Either way, the pressure to go long is real. While the 27.5" wheel is lighter; of course, but can also be more nimble for technical riding. Never saw or heard of any of their protos breaking either. As anyone who spends time in the mountains will tell you, some of the most fun can be had out of bounds just be ready to accept the consequences of venturing there. set of Lyrics, was ace and totally suited the bike. As I said, Ive never noticed anything untoward with the 140mm on my current HT, although thats quite firm, just wondered what people thought of the reasoning. Depending on the bike, that could be a good thing. Ive got 140 on my 29er hardtail and it feels fine. Arguably, brakes are one of the most important components to consider when buying a bike. It usually comes down to what you feel more comfortable with, so it's highly recommended to try before you buy when possible. These types are your dirt jump bikes and your freeride whips, which can be smaller in both frame and wheel size. The obvious thing is how far can something pivot at one point before it feels unstable. Advertising and commercial: sales@off-road.cc, Mountain bike, bikepackingand gravel bikes. Nick has built many of his bikes from the frame up and has a keen eye for technical detail. My Mr Hyde is cool with some monster 100mm travel forks (they are 36mm stanchion and 20mm axle). Thank you for signing up to the BikeRadar newsletter! The diameter of the stanchion tubes affects this lateral stiffness. A longer fork will raise the bottom bracket and cause the front end to slacken a little. The 120mm of travel in the front fork and beefy, 2.8-inch tires on a set of 27.5-inch wheels soak up any big hits or impacts. That 180mm enduro fork is pointless if it blows through its travel or is entirely unresponsive to small-bump impacts. Excludes Gift Memberships, Discount applies to first year. Travel is also given a boost from 120mm to 140mm, delivered by a 32mm to 36mm stanchion fork, depending on the model. Well, many mountain bikers, cross-country riders, and more enjoy hardtails for a few reasons: Mechanics: Having a rear shock can come with its own mechanical woes such as worn bushings, pivot bearings and, of course, issues and servicing of the shock itself. I recently swapped the air shaft in my Pike and went from 140mm to 160mm, and the total cost of goods was roughly 30. This helps to keep the overall fork weight down. So there you have it! And as you would expect, it needs a fork with more travel and stiffness than those 100-120mm options. This gives higher levels of rigidity to the fork, making steering inputs more direct, although concessions are still made to weight savings. Enduro bikes are designed to meet the demands of enduro racing, which consists of multiple downhill stages that riders have to reach within a set time limit. 150mm 650b Revs on my 26 Transam. Downcountry bikes usually feature stronger, stiffer forks, with thicker stanchions, usually 34mm in diameter. Is 120mm travel enough for downhill? 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. Jump Bikes http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/short-travel-hardtails, BTR clearly know what theyre talking about. Love the longer forks, its better everywhere except going uphill, if hill is very steep and the forks are fully extended due to little weight being on them. 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. Bikes are being given more and more suspension travel as materials, manufacturing and spring/damping technologies improve, and little BTR is standing firm against the tide. Efficiency: With a rigid rear end, all of your pedal power can be directly transferred to forward motion. Fork Travel: 100mm. 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. All mountain bikes are in the middle and may feature either style. Electric bikes can be categorised by the other disciplines featured in this article and will tend to feature the travel of that discipline. As with the front fork, rear suspension models feature variation in travel, spring system and adjustments. Each has its pros and cons on how it affects a bikes ride quality. Residing in the valleys of South Wales, Jessica Strange is our editor atoff.road.cc. Mr__Rogerss 3 yr. ago Frames have to be built to the highest strength levels to cope with the impacts you experience on downhill trails. After all, smooth is fast! Bike suspension provides improved control, traction and comfort on rooty, rocky singletrack or potholed roads. I want to explain why, not so much for my own gain, but for the good of any mountain bike consumers who actually read this. 505 reviews with an average rating of 4.0 out of 5 stars. Who do I have to answer to for doing it all wrong? A fork may offer no adjustability, or it may have one or more knobs and dials to tweak. Adjusting the travel not only affects the bump-softening capacity of the bike, it also affects the steering and control. Shorter suspension travel forks also bob less when climbing up steep trails in a standing position. This means deciding on the right amount of travel for your needs can be difficult, but there are a few factors to keep in mind, including your riding style and the type of trails and terrain youll be tackling. 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. Cannot be used in conjunction with other offers, or when switching memberships), Contact UsPrivacyForum RulesClassifieds RulesLink RemovalNewsletter SettingsAdvertising, Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 84 total). Suspension units are expensive to replace; suspension lifespan can be extended by having periodic service performed by a suspension specialist. The more travel your fork has, the more your front wheel can move up/down to absorb impact. So a lot of people would think that the Ranger gets out of its depth fast when faced with rough terrainbut theyd be wrong! When you have a rear shock, along with moving pivot points, some of that pedal power is absorbed by the movement of the rear triangle, thus reducing your pedal efficiency. If you ride steep terrain with a lot of extended descents, you'll likely want more travel. Thanks! 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. The concept of the long travel hardtail is pretty well established too. Furthermore, having one chainring in the front saves weight by removing the need for a front derailleur and an additional shifter on the handlebars. Is 150mm travel too much for a hardtail? However, hardtail bikes aren't just for beginner mountain bikers. The main advantage of an air-sprung fork is its lighter weight, which translates to less effort when pedaling, especially uphill. A longer wheelbase has the same effect. Best Bike Trails | Wow, great piece of information Brian about possibly lengthening ones current fork. Typically, cross-country bikes have featured 80 to 100mm of travel. Any increase in fork travel will slacken the bike and shorten its reach. And just to confuse things further, you can also get 'fat bike' hardtails which have mahoosive wheels and are best suited for adverse terrains like sand and snow. 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. 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. How much travel you need will depend on the riding you do. Similarly, the wheelbase of the bike will increase, and the bottom bracket will be raised slightly. The valve may be either at the top of a stanchion or at the bottom of a slider. Weight isnt a big issue for downhill bikes, so the added heft is worth the trade-off for the performance gains. The Ranger gains its stability from its geometry, so it doesnt need much travel to keep it planted. As for longer travel suspension creating a larger bobbing effect then start working on your pedalling technique, instead of expecting the bike to compensate for your faults. Differences: The most common type of front suspension is the fork. It is comprised of 2 struts that connect the front wheel to the frames head tube. The terrain you ride on really determines how much travel you need. MTB Podcast | Depending on the discipline of riding the bike is designed for, the suspension travel can vary from 80 to 200mm. 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You've been subscribed to our newsletter. The shorter suspension travel gives a more responsive feel and youll enjoy greater trail feedback through the handlebar and grips. Depends on the hardtail! But why shouldnt you fit a cross-country mountain bike, recommended for maximum fork travel of 120mm, with a 130mm fork? Described as having a good engine in his racing days, its now common to see Nick wheel-sucking on club rides and sprinting for town signs. I use a quick tiedown strap around the front axle and the top of the stanchions to 1/2 compress the longer front suspension, on the long ugly steep climbs. Its not rubbish, its just worse than it could be and that sucks. Bike shops are another great place to see the bike in person and feel how it fits. Whereas, for all-mountain trail riding, you may want to look for travel of around 130mm - 150mm. Cheers! If they have 120mm forks allowed, I would give it a shot. Obvious answer to OP is it depends on the bike and its geometry, and on the intended use, and on your riding style, and on the terrain, etc. For a full-suspension bike 160mm travel can be great; there can be no denying that many 160mm travel full-suspension bikes exist which are incredibly capable down hills as well as being plenty efficient up them. Having more travel is great but potentially useless if the fork internals cant make the best use of it. That will give you a front end that will try and turn sideways on rocks, roots and soft ground, particularly sand. Sag is expressed as a percentage of the total suspension travel and varies by the style of bike. I know who have been building bikes for longer, but do you reckon theres anything in BTRs reasoning? Slacken the bike so the added heft is worth the trade-off for performance. Electric bikes can be smaller in both frame and wheel size, all your! Than it could be a good thing and dials to tweak so it doesnt need much travel need! 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