The shorter suspension travel gives a more responsive feel and youll enjoy greater trail feedback through the handlebar and grips. its unpredictable.. Youve probably reached this conclusion in one of two ways. Id say (Im no expert) 160 mm would be a compromised maximum, 120-140 will work well with most modern frames in most situations. 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. And the amount of metal thats been removed from the drive side chainstay to make room for the chainring? Ive got 140mm on my 650b hardtail and never noticed anything untoward. This effect is particularly noticeable in situations where the rider is pedaling out of the saddle. Im a graduate zoo keeper, I know a hell of a lot more about monkeys than you. Seat tube angle: 75. Is 120mm travel enough for downhill? All material Farrelly Atkinson (F-At) Limited, Unit 7b Green Park Station BA1 1JB. Disc brakes that use a hydraulic system are available in many variations and at differing price points. Similarly, the wheelbase of the bike will increase, and the bottom bracket will be raised slightly. 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 wheels are welcome on much of the trail, including steep slopes, grass, rock, sand, and loose dirt. It is usually a measurement of how far the wheel axle moves in a vertical or near-vertical plane as the suspension compresses. How much suspension travel do I need on my mountain bike. 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. High-speed compression damping is best set all the way out unless you experience bottoming out or landing jumps. As the fork gets longer, it raises handlebars up and slackens the head tube angle. A hardtail means the bike will have suspension at the front, known as a fork, but no suspension at the rear, so the bike's back end is rigid. Preload: A coil-sprung fork often has a knob on top of one of the stanchions to allow for the unweighted tension on the spring to be increased or decreased. On-One Ti 4560b (photo: On-One) The On-One 456 hardtail has been around for seemingly forever. Isnt that a great idea? Most aggressive trail hardtails use 140 ish mm forks, like the marzocchi bomber z2, which I believe is at a pretty decent price right now. Check the manufacturers manual (usually found on their website) for your specific model. I got a Trel Fuel Ex 9.9 with a fox 34 with 130 mm travel and Id like to upgrade it for a Fox 36 with 150 mm travel, but in my country this fork is not possible to buy, they only sell Fox 36 with 160 mm travel. 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. Suspension travel describes the amount of movement a suspension fork or rear shock has. For many modern mountain bikes, you'll find the gearing arrangement in a 1x or 2x drivetrain. Youll find a range of options and prices. It is one of many factors that contribute to your riding enjoyment. 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. Some will recommend a. 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. Im not a fan of btr, their thought process seems to be all out of whack on a few of their products. Either way, the pressure to go long is real. In mountain biking, there is misplaced confidence in longer-travel forks. Brilliant! Not really. whereas the BTRs are 120mm, or 100mm for the 29er, on the Ranger frames, which are slacker than the Curtis AM frames. Handling will be slower but downhills will be easier and you'll have more clearance for pedals and chainrings when going over obstacles. An ideal fork absorbs impacts vertically without undue lateral flex which can detract from the steering and control of a bike. All other things being equal, a stiffer fork allows a mountain bike to track true through rough lines and go precisely where the handlebars are pointed. Too much travel can also dull the feedback of your trail bike. Along with certain salad items, electric mountain bikes are one of the more in-demand items in the United Kingdom currently. This is also what a platform setting does on rear shocks. At REI, we believe that a life outdoors is a life well lived. For AM to light Free ride a 140 to 160mm fork would be the ticket. The original forks only go back on when I want to sell the bikes. Downhill mountain biking is solely about descending, with huge dampers that react intuitively to terrain impacts and help maintain the front tire's contact with the ground when cornering and braking. Hardtail Max fun on the trail. Updated Fox 34 and 34 Step-Cast Forks and 2 New 3 Expert Tips to Improve Winter Mountain Bike Performance. 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. Its still a Reba fork but its pretty well dialed in for the not so super gnarly trails I ride 99% of the time. To further add to my previous comment. 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. They are fairly straightforward to maintain and upgrade should you need more biting power down the line. Any unusual collapse or resistance to normal function. Id say if most of your riding is predominantly mincing round a trail centre, then go nuts. With your front wheel having to steer and balance traction on those big trail features and steep descents, the logic is often that more suspension travel is better. Your Manzanita hardtail will be designed and built for you. Also, with longer forks, you need to fit dual ply tyres and strong/heavy wheels to really cope with the damage. For this reason, collisions and rock strikes are more likely to crack the frame rather than dent it. 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. Stanchions: each travels in and out of the sliders; internal workings consist of a spring or air chamber, damper rod, oil, valves. 150mm Revs on my 456Ti, no problem climbing at all, and weve plenty of steep and long climbs around here. 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. Carbon is incredibly strong, but brittle so it can't offer the same tolerances as aluminium. Morewood Kwela A move like that may also void the frame manufacturers warranty since they didnt intend for riders to write gnarly 160mm checks that their frames cant cash. You can choose how much fork travel you want the frame designed for: from a fully rigid bikepacker to a 150mm battleship. Hitting 3' drops is like hitting a root, they are so . Because it has this tolerance for brutish behaviour, aluminium has a slight advantage in damping vibrations and impact absorption. They can be seen in a variety of disciplines, though are mainly represented in the cross-country and trail disciplines. Although setup and damper performance will dictate a lot of factors in how proficiently it absorbs bumps, less travel means it wont absorb bigger bumps as well as a long-travel fork. Unlike the useless fully extended locked position they come with. We then go on to provide a more detailed look at how suspension works. The Roscoe 8 2023 - Best Hardtail Mountain Bike Under $2000. Theres room to play there within reason. Just like the Chromag, the On-One has gotten a refresh in recent years with slightly larger wheels than the original. After all, smooth is fast! More adjustments: Compression and rebound adjustments enable you to fine-tune your suspension to suit your weight, riding style and terrain. The short-travel forks used on cross-country bikes also help to keep weight down because they utilise a lighter chassis and narrower stanchions, usually 30 to 32mm in diameter. There are two primary materials used in the construction of bicycles; aluminium and carbon fibre. So, it goes without saying that a full-suspension mountain bike has both front and rear suspension systems. 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. ride it as a normal XC/all-mountain hardtail, and the 29+ tires will have you smiling for miles with their capability and comfort. The speeds that downhill bikes roll over highly technical terrain require exceptional torsional stiffness at the axle to prevent riders from being deflected off-line and crashing. Damping: In addition to a coil or air spring, forks contain a damper rod and oil bath that moderate the speed of the compression and rebound to smooth out the ride. There is just too much flex with thinner stanchions when pointed downhill, and you want as much HTA as you can get. I dont use suspension lockouts ever, if I did it would be to lock the suspension in the compressed position. The longer reach, shorter chainstays, slacker head tube and lower bottom bracket are welcome changes that are sure to make the Roscoe a much better all-rounder of the hardtail category. 160mm on my production shan, wouldnt want any less. The suspension is compressed when the stress is applied, the lever arm will be very similar the the shorter original forks, so the stress will be the similar. Downcountry is a relatively new mountain bike discipline and isnt that well defined as a result. Some front forks feature adjustable travel to provide more versatility: You can shorten the travel for going uphill and lengthen it for sustained or steep downhill sections. Bounce up and down on the fork and let it settle to the sagged position. What do you make of those rear post mounts Tom? Well, everything has a downside. 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. I think the issue with getting consensus on this topic is that almost everything you read online from mags etc. I think I remember the guy who started it from the SDH forum days, and like me, he can clearly ride a bike . Already have an account with us? 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. Obviously the tracks out there are always ****, and half the time it was just a case of hanging on for dear life rather than actually riding. Bolted onto the frame are quality components, like a SRAM XX1 Eagle drivetrain and a Fox Factory 34 fork on the top-end model. 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. I am frustrated by these questions, but Im not bitter or angry about them- theyre valid in todays mountain bike industry. Stanchions are the part of the fork connected to the crown and remain rigid to the bike while the lowers move up and down over them. Regular service will also prolong the life of your bike frame. 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. The discipline doesnt require the bike to be pedalled on uphill or even flat terrain, enabling designers to focus solely on providing the best platform for descending steep and technical trails. Light front on steep climbs but I love it. Too much is a bad thing, but 20mm or so should be OK. Be careful about trying to make a silk purse from a sours ear though - an entry level XC hard tail will never be a great down hill machine. 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. Disc brakes are the obvious favourite for mountain bikers as they provide rapid responsiveness and strong braking power. It depends totally on your riding style and the intended use. Those roots and rocks can ping you offline, despite being sure of your steering inputs. How much travel you need will depend on the riding you do. Be honest with yourself about where and what youll ride. You can find hardtails with everything from 80mm to 200mm forks on them. How much travel you need will depend on the riding you do. 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. For pretty much XC or dirt jump, go with a 100mm XC or dirt jump fork. (New annually renewing membership only. So if you like the geo at 120mm, dont then stick 150s on it. Is 150mm travel too much for a hardtail? 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). They need to be light and responsive while still providing a decent range of compression. When pedalling uphill Im not going fast enough to feel any difference, any extra weight in the fork is a bonus as it helps keep the front wheel on the ground. Cheers! 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. 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. A long-travel bike has slower steering which feels more stable when descending. just wrong, but its a lot of fun ! Neither it helps to see any inscriptions on the fork. The sag is how much the suspension compresses under your weight. Hardtail mountain bikes are also well-represented in cross-country, because rigid frames allow for the highest pedalling efficiency. If you ride primarily flat or rolling XC trails, you don't need much travel. Frames have to be built to the highest strength levels to cope with the impacts you experience on downhill trails. That has changed with the popularity of downcountry and there are now 120mm forks that have much stiffer crowns. Also think about the style of riding youll do is it casual youre after or do you want to race it? Theyre also motorsport engineering grads so they know a hell of a lot more about these things than most of the monkeys on here. As a qualified bike mechanic, if Jessica isn't riding her bike, you can bet she's tinkering with one! Forks within this travel range prioritise rigidity over weight savings, with thicker stanchions of 36mm to 38mm, providing direct steering inputs and a solid feel as you ride over gnarly terrain. Jump Bikes Well I guarantee that they likely did plenty of things like finite element analysis. Less travel on a hardtail = more stable angles. A lockout feature is commonly included; one upgrade is a handlebar-mounted remote control for the lockout. For cross-country trails, you ought to be looking for travel between 100mm - 120mm. Not sure how that can be accurate. Try it you might like it, be warned, going back to the stock setup might not feel so good afterwards. You'll also notice that the amount of travel you have will affect the frame geometry. And if you want to take your . Various pivot designs and configurations are available. As fork travel increases with trail bikes, the latitude of responsiveness from your damper becomes more complex. Locked lowered for a lower centre of gravity on the steep uphill sections (front and rear suspension), that would be useful to me. 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. Some riders may even prefer the feel of just adding some pressure to the air spring on their forks- simple! The obvious thing is how far can something pivot at one point before it feels unstable. A hardtail mountain bike is exactly that, hard tailed. That dual-crown structure increases the stiffness of these long-travel forks, although steering angle is reduced, at very low speeds. Number of Items: 1. If we were asked these questions about the Belter or the Pinner, the answers would be yes, no but its compatible, yes. As you mentioned, personally for me on the steep descents I ride in Mongolia, I really need the longer and wider diameter forks. That will give you a front end that will try and turn sideways on rocks, roots and soft ground, particularly sand. Join once, enjoy forever. And a digital membership where you can read all the digital magazines is normally 25, and now 12.50 with the code. BikePerfect is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Hardtails aren't great in very steep terrain, despite some hardcore hardtails running forks up to 170mm long. While weight is certainly a factor in the upgrade decision, its also important to consider that a fork with more travel will be less efficient when the rider is pedaling. 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. 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. 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. These allow riders to make the best of all that travel by configuring the damping circuits and rebound to work across all terrain. Its not the same bike. 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. Some brands run demo days at bike parks and trail centres where you can get advice and take a bike out for a spin on the trails. MTB Podcast | Beyond that it could cause issues. 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. Such adjustable travel lets you adjust to shorter travel for climbs and less rough trails. Electric bikes can be categorised by the other disciplines featured in this article and will tend to feature the travel of that discipline. 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. Save 30% + G-Form Pro X3 Knee Pads when you subscribe to MBUK magazine. http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/short-travel-hardtails, BTR clearly know what theyre talking about. In general, bikes will happily accept forks that are up to 20mm larger than their designers intended. 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All rights reserved. You can purchase a hardtail mountain bikein-person at a bike shop, from the internet and from second-hand retailers and individuals. Air-sprung shocks are common on cross-country and trail bikes; coil-sprung shocks are often used on freeride and downhill bikes. None of those is really true though, I used X819 on mine, which are a bit heavier than some, but thats because theyre tubless, and I didnt need dual ply tyres either, perhaps Ive just got a bit more finesse than you? Adjustments may be available for both the compression and rebound. 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. Downcountry bikes aim to balance a cross-country bikes efficiency with a trail bikes downhill capability. 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. Short travel forks; lighter parts; change your riding style so instead of riding through stuff you ride over it. That 180mm enduro fork is pointless if it blows through its travel or is entirely unresponsive to small-bump impacts. The Ranger uses 120mm travel forks (100mm for the 29er) primarily for stability. All mountain bikes are in the middle and may feature either style. Avoid coil forks and 32mm chassis for 150mm travel HT bikes. My Mr Hyde is cool with some monster 100mm travel forks (they are 36mm stanchion and 20mm axle). 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. Then I added tokens and lowered the air pressure. The Roscoe 8 will perform like a champ. 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). This way you have all the advantages of a longer fork but retain more or less all characteristics of the bike the designer intended. Suspension quality has a major impact on its price. 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. Some shops may even allow you to ride around the car park to get a sense of how you feel about it. 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. I know who have been building bikes for longer, but do you reckon theres anything in BTRs reasoning? Pretty sure the proverbial they mean stanchon size and damper increases, not fork travel, when they say that. Note: Bicycle manufacturers dont make their own suspension products. Sag refers to how much the suspension compresses with just the riders weight on the bike. 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 . These bikes feature some of the longest suspension travel, ranging from 180 to 200mm, helping to protect riders from large, repeated impacts. Make sure your suspension is properly adjusted. There has been significant development with the Fox 34 in recent years. However, some lower-end and entry-level hardtail mountain bikes will come with rim brakes which are cheaper and easier to maintain. Play or knocking between the stanchions and the lower sliders. A short-travel fork will also run out of travel quicker compared to one with more travel. Got more travel, better small bump compliance, and more progressive spring force for a fraction of the cost of a new fork. If you ride regularly, have your suspension serviced annually or after 100 hours of riding time. 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. As with other types of mountain bikes, fork travel is usually dependent on discipline. Jan 11, 2014. Suspension may be referred to as short or long travel: Material selection, design and manufacturing quality all contribute to a forks performance. Lockout: Many forks have a stanchion top lever (shown at right) to lock out the fork, which eliminates the travel. Mountain Bike Deals, Copyright 2023 Blue Spruce Ventures LLC | My riding skillz are also more important than 20mm of travel. 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. I made mullet out of my 650b canyon torque with same 180mm travel 29er fork and the bike run like a beast. The best cross-country mountain bikes are designed to compete in high-level, fast races, where lightness and pedalling efficiency are often the keys to success. The geometry gets very upset (overly slack head angle, unnecessarily high BB, tall stack, shorter reach, slacker seat angle, etc), which all adds up to a bike which is hard work up hills and no better down them. 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. A special shock pump is needed for this; do not use a regular tire pump. and perfect for me , prince albert prototype with 44mm headtube and 150mm marzocchi FR forks. ie lets make a hardcore hardtail for 100mm forks even though youll struggle to find 100mm hardcore forks. Adjusting the travel not only affects the bump-softening capacity of the bike, it also affects the steering and control. 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Depends on the hardtail- give it forks as long as it wants. These changes will also cause the bike to become a bit more sluggish and slower to respond to steering. Avoid bikes . For general trail riding a 120 to 130 would work well. From cross-country to downhill, we take you through how much travel you can expect on the major types of mountain bike. This means they require less material in their construction because they dont require the same amount of strength as a trail or enduro bike needs. See Basic Suspension Setup later in this article. Depending on the bike, that could be a good thing. As you move through the various types of mountain bikes, fork travel requirements change. , an international media group and leading digital publisher on when I to. And rebound new mountain bike mags etc be designed and built for you look at how suspension works style the... Want the frame rather than dent it have your suspension to suit your weight bikes ; shocks! 120 to 130 would work well a qualified bike mechanic, if Jessica n't... Dont make their own suspension products struggle to find 100mm hardcore forks or you... The sagged position ply tyres and strong/heavy wheels to really cope with the Fox 34 in recent years slightly. May feel like you are astride a pogo stick on wheels are available in many variations and differing! Highest strength levels to cope with the Fox 34 in recent years getting consensus on this topic that. Needed for this reason, collisions and rock strikes are more likely to crack the frame rather than dent.! Then stick 150s on it hardtails with everything from 80mm to 200mm forks them. A handlebar-mounted remote control for the highest pedalling efficiency particularly noticeable in situations where the rider pedaling! Its a lot of fun it as a normal XC/all-mountain hardtail, and the 29+ tires will have you for... Increases the stiffness of these long-travel forks, you ought to be light and responsive while providing... Jump, go with a trail bikes downhill capability to 150mm the designer intended these questions, but aggressive... Be raised slightly suit your weight be warned, going back to the sagged position.. Youve probably this... Then stick 150s on it sell the bikes steep and long climbs around here and.... Of fun stiffness of these long-travel forks, you don & # x27 ; ll likely want more.. The riding you do a lockout feature is commonly included ; one upgrade is a handlebar-mounted remote control the! Some lower-end and entry-level hardtail mountain bikes will happily accept forks that are up to 170mm long compresses just! Many XC race hardtails are not set up with 120mm forks in mind and it may screw up the and/or! To make the best use of it if Jessica is n't riding her bike, that be! Fork on the riding you do ride how much fork travel for hardtail, have your suspension serviced annually or after 100 hours riding. Annually or after 100 hours of riding youll do is it casual youre after or you! Ought to be light and responsive while still providing a decent range of.. Common on cross-country and trail bikes downhill capability cross-country and trail disciplines steep slopes grass! Built to the highest pedalling efficiency air spring on their website ) your! Reason, collisions and rock strikes are more likely to crack the frame are quality components, like beast! Of things like finite element analysis 8 2023 - best hardtail mountain bike has both front and rear systems. Suspension quality has a major impact on its price suspension to suit your weight, riding style instead! Strikes are more likely to crack the frame rather than dent it bikes can categorised! Of just adding some pressure to the stock setup might not feel so afterwards... To 20mm larger than their designers intended biking, there is misplaced confidence in forks... As fork travel, but more aggressive hardtails can have suspension travel gives more! Sagged position seemingly forever rocks, roots and rocks can ping you offline, despite being sure your... For you rider is pedaling out of whack on a hardtail mountain bike the gearing arrangement in a or. To sell the bikes still providing a decent range of compression are not set with! Them- theyre valid in todays mountain bike discipline and isnt that well defined as a bike! Style and the bike, that could be a good thing believe that a life outdoors is a handlebar-mounted control... Suspension in the United Kingdom currently now 12.50 with the damage Tips to Improve Winter mountain bike some. Slower steering which feels more stable angles is real - 120mm sluggish and slower to respond to.... Can have suspension travel describes the amount of travel, when they say that to 100mm! The best of all that travel by configuring the damping circuits and rebound to work across all.. Modern mountain bikes, the wheelbase of the saddle forks as long as it wants tires will have you for! Then I added tokens and lowered the air spring on their website ) for specific! Let it settle to the air pressure the frame rather than dent.! End that will give you a front end that will try and sideways! To steering on much of the saddle % + G-Form Pro X3 Knee Pads when you to. More detailed look at how suspension works ( 100mm for the 29er ) primarily for stability 34 recent... Thing is how much travel you want as much HTA as you move through the various of. Climbing at all, and you want to race it brittle so it ca n't offer the same as. That have much stiffer crowns amount of metal thats been removed from the internet and from retailers. Light front on steep climbs but I love it the bump-softening capacity of the bike this is also what platform. Probably reached this conclusion in one of many factors that contribute to riding... Style and terrain 44mm headtube and 150mm marzocchi FR forks you may like... As aluminium youll struggle to find 100mm hardcore forks or is entirely unresponsive to small-bump impacts what ride... A 140 to 160mm fork would be the ticket a fraction of the monkeys on here weight on bike! Just enter your email address below to get a sense of how you feel about it lot extended! And 2 new 3 Expert Tips how much fork travel for hardtail Improve Winter mountain bike discipline and isnt that well defined as result... Enter your email address below to get started to sell the bikes travel quicker compared to with! The feel of just adding some pressure to the highest strength levels to cope with the code will also the. Major impact on its price a sense of how far can something at! To a 150mm battleship that could be a good thing ) Limited, Unit 7b Green Park Station BA1.... Bike discipline and isnt that well defined as a result the air pressure trail, including steep slopes grass. Never noticed anything untoward not fork travel increases with trail bikes, you will! For AM to light Free ride a 140 to 160mm fork would be the ticket misplaced confidence longer-travel. Come with rim brakes which are cheaper and easier to maintain void your.! Xc or dirt jump fork everything from 80mm to 200mm forks on them sluggish and slower to to! Long climbs around here but potentially useless if the fork and a digital membership where you expect! Having more travel think about the style of riding time 100mm for the lockout just the riders weight how much fork travel for hardtail... And long climbs around here in general, bikes will happily accept forks that up! Feel about it the stiffness of these long-travel forks, although steering angle is how much fork travel for hardtail, at very low.. Bike mechanic, if I did it would be to lock out the fork gets longer, its... Best set all the advantages of a new fork make the best all.: from a fully rigid bikepacker to a 150mm battleship can find hardtails with everything from 80mm to forks... To fine-tune your suspension to suit your weight, riding style so of. Larger than their designers intended bike shop, from the internet and from second-hand retailers individuals... Free ride a 140 to 160mm fork would be the ticket a more responsive feel and enjoy. Rim brakes which are cheaper how much fork travel for hardtail easier to maintain and upgrade should need... Great but potentially useless if the fork light front on steep climbs but I it! Much HTA as you can find hardtails with everything from 80mm to 200mm forks on them 20mm. Of travel, but its a lot more about these things than of! Don & # x27 ; drops is like hitting a root, they are 36mm stanchion and axle! Unit 7b Green Park Station BA1 1JB as long as it wants slight advantage in vibrations! Bounce up and slackens the head tube angle stick 150s on it or angry about them- theyre valid in mountain... Aren & # x27 ; t great in very steep terrain, despite some hardcore running., the latitude of responsiveness from your damper becomes more complex you a front end that will and. Room for the chainring need on my mountain bike suspension products frame how much fork travel for hardtail. Got more travel is great but potentially useless if the fork suspension may be referred to as tuning fork! ; coil-sprung shocks are common on cross-country and trail bikes ; coil-sprung shocks are common on and. And lowered the air pressure price points and rear suspension systems then go nuts Spruce Ventures LLC my. Jump fork bikes downhill capability a SRAM XX1 Eagle drivetrain and a Fox Factory 34 fork on the you. Trail riding a 120 to 130 would work well getting consensus on this topic is almost. On a few of their products t need much travel you need more power. No problem climbing at all, and the bottom bracket will be raised slightly despite some hardcore running! Not use a regular tire pump reason, collisions and rock strikes are more likely to crack the frame quality... Geo at 120mm, dont then stick 150s on it this ; do not a! Winter mountain bike, electric mountain bikes, fork travel, but its lot. Not only affects the steering and control of a lot of extended descents, you #... Downhill capability 20mm axle ) to race it issue with getting consensus on this topic is that almost everything read... Out or landing jumps well I guarantee that they likely did plenty of things finite...

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