Speech 04: Persuasive Speech.

Jesse Ault
Submitted to Professor Billington
COMM 1020-F15
Speech 4: Persuasive Speech
10/28/2015
Persuasive Speech: Audience Assessment
Specific Goal:
My audience will agree that hard-tail mountain bikes are not only sufficient, but are typically the better option for
those who desire to spend less than $2500.
Type of Claim: This is a claim of value.
Ethos:

Primary Ethos:
a) Competence: For the past couple of years I have become very involved in mountain biking.
b) Fairness: Having purchased a bike last year, I was able to do a lot of research that supported both sides. I also
have a few friends that would strongly disagree with me on the subject, so I can get their opinions.
Secondary Ethos: I will cite 3 references.

Audience Assessment: Most of my audience members will probably have an uninformed / neutral idea toward my proposition that
is hard-tail mountain bikes are typically a better option for the majority of mountain bikers.

Adaptation to Audience Attitude:

a. Common ground: As the audience most likely does not have a strong opinion on the subject, I will have to educate them
first.
b. Latitude of acceptance: I believe my audience will accept my proposition because of the financial status of my audience.
One of my key points shows the difference in pricing between Full-Suspension and Hard-Tails. If I was speaking to an
extremely wealthy group, it would be much harder to convince them that my side is correct.
Baby Steps: I will use real-life examples that will relate to the audience.
Pattern of Organization: Topical

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Persuasive Speech: Key-Word Outline
Hard-Tail or Full-Suspension?

Introduction
Hook: Last year I was faced with an extremely difficult decision. This decision would not just affect my finances and my physical
well-being, but my overall happiness for the years to come. It is a decision that has plagued the souls of many men and
women like myself for many years now. So what was this big decision you ask? It was the decision of whether I should buy
a Hard-Tail or Full-Suspension mountain bike?

Proposition (or Hint at Proposition): After a lot of research and asking around, I finally made my decision. Now that I have had my
Hard-Tail for over a year, I am extremely confident that I made the correct choice. My goal today is to explain to you why I
feel that it was not just the correct choice for me, but would be the best choice for the majority of mountain bikers.

Preview: Comparing FS to HT
1. Physical differences

2.
3.

Compare Pros
Price difference

Transition: A couple of years ago, I was unfamiliar with the terminology of Hard-Tail and Full-Suspension as some of you may be, so
lets take a look at the differences between these types of bikes.
Body
A.

Physical Differences
i. Hard-Tail
a. Definition No rear suspension
ii. Full-Suspension (Duel Suspension)
a. Both front and rear suspension

Transition: Now we can see how these bikes differ from one another, lets go over the benefits of each type.
B.

Compare Pros
i. Why FS
a. Rear cushion
a. Rides like a cloud Rocks / Routs
b. Adds stability / level of safety
c. Increased speed / boost confidence
d. Good for jumps
e. Necessary for extremely technical / high difficulty level
ii. Why HT
a. Light frame
b. Less components = Less maintenance / Less replacement parts
c. More bang for buck
d. Adds more experience / abilities to rider
a. Jimmy Weegner Advised me to get a hard-tail as I would become a much better biker by
learning how to pick my trails, use my body and control the bike. (Weegner, 2014)
e. Regulates speed
f. Bikeradar.com (Rome, 2015)
a. Website Bike news Bike ratings Bike articles
b. Compare same brand of HT vs FS at same price
c. Frame / Components / Weight / Water / Ride Style and Ambition / Climbing / Descending /
Commuting
g. Bike 198 - 29er option (Sutton, 2013)
a. Group of dedicated riders Purpose Honest reviewing, community building and overall
bike awareness.
b. Higher air volume in tires smooth out ride. Create(s) the sensation of having an inch
more travel than the bike is speced due to the larger air volume and larger contact patch
with the ground.

Transition: Now you can see that there are a lot of benefits to going with a hard-tail. The most noticeable benefit however is the
price difference.
C.
Price differences
i. Starting Low end Price - Trek
a. HT = $400
b. FS = $2,000
ii. Compare X-Caliber 8 to Fuel EX 5
a. X-Caliber 8 = Mid-Range HT
b. Fuel EX 5 = Low-End FS (Lowest Trek FS)
c. Shifters, Brakes, Forkes, Handle-Bars, Derailleurs, Tires - Same
d. X-Cal = $1,099.99 / Fuel EX = $1,989.99
e. Rear Suspension upgrade = $890
iii. $2,000 = High End HT

Conclusion
Now I hope you can see why I am so pleased with my decision to go with a HT, not just financially speaking, but with the overall
performance as well. I will admit however, my dream bike is a FS. (Specialized Enduro Comp 29) The only problem is it is a
$3,400 bike. So, unless you are willing to spend big bucks or are planning on catching serious air and riding extremely rocky trails,
it is my belief that the best option will always be a HT.s

Works Cited
Rome, D. (2015, May 20). BikeRadar Battle: hardtail vs full suspension bike: BikeRadar. Retrieved October
30, 2015, from BikeRadar: www.bikeradar.com/us/mtb/gear/article/bikeradar-battle-hardtail-vs-full-suspensionbike-44300/
Sutton, R. (2013, August 1). Ending the debate: 29er vs 650b (27.5) vs 26 Mountain Bike: Bike198. Retrieved
October 28, 2015, from Bike198: http://www.bike198.com/26-vs-29-mountain-bike-debate/
Weegner, J. (2014, July 6). Buy a HT. Sandy, Utah, United States of America.