suspension (and without disc brakes, but that fact just makes me sound old). As much fun as the latest and greatest carbon fiber wonderbikes are, I'm perfectly capable of being entertained for hours aboard a coaster brake equipped, fully rigid hardtail. But that doesn't mean I agree with the notion that beginning on a hardtail is a more 'pure' way of learning to ride, and that having a full suspension rig available for those inaugural excursions into the woods is somehow akin to cheating. That's like suggesting that beginner skiers should head down the slopes on 200cm long straight skis, or new rock climbers should venture out to the crags with wool knickers, a hemp rope, and hobnailed boots.Why shouldn't a newcomer who wants to dive into the sport benefit from the same technological advances that intermediate and advanced riders take for granted? It's not as if a full suspension bike will prevent a newbie from learning the basics – cornering, front wheel lifts, braking, etc... those facets of riding aren't any harder to achieve with rear suspension, and if anything, that extra travel will help take the edge off the inevitable line choice errors and botched attempts at more technical sections of trail.“But everyone needs to know how to ride a hardtail.” Oh? Are aliens going to descend down and steal all of the rear shocks in existence for some strange interstellar experimentation? Even if that happened, it wouldn't take a rider who learned on a full suspension bike more than a couple rides to fully adapt to riding sans rear suspension – it's not exactly the mystical art that it's sometimes purported to be. I think part of this reasoning comes from the fact the we subconsciously want newcomers to suffer the same way we did, to go through the same painful rites of passage in order to become a 'real' mountain biker.Honestly, though, I'm truly glad that today's beginners don't have to go through the perils of trying to descend with cantilever brakes that barely work, and rudimentary front suspension with a minuscule amount of travel. Riders are able to progress more rapidly than ever, and that's a good thing – just look at the skill level of the packs of groms on the hill at bike parks around the world, many of them on pint-sized full suspension bikes, and you'll see the the future of the sport looks bright. In any case, the next time a beginner asks you what bike they should buy, take a few extra moments to think before going with the standard, “You need a hardtail,” response.