FS is way more fun to ride than a hardtail. As someone who has ridden strictly hardtails for the last 6 years, I can honestly say that hardtails suck to ride.
However, not all hardtails are created equal. Carbon makes such a big difference. In racing, hardtails are pretty much always superior. Not to mention way cheaper.
I just got the Nordica Ace 2 Star
Salsa Pro Moto 2 5 degree backsweep flatbar. It was so hard finding a wide flat bar with little back sweep.
and a right XT brake lever because I snapped mine during a race.