This isn’t Facebook. We all enjoy this forum, and this thread in particular, without resorting to ball kicking and name calling. “Be excellent to each other” - you can disagree without putting the other person down. Also, all these “theories” on what’s faster off road is pretty pointless. There’s a lot of opinion here on the best tool for the job. Why does it matter if the right tool for you is different than someone else’s?
The correct answer is full suspension. 
I second this motion. 
It’s actually not. If you measure speed or time travelling between two points across obstacles then measure speed or time travelling between same two points along the smoothest line, speed will be faster and likely time will be shorter as well for this reason.
If you’re indicating that straight line is always best option and you therefore need a full suspension, I welcome you to spend no time looking for a smooth line, just buy the longest travel bike you can and point it down hill and hold on.
Clearly an exaggeration but done to illustrate a point. Everyone looks for smoothest line because it’s generally faster than to barrel through stuff because you don’t have the skill necessary to ride a HT and seek out correct line.
Yes, great point. Any time you can handicap yourself in training to develop skill, do it!
Moderator hat on:
Take some deep breaths, count to 10 and resume posting with respect that is appropriate, please.
No insults here. I welcome you to review/reread. Posts specifically crafted to not include any personal insults.
Sorry, I get that you like hard tails. I started on a hard tail and still have some of my fastest uphill KOM’s on my first carbon fiber Stumpjumper. Some of those have withstood thousands of attempts by other riders and many many years. But you are making this seem like anyone that has skills rides a hard tail. Also, you reference the “correct line” which is a rather interesting comment by itself. It’s great you love hard tails. However, I don’t think there is any magic descending potion that gets unlocked because you ride a hard tail for X amount of hours or years. Hard tail lines and “smoothest line” as you call it are many times very different from the lines you would take on a FS and for each bike a different line will represent the fastest line. There are many line choices and each may be the fastest depending on rider speed, ability, suspension travel, suspension compression at the point of entry and many other variables.
Also your comment:
That’s pretty bold. If you have some youtube videos of you standing on an EWS podium I’d love to see them. Otherwise I think sizing up someone’s skill and being condescending based on a few comments on a forum is a bit over the top.
Let it go mate. Go and ride your bike for an hour.
I mean, that type of negative assumption about someone is clearly attacking the person instead of the idea.
Maybe we can get back to XC bikes now 
The fastest way is the shortest straight line between two points, unless there a features about that line that makes you lose speed. When you observe the best enduro and downhill riders, this is the line the best ones take. Like Sam Hill, who is quite famous for always somehow managing to take the “inside line”, where others couldn’t.
Having both an enduro sled, and also a HT with almost exact geometry, I can assure you, if you’re riding a long rock garden, where you cannot avoid bumps/rocks, that not only is the FS more comfortable, it’s also faster
Huh?
From the forum guidelines:
This is a Place to Learn, Disagree and be Entertained
This is a place to talk about all things bike or triathlon related (including nutrition and weight training).
There are just a few rules.
I was just pointing out that you said you weren’t insulting people, but that comment seemed like a clear example of attacking the person and not the idea aka insulting the person. Probably shouldn’t have said anything.
I guess I’ll restate: can we get back to XC bikes now?
Feel better now?
You too? Hopefully that helped. Feel better now?
That’s enough. Move on to the actual topic discussion.
TR and I are watching this closely and may take more action as needed.
Well everyone has an opinion. I’ve shared mine and look, now you’ve shared yours too! Congratulations.
Speaking of veiled threats…
Strange hill to die on, brother.
I think everyone agrees that there are caveats to every “rule.”
I think everyone also agrees that you can develop skills by using a tool that makes the task harder (e.g. a hardtail).
You can also develop skills by using a tool that makes it easeir (like a full susser) because you can experiment more with lower consequences. This is clearly also true.
Both of these are good, and no one here can say what’s best.
Nothing veiled about it. You are actively pushing this issue that is well off topic and flirting with the forum rules.
How many times are people going to post the same thing in response?