You can choose how much fork travel you want the frame designed for: from a fully rigid bikepacker to a 150mm battleship. Wow, great piece of information Brian about possibly lengthening ones current fork. About Us | THe only time I ever used long forks on a hardtail was for downhill holidays in Morzine. A move like that may also void the frame manufacturer's warranty since they didn't intend for riders to write gnarly 160mm checks that their frames can't cash. The more travel your fork has, the more your front wheel can move up/down to absorb impact. A hardtail mountain bike is exactly that, hard tailed. 80mm - 100mm Travel: "Cross Country" Bikes. I use a quick tiedown strap around the front axle and the top of the stanchions to 1/2 compress the longer front suspension, on the long ugly steep climbs. I made mullet out of my 650b canyon torque with same 180mm travel 29er fork and the bike run like a beast. 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? 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. I know who have been building bikes for longer, but do you reckon theres anything in BTRs reasoning? It is comparatively short: 1.5 to 3. . You also either want a tuneable air spring or adjustable HSC. I have another hard tail that came with/was designed for 120,when I first serviced the forks I put them to 130 and in my mind at least ,I now ride like a god. 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. We recommend that a trail fork ideally have 34mm stanchions, at 130-140mm, for a 29er - possibly, up to 150mm, for the smaller 27.5in wheel size. Bikes can quickly become more and more expensive when you begin looking at higher-end components and brands, so it's best to set yourself a spending limit. Weight isnt a big issue for downhill bikes, so the added heft is worth the trade-off for the performance gains. Such adjustable travel lets you adjust to shorter travel for climbs and less rough trails. Which is not quite as well as Mr Taylforth, I imagine you ride better than I do; I no longer bother , Also, with longer forks, you need to fit dual ply tyres and strong/heavy wheels to really cope with the damage. Hardtail mountain bikes are also well-represented in cross-country, because rigid frames allow for the highest pedalling efficiency. Not sure how that can be accurate. Trail bikes at the longer end of the suspension-travel spectrum cross the boundary into all-mountain. Too many compromises IMHO. They are fairly straightforward to maintain and upgrade should you need more biting power down the line. 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. That said it went uphill more easily than my old 130mm equipped Cove Stiffees. My old/vintage Trailstar would be awful with any more than the 80mm on it right now. The 120mm of travel in the front fork and beefy, 2.8-inch tires on a set of 27.5-inch wheels soak up any big hits or impacts. For pretty much XC or dirt jump, go with a 100mm XC or dirt jump fork. The added weight a battery and motor bring means frames as well as components have to be engineered to cope with the extra weight and contribute even more weight to the bike in the process. Heres how it works. However, rim brakes aren't suitable for fast trail riding, and performance can be impeded when wet. 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. The bike has a max spec of 530mm a2c. So it is very possible to over fork a bike. 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. 100MM Fork Travel. We'll send you a few emails every week. Alhough some things will be the same, some of the critical things will be for average riding very different. Shorter suspension travel forks also bob less when climbing up steep trails in a standing position. Although downhill frames are heavier than those intended for other disciplines, its less important to have light frames because youre not pedalling them uphill. 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. 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. Hitting 3' drops is like hitting a root, they are so . What is 100mm travel in fork? The more travel your fork has, the more your front wheel can move up/down to absorb impact. The sag is how much the suspension compresses under your weight. 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%. Handling will be slower but downhills will be easier and you'll have more clearance for pedals and chainrings when going over obstacles. Rides: What do you make of those rear post mounts Tom? Is 150mm travel too much for a hardtail? 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. They were hard on bikes as well. This effect is particularly noticeable in situations where the rider is pedaling out of the saddle. 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. Just enter your email address below to get started. Ive got 140 on my 29er hardtail and it feels fine. He also enjoys bike touring and has completed numerous travels on the west coast of Europe, most recently riding from Lisbon to Roscoff. Would you like to receive offers, updates and events from BikeRadar and its publisher Our Media Ltd (an Immediate Group Company)? As a result, enduro bikes have to perform well on technical descents while providing a decent pedalling platform to get you to the top of the trail in good time. 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. 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. These bikes usually have 120mm or less of fork travel and relatively steep headtube angles (around 66-70 degrees). If you ride primarily flat or rolling XC trails, you don't need much travel. For this reason, collisions and rock strikes are more likely to crack the frame rather than dent it. We've looked at what hardtail bikes are and who rides them, but why choose one? Less flexibility in the fork will mean more direct steering input, making the bike feel more planted through the rough stuff. I think I remember the guy who started it from the SDH forum days, and like me, he can clearly ride a bike . Longer travel forks on a hardtail tend to allow the geometry to change excessively, causing the bike to become unpredictable. 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. The fork stiffness formula is simple: when adding more suspension travel increase stanchion size. Hardtail enduro bikes will have bigger front suspension forks that supply 140-180mm of travel. Hence, you end up with a bike weighing more than a full susser, and its not much fun to ride unless youre going very fast down a hill. For AM to light Free ride a 140 to 160mm fork would be the ticket. However, hardtail bikes aren't just for beginner mountain bikers. They'll typically have narrower bars for faster, responsive steering and for getting through tightly packed sections of the course. 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. 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. 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. Build quality: High-end models have superior technical design and construction and offer a longer life with regular maintenance and servicing. 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. 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. Whether it's a drivetrain, wheelset or handlebars, some variations are best suited for specific needs, like road, gravel and off-road. Start with 20 to 25 per cent of the fork's travel so, if you fork has 100mm of travel, it . This added frame construction makes the frame heavier, impacting efficiency when going uphill, but the pay-off is worth it when coming back down. Reynolds 853 Steel Frame. 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. So if you like the geo at 120mm, dont then stick 150s on it. Excessive oil leak onto the stanchions around the top of the sliders. Residing in the valleys of South Wales, Jessica Strange is our editor atoff.road.cc. ie lets make a hardcore hardtail for 100mm forks even though youll struggle to find 100mm hardcore forks. Anyone can join and everyone belongs. off-road.cc Editorial and general enquiries: info@off-road.cc Also think about the style of riding youll do is it casual youre after or do you want to race it? Let me expand. A longer wheelbase has the same effect. Tam spent most of his uni years racing hardtails on downhill tracks so he knows a thing or two about them and hes **** quick. 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. Using less suspension travel than other mountain bikes means cross-country bikes can be built with a lighter frame construction because less reinforcement is needed to deal with the lower frame articulation. Its not the same bike. Personally prefer the handling of longer forks and or larger front wheels, the faster and rougher it is, the more I prefer it. just wrong, but its a lot of fun ! If you tried to put a 160mm fork on a short travel 100mm xc race bike it would be bad. That has changed with the popularity of downcountry and there are now 120mm forks that have much stiffer crowns. Havent ridden a 650b ht myself but Id say 140mm is about right for 26in and 120mm for 29in. Im a graduate zoo keeper, I know a hell of a lot more about monkeys than you. (New annually renewing membership only. An air-sprung unit not holding air and losing all travel. The concept of the long travel hardtail is pretty well established too. This way you have all the advantages of a longer fork but retain more or less all characteristics of the bike the designer intended. Hardtail bikes are lighter than full-suspension mountain bikes, more affordable and more suited for lower-graded trails, which will help teach you the skills and confidence necessary for progression later on. 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! It will not be exact but it will come close. Hardtails can be fun on mildly technical descents if they have the appropriate geometry and a decent suspension fork. 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. However, with shorter travel than trail bikes, they still offer greater pedalling efficiency than burlier bikes. Neither it helps to see any inscriptions on the fork. Adjustments: Similar to the front suspension, adjustment options depend on the model. 150mm 650b Revs on my 26 Transam. 2. These bikes feature some of the longest suspension travel, ranging from 180 to 200mm, helping to protect riders from large, repeated impacts. For what it's worth, front travel has a much more obvious effect than rear travel. Benefits include great gear offers, special pricing on events and an annual Co-op Member Rewardfor life. Cross-country forks can work with narrower 30-32mm stanchions because the upper tubes arent exposed to much leverage. 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. Try it you might like it, be warned, going back to the stock setup might not feel so good afterwards. He is currently riding a YT Capra on the trails and a Focus Izalco Max for the road. For pretty much XC or dirt jump, go with a 100mm XC or dirt jump fork. Disc brakes that use a hydraulic system are available in many variations and at differing price points. Be sure to read this entire article to stay safe and avoid any surprises. In mountain biking, there is misplaced confidence in longer-travel forks. 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. However I would not recommend going over 20mm over your default travel as this article suggests. Putting a 160mm fork on a hardtail designed for 100mm of travel will drastically alter the design, so you should think about it carefully before you commit. Avoid bikes . Is 120mm travel enough for downhill? You can easily unsubscribe at any time. So Im idly pondering hardtails frames, looking at Curtis and BTR more than any others. Wheel Size: 29". Depends on the hardtail- give it forks as long as it wants. I want to explain why, not so much for my own gain, but for the good of any mountain bike consumers who actually read this. 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. 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. See Basic Suspension Setup later in this article. Dual crown forks have much more travel than single crown forks. Im not an engineer though either, just a biologist like Podge apparently. There would be enormous flex issues if you were to produce a single-crown fork at 200mm of travel and ride it down very steep and technical terrain. 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. This bike looks very, very good. We then go on to provide a more detailed look at how suspension works. 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. Bikes are being given more and more suspension travel as materials, manufacturing and spring/damping technologies improve, and little BTR is standing firm against the tide. 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. 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). Earn a $100 REI gift card after your first purchase outside of REI within 60 days from account opening. You can purchase a hardtail mountain bikein-person at a bike shop, from the internet and from second-hand retailers and individuals. Differences: The most common type of front suspension is the fork. It is comprised of 2 struts that connect the front wheel to the frames head tube. These 120mm (or 100mm) forks also keep the bike responsive, efficient and nimble. perfect for me. A mountain biker at heart, Nick helped create a community of trail builders in his local forest in North Wales. If you are interested: maybe talk to bike-discount.de or send . The Lefty often garners looks of disbelief and skepticism, but it is an established and proven design. Apparently, Airbus, Boeing, Lockheed etc dont know their stuff. This issue has been largely addressed through design advances and a selection of 2 or 3 settings for ascending, descending or general riding. RockShox has reacted too with its latest Pike range, blending 35mm stanchions with low fork weight. Fork travel on hardtails how much is too much? A special shock pump is needed for this; do not use a regular tire pump. . An upgrade option for some forks is a handlebar-mounted lever to remotely control the lockout via a cable. Its not rubbish, its just worse than it could be and that sucks. It used to be the case that for more cross-country riding, the larger 29 wheels were better suited. Jump Bikes Never underestimate the second-hand market as you can end up finding yourself a proper good bargain. Single-crown fork design has had to go longer, with the best enduro mountain bikes now ripping down terrain once reserved for downhill rigs. This improves comfort when sat in the saddle, and to a smaller extent rear-wheel traction while climbing. The fork legs, also known as stanchions, vary in length, which is called travel and is often measured in millimetres. Already have an account with us? Having raced XC for most of his youth, he has a deep understanding of the sport and loves bounding around the UK to spectate at events. Ive put longer travel forks on nearly every MTB Ive owned and never had bad handling habits or broken frames (hard tails, dual suspension, aluminium and carbon). Thats what hardtails are all about imo. The valve may be either at the top of a stanchion or at the bottom of a slider. I looked into this on my Specialized Stumpjumper but Spec only 'allowed' a max of 100mm, so I stuck with it. So there you have it! This frees engineers to focus all their resources on making the stiffest structure containing sophisticated internals and valving. Id get battered half to death by the Ranger with a 100mm fork. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. 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. A professional suspension service is also highly recommended whenever you experience the following: The newsletter sign-up system is currently down for maintenance. Complete bike, Radon Cragger, 29er, 130 mm, long and slack trail hardtail starts from 1,2 k GBP. Stanchions: each travels in and out of the sliders; internal workings consist of a spring or air chamber, damper rod, oil, valves. More sag equals a softer ride. It usually comes down to what you feel more comfortable with, so it's highly recommended to try before you buy when possible. off-road.cc is dedicated to bringing you the best coverage of all off-road riding, Our sister site for road bikes road.cc While the 27.5" wheel is lighter; of course, but can also be more nimble for technical riding. Now my own bike, a classic 2005 Cannondale Prophet, was designed around a 140mm lefty at about 520mm (ish) axle 2 crown. A fork may offer no adjustability, or it may have one or more knobs and dials to tweak. In future if i got another i think Id go for a 140. So if the rear shock gets 100mm travel, the bike will likely be spec'd with a 100mm travel fork (or thereabouts). Too much travel can also dull the feedback of your trail bike. The Ranger gains its stability from its geometry, so it doesnt need much travel to keep it planted. Electric bikes can be categorised by the other disciplines featured in this article and will tend to feature the travel of that discipline. Of course with the ones I keep looking at you can have custom sizing and geometry, so its not quite as easy as fit what its designed for. MTB Podcast | set of Lyrics, was ace and totally suited the bike. If I put a 180mm single crown on it at 570mm (ish) a2c then it may fail as well as generally handle like shit. For general trail riding a 120 to 130 would work well. Mr__Rogerss 3 yr. ago Buy the best forks you can. 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. The most common wheel sizes for mountain bikes are 27.5" (a.k.a 650b) and 29". Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). This adds more torsional stiffness to the fork, helping to keep steering inputs direct through the toughest terrain and providing strength for big impacts. The Roscoe 8 will perform like a champ. ie lets make a hardcore hardtail for 100mm forks even though youll struggle to find 100mm hardcore forks. So what happens if you put 160mm forks on a Ranger? Downhill bikes are designed for, you guessed it, riding downhill. Thanks! Cheers! Support Us | Instead, they turn to major suspension brands such as Fox, RockShox, Marzocchi, Manitou, DT Swiss, SR Suntour and X-Fusion to outfit their bikes. IMBA Epics | Search the forum using the power of Google. Nope, thats not a contradiction of terms! You can afford some knocks, dinks and collisions without severely affecting the structural integrity of the frame. As with the front fork, rear suspension models feature variation in travel, spring system and adjustments. 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. Enter your email for the top stories in mountain biking, plus product picks and deals delivered to your inbox each week. Electric mountain bikes are heavy, even compared to downhill bikes. Folks interested in adding a bit of travel up front can also do some research to see if their existing fork can be lengthened. 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. This refers to the amount of distance the suspension will move before it is fully compressed. 150mm on my c456. Bath As for longer travel suspension creating a larger bobbing effect then start working on your pedalling technique, instead of expecting the bike to compensate for your faults. Nick also loves road cycling, where he has completed the holy trinity of spectating at all three grand tours in their host countries. Also, with longer forks, you need to fit dual ply tyres and strong/heavy wheels to really cope with the damage. Im not a fan of btr, their thought process seems to be all out of whack on a few of their products. 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. Mountain Bike Deals, Copyright 2023 Blue Spruce Ventures LLC | 120mm on 26er Sanderson. Most dirt jump specific forks are only 100mm. It will also raise the bottom bracket which will cause the bike to feel less planted and confident in corners. The weight, stanchion thickness, and travel all increase to meet the demands of each discipline and longer forks arent superior in every application. Ribble launches two brand new hardtails for 2021, How to choose the best dropper post for your mountain bike, Your complete guide to Shimano mountain bike drivetrains, Your ultimate guide to bicycle frame materials, Your complete guide to the RockShox fork range, Your complete guide to the Ohlins fork range, Your complete guide to SRAM mountain bike disc brakes, Your complete guide to Shimano mountain bike disc brakes, Your complete guide to SRAM mountain bike drivetrains, Your complete guide to Shimano mountain bikedrivetrains, 5 Reasons you should have a hardtail in your fleet, The best hardtails and full-suspension bikes for around 1,500, Shimano CUES integrates mid-tier groupsets into one, Crankbrothers adds the Mallet Trail to the pedal range, Mondraker Dusty - the mountain biker's gravel bike. BA1 1UA. Disc brakes are the obvious favourite for mountain bikers as they provide rapid responsiveness and strong braking power. 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. That will give you a front end that will try and turn sideways on rocks, roots and soft ground, particularly sand. Hard tails being generally used for less violent activities, so very long travel may be detrimental to that demographic who would typically not need so much travel, and possible extra bounce it brings and favor a lighter more agile build? Im a policeman, so congratulations on coming second . Just like the Chromag, the On-One has gotten a refresh in recent years with slightly larger wheels than the original. You'll also notice that the amount of travel you have will affect the frame geometry. Raise your voice in the movement to protect and share life outdoors. Steel the big line. It depends totally on your riding style and the intended use. If you cant do either of these on your choice of air fork, walk away. Nick has built many of his bikes from the frame up and has a keen eye for technical detail. Suspension units are expensive to replace; suspension lifespan can be extended by having periodic service performed by a suspension specialist. 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. This hardtail features rear rack mounts and bikepacking-friendly. Cross-country hardtails typically have 100mm of travel, but more aggressive hardtails can have suspension travel of up to 150mm. Frames have to be built to the highest strength levels to cope with the impacts you experience on downhill trails. 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. They are also popular when it comes to budget mountain bikes because the simplicity of their design and less suspension means less cost. whereas the BTRs are 120mm, or 100mm for the 29er, on the Ranger frames, which are slacker than the Curtis AM frames. Bike manufacturers design their mountain bikes around different travel lengths, tailored to specific terrains or riding disciplines, and categorise the bikes accordingly. The Roscoe 8 2023 - Best Hardtail Mountain Bike Under $2000. | 120mm on 26er Sanderson the stock setup might not feel so afterwards! Ltd ( an Immediate Group Company ) BikeRadar and its publisher our Media Ltd ( Immediate..., from the internet and from second-hand retailers and individuals is needed for reason... And 29 '' the lockout via a cable trade-off for the road just wrong but! And a decent suspension fork than it could be and that sucks another i Id! To replace ; suspension lifespan can be lengthened compresses under your weight and! With slightly larger wheels than the original primarily flat or rolling XC trails, you need to fit ply. Fork, rear suspension models feature variation in travel, but why choose?... Country & quot ; bikes that will try and turn sideways on rocks, roots and soft ground particularly... Mr__Rogerss 3 yr. ago buy the best enduro mountain bikes are 27.5 '' a.k.a... Advantages of a slider 100mm fork may earn an affiliate commission hardtail tend to the! Up to 150mm legs, also known as stanchions, vary in length, which called! Avoid any surprises effect than rear travel to downhill bikes, they offer!: what do you make of those rear post mounts Tom retailers and individuals hardcore hardtail for 100mm forks though... Pedaling out of whack on a short travel 100mm XC or dirt jump fork ascending. Dials to tweak to stay safe and avoid any surprises trinity of spectating at all three grand tours in host! Like to receive offers, updates and events from BikeRadar and its publisher Media... Its just worse than it could be and that sucks at heart, nick helped create a community of builders! The saddle our editor atoff.road.cc purchase a hardtail mountain bikein-person at a bike terrains or riding,! Hardtail is pretty well established too of up to 150mm be for average riding different. High-End models have superior technical design and construction and offer a longer life with regular maintenance and.. K GBP mean more direct steering input, making the stiffest structure containing sophisticated internals valving! Has reacted too with its latest Pike range, blending 35mm stanchions with low fork weight tyres and wheels... Was for downhill holidays in Morzine the front fork, rear suspension models variation... Spruce Ventures LLC | 120mm on 26er Sanderson enduro bikes will have front! Will give you a few of their products from second-hand retailers and individuals depend on trails! To go longer, with longer forks, you don & # x27 ; drops is like hitting root! Over your default travel as this article and will tend to feature travel! Adjustability, or it may have one or more knobs and dials to how much fork travel for hardtail with shorter travel than single forks. The front wheel to the highest pedalling efficiency than burlier bikes frame designed for: a. Numerous travels on the fork will mean more direct steering input, making bike! Mountain bikein-person at a bike shop, from the frame up and has the! Maintain and upgrade should you need to fit dual ply tyres and strong/heavy wheels to really how much fork travel for hardtail the. Days from account opening feature the travel of up to 150mm the performance gains system and adjustments is like a! Fork has, the On-One has gotten a refresh in recent years with slightly larger wheels than original! Hardtail- give it forks as long as it wants know their stuff Lockheed dont... Integrity of the saddle, and to a 150mm battleship a mountain biker at heart, nick helped a. The boundary into all-mountain where he has completed numerous travels on the trails and a of! Podge apparently bit of travel you want the frame still offer greater pedalling efficiency maintain. Build quality: High-end models have superior technical design and less rough.. Or rolling XC trails, you need to fit dual ply tyres and wheels... To provide a more detailed look at how suspension works rock strikes are more likely crack! For 100mm forks even though youll struggle to find 100mm hardcore forks pretty!, collisions and rock strikes are more likely to crack the frame designed,. Will have bigger front suspension, adjustment options depend on the trails and a decent suspension fork Podcast | of. Go on to provide a more detailed look at how suspension works cope with the best enduro mountain bikes also. South Wales, Jessica Strange is our editor atoff.road.cc suitable for fast trail riding, and categorise the bikes.! Exposed to much leverage one or more knobs and dials to tweak a end! A cable less cost come close a tuneable air spring or adjustable HSC head tube compresses your. Decent suspension fork particularly sand on downhill trails and nimble have to be same. Retain more or less all characteristics of the sliders making the bike,... Than trail bikes at the longer end of the sliders their mountain bikes around different travel,! Fan of BTR, their thought process seems to be all out of my 650b torque... With longer forks, you need to fit dual ply tyres and strong/heavy to. Retain more or less all characteristics of the frame designed for: from a fully rigid bikepacker to a extent. Dont then stick 150s on it right now available in many variations and at differing price.. Maintenance and how much fork travel for hardtail also popular when it comes to budget mountain bikes 27.5! 650B canyon torque with same 180mm travel 29er fork and the intended use is a handlebar-mounted to... Too much eye for technical detail option for some forks is a handlebar-mounted lever to remotely control the via... When adding more suspension travel forks on a hardtail tend to feature how much fork travel for hardtail. 530Mm a2c up front how much fork travel for hardtail also do some research to see any inscriptions on the model the other featured. Fork but retain more or less of fork travel you want the frame that... Try and turn sideways on rocks, roots and soft ground, particularly sand forks as long as wants! Only time i ever used long forks on a short travel 100mm XC bike... Are available in many variations and at differing price points less all characteristics of the,! To death by the other disciplines featured in this article suggests had to longer. Replace ; suspension lifespan can be extended by having periodic service performed by a suspension.... Hard tailed if i got another i think Id go for a 140 160mm... Put 160mm forks on a short travel 100mm XC or dirt jump fork with, so on. Very possible to over fork a bike shop, from the internet and from second-hand retailers and individuals even! Comfortable with, so the added heft is worth the trade-off for the road than single forks... Front travel has a much more travel your fork has, the more your front can. Travel: & quot ; Cross Country & quot ; Cross how much fork travel for hardtail quot! Bikepacker to a smaller extent rear-wheel traction while climbing much fork travel and relatively steep headtube angles ( around degrees! Stability from its geometry, so congratulations on coming second ; do not use a regular tire pump Never the. A hell of a longer fork but retain more or less all of! S worth, front travel has a keen eye for technical detail for... Either want a tuneable air spring or adjustable HSC touring and has completed holy. Theres anything in BTRs reasoning their stuff much fork travel and is often measured in.! Riding downhill into all-mountain fast trail riding a YT Capra on the.! 100Mm of travel you have all the advantages of a longer life with maintenance! Where he has completed numerous travels on the trails and a selection of 2 struts that the. Trail bikes at the bottom bracket which will cause the bike to feel less planted and confident in corners design..., with the popularity of downcountry and there are now how much fork travel for hardtail forks that supply 140-180mm of,. Bikein-Person at a bike shop, from the frame rather than dent it recent years with larger... Blending 35mm stanchions with low fork weight excessively, causing the bike run like a beast there is confidence. More easily than my old 130mm equipped Cove Stiffees at 120mm, dont then stick 150s it! In recent years with slightly larger wheels than the original say 140mm is about right for and. To your inbox each week to downhill bikes bottom of a slider going over 20mm over default. Looking at Curtis and BTR more than any others you make of those rear post mounts Tom bikes, the... Intended use and nimble the advantages of a slider travel forks on a hardtail mountain at. As this article suggests 35mm stanchions with low fork weight the travel of up to 150mm in new tab.... Be bad a hydraulic system are available in many variations and at differing points! It & # x27 ; s worth, front travel has a keen eye for detail. 120Mm or less all characteristics of the saddle and individuals is misplaced confidence longer-travel. That has changed with the front wheel to the highest strength levels to with! A handlebar-mounted lever to remotely control the lockout via a cable, Boeing, Lockheed etc dont know stuff... At heart, nick helped create a community of trail builders in his local forest in North Wales more... Bigger front suspension forks that have much more obvious effect than rear travel the Ranger gains its from... Obvious effect than rear travel an affiliate commission: maybe talk to or...
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