I recently swapped the air shaft in my Pike and went from 140mm to 160mm, and the total cost of goods was roughly 30. Part Type: . Next the strain on a head tube designed for a fork with 60mm less travel might very well lead to a catastrophic failure of the frame. Terms | Privacy. Various pivot designs and configurations are available. You will see premium trail bike forks offering high- and low-speed compression adjustment, allowing riders to balance full travel benefits on gnarly terrain without having the fork dive too much in high-speed berms. You can afford some knocks, dinks and collisions without severely affecting the structural integrity of the frame. 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. Because of this design, hardtail mountain bikes are more efficient to pedal while offering some comfort from the shock-absorbing front end while riding over rougher terrain. See Basic Suspension Setup later in this article. Adjusting the travel not only affects the bump-softening capacity of the bike, it also affects the steering and control. Suspension travel describes the amount of movement a suspension fork or rear shock has. Note: Bicycle manufacturers dont make their own suspension products. Cross-country hardtails typically have 100mm of travel, but more aggressive hardtails can have suspension travel of up to 150mm. Most full suspension bikes come with roughly matching suspension travel in the front and rear. It will not be exact but it will come close. Dont know about other wheel sizes. Besides factors such as weight, stiffness, and efficiency, riders will also want to think about how a longer fork will change the shape of the bike. While the 27.5" wheel is lighter; of course, but can also be more nimble for technical riding. So if the rear shock gets 100mm travel, the bike will likely be spec'd with a 100mm travel fork (or thereabouts). Keep in mind that not all the settings described here are available on all suspension units. Head tubes have to be stronger to deal with the extra force coming from the long-travel fork, while the rear linkage has to be able to support the extra articulation. You'll also notice that the amount of travel you have will affect the frame geometry. This was mainly owing to their ability to clear obstacles with greater ease and climb more efficiently. However, a majority of mountain bike brands are moving to a 1x drivetrain as cassette sizes have come along so far that you can achieve an ample range of gears for all your trail needs. This helps to keep the overall fork weight down. General guidelines: Sag enables the wheel to follow undulations in the ground more effectively, allowing the suspension to extend so that the wheel can drop into depressions in the trail. whereas the BTRs are 120mm, or 100mm for the 29er, on the Ranger frames, which are slacker than the Curtis AM frames. Hitting 3' drops is like hitting a root, they are so . and perfect for me , prince albert prototype with 44mm headtube and 150mm marzocchi FR forks. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Fox F80RL 26" Suspension Fork IS disc mount 197mm Straight 1 1/8" Steerer at the best online prices at eBay! 1st it would handle like garbage with extreme angles etc. 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. Hardtail bikes are lighter than full-suspension mountain bikes, more affordable and more suited for lower-graded trails, which will help teach you the skills and confidence necessary for progression later on. The shock is at the short end of the frame lever, and the rear wheel is at the long end of the lever, so the actual wheel travel will be much greater than what is indicated by the stroke travel. The sag is how much the suspension compresses under your weight. And yes there is a significant difference in handling between fork lengths. Arguably, brakes are one of the most important components to consider when buying a bike. A longer fork will raise the bottom bracket and cause the front end to slacken a little. 140mm is ideal for even the toughest trail centres, with more travel being required for gnarlier ambitions. Your Manzanita hardtail will be designed and built for you. In addition, you're not likely to notice much difference between a 120mm, 130mm, and 140mm fork. Longer travel is unlikely because longer travel hardtails are less popular and typically . Back it all the way out, then progressively add more until the suspension compresses and bounces only once as it returns to normal sag, when riding off a curb. Never saw or heard of any of their protos breaking either. Of course, trying out a bike provides you with valuable insight into what's suitable for you. Unlike the useless fully extended locked position they come with. 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. But these travel-related questions are most often asked about our Ranger frame. Electric bikes can be categorised by the other disciplines featured in this article and will tend to feature the travel of that discipline. Hardtail enduro bikes will have bigger front suspension forks that supply 140-180mm of travel. As a result, looking at the different categories of mountain bikes, their intended application and travel length is a handy way to determine how much travel you need and what bike you should get. Maybe you mentioned it but I missed it, but one obvious trade off of going to a longer fork is that it can make short steep technical climbing more difficult (cause the front end to waver). Forks with mid-sized stanchions, either 34mm, 35mm or 36mm in diameter, are common on trail bikes. 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. Yeti uses TURQ carbon construction for a stiff, lightweight, and durable frame. Ive used a 160mm bike with 160mm forks before and it just felt a bit odd, the bike gets imbalanced as the rear gets smashed despite you thinking you have loads of plush travel. Downhill bikes are designed for, you guessed it, riding downhill. The Ranger uses 120mm travel forks (100mm for the 29er) primarily for stability. For AM to light Free ride a 140 to 160mm fork would be the ticket. Furthermore, having one chainring in the front saves weight by removing the need for a front derailleur and an additional shifter on the handlebars. And a digital membership where you can read all the digital magazines is normally 25, and now 12.50 with the code. Ride quality: Seek out a responsive suspension system offering a smooth ride. I was lucky enough to be able to change the air tube (?) m not a fan of btr, their thought process seems to be all out of whack on a few of their products. Longer is better. For more information about how we hold your personal data, please see our privacy policy. If you are interested: maybe talk to bike-discount.de or send . The Lefty often garners looks of disbelief and skepticism, but it is an established and proven design. Big news for mid-tier mountain bikes as Shimano CUES enters the chat and kills off Deore, Tiagra, Alivio, Sora and other familiar groupsets. Excludes Gift Memberships, Discount applies to first year. Its interesting that BTR, who are relatively new and market their Ranger frame as an enduro hardtail, with a really slack HA, should be the ones arguing against long travel forks. They'll typically have narrower bars for faster, responsive steering and for getting through tightly packed sections of the course. Bikes can quickly become more and more expensive when you begin looking at higher-end components and brands, so it's best to set yourself a spending limit. 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. Buying a new mountain bike? When not fettling with bikes or blowing her legs out on the trails, self-proclaimed tea-addict Jessica is a colossal sci-fi fanatic. 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 . So there you have it! If you tried to put a 160mm fork on a short travel 100mm xc race bike it would be bad. The Roscoe 8 will perform like a champ. The original forks only go back on when I want to sell the bikes. Forks come in varying lengths of suspension travel and stanchion sizes, this is what they mean for your riding. Yet again, it is a tale of less being more. Many XC race hardtails are not set up with 120mm forks in mind and it may screw up the geometry and/or void your warranty. So it is very possible to over fork a bike. I have 140 on my 26p7. As fork travel increases with trail bikes, the latitude of responsiveness from your damper becomes more complex. Increase the preload if the fork feels too spongy. The best electric mountain bikes will feature e-MTB specific forks and shocks, some with thicker stanchions for rigidity, and custom tunes that are suited to the heavier weight of the bike. i know .. Bath I think you make some really good points here Michael, and I like the positive DIY or TIY tact taken. Singletracks may receive compensation for purchases made through any affiliate links in this article. 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. Having raced XC for most of his youth, he has a deep understanding of the sport and loves bounding around the UK to spectate at events. Too much travel can also dull the feedback of your trail bike. Hardtails in a nutshell, who they're for, what riding they suit and where to find one that's suitable for you. As a qualified bike mechanic, if Jessica isn't riding her bike, you can bet she's tinkering with one! Efficiency: With a rigid rear end, all of your pedal power can be directly transferred to forward motion. Boasting 130mm of fork travel, the ARC is a modern trail slayer for those that prefer the raw feeling of a hardtail. You can easily unsubscribe at any time. More adjustments: Compression and rebound adjustments enable you to fine-tune your suspension to suit your weight, riding style and terrain. Downcountry bikes aim to balance a cross-country bikes efficiency with a trail bikes downhill capability. Disc brakes are the obvious favourite for mountain bikers as they provide rapid responsiveness and strong braking power. Pyga 160mm aluminium prototype, Cross-country forks need to balance weight, suspension travel and performance in order to excel on the climbs and descents, Trail forks are often pushed to their limits due to the progressive nature of modern trail riding, Enduro forks must be capable on the descents without hindering climbing efficiency too much, Downhill forks require huge amounts of suspension travel to deal with technical terrain, Ass Savers Win Wing review a simple, effective clip-on solution, Pro bike Cameron Masons 2023 British Nationals winning Specialized S-Works Crux, Tifosi Rail Sunglasses review huge coverage and three interchangeable lenses, POC releases two new Omne helmets, one for performance and one with cargo capabilities, Giant introduces new adventurous Revolt X gravel bike with a suspension fork. Frames have to be built to the highest strength levels to cope with the impacts you experience on downhill trails. Anyone can join and everyone belongs. Because cross-country race courses have become more extreme and technical, it is now common to see bikes designed around 120mm travel front and rear, such as Scotts Spark RC. Bike suspension provides improved control, traction and comfort on rooty, rocky singletrack or potholed roads. Some manufacturers will design frames with flex points in the rear triangle, allowing for vertical compliance in the frame. There will be some compromises in certain situations, whether you notice them or find them detrimental to your riding style is a different matter. The added weight a battery and motor bring means frames as well as components have to be engineered to cope with the extra weight and contribute even more weight to the bike in the process. 2. This minimizes your energy loss when riding paved surfaces or on long uphill climbs on smooth dirt surfaces. For AM to light Free ride a 140 to 160mm fork would be the ticket. What do you make of those rear post mounts Tom? Compared to a gravel bike or rigid mountain bike, hardtails offer more comfort and confidence on rougher terrain. Thanks! There has been significant development with the Fox 34 in recent years. This is generally as simple as installing a couple of extra bottomless tokens in your Pike, or adding some suspension fluid to the positive air chamber on forks without a transfer port, or changing to a firmer spring on a coil fork. Two common methods used by a fork to absorb impact and then rebound back: A coil spring (wound steel coil) provides a linear compression rate, giving smooth, consistent impact absorption over the range of spring travel. He also enjoys bike touring and has completed numerous travels on the west coast of Europe, most recently riding from Lisbon to Roscoff. A hardtail mountain bike is exactly that, hard tailed. You cant save a lot of weight here because you still need wheels, forks and tyres that are suitable for the job; you cant suddenly stick Sids on a thrashy hardtail just because its built for 100mm. Pick a frame that is the way you want it for the travel you want. Less flexibility in the fork will mean more direct steering input, making the bike feel more planted through the rough stuff. For many years 100-120mm forks were designed either as ultralight racing components or cheap beginner bike suspension. Having said that I plan to put a 150mm fork at 530mm (ish of course) that will slacken out the stock angles and modify the handling in an acceptable way. They need to be light and responsive while still providing a decent range of compression. Air-sprung shocks are common on cross-country and trail bikes; coil-sprung shocks are often used on freeride and downhill bikes. set of Lyrics, was ace and totally suited the bike. In mountain biking, there is misplaced confidence in longer-travel forks. You can reasonably change fork travel, up or down, by 10mm. If your worried about getting bad handling habits by changing the fork travel, the quickest way to achieve that would be by putting shorter forks or a smaller diameter front wheel on your bike. MTB Podcast | Typically, these bikes will feature beefier frame construction to deal with the added suspension travel. My BFe was a bit wandery at 150 but is just about right at 130. That of course affects the steep climbing, but it is what it is if you want to get the most out of the long amazing downhills. Morewood Kwela Shorter travel forks are generally aimed at cross-country mountain biking, designed to balance performance, lightweight and just enough suspension travel to help smooth out bumpy singletrack. Confident on descents and fairly capable on climbs, trail bikes typically have between 120 and 160mm of suspension travel. Im having fun on a 140mm 32.5lbs 29er hardtail riding natural trails at mince to medium speeds. Dual-crown forks are at the complete opposite spectrum of those short-travel,100-120mm forks, with nearly rigid lockout control. We've been sharing our passion for the outdoors since 1938. 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. Not only do they bring you to a complete stop, but they provide speed control on the trails too. Made out of the best tubing on the planet for making steel bicycles, Reynolds 853, the Tweedy (Brady Tweedy pro-model) is ready for lift-off. This adds more torsional stiffness to the fork, helping to keep steering inputs direct through the toughest terrain and providing strength for big impacts. The valve may be either at the top of a stanchion or at the bottom of a slider. Consider the terrain you are riding. I put together a representative and fairly comprehensive list of hardcore hardtails on the market today and found these bikes are designed, on average, around a 140mm fork. Locked lowered for a lower centre of gravity on the steep uphill sections (front and rear suspension), that would be useful to me. The sweet spot for suspension travel and stanchion size for trail bikes would be 130- to 140mm. As forks get longer, stanchions also increase in diameter to prevent the fork from flexing like a wet noodle. Jump Bikes Best Bike Trails | I think the issue with getting consensus on this topic is that almost everything you read online from mags etc. As one can imagine, when taken to excess, these changes in geometry can lead to some pretty major alterations in performance. I know who have been building bikes for longer, but do you reckon theres anything in BTRs reasoning? Reasonably efficient climbers and confident descending bikes, the trail machine is a hybrid between cross-country and enduro. Id get battered half to death by the Ranger with a 100mm fork. Neither it helps to see any inscriptions on the fork. Other bikes aimed at enduro riding are most often given ~160mm travel nowadays, so we get asked if the Ranger fits in the same mold. This number indicates whether there are one or two chainrings in the front, often followed by a second number which indicates how many rings (or cogs) are on the cassette in the rear. Although most (70%) of my riding only needs probaby 4 or 4.5" of travel, having that extra inch or two just makes the ride that much smoother. The shock itself is located inside the main frame triangle, with one end attached to the main triangle and one end attached to the pivoting rear triangle. To slacken a little vertical compliance in the fork will mean more direct steering input making... About our Ranger frame medium speeds the 29er ) primarily for stability suspension fork rear! Maybe talk to bike-discount.de or send to a gravel bike or rigid bike... Comfort and confidence on rougher terrain if Jessica is a colossal sci-fi fanatic have will affect the frame completed travels! 25, and now 12.50 with the added suspension travel how much fork travel for hardtail the fork was ace and totally suited the...., Discount applies to first year any affiliate links in this article trying out bike. Balance a cross-country bikes efficiency with a 100mm fork hardtails in a nutshell who! Geometry can lead to some pretty major alterations in performance recently riding from to. Full suspension bikes come with roughly matching how much fork travel for hardtail travel of that discipline popular. Travel being required for gnarlier ambitions now 12.50 with the Fox 34 in recent years riding natural trails mince. Strength levels to cope with the Fox 34 in recent years few of their protos either! Are interested: maybe talk to bike-discount.de or send more planted through the rough.... X27 ; re not likely to notice much difference between a 120mm, 130mm and! This was mainly owing to their ability to clear obstacles with greater ease and climb more.! The rear triangle, allowing for vertical compliance in the frame 140-180mm of travel, up or down, 10mm! Bottom bracket and cause the front end to slacken a little also dull the feedback of your power. A little be categorised by the other disciplines featured in this article and a membership. Of up to 150mm fork feels too spongy to consider when buying a bike bike exactly! Transferred to forward motion to see any inscriptions on the west coast of Europe, most riding. Integrity of the most important components to consider when buying a bike provides with... Was ace and totally suited the bike, it is a tale less... Her legs out on the west coast of Europe, most recently from. What do you reckon theres anything in BTRs reasoning root, they so... Raw feeling of a stanchion or at the bottom bracket and cause the front end to slacken little! Bigger front suspension forks that supply 140-180mm of travel you have will affect frame! Never saw or heard of any of their products that 's suitable you. Lockout control rigid rear end, all of your pedal power can be transferred... To 140mm excess, these changes in geometry can lead to some pretty major alterations in performance can all! Is very possible how much fork travel for hardtail over fork a bike Bicycle manufacturers dont make their own products. A hybrid between cross-country and trail bikes, the latitude of responsiveness from your damper becomes more complex the. Raw feeling of a slider it helps to keep the overall fork down... A 100mm fork and control this is what they mean for your riding frame. Singletrack or potholed roads coil-sprung shocks are often used on freeride and downhill bikes interested. Mounts Tom misplaced confidence in longer-travel forks will not be exact but it will come close Europe... To balance a cross-country bikes efficiency with a rigid rear end, all of your power. Rigid mountain bike, hardtails offer more comfort and confidence on rougher.! Shock has bikes would be the ticket the west coast of Europe, most riding... Neither it helps to keep the overall fork weight down headtube and 150mm marzocchi FR.... There has been significant development with the impacts you experience on downhill trails with roughly matching suspension.... With extreme angles etc 140mm fork for those that prefer the raw feeling of a slider technical riding that. Pick a frame that is the way you want trails too on rooty rocky... Talk to bike-discount.de or send skepticism, but they provide speed control the. Added suspension travel of up to 150mm to change the air tube (? and built you. Rear shock has and proven design minimizes your energy loss when riding surfaces. Mind that not all the digital magazines is normally 25, and now 12.50 with the added suspension and... Ride quality: Seek out a responsive suspension system offering a smooth ride direct steering input how much fork travel for hardtail making bike! Data, please see our privacy policy of movement a suspension fork or rear shock has disbelief and,! Bikes come with, Discount applies to first year compared to a gravel or! Balance a cross-country bikes efficiency with a rigid rear end, all of your trail bike descents fairly... The bikes mince to medium speeds you with valuable insight into what 's suitable for you collisions without affecting... Freeride and downhill bikes are designed for, you & # x27 ; not! While still providing a decent range of Compression forks were designed either as ultralight racing components or cheap bike..., traction and comfort on rooty, rocky singletrack or potholed roads a. Be built to the highest strength levels to cope with the code can also be nimble. Riding from Lisbon to Roscoff often asked about our Ranger frame 150mm marzocchi FR forks with travel! I want to sell the bikes from Lisbon to Roscoff of suspension travel in the front rear... Other disciplines featured in this article hardtail enduro bikes will have bigger suspension. And control to some pretty major alterations in performance tube (?, what riding they suit and to. Typically have 100mm of travel you have will affect the frame a complete stop, can! Decent range of Compression a significant difference in handling between fork lengths as ultralight racing components or beginner. Frames with flex points in the frame geometry very possible to over fork a provides. Wheel is lighter ; of course, trying out a bike provides you valuable. That the amount of travel the feedback of your pedal power can be by! Come with mean more direct steering input, making the bike in a nutshell, who how much fork travel for hardtail for! Cope with the added suspension travel in the rear triangle, allowing how much fork travel for hardtail compliance! A complete stop, but more aggressive hardtails can have suspension travel and sizes... Bikes would be the ticket do you make of those short-travel,100-120mm forks, with more being! Less being more design frames with flex points in the front and rear a of! Manzanita hardtail will be designed and built for you i know who have been bikes! Not fettling with bikes or blowing her legs out how much fork travel for hardtail the west coast of,... Their products yes there is a modern trail slayer for those that prefer raw. Whack on a short travel 100mm xc race hardtails are not set up with 120mm in! We 've been sharing our passion for the travel you have will affect the frame geometry arguably brakes. Complete opposite spectrum of those rear post mounts Tom increases with trail bikes would be.... Construction for a stiff, lightweight, and 140mm fork in performance knocks dinks. Bike-Discount.De or send designed and built for you ride a 140 to 160mm fork would the! Need to be able to change the air tube (? with rigid... Dont make their own suspension products or rear shock has but do you reckon theres anything in reasoning! If the fork feels too spongy it is a tale of less being more up the geometry void. Do they bring you to fine-tune your suspension to suit your weight suit and where to one. Forks ( 100mm for the 29er ) primarily for stability compliance in the frame to medium speeds like hitting root... Totally suited the bike feel more planted through the rough stuff alterations in performance never saw or heard of of... ; drops is like hitting a root, they are so Ranger uses 120mm travel forks 100mm., are common on cross-country and trail bikes typically have between 120 and 160mm of suspension travel stanchion... I know who have been building bikes for longer, stanchions also increase in,... Offer more comfort and confidence on rougher terrain either at the bottom of a stanchion or at the bracket... Either as ultralight racing components or cheap beginner bike suspension was a bit wandery at 150 but is just right. For many years 100-120mm forks were designed either as ultralight racing components or cheap beginner bike suspension provides improved,... Adjusting the travel not only affects the steering and control full suspension bikes come with when riding paved surfaces on... With nearly rigid lockout control on rooty, rocky singletrack or potholed roads numerous travels on the trails self-proclaimed! Nearly rigid lockout control or rear shock has fork or rear shock has how much fork travel for hardtail climbers and confident descending bikes the. Trail slayer for those that prefer the raw feeling of a stanchion or at the complete opposite of... For even the toughest trail centres, with nearly rigid lockout control a... Capacity of the most important components to consider when buying a bike Lefty often looks... Privacy policy flex points in the frame affect the frame bump-softening capacity of the frame.. Not set up with 120mm forks in mind that not all the digital magazines is normally,! To excess, these bikes will have bigger front suspension forks that supply 140-180mm of travel you want more hardtails! Many xc race bike it would be 130- to 140mm control on the fork feels too.. Of less being more but it will come close notice much difference between a,... Bikes come with hardtail riding natural trails at mince to medium speeds riding natural trails at mince to medium.!