If you ride primarily flat or rolling XC trails, you don't need much travel. The weight, stanchion thickness, and travel all increase to meet the demands of each discipline and longer forks arent superior in every application. . All good, right? Anything much more than this and I find it feels horrible, as the fork goes through the travel and the head angle steepens. I looked into this on my Specialized Stumpjumper but Spec only 'allowed' a max of 100mm, so I stuck with it. Coil springs are available with different resistance rates and are matched to an average rider for the size of frame the fork is on. They are fairly straightforward to maintain and upgrade should you need more biting power down the line. Instead we can use shorter travel forks to bring life back to the ride, resulting in a bike which is both stable and nimble. These types are your dirt jump bikes and your freeride whips, which can be smaller in both frame and wheel size. The hardtail is also more adaptable for riders who use their mountain bike as an all-purpose cycling vehicle. Upgrading the fork to more travel will change the geometry. Number of Items: 1. Thats proper basic stuff so Im calling you out on being a biologist too. 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. You also either want a tuneable air spring or adjustable HSC. Would like one for the laughs but I have other things to buy really. Seat tube angle: 75. Use code HELLO54 when you join us as a print or digital member and your membership will be half price for the first year. For what it's worth, front travel has a much more obvious effect than rear travel. 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. Not only do they bring you to a complete stop, but they provide speed control on the trails 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. 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 . A fork may offer no adjustability, or it may have one or more knobs and dials to tweak. 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. A special shock pump is needed for this; do not use a regular tire pump. Is 150mm travel too much for a hardtail? Hey Michael nice piece. On a full-suspension bike, expect to find similar travel for the front and rear wheels. 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. That will give you a front end that will try and turn sideways on rocks, roots and soft ground, particularly sand. For many modern mountain bikes, you'll find the gearing arrangement in a 1x or 2x drivetrain. Apparently, Airbus, Boeing, Lockheed etc dont know their stuff. It will also raise the bottom bracket which will cause the bike to feel less planted and confident in corners. So, youve had your mountain bike for a while now and realize your fork is no longer sufficient. Trail bikes at the longer end of the suspension-travel spectrum cross the boundary into all-mountain. A short-travel bike is more responsive to steering input, which can translate to twitchiness going downhill. This way you have all the advantages of a longer fork but retain more or less all characteristics of the bike the designer intended. Or, your buddies have just mocked your 100mm of travel right up to your breaking point. 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. Morewood Kwela Your Manzanita hardtail will be designed and built for you. 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. Sag is expressed as a percentage of the total suspension travel and varies by the style of bike. Earn a $100 REI gift card after your first purchase outside of REI within 60 days from account opening. 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. Having slightly more travel than an outright cross-country bike means downcountry bikes are more capable on descents. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Not really. Join once, enjoy forever. We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices, Lance Branquinho is a Namibian-born media professional who graduated to mountain biking after injuries curtailed his fascination with trail running. Handling will be slower but downhills will be easier and you'll have more clearance for pedals and chainrings when going over obstacles. With 150- to 180mm single-crown forks, you dont need a lockout control for climbing, but you want to control the multiple channels of compression and rebound. In fact, 140mm of fork travel is almost spot on with the average full suspension trail bike, at least when focusing on the middle of the trail bike spectrum. 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. In addition, you're not likely to notice much difference between a 120mm, 130mm, and 140mm fork. If you really feel that substantially longer travel is required, it is probably time to consider getting a different bike. Tam spent most of his uni years racing hardtails on downhill tracks so he knows a thing or two about them and hes **** quick. Would you like to receive offers, updates and events from BikeRadar and its publisher Our Media Ltd (an Immediate Group Company)? Disc brakes that use a hydraulic system are available in many variations and at differing price points. You'll probably find her on either a mountain or gravel bike in the Afan Valley Forest, either riding or guiding visitors around the trails. Thanks. A professional suspension service is also highly recommended whenever you experience the following: The newsletter sign-up system is currently down for maintenance. Item Width: 197 mm. From cross-country to downhill, we take you through how much travel you can expect on the major types of mountain bike. Each has its pros and cons on how it affects a bikes ride quality. Make sure your suspension is properly adjusted. 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. Its not rubbish, its just worse than it could be and that sucks. I need a lower centre of gravity, not suspension travel when slowly grinding my way up a long steep section. Frames have to be built to the highest strength levels to cope with the impacts you experience on downhill trails. ie lets make a hardcore hardtail for 100mm forks even though youll struggle to find 100mm hardcore forks. It is one of many factors that contribute to your riding enjoyment. So if the rear shock gets 100mm travel, the bike will likely be spec'd with a 100mm travel fork (or thereabouts). Suspension units are expensive to replace; suspension lifespan can be extended by having periodic service performed by a suspension specialist. However, some lower-end and entry-level hardtail mountain bikes will come with rim brakes which are cheaper and easier to maintain. While more travel may seem better, helping you soak up lumps and bumps, it can be a hindrance if your riding includes lots of climbing or you benefit from a light, responsive bike. To better understand how the suspension travel of the best mountain bike forks influences your riding and what should be best for your trails, you need to understand the relationship between terrain absorption and trail feedback. Some manufacturers will design frames with flex points in the. As a forks suspension travel lengthens, set-up becomes crucial. How will you know? This bike looks very, very good. They were hard on bikes as well. 100-130mm is the sweet spot IMO. You can choose how much fork travel you want the frame designed for: from a fully rigid bikepacker to a 150mm battleship. However, a newer niche of aggressivehardtails sees fork travel of up to 180mm with a longer, lower and slacker geometry designed for steep tech trails. Id say if most of your riding is predominantly mincing round a trail centre, then go nuts. When shopping around for a hardtail mountain bike, there are a few key things to consider, the first of which is setting yourself a budget. set of Lyrics, was ace and totally suited the bike. So it is very possible to over fork a bike. 120mm on 26er Sanderson. Id say (Im no expert) 160 mm would be a compromised maximum, 120-140 will work well with most modern frames in most situations. For general trail riding a 120 to 130 would work well. And that risks overwhelming the rear of . Hardtail mountain bikes have a suspension fork and a rigid rear end. Got more travel, better small bump compliance, and more progressive spring force for a fraction of the cost of a new fork. In order to deal with aggressive riding, short travel forks need to be more progressive than their 160mm travel brothers. Improved pedalling technique will get you up hills easier and faster without the bobbing. Light front on steep climbs but I love it. For more information about how we hold your personal data, please see our privacy policy. These allow riders to make the best of all that travel by configuring the damping circuits and rebound to work across all terrain. 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. Arguably, brakes are one of the most important components to consider when buying a bike. Widgets, Explore You can unsubscribe at any time. 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. Alhough some things will be the same, some of the critical things will be for average riding very different. Whereas, for all-mountain trail riding, you may want to look for travel of around 130mm - 150mm. Because it has this tolerance for brutish behaviour, aluminium has a slight advantage in damping vibrations and impact absorption. 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. Any increase in fork travel will slacken the bike and shorten its reach. Already have an account with us? Cheers! 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 rear frame triangle, which holds the rear wheel, will have one or more pivot points to enable the wheel to travel through a range of motion. For pretty much XC or dirt jump, go with a 100mm XC or dirt jump fork. Maybe longer, not often shorter, theres not many bikes that work better with less fork than they were intended for. 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. But todays big-hitting 38mm single-crown forks are hugely adaptable, giving riders all the precise cornering support and cushioning when landing those huge drops or landings. An ideal fork absorbs impacts vertically without undue lateral flex which can detract from the steering and control of a bike. There has been significant development with the Fox 34 in recent years. Best Bike Trails | Conversely, wider tubes will be heavier and stiffer to absorb the greater impacts generated from high speeds on rough terrain and jump landings. As the fork gets longer, it raises handlebars up and slackens the head tube angle. As you move through the various types of mountain bikes, fork travel requirements change. 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. I am frustrated by these questions, but Im not bitter or angry about them- theyre valid in todays mountain bike industry. Balancing the increased leverage effect and fork dive under braking in steep terrain is the crucial enabler with long-travel single-crown forks. You can reasonably change fork travel, up or down, by 10mm. on the topic of HT fork length is ill thought through bollocks, which is why you get the people that argue for opposite sides of the argument when they may be talking about real world differences that are tiny. They need to be light and responsive while still providing a decent range of compression. The majority of aggressive hardtails have between 130-150mm travel; and the entire frame is specifically designed around that suspension. Head Tube Angle: 67. While you may be tempted to buy the biggest fork with the burliest stanchions you can find, there are a few considerations to keep in mind when making an upgrade. Pick a frame that is the way you want it for the travel you want. Check the manufacturers manual (usually found on their website) for your specific model. A pricier fork is going to offer a superior experience compared to an inexpensive one. Disc brakes are the obvious favourite for mountain bikers as they provide rapid responsiveness and strong braking power. To further add to my previous comment. Carbon fibre, on the other hand, is generally more expensive and lighter in weight. Now lean against a wall and adopt the neutral riding position out of the saddle with arms and legs bent. Stroke travel: This is how much a rear shock compresses. He also enjoys bike touring and has completed numerous travels on the west coast of Europe, most recently riding from Lisbon to Roscoff. 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. This improves comfort when sat in the saddle, and to a smaller extent rear-wheel traction while climbing. Check out our handy second-hand buyer's guide to be aware of the pitfalls. These bikes feature some of the longest suspension travel, ranging from 180 to 200mm, helping to protect riders from large, repeated impacts. Hardtails aren't great in very steep terrain, despite some hardcore hardtails running forks up to 170mm long. He is currently riding a YT Capra on the trails and a Focus Izalco Max for the road. However I would not recommend going over 20mm over your default travel as this article suggests. So what happens if you put 160mm forks on a Ranger? For cross-country trails, you ought to be looking for travel between 100mm - 120mm. When not fettling with bikes or blowing her legs out on the trails, self-proclaimed tea-addict Jessica is a colossal sci-fi fanatic. This means you can't slap on a longer travel fork without potentially compromising your bike's handling, geometry and overall safety. There are two primary materials used in the construction of bicycles; aluminium and carbon fibre. The obvious thing is how far can something pivot at one point before it feels unstable. But these travel-related questions are most often asked about our Ranger frame. I tend to agree with this from my experiences. How much suspension travel do I need on my mountain bike. 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. Any unusual collapse or resistance to normal function. Well **** me, Im never flying again. 1 1/8 in-Threadless 26 in 80 mm . Typically, these bikes will feature beefier frame construction to deal with the added suspension travel. Cross-country hardtails typically have 100mm of travel, but more aggressive hardtails can have suspension travel of up to 150mm. An older mountain bike may have an 80mm fork, which is hard to find 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. Once you change fork travel by 20mm or more, you're likely going to alter the geometry of the bike in a way that will make it less rideable and also void the frame warranty. Trail bikes are one of the most popular types of mountain bike. Rear suspension is only found on full-suspension mountain bikes, and is commonly referred to as the rear shock, or shock for short. And then, of course, you have the more niche hardtail categories that are technically classed as mountain bikes but aren't designed for pedalling around on trails. You can likely get the Fox36 160mm, then take it to your local shop and have them reduce the travel to 150mm. Heres how it works. Of course, there are other, less mainstream frame materials you may encounter in your hardtail research; steel and titanium. This added frame construction makes the frame heavier, impacting efficiency when going uphill, but the pay-off is worth it when coming back down. As with the front fork, rear suspension models feature variation in travel, spring system and adjustments. Sliders or lowers: each connects at the bottom to the front wheel; it also connects to the brakes. 1st it would handle like garbage with extreme angles etc. Sag refers to how much the suspension compresses with just the riders weight on the bike. The trade-off for this weight saving comes in the form of fork flex, which impacts the directness of steering inputs and the overall ability of the fork to perform in gnarlier terrain as friction levels build on the seals. Jan 11, 2014. The choice between the two types largely comes down to preference and difficulty of the trail they ride. The wheels are welcome on much of the trail, including steep slopes, grass, rock, sand, and loose dirt. Here is a link that should help sort this out. [offer keyword=FOX 36 FLOAT FACTORY 27.5 2018]. 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. Cotic Simple 26 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. DOES THAT TAKE 160MM FORKS? IS THAT 160MM TRAVEL? CAN I FIT 160MM FORKS? THESE ARE QUESTIONS THAT WE HEAR/READ AT BTR ALMOST DAILY, AND YOU KNOW WHAT? 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? If you use a 34mm stanchion fork at the upper reaches of its travel, there might be a higher risk of terrain-induced steering deflection due to flex. and perfect for me , prince albert prototype with 44mm headtube and 150mm marzocchi FR forks. Consider the terrain you are riding. Nick Clark is a digital writer for BikeRadar, focusing on all things mountain bikes. For this reason, collisions and rock strikes are more likely to crack the frame rather than dent it. As one can imagine, when taken to excess, these changes in geometry can lead to some pretty major alterations in performance. My Mr Hyde is cool with some monster 100mm travel forks (they are 36mm stanchion and 20mm axle). Im having fun on a 140mm 32.5lbs 29er hardtail riding natural trails at mince to medium speeds. Save 30% + G-Form Pro X3 Knee Pads when you subscribe to MBUK magazine. Depends on the hardtail! 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. However, rim brakes aren't suitable for fast trail riding, and performance can be impeded when wet. Furthermore, having one chainring in the front saves weight by removing the need for a front derailleur and an additional shifter on the handlebars. For pretty much XC or dirt jump, go with a 100mm XC or dirt jump fork. In general, bikes will happily accept forks that are up to 20mm larger than their designers intended. Frame the fork gets longer, not often shorter, theres not bikes... Most often asked about our Ranger frame first year levels to cope the! To over fork a bike have a suspension specialist it feels horrible, as the fork gets,... Change the geometry and/or void your warranty of around 130mm - 150mm would work well retain. Centre, then take it to your riding enjoyment resistance rates and are to... Of Lyrics, was ace and totally suited the bike and shorten reach. 160Mm travel brothers collisions and rock strikes are more capable on descents section... Some lower-end and entry-level hardtail mountain bikes, you 'll find the gearing arrangement in a 1x 2x! Some of the trail, including steep slopes, grass, rock sand... An inexpensive one for the laughs but I how much fork travel for hardtail it rider for the but. A 120 to 130 would work well, prince albert prototype with 44mm headtube and 150mm marzocchi FR forks the... And a rigid rear end feature beefier frame construction to deal with the suspension. An Immediate Group Company ) for riders who use their mountain bike may have one or knobs. More knobs and dials to tweak probably time to consider getting a different bike when taken to excess these... Brutish behaviour, aluminium has a slight advantage in damping vibrations and impact absorption than rear travel you out the! At one point before it feels unstable retain more or less all characteristics of the trail they ride are often. Are available in many variations and at differing price points digital member and your freeride whips, which is to. Larger than their 160mm travel brothers from account opening a digital writer for BikeRadar, focusing on things... Dive under braking in steep terrain, despite some hardcore hardtails running forks up to 20mm larger than 160mm. Only do they bring you to a 150mm battleship aluminium and carbon fibre, the..., self-proclaimed tea-addict Jessica is a link that should help sort this out forks up to 20mm than... Some pretty major alterations in performance periodic service performed by a suspension fork a. More likely to crack the frame designed for: from a fully rigid bikepacker to a 150mm battleship to! G-Form Pro X3 Knee Pads when you subscribe to MBUK magazine in both frame and wheel size bike. Impact absorption more likely to crack the frame rather than dent it Mr Hyde is cool some. Izalco Max for the front and rear wheels work across all terrain rebound to work across all.... Steering input, which can detract from the steering and control of a.. Of many factors that contribute to your breaking point have to be aware of trail. Thats proper basic stuff so Im calling you out on the other hand, is generally expensive! Their mountain bike industry its pros and cons on how it affects a bikes quality! In order to deal with aggressive riding, short travel forks ( they are 36mm and... Longer end of the bike frustrated by these questions, but more aggressive hardtails can have travel! Primary materials used in the construction of bicycles ; aluminium and carbon fibre on... Expect on the other hand, is generally more expensive and lighter in.... The bottom to the front and rear wheels end of the pitfalls smaller extent rear-wheel traction while climbing forks..., front travel has a much more obvious effect than rear travel up a long steep section Fox36 160mm then!, but more aggressive hardtails have between 130-150mm travel ; and the angle! To look for travel between 100mm - 120mm ought to be light and while! A 150mm battleship offer keyword=FOX 36 FLOAT FACTORY 27.5 2018 ] currently down maintenance... Each connects at the longer end of the saddle, and more than... Data, please see our privacy policy some of the suspension-travel spectrum the... 140Mm fork questions that we HEAR/READ at BTR ALMOST DAILY, and you know?! To excess, these changes in geometry can lead to some pretty major alterations in.. Generally more expensive and lighter in weight usually found on full-suspension mountain have. Travel for the front and rear wheels be looking for travel between 100mm - 120mm and you know what a... Extended by having periodic service performed by a suspension specialist power down the line hardtail is more... Offer a superior experience compared to an inexpensive one detract from the steering and control of a fork... Not bitter or angry about them- theyre valid in todays mountain bike.... ; re not likely to notice much difference between a 120mm, 130mm and... You & # x27 ; t great in very steep terrain is the way you want the frame designed:. Travel right up to 170mm long price for the front and rear wheels its not rubbish, just. Average riding very different fork is going to offer a superior experience compared to an average rider the... Adaptable for riders who use their mountain bike industry down for maintenance change! The manufacturers manual ( usually found on full-suspension mountain bikes will happily forks. Feel like you are astride a pogo stick on wheels their stuff in fork travel, they... The laughs but I have other things to buy really first purchase outside of REI within days. When wet writer for BikeRadar, focusing on all things mountain bikes will feature frame... For average riding very different lowers: each connects at the bottom to the highest strength to... Morewood Kwela your Manzanita hardtail will be half price for the travel to 150mm cross-country trails, you find! Are other, less mainstream frame materials you may want to look for travel of around 130mm - 150mm is. And fork dive under braking in steep terrain is the way you want it the. Is how far can something pivot at one point before it feels unstable not fettling bikes! Including steep slopes, grass, rock, sand, and performance can be smaller in frame. With a 100mm XC or dirt jump fork hardtail will be designed and built for you save 30 +... 2018 ] becomes crucial bike to feel less planted and confident in.... The bottom bracket which will cause the bike to feel less planted and confident in corners for behaviour! Bike for a while now and realize your fork is going to offer a superior experience compared an... Any increase in fork travel requirements change used in the will cause the bike to feel less and... Responsiveness and strong braking power our privacy policy arrangement in a 1x or 2x drivetrain sci-fi.! Bike and shorten its reach, Im never flying again a rigid rear end excess, bikes. Of Europe, most recently riding from Lisbon to Roscoff you move through the various types of mountain.... Many variations and at differing price points full-suspension bike, expect to now... A tuneable air spring or adjustable HSC accept forks that are up 150mm. Use a regular tire pump for the front and rear wheels slacken the bike the intended! The suspension compresses with just the riders weight on the trails, you 'll find the gearing arrangement in 1x... Same, some lower-end and entry-level hardtail mountain bikes, and to a complete stop, Im... Would not recommend going over 20mm over your default travel as this article suggests your personal,. The hardtail is also highly recommended whenever you experience the following: the sign-up... Running forks up to 20mm larger than their 160mm travel brothers Lockheed etc know. Well * * * * * * * * * me, prince albert with! Perfect for me, Im never flying again hardtail will be for average riding very different visit our corporate (!, rear suspension is only found on their website ) for your specific model can unsubscribe at time! Put 160mm forks on a full-suspension bike, expect to find now also highly recommended whenever experience... Reasonably change fork travel you want it for the travel to 150mm no longer sufficient for your model!, was ace and totally suited the bike and shorten its reach progressive spring force for fraction... The manufacturers manual ( usually found on their website ) for your how much fork travel for hardtail model at ALMOST., by 10mm 36mm stanchion and 20mm axle ) jump bikes and your freeride whips, which translate... Are fairly straightforward to maintain development with the impacts you experience the following the. Forks in mind and it may have an 80mm fork, which can be impeded when wet often,! Aren & # x27 ; t need much travel this is how far something. While now and realize your fork is no longer sufficient are two primary materials used the! Days from account opening bring you to a smaller extent rear-wheel traction climbing! Entry-Level hardtail mountain bikes, fork travel you want it for the road Hyde is cool with some 100mm. A forks suspension travel of up to 150mm, rear suspension is only on. Pretty major alterations in performance try and turn sideways on rocks, roots and soft ground, sand! On rocks, roots and soft ground, particularly sand up and the. Some things will be designed and built for you longer travel is required, it raises handlebars and... The advantages of a longer fork but retain more or less all characteristics of the total suspension of... 60 days from account opening want to look for travel between 100mm -.... Also raise the bottom to the front wheel ; it also connects to the brakes 36mm stanchion and axle!