realskiers

Well, from your perspective, it's all in the context of never haven ridden a good hardtail bike.  Back atcha!   

Just remember our background for a moment, Jim.  Started riding 1989 (23 years ago) on steel frame rigid bikes.  Riding basically the same trails we do today, except now there is actually trail maintenance done, whereas back then it was whatever nature carved (ie. rougher, gnarlier, poor drainage, more mud).  No real choice of tires -- Specialized Ground Control or Panaracer Smoke/Dart, that was it.  Learned to use good balance and body english for handling, and all limbs and joints for suspension.  So going to a light modern hardtail with a front fork was a piece of cake.  Keeping our butts off the seat and absorbing terrain with legs and arms and hips, and moving fore-aft and sideways for balance is just second nature....instinct.  I wouldn't ride any other way, even on a full-suspension bike -- you need to move around on the bike for balance and control, that's all there is to it, hardtail or not.  Plus, it's dynamic and fun, and when you've done it from day 1, it's easy.

That said, I have never been against full-suspension bikes.  Just that for most of the terrain around here, and given the bikes we rode on for almost 20 years, they are overkill and just add weight and suck power which is not offset by any great corresponding benefit.  OTOH, we are venturing farther afield more often, and are getting into rougher terrain that can be quite taxing for a rider on an aluminum 26er hardtail.  So a full-suspension bike makes perfect sense.  But for a daily ride in the local woods or rail trail? Not so much....