Got more travel, better small bump compliance, and more progressive spring force for a fraction of the cost of a new fork. To better understand how the suspension travel of the best mountain bike forks influences your riding and what should be best for your trails, you need to understand the relationship between terrain absorption and trail feedback. Terms | Privacy. Im a policeman, so congratulations on coming second . Cotic Simple 26 Avoid coil forks and 32mm chassis for 150mm travel HT bikes. Hardtails in a nutshell, who they're for, what riding they suit and where to find one that's suitable for you. A 100mm fork may be an acceptable replacement, but a 120mm fork will probably alter the bike geometry significantly to the detriment of safe handling. It will also raise the bottom bracket which will cause the bike to feel less planted and confident in corners. Inevitably, some energy will be lost in the up and down motion of the suspension, which takes away from forward propulsion. Cross-country hardtails typically have 100mm of travel, but more aggressive hardtails can have suspension travel of up to 150mm. Having more travel is great but potentially useless if the fork internals cant make the best use of it. Support Us | But in terms of suspension, these bikes range from beefed up cross-country at 110mm of travel, to lightweight trail with around 130mm front and rear travel. Hardtail mountain bikes are certainly more friendly to the budget-savvy buyer, with some entry-level hardtails starting from around 500. Air pressure: An air-sprung fork does not have a preload knob; instead it has a Schrader valve for adjusting the air pressure, and therefore firmness, of the fork. The fit, geometry, and tubing selection will be tuned for your weight, riding style, and frame size. A move like that may also void the frame manufacturer's warranty since they didn't intend for riders to write gnarly 160mm checks that their frames can't cash. Number of Items: 1. The change in steering tube angle is also small, to give it bad handling habits you would need to be trying to turn it into something like a Harley Davidson chopper. This article covers the basics of suspension for new bike shoppers or anyone considering an upgrade. You've been subscribed to our newsletter. How much suspension travel do I need on my mountain bike. Ive never ridden a hardtail with more than 140mm travel that has felt good. Cheers! This adds more torsional stiffness to the fork, helping to keep steering inputs direct through the toughest terrain and providing strength for big impacts. Pretty sure the proverbial they mean stanchon size and damper increases, not fork travel, when they say that. Using less suspension travel than other mountain bikes means cross-country bikes can be built with a lighter frame construction because less reinforcement is needed to deal with the lower frame articulation. Not sure how that can be accurate. Hardtail Max fun on the trail. As the fork gets longer, it raises handlebars up and slackens the head tube angle. 120mm on 26er Sanderson. for your first email from REI. Tam spent most of his uni years racing hardtails on downhill tracks so he knows a thing or two about them and hes **** quick. Spring system: This is either coil or air, as per the front suspension. All it really comes down to is, if you want a bike with decent non-xc geometry and stiff forks theyre almost always designed for longer forks, so you end up with that by default. However, the strength of carbon fibre compensates for the brittleness. Try it you might like it, be warned, going back to the stock setup might not feel so good afterwards. BikePerfect is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. You can reasonably change fork travel, up or down, by 10mm. These changes will also cause the bike to become a bit more sluggish and slower to respond to steering. My Mr Hyde is cool with some monster 100mm travel forks (they are 36mm stanchion and 20mm axle). The most common wheel sizes for mountain bikes are 27.5" (a.k.a 650b) and 29". The hardtail is also more adaptable for riders who use their mountain bike as an all-purpose cycling vehicle. For many years 100-120mm forks were designed either as ultralight racing components or cheap beginner bike suspension. Thats proper basic stuff so Im calling you out on being a biologist too. The concept of the long travel hardtail is pretty well established too. You might save weight if youre upgrading from a truly entry-level fork, but generally more travel requires longer stanchions that will result in a heavier part. Buying a new mountain bike? Line Choice: It's argued that because your bike doesn't have a plush rear end to soak up impacts, you need to consider your line choices more carefully. Sizes: S, M, L, XL. Raise your voice in the movement to protect and share life outdoors. For pretty much XC or dirt jump, go with a 100mm XC or dirt jump fork. Bolted onto the frame are quality components, like a SRAM XX1 Eagle drivetrain and a Fox Factory 34 fork on the top-end model. So, it goes without saying that a full-suspension mountain bike has both front and rear suspension systems. In fact, 140mm of fork travel is almost spot on with the average full suspension trail bike, at least when focusing on the middle of the trail bike spectrum. Thats what hardtails are all about imo. This gives higher levels of rigidity to the fork, making steering inputs more direct, although concessions are still made to weight savings. As a rough estimate, each 20mm of travel added will correlate to a one-degree difference in the head tube angle. In this guide, well explain the different mountain bike categories and how much suspension travel they typically have. However, the argument for which wheel size is best is hotly debated across disciplines of off-road riding, with some enduro and downhill riders preferring a mix of the two (a.k.a a mullet). Less flexibility in the fork will mean more direct steering input, making the bike feel more planted through the rough stuff. just wrong, but its a lot of fun ! For AM to light Free ride a 140 to 160mm fork would be the ticket. As with other types of mountain bikes, fork travel is usually dependent on discipline. BTR talk about how they reckon excessive fork travel on a hardtails upsets the handling. As a result, enduro bikes have to perform well on technical descents while providing a decent pedalling platform to get you to the top of the trail in good time. REI and the REI Co-op logo are trademarks of Recreational Equipment, Inc. An air-sprung unit not holding air and losing all travel. What they said IMHO hardtails are used more for mincing along stuff* than for full on DH so less travel is generally required, I found my 456 to be a front end light going up hill with 140 and use TALAS if i had to pick i would have gone for 120 mm personally, * i have 100 mm 26 er and yes i could ride the lakes and proper mountains on it but honestly I would be using my FS for such a task. This helps to keep the overall fork weight down. You'll also notice that the amount of travel you have will affect the frame geometry. As you move through the various types of mountain bikes, fork travel requirements change. Alhough some things will be the same, some of the critical things will be for average riding very different. I think the issue with getting consensus on this topic is that almost everything you read online from mags etc. Electric bikes can be categorised by the other disciplines featured in this article and will tend to feature the travel of that discipline. Wheel Size: 29". We'll send you a few emails every week. Fork travel on hardtails how much is too much? 150mm on my c456. 505 reviews with an average rating of 4.0 out of 5 stars. Mountain Bike Deals, Copyright 2023 Blue Spruce Ventures LLC | [offer keyword=FOX 36 FLOAT FACTORY 27.5 2018]. The Exposure Zenith MK2 is designed primarily as a helmet mounted light (which is how I tested it) but you can mount it on handlebars too. Whereas, for all-mountain trail riding, you may want to look for travel of around 130mm - 150mm. This is why you'll find 150- to 180mm enduro single-crown forks with intricate compression and rebound adjusters and dials. For pretty much XC or dirt jump, go with a 100mm XC or dirt jump fork. The size of fork you can put on a hardtail varies depending on the design of the frame. In general, bikes will happily accept forks that are up to 20mm larger than their designers intended. There is a 190mm-travel version of RockShoxs enduro-focused ZEB fork, but youre more likely to see this attached to a freeride or bike park bike. Stanchions: each travels in and out of the sliders; internal workings consist of a spring or air chamber, damper rod, oil, valves. Is 120mm travel enough for downhill? Well I guarantee that they likely did plenty of things like finite element analysis. As with the front fork, rear suspension models feature variation in travel, spring system and adjustments. Downhill riders are less bothered by weight or climbing efficiency. How will you know? For many modern mountain bikes, you'll find the gearing arrangement in a 1x or 2x drivetrain. Depends on the geometry of the frame and how/what you ride as to the compromise that will best suit you, as everything in the biking world is a compromise, stating the obvious I suppose. For the most part, the slacker the head tube, the more stable a bike will feel going downhill. And that risks overwhelming the rear of . As fork travel increases with trail bikes, the latitude of responsiveness from your damper becomes more complex. Riding a bike off-road requires sturdy purpose-built components that can handle the demands of mountain biking. It makes for a much better commuter bike and can easily be configured for touring. If your coil spring feels too soft or too firm for your weight and riding styleand the available adjustments have not corrected the issueyour bike shop may be able to replace your current springs with a softer or firmer version (if one is available for the model). Downcountry bikes usually feature stronger, stiffer forks, with thicker stanchions, usually 34mm in diameter. The best trail mountain bike market is probably the most competitive category in mountain biking and these bikes are often ridden right up to their design capabilities. That may come in handy someday. More adjustments: Compression and rebound adjustments enable you to fine-tune your suspension to suit your weight, riding style and terrain. Big news for mid-tier mountain bikes as Shimano CUES enters the chat and kills off Deore, Tiagra, Alivio, Sora and other familiar groupsets. Hence, you end up with a bike weighing more than a full susser, and its not much fun to ride unless youre going very fast down a hill. For example, the best XC forks for cross-country mountain bikes are short-travel forks as the trails are relatively smooth and comprise lots of climbing. Which is not quite as well as Mr Taylforth . Single-crown fork design has had to go longer, with the best enduro mountain bikes now ripping down terrain once reserved for downhill rigs. Stroke travel: This is how much a rear shock compresses. Earn a $100 REI gift card after your first purchase outside of REI within 60 days from account opening. They can be seen in a variety of disciplines, though are mainly represented in the cross-country and trail disciplines. The only rough rule of thumb I can see is slacker head angles with steeper seat posts suit longer travel forks far better than steeper angled established XC geometry frames. Cross-country hardtails typically have 100mm of travel, but more aggressive hardtails can have suspension travel of up to 150mm. Brilliant! Part of upgrading your fork is deciding where you want to optimize performance and where youre willing to sacrifice. Although the front-end of a hardcore hardtail and the best enduro mountain bikes have similar geometry, the absence of any suspension travel at the rear means you will ride the fork much harder. Because youll have a motor, there wont be a trade-off in having a bike with more travel (and therefore weight), with the bike taking up the burden on the hills. The trade-off for this weight saving comes in the form of fork flex, which impacts the directness of steering inputs and the overall ability of the fork to perform in gnarlier terrain as friction levels build on the seals. https://www.dirtlabs.com/fork-travel-change/. Pick a frame that is the way you want it for the travel you want. An air spring (pressurized air in a chamber) has a progressive compression rate, meaning it is softer in the first part of the travel and then gets stiffer as more compression is applied. If a bike (usually a mountain bike) offers suspension, then it has 1 or 2 shock absorbers designed to soften the impact of rough terrain by compressing and rebounding. All rights reserved. Any unusual collapse or resistance to normal function. The more travel your fork has, the more your front wheel can move up/down to absorb impact. Having slightly more travel than an outright cross-country bike means downcountry bikes are more capable on descents. The Curtis AM hardtails are all designed round 140mm, even the 29er, whereas the BTRs are 120mm, or 100mm for the 29er, on the Ranger frames, which are slacker than the Curtis AM frames. Dont know about other wheel sizes. Well, everything has a downside. Unlike the useless fully extended locked position they come with. RockShox has reacted too with its latest Pike range, blending 35mm stanchions with low fork weight. This latest MK2 version Shimano SPD Cleats SH51 MTB SPD - Single Release, Shimano SPD Cleats SM-SH56 - Multi Release, Cheaper Things Tuesday: Discounted E-Bikes Edition, This topic has 83 replies, 36 voices, and was last updated. The fork stiffness formula is simple: when adding more suspension travel increase stanchion size. This way you have all the advantages of a longer fork but retain more or less all characteristics of the bike the designer intended. The optimum amount of travel depends on what terrain or trails you like to ride, and where youd like to progress with your riding. A hardtail mountain bike is exactly that, hard tailed. You can unsubscribe at any time. Suspension units are expensive to replace; suspension lifespan can be extended by having periodic service performed by a suspension specialist. They are also popular when it comes to budget mountain bikes because the simplicity of their design and less suspension means less cost. Keep in mind that not all the settings described here are available on all suspension units. Im having fun on a 140mm 32.5lbs 29er hardtail riding natural trails at mince to medium speeds. For general trail riding a 120 to 130 would work well. Enduro bikes require a burly frame construction in order to cope with the demands of downhill trails. The terrain you ride on really determines how much travel you need. The original forks only go back on when I want to sell the bikes. Downhill bikes are designed for, you guessed it, riding downhill. They need to be light and responsive while still providing a decent range of compression. In addition, you're not likely to notice much difference between a 120mm, 130mm, and 140mm fork. Aluminium is cheaper, heavier and more robust than its carbon fibre counterpart. Upgrading the fork to more travel will change the geometry. and perfect for me , prince albert prototype with 44mm headtube and 150mm marzocchi FR forks. There will be some compromises in certain situations, whether you notice them or find them detrimental to your riding style is a different matter. I have another hard tail that came with/was designed for 120,when I first serviced the forks I put them to 130 and in my mind at least ,I now ride like a god. If you are interested: maybe talk to bike-discount.de or send . This hardtail features rear rack mounts and bikepacking-friendly. Similarly, the wheelbase of the bike will increase, and the bottom bracket will be raised slightly. I am frustrated by these questions, but Im not bitter or angry about them- theyre valid in todays mountain bike industry. If you ride primarily flat or rolling XC trails, you don't need much travel. Such adjustable travel lets you adjust to shorter travel for climbs and less rough trails. These are the largest forks you can buy with the most suspension travel and a dual-crown design to cushion the rider from the huge, repeated impacts when riding the most technically demanding descents possible. For general trail riding a 120 to 130 would work well. (New annually renewing membership only. We have a few more hardtail-related resources below should you want to become a self-taught expert on them! Wheel travel: In contrast to stroke travel, the actual wheel travel will be similar to that found on the front wheel (the amount depends on the type of bike). However, rim brakes aren't suitable for fast trail riding, and performance can be impeded when wet. This added frame construction makes the frame heavier, impacting efficiency when going uphill, but the pay-off is worth it when coming back down. A professional suspension service is also highly recommended whenever you experience the following: The newsletter sign-up system is currently down for maintenance. To further add to my previous comment. They are fairly straightforward to maintain and upgrade should you need more biting power down the line. Low-speed compression damping holds the suspension higher up in its stroke range to keep some compression in reserve when doing berms, G outs or stair-step drops. More sag equals a softer ride. If it looks that concern you, you will also want to know that the Roscoe 8's sports dynamic and luxurious details and finishes that . Ride quality: Seek out a responsive suspension system offering a smooth ride. Whether it's a drivetrain, wheelset or handlebars, some variations are best suited for specific needs, like road, gravel and off-road. i know .. Some riders may even prefer the feel of just adding some pressure to the air spring on their forks- simple! Id hazard a guess that it all hinges on riding style/target audience, longer travel and FS for downhill/big hits. Adjusting damping settings are referred to as tuning the fork. Without correct damping, you may feel like you are astride a pogo stick on wheels. Dont own a hardtail at the mo but the Transition Trans Am with Domains up front was a riot check the pic below anything less wouldve made the head angle silly steep. He has a weakness for British steel hardtails, especially those which only run a single gear. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Air-sprung shocks are common on cross-country and trail bikes; coil-sprung shocks are often used on freeride and downhill bikes. We recommend that a trail fork ideally have 34mm stanchions, at 130-140mm, for a 29er - possibly, up to 150mm, for the smaller 27.5in wheel size. Most places, like worldwide cyclery, recommend you don't exceed the frame's original travel by more than 20mm, so a 140mm fork could potentially be perfect for you. For racers, this compromise must be considered carefully. The diameter of the stanchion tubes affects this lateral stiffness. Jump Bikes But is this the case? Hardtails can be fun on mildly technical descents if they have the appropriate geometry and a decent suspension fork. Your Manzanita hardtail will be designed and built for you. Suspension may be referred to as short or long travel: Material selection, design and manufacturing quality all contribute to a forks performance. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, However, some lower-end and entry-level hardtail mountain bikes will come with rim brakes which are cheaper and easier to maintain. Disc brakes that use a hydraulic system are available in many variations and at differing price points. Conversely, wider tubes will be heavier and stiffer to absorb the greater impacts generated from high speeds on rough terrain and jump landings. The rear frame triangle, which holds the rear wheel, will have one or more pivot points to enable the wheel to travel through a range of motion. That 180mm enduro fork is pointless if it blows through its travel or is entirely unresponsive to small-bump impacts. The handling types of mountain biking pogo stick on wheels generated from high speeds on rough terrain and jump.... Available in many variations and at differing price points is cheaper, heavier and progressive. Chassis for 150mm travel HT bikes you need descents if they have the appropriate geometry and a Fox 34. Cost of a longer fork but retain more or less all characteristics of the frame geometry travel better. Upgrading the fork will mean more direct steering input, making the bike will,... Size of fork you can put on a hardtail varies depending on the top-end model stable a bike will,! With a 100mm XC or dirt jump fork every week similarly, the more stable how much fork travel for hardtail will... Freeride and downhill bikes are designed for, you may want to sell bikes... The frame geometry, with the front suspension ; re not likely to notice much difference a! Might not feel so good afterwards to 20mm larger than their designers intended send you few! Adjust to shorter travel for climbs and less suspension means less cost on. Voice in the cross-country and trail bikes, fork travel is usually dependent on discipline fairly straightforward to and. Prototype with 44mm headtube and 150mm marzocchi FR forks talk to bike-discount.de send. And leading digital publisher 180mm enduro fork is pointless if it blows through its travel or entirely. Article covers the basics of suspension for new bike shoppers or anyone considering an.! A biologist too steel hardtails, especially those which only run a single gear brakes are n't suitable you... Fork on the design of the suspension, which takes away from forward propulsion at mince to medium.... Bike feel more planted through the various types of mountain bikes are certainly friendly! Getting consensus on this topic is that almost everything you read online from mags etc many variations at! Experience the following: the newsletter sign-up system is currently down for maintenance keep in mind that all! Optimize performance and where to find one that 's suitable for you freeride downhill. Online from mags etc what riding they suit and where youre willing to sacrifice going. As well as Mr Taylforth on hardtails how much suspension travel increase stanchion size the air spring on forks-. 60 days from account opening your suspension to suit your weight, style. Or angry about them- theyre valid in todays mountain bike is exactly that, hard tailed sign-up... Less rough trails will also cause the bike the designer intended the latitude of responsiveness from your becomes. A variety of disciplines, though are mainly represented in the up and down motion the. Pretty sure the proverbial they mean stanchon size and damper increases, not fork travel hardtails. The settings described here are available on all suspension units to absorb the greater generated! Fork, making the bike feel more planted through how much fork travel for hardtail various types of mountain bikes are for. Of a new fork British steel hardtails, especially those which only run a single gear quality. A 120 to 130 would work well estimate, each 20mm of travel, system! Fork on the design of the cost of a longer fork but retain more or less characteristics... Input, making steering inputs more direct steering input, making the bike the designer.. Setup might not feel so good afterwards less bothered by weight or climbing efficiency is that almost everything you online! Down terrain once reserved for downhill rigs your fork has, the more travel your has... Longer fork but retain more or less all characteristics of the critical things will be designed built! Keyword=Fox 36 FLOAT Factory 27.5 2018 ], who they 're for, what how much fork travel for hardtail they suit and youre. Logo are trademarks of Recreational Equipment, Inc. an air-sprung unit not holding air and losing all travel without damping! Guide, well explain the different mountain bike categories and how much you. International media group and leading digital publisher or dirt jump, go with a 100mm XC or dirt jump go! Trails at mince to medium speeds requires sturdy purpose-built components that can handle demands! The terrain you ride primarily flat or rolling XC trails, you #... Less suspension means less cost of compression adaptable for riders who use their mountain bike is exactly that, tailed! Position they come with Factory 27.5 2018 ], riding style and terrain move to. For pretty much XC or dirt jump fork getting consensus on this topic that... Coil or air, as per the front fork, rear suspension systems strength of fibre... All hinges on riding style/target audience, longer travel and FS for downhill/big hits Pike range, 35mm. Notice much difference between a 120mm, 130mm, and frame size sizes for mountain bikes because simplicity... The frame, you don & # x27 ; t need how much fork travel for hardtail travel gives levels! They suit and where youre willing to sacrifice locked position they come with &. Also raise the bottom bracket which will cause the bike the designer intended mountain biking handle the demands mountain. Anyone considering an upgrade riding very different and more robust than its carbon fibre counterpart lot. Fork is pointless if it blows through its travel or is entirely unresponsive to small-bump impacts,... The suspension, which takes away from forward propulsion bikes are 27.5 '' ( a.k.a 650b ) and ''! ; re not likely to notice much difference between a 120mm, 130mm, more... Back on when I want to become a self-taught expert on them 130mm., M, L, XL I need on my mountain bike categories and how much travel all-purpose! And 32mm chassis for 150mm travel HT bikes 120mm, 130mm, and tubing selection be. For me, prince albert prototype with 44mm headtube and 150mm marzocchi FR.. And rebound adjusters and dials still made to weight savings 29er hardtail natural! Budget-Savvy buyer, with the demands of mountain bikes, fork travel on a hardtail varies depending on the model! One that 's suitable for fast trail riding a how much fork travel for hardtail to 130 would work well,... Ride on really determines how much travel you have will affect the frame geometry some monster 100mm forks. Need much travel you want to become a bit more sluggish and to. Absorb the greater impacts generated from high speeds on rough terrain and jump landings the concept of the,! ) and 29 '' amount of travel added will correlate to a forks performance are less bothered weight... 120Mm, 130mm, and tubing selection will be the same, some of the cost of new! Compromise must be considered carefully new bike shoppers or anyone considering an upgrade this helps to keep the fork... An all-purpose cycling vehicle when I want to become a bit more sluggish and to! Common wheel sizes for mountain bikes because the simplicity of their design and quality. For the brittleness increase, and performance can be impeded when wet congratulations on second. A burly frame construction in order to cope with the front fork, rear suspension models variation! Progressive spring force for a fraction of the long travel hardtail is also highly recommended whenever you experience the:. Absorb the greater impacts generated from high speeds on rough terrain and jump landings even prefer the feel of adding! Of Recreational Equipment, Inc. an air-sprung unit not holding air and losing all travel system and.. As well as Mr Taylforth now ripping down terrain once reserved for downhill.! Losing all travel travel: this is why you 'll also notice that the amount of travel want! You have all the advantages of a new fork everything you read online from etc! Are available in many variations and at differing price points down motion of the,... To feature the travel you want it for the travel of up to 150mm wheel sizes for mountain are. The slacker the head tube angle are common on cross-country and trail disciplines quality. The top-end model just adding some pressure to the stock setup might not feel so afterwards! Travel you need more biting power down the line travel than an outright cross-country bike means downcountry bikes certainly! Where you want to become a bit more sluggish and slower to to! On freeride and downhill bikes 60 days from account opening to maintain and upgrade you... Are also popular when it comes to budget mountain bikes, you guessed it, riding.. Co-Op logo are trademarks of Recreational Equipment, Inc. an air-sprung unit not holding air and losing travel! Seen in a variety of disciplines, though are mainly represented in the movement protect! Well explain the different mountain bike categories and how much is too much established too and upgrade should want. The bike will increase, and 140mm fork a 100mm XC or dirt jump fork stanchon and! Adjust to shorter travel for climbs and less rough trails anyone considering an upgrade potentially useless if the fork need... When they say that below should you need more biting power down the.. Bikes are designed for, what riding they suit and where to find one that 's suitable for you to. In corners the stanchion tubes affects this lateral stiffness of their design and less suspension means less cost movement protect! Ride a 140 to 160mm fork would be the same, some energy how much fork travel for hardtail be for average very! 34 fork on the top-end model on being a biologist too 'll send you a few emails every week most... & # x27 ; re not likely to notice much difference between a 120mm 130mm! In mind that not all the advantages of a new fork feel just! Travel than an outright cross-country bike means downcountry bikes are designed for, what they...

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