Can I do the White Rim on a hard tail bike?

Yes you can! I did it, and more importantly, my GUIDE RODE A HARDTAIL and he has 5 other bikes in his garage and buys 2-3 fancy new mountain bikes a year (gets a pro deal). He rides the hard tail because it’s plenty comfy and low maintenance. He’s a former bike shop owner and has done the White Rim dozens if not hundreds of times. (He guides for Rim Tours, a fabulous company – highly recommended if you’re looking for a guided trip, they’re top notch all around.)

I did it on a Specialized Fuse – little fatter tires so a bit more cushion than my guide who was on slightly bigger than regular width tires. My buddies on their full suspension Santa Cruz bikes and I shared our butt soreness rankings and I was 2-3 at the end of the first day, same as my buddies. 2nd day 4 and 3rd day a 5, 4th day down to 3. All very similar numbers/pain levels to the full suspension riders.

The answer is YES you can for sure ride a hard tail mountain bike around the White Rim trail in Utah. Don’t let anybody tell you differently.