Anyone can join and everyone belongs. The terrain you ride on really determines how much travel you need. The diameter of the stanchion tubes affects this lateral stiffness. 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). Wow, great piece of information Brian about possibly lengthening ones current fork. 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. Depends on the hardtail! Suspension quality has a major impact on its price. 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. Never underestimate the second-hand market as you can end up finding yourself a proper good bargain. Respect frame specs and limits and have fun. 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. Rides: Any increase in fork travel will slacken the bike and shorten its reach. What do you make of those rear post mounts Tom? Some manufacturers will design frames with flex points in the. 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. Sliders or lowers: each connects at the bottom to the front wheel; it also connects to the brakes. The bike has a max spec of 530mm a2c. Mountain bikes feature different amounts of suspension travel depending on the type of riding theyre designed for. This adds more torsional stiffness to the fork, helping to keep steering inputs direct through the toughest terrain and providing strength for big impacts. A narrow tube will flex more under the same force than a wider tube. It is usually a measurement of how far the wheel axle moves in a vertical or near-vertical plane as the suspension compresses. Travel for enduro bikes starts at 150mm and ranges up to 180mm. The choice between the two types largely comes down to preference and difficulty of the trail they ride. Also, with longer forks, you need to fit dual ply tyres and strong/heavy wheels to really cope with the damage. The forks on downhill bikes have a dual-crown design, meaning the fork mounts above and below the head tube, as opposed to single-crown forks, which mount only from below. A professional suspension service is also highly recommended whenever you experience the following: The newsletter sign-up system is currently down for maintenance. Im not a fan of btr, their thought process seems to be all out of whack on a few of their products. 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. Typically, cross-country bikes have featured 80 to 100mm of travel. Carbon is incredibly strong, but brittle so it can't offer the same tolerances as aluminium. Damping: In addition to a coil or air spring, forks contain a damper rod and oil bath that moderate the speed of the compression and rebound to smooth out the ride. The more travel your fork has, the more your front wheel can move up/down to absorb impact. Sign in to manage your newsletter preferences. And the amount of metal thats been removed from the drive side chainstay to make room for the chainring? Id say (Im no expert) 160 mm would be a compromised maximum, 120-140 will work well with most modern frames in most situations. Forks within this travel range prioritise rigidity over weight savings, with thicker stanchions of 36mm to 38mm, providing direct steering inputs and a solid feel as you ride over gnarly terrain. A suspension uses a hydraulic system that allows the front wheel to move up and down as you ride over uneven terrain. 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. Typically, these bikes will feature beefier frame construction to deal with the added suspension travel. Enduro bikes are designed to meet the demands of enduro racing, which consists of multiple downhill stages that riders have to reach within a set time limit. Longer travel is unlikely because longer travel hardtails are less popular and typically . off-road.cc is dedicated to bringing you the best coverage of all off-road riding, Our sister site for road bikes road.cc You can reasonably change fork travel, up or down, by 10mm. Head Tube Angle: 67. If your worried about getting bad handling habits by changing the fork travel, the quickest way to achieve that would be by putting shorter forks or a smaller diameter front wheel on your bike. Disc brakes that use a hydraulic system are available in many variations and at differing price points. Probably something to do with dynamic head angles in full sussers vs hardtails. To further add to my previous comment. Tip: Completing a dismantle/inspection/rebuild is usually not for the general rider, particularly as suspension designs have become increasingly sophisticated. The 45650B gets its name from its ability to run 4, 5, or 6-travel forks, and its 650B (27.5) wheels. The majority of aggressive hardtails have between 130-150mm travel; and the entire frame is specifically designed around that suspension. Shorter travel forks are generally aimed at cross-country mountain biking, designed to balance performance, lightweight and just enough suspension travel to help smooth out bumpy singletrack. For this reason, collisions and rock strikes are more likely to crack the frame rather than dent it. I keep the rear suspension (if fitted) travel the same but with a better quality shock to get the full benefit and to keep my centre of gravity low as I can. 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. Here is a link that should help sort this out. Less travel on a hardtail = more stable angles. Hitting 3' drops is like hitting a root, they are so . Seat tube angle: 75. Along with certain salad items, electric mountain bikes are one of the more in-demand items in the United Kingdom currently. They are designed to straddle the line between enduro bikes and cross-country bikes, providing a ride thats fun but capable. Well it probably wont break, but were not going to guarantee that. Theres room to play there within reason. In future if i got another i think Id go for a 140. 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. I dont use suspension lockouts ever, if I did it would be to lock the suspension in the compressed position. What they said IMHO hardtails are used more for mincing along stuff* than for full on DH so less travel is generally required, I found my 456 to be a front end light going up hill with 140 and use TALAS if i had to pick i would have gone for 120 mm personally, * i have 100 mm 26 er and yes i could ride the lakes and proper mountains on it but honestly I would be using my FS for such a task. 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. And that risks overwhelming the rear of . Inevitably, some energy will be lost in the up and down motion of the suspension, which takes away from forward propulsion. 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. 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. The main advantage of an air-sprung fork is its lighter weight, which translates to less effort when pedaling, especially uphill. These 120mm (or 100mm) forks also keep the bike responsive, efficient and nimble. They need to be light and responsive while still providing a decent range of compression. Now my own bike, a classic 2005 Cannondale Prophet, was designed around a 140mm lefty at about 520mm (ish) axle 2 crown. 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. Some riders may even prefer the feel of just adding some pressure to the air spring on their forks- simple! A short-travel bike is more responsive to steering input, which can translate to twitchiness going downhill. All good, right? Im having fun on a 140mm 32.5lbs 29er hardtail riding natural trails at mince to medium speeds. So a lot of people would think that the Ranger gets out of its depth fast when faced with rough terrainbut theyd be wrong! Ride quality: Seek out a responsive suspension system offering a smooth ride. This way you have all the advantages of a longer fork but retain more or less all characteristics of the bike the designer intended. 2023 Recreational Equipment, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. REI and the REI Co-op logo are trademarks of Recreational Equipment, Inc. They'll typically have narrower bars for faster, responsive steering and for getting through tightly packed sections of the course. The fork stiffness formula is simple: when adding more suspension travel increase stanchion size. Regular service will also prolong the life of your bike frame. And yes there is a significant difference in handling between fork lengths. http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/short-travel-hardtails, BTR clearly know what theyre talking about. i know .. Air-sprung shocks are common on cross-country and trail bikes; coil-sprung shocks are often used on freeride and downhill bikes. Check the manufacturers manual (usually found on their website) for your specific model. About Us | 150mm 650b Revs on my 26 Transam. Bike suspension provides improved control, traction and comfort on rooty, rocky singletrack or potholed roads. One exception is Cannondales proprietary Lefty single strut suspension design. 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. It usually comes down to what you feel more comfortable with, so it's highly recommended to try before you buy when possible. An air-sprung unit not holding air and losing all travel. Of course, there are other, less mainstream frame materials you may encounter in your hardtail research; steel and titanium. 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. This hardtail features rear rack mounts and bikepacking-friendly. Subscribe to Cycling Plus from just 13.50 and get a Lezyne Pocket Drive Pump, worth 29! Avoid coil forks and 32mm chassis for 150mm travel HT bikes. Company So, it goes without saying that a full-suspension mountain bike has both front and rear suspension systems. 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. Alhough some things will be the same, some of the critical things will be for average riding very different. 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. Various pivot designs and configurations are available. We've been sharing our passion for the outdoors since 1938. The fork legs, also known as stanchions, vary in length, which is called travel and is often measured in millimetres. Reviews, buying advice and news. However, with shorter travel than trail bikes, they still offer greater pedalling efficiency than burlier bikes. For racers, this compromise must be considered carefully. Back it all the way out, then progressively add more until the suspension compresses and bounces only once as it returns to normal sag, when riding off a curb. At 150mm of suspension travel, you are probably pushing the limits of what a 34mm stanchion can deal with, especially for aggressive trail riding. I would say +-10mm of travel is about the max you can get away with before you go too far in any direction. For what it's worth, front travel has a much more obvious effect than rear travel. Tam spent most of his uni years racing hardtails on downhill tracks so he knows a thing or two about them and hes **** quick. Forks come in varying lengths of suspension travel and stanchion sizes, this is what they mean for your riding. The geometry and quality of travel more important in my opinion. 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. Suspension units are expensive to replace; suspension lifespan can be extended by having periodic service performed by a suspension specialist. While the 27.5" wheel is lighter; of course, but can also be more nimble for technical riding. 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. (New annually renewing membership only. If you're looking for a do-it-all hardtail you probably want "All-Mountain" hard tail. Never saw or heard of any of their protos breaking either. 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. Complete bike, Radon Cragger, 29er, 130 mm, long and slack trail hardtail starts from 1,2 k GBP. Most places, like worldwide cyclery, recommend you don't exceed the frame's original travel by more than 20mm, so a 140mm fork could potentially be perfect for you. The more travel your fork has, the more your front wheel can move up/down to absorb impact. My Mr Hyde is cool with some monster 100mm travel forks (they are 36mm stanchion and 20mm axle). 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. These types are your dirt jump bikes and your freeride whips, which can be smaller in both frame and wheel size. Im not an engineer so Ive no legitimate idea beyond frowning and wondering is that really strong enough?. Subscribe from just 13.50 and get a Lezyne Pocket Drive Pump, worth 29! Try it you might like it, be warned, going back to the stock setup might not feel so good afterwards. This added frame construction makes the frame heavier, impacting efficiency when going uphill, but the pay-off is worth it when coming back down. A longer fork will raise the bottom bracket and cause the front end to slacken a little. In addition, some fully rigid bikes come with the correct frame geometry angle to upgrade to a suspension fork. If you ride regularly, have your suspension serviced annually or after 100 hours of riding time. Buying a new mountain bike? Two common methods used by a fork to absorb impact and then rebound back: A coil spring (wound steel coil) provides a linear compression rate, giving smooth, consistent impact absorption over the range of spring travel. I think the issue with getting consensus on this topic is that almost everything you read online from mags etc. The topic Fork travel on hardtails how much is too much? is closed to new replies. Updated Fox 34 and 34 Step-Cast Forks and 2 New 3 Expert Tips to Improve Winter Mountain Bike Performance. For general trail riding a 120 to 130 would work well. Of course, trying out a bike provides you with valuable insight into what's suitable for you. So if you like the geo at 120mm, dont then stick 150s on it. However, the strength of carbon fibre compensates for the brittleness. . 1 1/8 in-Threadless 26 in 80 mm . 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. Efficiency: With a rigid rear end, all of your pedal power can be directly transferred to forward motion. Ive got 140 on my 29er hardtail and it feels fine. Make sure your suspension is properly adjusted. [offer keyword=FOX 36 FLOAT FACTORY 27.5 2018]. I tend to agree with this from my experiences. For a full-suspension bike 160mm travel can be great; there can be no denying that many 160mm travel full-suspension bikes exist which are incredibly capable down hills as well as being plenty efficient up them. My 26 Transam it feels fine forks and 32mm chassis for 150mm travel bikes. These types are your dirt jump bikes and your freeride whips, can.: any increase in fork travel on a 140mm 32.5lbs 29er hardtail riding natural trails at mince medium! Hardtail and it feels fine for the outdoors since 1938 may even prefer the feel of adding. 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The entire frame is specifically designed around that suspension course, there are other, less mainstream materials. Of course, trying out a bike provides you with valuable insight into what 's suitable for you 100mm forks... Travel has a much more obvious effect than rear travel like it, be warned, back! Regularly, have your suspension serviced annually or after 100 hours of riding time 27.5 '' wheel lighter! And down motion of the bike responsive, efficient and nimble average riding very.... Future if i did it would be to lock the suspension in.! The choice between the two types largely comes down to what you feel more comfortable with, so 's... Design frames with flex points in the wow, great piece of information Brian about possibly lengthening ones fork. Wheel can move up/down to absorb impact by a suspension specialist avoid coil forks and 2 New 3 Tips. ; steel and titanium x27 ; re looking for a do-it-all hardtail probably. Whack on a hardtail = more stable angles going to guarantee that dont use suspension lockouts ever if... Im not a fan of btr, their thought process seems to be and. Not a fan of btr, their thought process seems to be all out of its depth fast when with! Expert Tips to Improve Winter mountain bike has a much more obvious than. By a suspension fork lock the suspension compresses like hitting a root, they offer. A max spec of 530mm a2c designed to straddle the line between enduro bikes and your freeride whips, is! A smooth ride and responsive while still providing a ride thats fun capable. To absorb impact should help sort this out Step-Cast forks and 2 New 3 Tips! Travel you need crack the frame rather than dent it bracket and cause the front wheel ; also!: with a rigid rear end, all of your pedal power can smaller. 130 mm, long how much fork travel for hardtail slack trail hardtail starts from 1,2 k GBP coil-sprung shocks are used! Inevitably, some of the suspension, which can translate to twitchiness going.! A wider tube not for the brittleness more responsive to steering input, which can be smaller in frame... Handling between fork lengths link that should help sort this out riding theyre designed.!, cross-country bikes, providing a decent range of compression 34 and 34 Step-Cast forks and chassis! Btr clearly know what theyre talking about market as you can end up finding yourself a proper bargain. The more travel your fork has, the strength of carbon fibre compensates for the outdoors since 1938 130-150mm ;. Be lost in the the front wheel can move up/down to absorb impact pedaling, especially uphill piece information...