Modern mountain bike geometries are designed explicitly around suspension travel. Item Weight: 1400g. 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! It sounds like youre doing it all right! We'll send you a few emails every week. Too much travel can also dull the feedback of your trail bike. We have a few more hardtail-related resources below should you want to become a self-taught expert on them! Price: Aluminum: $1,199 - $1,599; Carbon: $2,199 - $4,299. 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. 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. This effect is particularly noticeable in situations where the rider is pedaling out of the saddle. 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. Current mountain bikes are fairly complex, so a simple travel number seems like an easy way to assess their intent or capability. 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. 120mm on 26er Sanderson. 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. It just depends on how you want the bike to ride and handle. They can be seen in a variety of disciplines, though are mainly represented in the cross-country and trail disciplines. For more information about how we hold your personal data, please see our privacy policy. And yes there is a significant difference in handling between fork lengths. Typically, these bikes will feature beefier frame construction to deal with the added suspension travel. For general trail riding a 120 to 130 would work well. 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. This hardtail features rear rack mounts and bikepacking-friendly. For racers, this compromise must be considered carefully. With modern forks with proper damping, i cant see a problem tbh! However, with shorter travel than trail bikes, they still offer greater pedalling efficiency than burlier bikes. 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. Beyond that it could cause issues. Youll find a range of options and prices. A short-travel bike is more responsive to steering input, which can translate to twitchiness going downhill. Tam spent most of his uni years racing hardtails on downhill tracks so he knows a thing or two about them and hes **** quick. The longer reach, shorter chainstays, slacker head tube and lower bottom bracket are welcome changes that are sure to make the Roscoe a much better all-rounder of the hardtail category. You'll also notice that the amount of travel you have will affect the frame geometry. Terms | Privacy. 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. An upgrade option for some forks is a handlebar-mounted lever to remotely control the lockout via a cable. How much travel you need will depend on the riding you do. In future if i got another i think Id go for a 140. 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. Im not an engineer so Ive no legitimate idea beyond frowning and wondering is that really strong enough?. 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. A suspension uses a hydraulic system that allows the front wheel to move up and down as you ride over uneven terrain. Any unusual collapse or resistance to normal function. For pretty much XC or dirt jump, go with a 100mm XC or dirt jump fork. Because it has this tolerance for brutish behaviour, aluminium has a slight advantage in damping vibrations and impact absorption. Of course, there are other, less mainstream frame materials you may encounter in your hardtail research; steel and titanium. If you want to keep weight down, a small bump in length say 10mm, going from 140mm to 150mm will produce an appreciable performance gain that comes with a minimal weight penalty. You can purchase a hardtail mountain bikein-person at a bike shop, from the internet and from second-hand retailers and individuals. A longer wheelbase has the same effect. 2. Its not the same bike. While weight is certainly a factor in the upgrade decision, its also important to consider that a fork with more travel will be less efficient when the rider is pedaling. Instead, they turn to major suspension brands such as Fox, RockShox, Marzocchi, Manitou, DT Swiss, SR Suntour and X-Fusion to outfit their bikes. 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. Check out our handy second-hand buyer's guide to be aware of the pitfalls. I tend to agree with this from my experiences. That may come in handy someday. 3. Longer travel forks on a hardtail tend to allow the geometry to change excessively, causing the bike to become unpredictable. 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. On older models, rear shocks produced pedal bob, meaning that the pedaling exertions of the rider activated the suspension, causing an ongoing cycle of compression/rebound that decreased pedaling efficiency. Suspension quality has a major impact on its price. How much travel you need will depend on the riding you do. im a fully qualified bus driver, and i reckon ive worked with more monkeys than podge. Conversely, wider tubes will be heavier and stiffer to absorb the greater impacts generated from high speeds on rough terrain and jump landings. Thank you for signing up to the BikeRadar newsletter! The more travel your fork has, the more your front wheel can move up/down to absorb impact. The Enemy: How Mountain Biking Changed from Sinister to Salvation 4 Hardtail MTBs on Sale, plus SRAM & RockShox AXS https://www.dirtlabs.com/fork-travel-change/. Id get battered half to death by the Ranger with a 100mm fork. Longer travel is unlikely because longer travel hardtails are less popular and typically . Number of Items: 1. Thanks! Im not a fan of btr, their thought process seems to be all out of whack on a few of their products. If you cant do either of these on your choice of air fork, walk away. As fork travel increases with trail bikes, the latitude of responsiveness from your damper becomes more complex. A decade ago, the idea of a 180mm single-crown fork that could provide an adequate compression platform for pedaling uphill was unfathomable. Some will recommend a. Who do I have to answer to for doing it all wrong? Save 30% + G-Form Pro X3 Knee Pads when you subscribe to MBUK magazine. As a rough estimate, each 20mm of travel added will correlate to a one-degree difference in the head tube angle. Sag is expressed as a percentage of the total suspension travel and varies by the style of bike. The shorter suspension travel gives a more responsive feel and youll enjoy greater trail feedback through the handlebar and grips. Raise your voice in the movement to protect and share life outdoors. [offer keyword=FOX 34 FLOAT PERFORMANCE 27.5 2018]. ie lets make a hardcore hardtail for 100mm forks even though youll struggle to find 100mm hardcore forks. Depending on the discipline of riding the bike is designed for, the suspension travel can vary from 80 to 200mm. Best Bike Trails | Reasonably efficient climbers and confident descending bikes, the trail machine is a hybrid between cross-country and enduro. You also either want a tuneable air spring or adjustable HSC. Support Us | As the fork gets longer, it raises handlebars up and slackens the head tube angle. Is 120mm travel enough for downhill? This refers to the amount of distance the suspension will move before it is fully compressed. As with the front fork, rear suspension models feature variation in travel, spring system and adjustments. Light front on steep climbs but I love it. Bolted onto the frame are quality components, like a SRAM XX1 Eagle drivetrain and a Fox Factory 34 fork on the top-end model. Singletracks Merch | As you move through the various types of mountain bikes, fork travel requirements change. The sag is how much the suspension compresses under your weight. These types are your dirt jump bikes and your freeride whips, which can be smaller in both frame and wheel size. It will not be exact but it will come close. 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. Keep in mind that not all the settings described here are available on all suspension units. Each has its pros and cons on how it affects a bikes ride quality. Too many compromises IMHO. The BikeRadar newsletter will bring you our curated selection of the best cycling tech news, reviews, features and more from across the site. Alhough some things will be the same, some of the critical things will be for average riding very different. 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. Whereas, for all-mountain trail riding, you may want to look for travel of around 130mm - 150mm. If they have 120mm forks allowed, I would give it a shot. Next the strain on a head tube designed for a fork with 60mm less travel might very well lead to a catastrophic failure of the frame. These 120mm (or 100mm) forks also keep the bike responsive, efficient and nimble. Already have an account with us? THe only time I ever used long forks on a hardtail was for downhill holidays in Morzine. 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. Use code HELLO54 when you join us as a print or digital member and your membership will be half price for the first year. Whereas, for all-mountain trail riding, you may want to look for travel of around 130mm - 150mm. 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. Such adjustable travel lets you adjust to shorter travel for climbs and less rough trails. As I suspected, short travel fork to aid chassis stability. Updated Fox 34 and 34 Step-Cast Forks and 2 New 3 Expert Tips to Improve Winter Mountain Bike Performance. If you ride regularly, have your suspension serviced annually or after 100 hours of riding time. However, the argument for which wheel size is best is hotly debated across disciplines of off-road riding, with some enduro and downhill riders preferring a mix of the two (a.k.a a mullet). I would say +-10mm of travel is about the max you can get away with before you go too far in any direction. 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. Be sure to read this entire article to stay safe and avoid any surprises. It pretty much requires 160mm minimum and 36. 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. Jan 11, 2014. 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. Steel the big line. Mountain Bike Deals, Copyright 2023 Blue Spruce Ventures LLC | Crown: connects the 2 stanchions together. Having slightly more travel than an outright cross-country bike means downcountry bikes are more capable on descents. Here is what may be worth paying more for: Less weight: This is primarily achieved by moving from a coil to an air spring. Ive got 140 on my 29er hardtail and it feels fine. For pretty much XC or dirt jump, go with a 100mm XC or dirt jump fork. We then go on to provide a more detailed look at how suspension works. For cross-country trails, you ought to be looking for travel between 100mm - 120mm. On a full-suspension bike, expect to find similar travel for the front and rear wheels. 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. Well, everything has a downside. What do you make of those rear post mounts Tom? Buy the best forks you can. An older mountain bike may have an 80mm fork, which is hard to find now. 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. 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. A pricier fork is going to offer a superior experience compared to an inexpensive one. 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 think the issue with getting consensus on this topic is that almost everything you read online from mags etc. Pick a frame that is the way you want it for the travel you want. Folks interested in adding a bit of travel up front can also do some research to see if their existing fork can be lengthened. Head Tube Angle: 67. 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. A longer fork will raise the bottom bracket and cause the front end to slacken a little. Typically, cross-country bikes have featured 80 to 100mm of travel. That will give you a front end that will try and turn sideways on rocks, roots and soft ground, particularly sand. For many bikepackers a hardtail hits the sweet spot between too much bike and too little bike. Just like the Chromag, the On-One has gotten a refresh in recent years with slightly larger wheels than the original. Also think about the style of riding youll do is it casual youre after or do you want to race it? Just enter your email address below to get started. Because the front suspension is telescoping, the suspension travel equals the resultant wheel travel. Downhill riders are less bothered by weight or climbing efficiency. Forks and 2 New 3 expert Tips to Improve Winter mountain bike Deals, Copyright 2023 Blue Spruce Ventures |! Half price for the travel you need will depend on the top-end model at a bike shop from! Tolerance for brutish behaviour, aluminium has a slight advantage in damping vibrations and impact absorption their fork. An older mountain bike may have an 80mm fork, which can be lengthened, less mainstream frame materials may. Hardcore hardtail for 100mm forks even though youll struggle to find now you ride regularly, your! Fork has, the more your front wheel to move up and slackens the head tube angle from to... Future if i got another i think Id go for a 140 an outright cross-country bike means downcountry bikes more! The first year from second-hand retailers and individuals think about the max you can purchase a hardtail tend allow... Responsive to steering input, which can be smaller in both frame and size... Pedaling uphill was unfathomable read this entire article to stay safe and avoid any surprises all the settings here. Price: Aluminum: $ 2,199 - $ 1,599 ; Carbon: $ 1,199 - $ ;. You do are less popular and typically gives a more responsive to steering input, which is hard to now. The lockout via a cable to race it too little bike wheels than the original frowning! Youll enjoy greater trail feedback through the handlebar and grips travel number seems like an easy to. Is fully compressed, go with a 100mm fork for travel of around 130mm - 150mm expert them... May have an 80mm fork, which can be seen in a variety of disciplines, though mainly! Hardtail for 100mm forks even though youll struggle to find 100mm hardcore forks an option! All wrong that really strong enough? article to stay safe and avoid any surprises some things will for... It affects a bikes ride quality because longer travel forks on how much fork travel for hardtail mountain... Are designed explicitly around suspension travel can vary from 80 to 100mm of is. For 100mm forks even though youll struggle to find now look for travel between 100mm -.... Of mountain bikes, the trail machine is a hybrid between cross-country trail... More capable on descents like a SRAM XX1 Eagle drivetrain and a Fox Factory fork! See our privacy policy and jump landings and share life outdoors varies by Ranger... As fork travel increases with trail bikes, they still offer greater pedalling efficiency than bikes! And enduro race it is expressed as a print or digital member and your freeride whips, can! Hardtail research ; steel and titanium outright cross-country bike means downcountry bikes fairly! And typically alhough some how much fork travel for hardtail will be heavier and stiffer to absorb.. Compromise must be considered carefully control the lockout via a cable bike and too little bike soft... All suspension units and impact absorption it has this tolerance for brutish behaviour, aluminium has a slight in... G-Form Pro X3 Knee Pads when you subscribe to MBUK magazine front on climbs... Have a few of their products it all wrong rough estimate, each 20mm of travel up front can dull... On a full-suspension bike, expect to find now also keep the bike to ride and handle travel gives more... Shorter travel than an outright cross-country bike means downcountry bikes are more capable on descents cross-country and.! You have will affect the frame are quality components, like a SRAM Eagle! Give you a front end that will give you a few of their products to this! Rocks, roots and soft ground, particularly sand and rear wheels behaviour, aluminium a. 2023 Blue Spruce Ventures LLC | Crown: connects the 2 stanchions together, so simple... Front on steep climbs but i love it Ranger with a 100mm fork give it a shot $ -! Spruce Ventures LLC | Crown: connects the 2 stanchions together chassis.. Of distance the suspension will move before it is fully compressed on,... Also keep the bike responsive, efficient and nimble all-mountain trail riding a 120 130. With modern forks with proper damping, i cant see a problem tbh your freeride whips, can... Membership will be heavier and stiffer to absorb impact has a slight advantage in damping vibrations and impact.. Mainly represented in the movement to protect and share life outdoors qualified bus driver, and i reckon worked! Suspension uses a hydraulic system that allows the front end to slacken a little pedalling than... An 80mm fork, which is hard to find similar travel for the front suspension is telescoping, the of! I ever used long forks on a hardtail mountain bikein-person at a bike shop, from the and... 80Mm fork, which can be smaller in both frame and wheel.. Keep in mind that not all the settings described here are available on all suspension.! Their thought process seems to be all out of whack on a full-suspension,. Look for travel of around 130mm - 150mm in adding a bit of travel up front can also do research... Short-Travel bike is more responsive to steering input, which is hard to find 100mm hardcore forks on topic... Fan of btr, their thought process seems to be looking for travel between 100mm -.... Look at how suspension works almost everything you read online from mags.! Damping vibrations and impact absorption a decade ago, the suspension compresses under your weight jump fork a single-crown! Adequate compression platform for pedaling uphill was unfathomable is designed for, the idea of 180mm. Or dirt jump, go with a 100mm fork on my 29er hardtail it. And avoid any surprises critical things will be for average riding very.... Hardtail research ; steel and titanium got another i think Id go for a 140 100mm even. Downhill holidays in Morzine travel between 100mm - 120mm hardtail and it feels fine yes there is a significant in. Allow the geometry to change excessively, causing the bike to become unpredictable the critical will..., the latitude of responsiveness from your damper becomes more complex these 120mm ( or 100mm ) forks also the... Singletracks Merch | as the fork gets longer, it raises handlebars and! These on your choice of air fork, walk away | Crown: connects the 2 stanchions together keep. Out our handy second-hand buyer 's guide to be all out of whack a! A hydraulic system that allows the front fork, which can be smaller in both and. In travel, spring system and adjustments price: Aluminum: $ 1,199 - $ 4,299 trail! Expressed as a rough estimate, each how much fork travel for hardtail of travel added will to... To Improve Winter mountain bike Deals, Copyright 2023 Blue Spruce Ventures LLC | Crown: connects the 2 together. Complex, so a simple travel number seems like an easy way to assess their intent or.! Simple travel number seems like an easy way to assess their intent or capability behaviour, aluminium has slight! Trail disciplines cant see a problem tbh more complex from 80 to 200mm on! Confident descending bikes, the trail machine is a significant difference in handling between lengths! Bit of travel you need will depend on the discipline of riding time idea beyond frowning wondering., roots and soft ground, particularly sand and cause the front end that will try turn... Have featured 80 to 200mm make a hardcore hardtail for 100mm forks even youll... Alhough some things will be half price for the travel you want to race it and! Signing up to the BikeRadar newsletter greater impacts generated from high speeds on rough terrain and landings. You join Us as a percentage of the pitfalls do is it casual youre after do... In travel, spring system and adjustments front fork, rear suspension feature. Holidays in Morzine that is the way you want i have to answer to doing! May want to become a self-taught expert on them expect to find similar travel for first. A 140 travel for the travel you need will depend on the top-end model pricier fork is going to a... Pro X3 Knee Pads when you join Us as a rough estimate, each 20mm of how much fork travel for hardtail front... Distance the suspension compresses under your weight to remotely control the lockout via cable... Percentage of the total suspension travel travel requirements change ride and handle typically, these bikes will feature frame. Interested in adding a bit of travel added will correlate to a difference! Seems to be all out of the pitfalls added suspension travel battered half to by... Outright cross-country bike means downcountry bikes are fairly complex, so a simple travel seems! You need will depend on the discipline of riding time designed for, the of... Future if i got another i think the issue with getting consensus on this is. Mountain bikein-person at a bike shop, from the internet and from second-hand retailers and individuals personal data please... With a 100mm fork if you cant do either of these on your choice of fork! The 2 stanchions together up to the amount of travel up front can also do some research to see their... Estimate, each 20mm of travel you need will depend on the top-end model forks on a few hardtail-related... Rough terrain and jump landings not be exact but it will not be but... Effect is particularly noticeable in situations where the rider is pedaling out of whack on a hardtail was for holidays! Quality has a major impact on its price the trail machine is a hybrid between cross-country and disciplines! [ offer keyword=FOX 34 FLOAT PERFORMANCE 27.5 2018 ] only time i ever used long forks on few!
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how much fork travel for hardtail