ie lets make a hardcore hardtail for 100mm forks even though youll struggle to find 100mm hardcore forks. Dual-crown forks are at the complete opposite spectrum of those short-travel,100-120mm forks, with nearly rigid lockout control. It used to be the case that for more cross-country riding, the larger 29 wheels were better suited. Some riders may even prefer the feel of just adding some pressure to the air spring on their forks- simple! Seat tube angle: 75. Nick has built many of his bikes from the frame up and has a keen eye for technical detail. Inevitably, some energy will be lost in the up and down motion of the suspension, which takes away from forward propulsion. Suspension may be referred to as short or long travel: Material selection, design and manufacturing quality all contribute to a forks performance. 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! ie lets make a hardcore hardtail for 100mm forks even though youll struggle to find 100mm hardcore forks. Thats proper basic stuff so Im calling you out on being a biologist too. 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. Similarly, the wheelbase of the bike will increase, and the bottom bracket will be raised slightly. Sizes: S, M, L, XL. This added frame construction makes the frame heavier, impacting efficiency when going uphill, but the pay-off is worth it when coming back down. Whereas, for all-mountain trail riding, you may want to look for travel of around 130mm - 150mm. As a forks suspension travel lengthens, set-up becomes crucial. 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. Are these 30 mm more too much for the bike? However, the strength of carbon fibre compensates for the brittleness. Ive got 140 on my 29er hardtail and it feels fine. It usually comes down to what you feel more comfortable with, so it's highly recommended to try before you buy when possible. Forks come in varying lengths of suspension travel and stanchion sizes, this is what they mean for your riding. BikePerfect is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. He has a weakness for British steel hardtails, especially those which only run a single gear. Subscribe from just 13.50 and get a Lezyne Pocket Drive Pump, worth 29! Tam always struck me as a person who knew his stuff. It sounds like youre doing it all right! Most full suspension bikes come with roughly matching suspension travel in the front and rear. Riding a bike off-road requires sturdy purpose-built components that can handle the demands of mountain biking. So a lot of people would think that the Ranger gets out of its depth fast when faced with rough terrainbut theyd be wrong! If you ride primarily flat or rolling XC trails, you don't need much travel. Im a policeman, so congratulations on coming second . Reasonably efficient climbers and confident descending bikes, the trail machine is a hybrid between cross-country and enduro. I think the issue with getting consensus on this topic is that almost everything you read online from mags etc. Which is not quite as well as Mr Taylforth . You can choose how much fork travel you want the frame designed for: from a fully rigid bikepacker to a 150mm battleship. m not a fan of btr, their thought process seems to be all out of whack on a few of their products. Adjustments may be available for both the compression and rebound. Almost all mountain bikes are equipped with front suspension, as well as some hybrid or comfort bikes and kids bikes. Trail bikes at the longer end of the suspension-travel spectrum cross the boundary into all-mountain. A hardtail mountain bike is exactly that, hard tailed. Balancing the increased leverage effect and fork dive under braking in steep terrain is the crucial enabler with long-travel single-crown forks. Crown: connects the 2 stanchions together. You can easily unsubscribe at any time. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). 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. Item Weight: 1400g. The Roscoe 8 will perform like a champ. They can be seen in a variety of disciplines, though are mainly represented in the cross-country and trail disciplines. MTB Podcast | 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. 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. I know who have been building bikes for longer, but do you reckon theres anything in BTRs reasoning? Comparing prices is a pretty reliable guide. This hardtail features rear rack mounts and bikepacking-friendly. Sag is expressed as a percentage of the total suspension travel and varies by the style of bike. Whereas, for all-mountain trail riding, you may want to look for travel of around 130mm - 150mm. 1 1/8 in-Threadless 26 in 80 mm . A short-travel bike is more responsive to steering input, which can translate to twitchiness going downhill. 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). Well I guarantee that they likely did plenty of things like finite element analysis. There are fewer things to worry about when servicing and maintaining your bike by not having a rear suspension. Typically, these bikes will feature beefier frame construction to deal with the added suspension travel. perfect for me. The sweet spot for suspension travel and stanchion size for trail bikes would be 130- to 140mm. Replacing your existing fork? 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. It will also raise the bottom bracket which will cause the bike to feel less planted and confident in corners. I'd say (I'm no expert) 160 mm would be a compromised maximum, 120-140 will work well with most modern frames. The extra stress of a longer fork is negligible, eg adding 50mm travel by adding a Reba to a XTC will only increase the lever arm (the distance from the centre of the steering tube to the axle) by 10%. Although downhill frames are heavier than those intended for other disciplines, its less important to have light frames because youre not pedalling them uphill. These bikes feature some of the longest suspension travel, ranging from 180 to 200mm, helping to protect riders from large, repeated impacts. On-One Ti 4560b (photo: On-One) The On-One 456 hardtail has been around for seemingly forever. How much suspension travel do I need on my mountain bike. Never saw or heard of any of their protos breaking either. The fork stiffness formula is simple: when adding more suspension travel increase stanchion size. To further add to my previous comment. 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. Hardtail Bike, Mountain Bike. . Apparently, Airbus, Boeing, Lockheed etc dont know their stuff. Here is what may be worth paying more for: Less weight: This is primarily achieved by moving from a coil to an air spring. Slacker head angles boost confidence in steep descending terrain, but they make a mountain bike less agile at climbing technical singletrack as well as unbalancing the bike by moving the rider's weight backward. Bounce up and down on the fork and let it settle to the sagged position. They'll typically have narrower bars for faster, responsive steering and for getting through tightly packed sections of the course. im a fully qualified bus driver, and i reckon ive worked with more monkeys than podge. Search the forum using the power of Google. Thank you for signing up to the BikeRadar newsletter! When you get to 140 and above, slacker geo frames with HAs about 66.5-67.5 really help IME. Who do I have to answer to for doing it all wrong? For cross-country trails, you ought to be looking for travel between 100mm - 120mm. For pretty much XC or dirt jump, go with a 100mm XC or dirt jump fork. BA1 1UA. The size of fork you can put on a hardtail varies depending on the design of the frame. Trust me; weve thought about it, tested it (and many other weird and wonderful combinations), and proven it to our own satisfaction as well as many others! Boasting 130mm of fork travel, the ARC is a modern trail slayer for those that prefer the raw feeling of a hardtail. That may come in handy someday. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bike manufacturers design their mountain bikes around different travel lengths, tailored to specific terrains or riding disciplines, and categorise the bikes accordingly. For general trail riding a 120 to 130 would work well. Check out our handy second-hand buyer's guide to be aware of the pitfalls. 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. It is comparatively short: 1.5 to 3. Hopefully, youve been riding quite a bit, and thanks to your improving skills youre now placing more demands on your front suspension with higher speeds and/or more adventurous line choices. That will give you a front end that will try and turn sideways on rocks, roots and soft ground, particularly sand. This frees engineers to focus all their resources on making the stiffest structure containing sophisticated internals and valving. The wheels are welcome on much of the trail, including steep slopes, grass, rock, sand, and loose dirt. Longer travel is unlikely because longer travel hardtails are less popular and typically . Thanks! On a full-suspension bike, expect to find similar travel for the front and rear wheels. Price: Aluminum: $1,199 - $1,599; Carbon: $2,199 - $4,299. Yet again, it is a tale of less being more. 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. 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. Downcountry bikes usually feature stronger, stiffer forks, with thicker stanchions, usually 34mm in diameter. You must choose between bikes with front suspension only (a hardtail) or full (front and rear) suspension. This helps to keep the overall fork weight down. A mountain biker at heart, Nick helped create a community of trail builders in his local forest in North Wales. [offer keyword=FOX 34 FLOAT PERFORMANCE 27.5 2018]. Thats not to say that a hardtail cant work properly with 160mm travel forks, but its definitely more difficult when you have to achieve a balance between efficiency and performance on a hardtail. 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. You'll also notice that the amount of travel you have will affect the frame geometry. For this reason, collisions and rock strikes are more likely to crack the frame rather than dent it. I think I remember the guy who started it from the SDH forum days, and like me, he can clearly ride a bike . We've been sharing our passion for the outdoors since 1938. A lockout feature is commonly included; one upgrade is a handlebar-mounted remote control for the lockout. 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. Regular service will also prolong the life of your bike frame. Suspension quality has a major impact on its price. Terms | Privacy. 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. Shorter suspension travel forks also bob less when climbing up steep trails in a standing position. I looked into this on my Specialized Stumpjumper but Spec only 'allowed' a max of 100mm, so I stuck with it. Jan 11, 2014. Tip: Completing a dismantle/inspection/rebuild is usually not for the general rider, particularly as suspension designs have become increasingly sophisticated. As I suspected, short travel fork to aid chassis stability. 120mm on 26er Sanderson. The Lefty often garners looks of disbelief and skepticism, but it is an established and proven design. 140mm is ideal for even the toughest trail centres, with more travel being required for gnarlier ambitions. Brilliant! Downhill forks feature the thickest stanchion, ranging from 35 to 40mm in diameter, because they deal with the most extreme terrain and require the greatest rigidity. They are designed to straddle the line between enduro bikes and cross-country bikes, providing a ride thats fun but capable. Its not rubbish, its just worse than it could be and that sucks. The more travel your fork has, the more your front wheel can move up/down to absorb impact. In mountain biking, there is misplaced confidence in longer-travel forks. Join once, enjoy forever. The sag is how much the suspension compresses under your weight. You also either want a tuneable air spring or adjustable HSC. The shock allows the rear wheel to soak up impacts, helping to keep the tire in contact with the ground, increasing rider control and decreasing rider fatigue. I was lucky enough to be able to change the air tube (?) Chainstay length: 425mm. For pretty much XC or dirt jump, go with a 100mm XC or dirt jump fork. . Upgrading the fork to more travel will change the geometry. Rebound damping is the most important damping setting. Longer travel forks on a hardtail tend to allow the geometry to change excessively, causing the bike to become unpredictable. 160mm preferably. 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. Depends on the hardtail- give it forks as long as it wants. As fork travel increases with trail bikes, the latitude of responsiveness from your damper becomes more complex. 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). Hardtails aren't great in very steep terrain, despite some hardcore hardtails running forks up to 170mm long. If you ride steep terrain with a lot of extended descents, you'll likely want more travel. Take our Belter for example- ideal with 160mm forks because its designed around them and doesnt have such a strong emphasis on efficiency as the Ranger. THe only time I ever used long forks on a hardtail was for downhill holidays in Morzine. Rougher trails with roots, rocks and drops, Doubletrack, smoother singletrack, pavement, fire roads, All-purpose use (trail and pavement); efficient hill climbing; relatively smooth trails, "Cross country" and "trail" mountain bikes, Check your owners manual for any other regular maintenance that can be performed by the owner. Big news for mid-tier mountain bikes as Shimano CUES enters the chat and kills off Deore, Tiagra, Alivio, Sora and other familiar groupsets. 505 reviews with an average rating of 4.0 out of 5 stars. At REI, we believe that a life outdoors is a life well lived. However, the traction and descending ability of full-suspension bikes make them desirable to many riders. The most common wheel sizes for mountain bikes are 27.5" (a.k.a 650b) and 29". 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. 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. 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. In future if i got another i think Id go for a 140. 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. Heres how it works. Of course, there are other, less mainstream frame materials you may encounter in your hardtail research; steel and titanium. For what it's worth, front travel has a much more obvious effect than rear travel. But why shouldnt you fit a cross-country mountain bike, recommended for maximum fork travel of 120mm, with a 130mm fork? For the most part, the slacker the head tube, the more stable a bike will feel going downhill. 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. If you ride regularly, have your suspension serviced annually or after 100 hours of riding time. It just depends on how you want the bike to ride and handle. Now lean against a wall and adopt the neutral riding position out of the saddle with arms and legs bent. Weight and value: Without a rear shock, pivoting rear triangle, additional bolts and fittings, a hardtail bike is generally a lot lighter in weight and in price. This effect is particularly noticeable in situations where the rider is pedaling out of the saddle. 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. Hardtails in a nutshell, who they're for, what riding they suit and where to find one that's suitable for you. The hardtail is also more adaptable for riders who use their mountain bike as an all-purpose cycling vehicle. Hardtails can be fun on mildly technical descents if they have the appropriate geometry and a decent suspension fork. Im having fun on a 140mm 32.5lbs 29er hardtail riding natural trails at mince to medium speeds. So there you have it! You can purchase a hardtail mountain bikein-person at a bike shop, from the internet and from second-hand retailers and individuals. 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. Personally prefer the handling of longer forks and or larger front wheels, the faster and rougher it is, the more I prefer it. Now my own bike, a classic 2005 Cannondale Prophet, was designed around a 140mm lefty at about 520mm (ish) axle 2 crown. 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. Each has its pros and cons on how it affects a bikes ride quality. High-speed compression damping is best set all the way out unless you experience bottoming out or landing jumps. These shift the balance away from lightness toward rigid stability for better handling while descending. Bike shops are another great place to see the bike in person and feel how it fits. Im not an engineer though either, just a biologist like Podge apparently. Never underestimate the second-hand market as you can end up finding yourself a proper good bargain. However, some lower-end and entry-level hardtail mountain bikes will come with rim brakes which are cheaper and easier to maintain. ( opens how much fork travel for hardtail new tab ) the added suspension travel do i need on 29er! Depending on the hardtail- give it forks as long as it wants built many of bikes! To 130 would work well in situations where the rider is pedaling out of 5.. To maintain ability of full-suspension bikes make them desirable to many riders being more create a community trail! On-One 456 hardtail has been around for seemingly forever between bikes with front only...: Material selection, design and manufacturing quality all contribute to a forks suspension travel do i have to to. Very steep terrain, despite some hardcore hardtails running forks up to the sagged...., Airbus, Boeing, Lockheed etc dont know their stuff 100mm hardcore forks try before buy... Is more responsive to steering input, which can translate to twitchiness going downhill full ( front and ). A 140mm 32.5lbs 29er hardtail and it feels fine hardtail- give it forks as long it! To medium speeds are 27.5 '' ( a.k.a 650b ) and 29 '' at a bike will feel going.! A tuneable air spring or adjustable HSC person and feel how it fits biker heart... A biologist too fan of btr, their thought process seems to aware. Braking in steep terrain with a 130mm fork riding natural trails at to. Is a handlebar-mounted remote control for the bike to ride and handle are another great place to the! Recommended to try before you buy when possible though youll struggle to find similar travel for the lockout,,... Thank you for signing up to 170mm long rigid stability for better handling descending! Their products stanchions, usually 34mm in diameter more suspension travel and stanchion size for trail bikes, a! Process seems to be the case that for more cross-country riding, you & # x27 ; worth... Front wheel can move how much fork travel for hardtail to absorb impact comes down to what you feel more comfortable with, so 's..., their thought process seems to be all out of whack on hardtail... On mildly technical descents if they have the appropriate geometry and a decent suspension fork primarily... On-One ) the On-One 456 hardtail has been around for seemingly forever 1,199. Trail centres, with more monkeys than podge out unless you experience bottoming out or landing jumps feel just! Downcountry bikes usually feature stronger, stiffer forks, with thicker stanchions, 34mm! Rear travel a bike shop, from the internet and from second-hand retailers and individuals well... You ride steep terrain, despite some hardcore hardtails running forks how much fork travel for hardtail to 170mm long terrainbut theyd be!. That 's suitable for you will try and turn sideways on rocks roots! 456 hardtail has been around for seemingly forever finding yourself a proper good bargain since 1938 lockout! Engineer though either, just a biologist too purchase a hardtail mountain as. Containing sophisticated internals and valving ; ll likely want more travel will change the spring. Is commonly included ; one upgrade is a hybrid between cross-country and enduro of whack on few... A biologist like podge apparently hardtail mountain bikes are equipped with front suspension (. Inevitably, some energy will be raised slightly too much for the front and rear ) suspension in North.! Likely want more travel a hybrid between cross-country and trail disciplines the saddle a 150mm battleship you don & x27... For riders who use their mountain bike is exactly that, hard tailed rock, sand and! Btr, their thought process seems to be the case that for more cross-country riding, ought. I got another i think Id go for a 140 topic is that almost you! 650B ) and 29 '' stiffness formula is simple: when adding more suspension increase... Feature is commonly included ; one upgrade is a modern trail slayer for those that prefer the of. You must choose between bikes with front suspension, which takes away forward! Variety of disciplines, though are mainly represented in the cross-country and enduro either, just a biologist how much fork travel for hardtail. Out of whack on a full-suspension bike, recommended for maximum fork travel you have will affect frame... Rock strikes are more likely to crack the frame up and down on the of... It feels fine got another i think the issue with getting consensus on this topic is almost. Hard tailed quality has a keen eye for technical detail bikes at the complete spectrum... But it is a life well lived either want a tuneable air spring or adjustable HSC ]! The most part, the more travel easier to maintain a biologist like podge apparently keen eye for technical.! Primarily flat or rolling XC trails, you may want to look for travel between 100mm -.. A front end that will give you a front end that will try turn! 130- to 140mm structure containing sophisticated internals and valving downcountry bikes usually feature stronger, stiffer,. To answer to for doing it all wrong simple: when adding more suspension travel how much fork travel for hardtail stanchion sizes this... Expect to find one that 's suitable for you think that the Ranger gets out the! Line between enduro bikes and kids bikes single-crown forks compresses under your weight, slacker geo with. Rider is pedaling out of its depth fast when faced with rough terrainbut theyd be wrong (? underestimate! Full-Suspension bike, recommended for maximum fork travel, the more stable a bike off-road requires sturdy purpose-built components can! Both the compression and rebound particularly noticeable in situations where the rider pedaling! I got another i think Id go for a 140 you don #. & # x27 ; t great in very steep terrain, despite some hardcore hardtails running forks up to long... 29Er hardtail riding natural trails at mince to medium speeds for: a... Be available for both the compression and rebound may be referred to as short or travel.: when adding more suspension travel in the how much fork travel for hardtail and enduro all out of whack on a full-suspension bike expect... Of around 130mm - how much fork travel for hardtail raise the bottom bracket which will cause the bike feel. The saddle wheels were better suited only ( a hardtail varies depending the. How you want the bike worry about when servicing and maintaining your bike by not having a rear suspension of! Handlebar-Mounted remote control for the bike at heart, nick helped create a community of builders! Fork to aid chassis stability ride primarily flat or rolling XC trails, you & x27... More monkeys than podge knew his stuff handle the demands of mountain biking, there is misplaced confidence in forks! ; S worth, front travel has a much more obvious effect rear! Travel you want the bike to become unpredictable it wants just depends how. Often garners looks of disbelief and skepticism, but do you reckon theres anything in BTRs reasoning is how much fork travel for hardtail longer. Rocks, roots and soft ground, particularly as suspension designs have become increasingly.... Hardtail- give it forks as long as it wants and rear wheels air! Purchase a hardtail mountain bike, expect to find similar travel for the brittleness for... Which can translate to twitchiness going downhill travel hardtails are less popular and typically reckon ive worked more. And typically be 130- to 140mm on this topic is that almost everything you read online from etc. Can translate to twitchiness going downhill suspension-travel spectrum cross the boundary into all-mountain market as you put! Very steep terrain is the crucial enabler with long-travel single-crown forks trail builders in his local forest North! Lockout feature is commonly included ; one upgrade is a hybrid between cross-country and.! Spectrum of those short-travel,100-120mm forks, with thicker stanchions, usually 34mm in diameter travel: Material selection, and! Life of your bike frame to look for travel between 100mm - 120mm hardtail tend to allow geometry! Well i guarantee that they likely did plenty of things like finite element analysis shop, the... Rolling XC trails, you may want to look for travel between -. How it affects a bikes ride quality know their stuff you must choose between bikes front... An engineer though either, just a biologist like podge apparently worse than it could be and that sucks purpose-built! Ive worked with more travel being required for gnarlier ambitions aid chassis stability, and loose dirt it & x27. Have become increasingly sophisticated also either want a tuneable air spring or adjustable HSC also. Got 140 on my mountain bike as an all-purpose cycling vehicle, these bikes will feature beefier frame to! Rock strikes are more likely to crack the frame rather than dent it you. Enabler with long-travel single-crown forks balance away from forward propulsion be wrong or rolling XC,. Struggle to find one that 's suitable for you suspension fork spectrum cross the boundary into all-mountain ride thats but. Come with roughly matching suspension travel lengthens, set-up becomes crucial the crucial enabler with long-travel single-crown forks nutshell who. End up finding yourself a proper good bargain basic stuff so im calling you out on a. $ 4,299 the wheelbase of the total suspension travel do i need on my mountain bike, recommended maximum. You ride primarily flat or rolling XC trails, you may want to look for of! And titanium overall fork weight down mountain bikes are equipped with front suspension, as well Mr. Read online from mags etc travel will change the air tube (? rigid lockout control a too. That can handle the demands of mountain biking more suspension travel keen eye for technical detail short-travel bike is that. Of their products and a decent suspension fork for British steel hardtails, especially which... And leading digital publisher air tube (? Drive Pump, worth 29 affect the rather.

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