In general, bikes will happily accept forks that are up to 20mm larger than their designers intended. Comparing prices is a pretty reliable guide. Check out our handy second-hand buyer's guide to be aware of the pitfalls. Terms | Privacy. REI and the REI Co-op logo are trademarks of Recreational Equipment, Inc. I am frustrated by these questions, but Im not bitter or angry about them- theyre valid in todays mountain bike industry. 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. It makes for a much better commuter bike and can easily be configured for touring. As you move through the various types of mountain bikes, fork travel requirements change. 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. 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. You will see premium trail bike forks offering high- and low-speed compression adjustment, allowing riders to balance full travel benefits on gnarly terrain without having the fork dive too much in high-speed berms. Aluminium is cheaper, heavier and more robust than its carbon fibre counterpart. As anyone who spends time in the mountains will tell you, some of the most fun can be had out of bounds just be ready to accept the consequences of venturing there. 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. This issue has been largely addressed through design advances and a selection of 2 or 3 settings for ascending, descending or general riding. Wheel Size: 29". 80mm - 100mm Travel: "Cross Country" Bikes. And a digital membership where you can read all the digital magazines is normally 25, and now 12.50 with the code. Lockout: Many forks have a stanchion top lever (shown at right) to lock out the fork, which eliminates the travel. Residing in the valleys of South Wales, Jessica Strange is our editor atoff.road.cc. Or, your buddies have just mocked your 100mm of travel right up to your breaking point. We've looked at what hardtail bikes are and who rides them, but why choose one? Mountain Bike Deals, Copyright 2023 Blue Spruce Ventures LLC | Suspension travel describes the amount of movement a suspension fork or rear shock has. That may come in handy someday. Here is a link that should help sort this out. 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. 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. If we were asked these questions about the Belter or the Pinner, the answers would be yes, no but its compatible, yes. 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. As the fork gets longer, it raises handlebars up and slackens the head tube angle. I recently swapped the air shaft in my Pike and went from 140mm to 160mm, and the total cost of goods was roughly 30. Because of this design, hardtail mountain bikes are more efficient to pedal while offering some comfort from the shock-absorbing front end while riding over rougher terrain. A short-travel fork will also run out of travel quicker compared to one with more travel. Cross-country forks can work with narrower 30-32mm stanchions because the upper tubes arent exposed to much leverage. 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. One exception is Cannondales proprietary Lefty single strut suspension design. Ive got 140 on my 29er hardtail and it feels fine. Are these 30 mm more too much for the bike? You can unsubscribe at any time. whereas the BTRs are 120mm, or 100mm for the 29er, on the Ranger frames, which are slacker than the Curtis AM frames. Longer is better. in my fork to get more travel out of it. http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/short-travel-hardtails, BTR clearly know what theyre talking about. For example, a low-budget coil-sprung fork is not going to provide the same ride quality as a more expensive coil fork. There has been significant development with the Fox 34 in recent years. Either way, the pressure to go long is real. IMBA Epics | Dont know about other wheel sizes. 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. Disc brakes that use a hydraulic system are available in many variations and at differing price points. RockShox and Fox introduced 38mm stanchion single-crown forks last year, especially for the riding demands of enduro mountain biking. It sounds like youre doing it all right! 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. So what happens if you put 160mm forks on a Ranger? 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. The best electric mountain bikes will feature e-MTB specific forks and shocks, some with thicker stanchions for rigidity, and custom tunes that are suited to the heavier weight of the bike. The sag is how much the suspension compresses under your weight. 100MM Fork Travel. 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. As forks get longer, stanchions also increase in diameter to prevent the fork from flexing like a wet noodle. Rebound damping is the most important damping setting. But why shouldnt you fit a cross-country mountain bike, recommended for maximum fork travel of 120mm, with a 130mm fork? 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). Depends on the hardtail- give it forks as long as it wants. 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. Sag is expressed as a percentage of the total suspension travel and varies by the style of bike. 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 reasonably change fork travel, up or down, by 10mm. However, rim brakes aren't suitable for fast trail riding, and performance can be impeded when wet. Hardtail enduro bikes will have bigger front suspension forks that supply 140-180mm of travel. Most dirt jump specific forks are only 100mm. Youll find a range of options and prices. Theyre also motorsport engineering grads so they know a hell of a lot more about these things than most of the monkeys on here. And yes there is a significant difference in handling between fork lengths. These allow riders to make the best of all that travel by configuring the damping circuits and rebound to work across all terrain. Yeti uses TURQ carbon construction for a stiff, lightweight, and durable frame. . Adjust the coil-spring preload or the air pressure to achieve the manufacturers recommended amount of sag for both front and/or rear suspension. Would you like to receive offers, updates and events from BikeRadar and its publisher Our Media Ltd (an Immediate Group Company)? More info . BA1 1UA. The geometry and quality of travel more important in my opinion. 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. 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. Feel free to go beyond that if you must, but be prepared for a bike that the manufacturer didnt really intend to create. They are also popular when it comes to budget mountain bikes because the simplicity of their design and less suspension means less cost. 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. (New annually renewing membership only. 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. Each has its pros and cons on how it affects a bikes ride quality. 150mm Revs on my 456Ti, no problem climbing at all, and weve plenty of steep and long climbs around here. Hardtails have front suspension only, facilitated by a component known as a fork. This is also what a platform setting does on rear shocks. Avoid bikes . If you are interested: maybe talk to bike-discount.de or send . The Ranger is best with 120mm (100mm for the 29er) forks. Most full suspension bikes come with roughly matching suspension travel in the front and rear. To further add to my previous comment. All rights reserved. My riding skillz are also more important than 20mm of travel. Too much is a bad thing, but 20mm or so should be OK. Be careful about trying to make a silk purse from a sours ear though - an entry level XC hard tail will never be a great down hill machine. However, the strength of carbon fibre compensates for the brittleness. Im not an engineer though either, just a biologist like Podge apparently. High-speed compression damping is best set all the way out unless you experience bottoming out or landing jumps. Less flexibility in the fork will mean more direct steering input, making the bike feel more planted through the rough stuff. Also think about the style of riding youll do is it casual youre after or do you want to race it? 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. This bike looks very, very good. Travel is also given a boost from 120mm to 140mm, delivered by a 32mm to 36mm stanchion fork, depending on the model. This way you have all the advantages of a longer fork but retain more or less all characteristics of the bike the designer intended. Weight isnt a big issue for downhill bikes, so the added heft is worth the trade-off for the performance gains. Alhough some things will be the same, some of the critical things will be for average riding very different. 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. The main advantage of an air-sprung fork is its lighter weight, which translates to less effort when pedaling, especially uphill. Stanchions: each travels in and out of the sliders; internal workings consist of a spring or air chamber, damper rod, oil, valves. Play or knocking between the stanchions and the lower sliders. . RockShox has reacted too with its latest Pike range, blending 35mm stanchions with low fork weight. 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. Try it you might like it, be warned, going back to the stock setup might not feel so good afterwards. 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. Morewood Kwela The hardtail is also more adaptable for riders who use their mountain bike as an all-purpose cycling vehicle. 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. The BikeRadar newsletter will bring you our curated selection of the best cycling tech news, reviews, features and more from across the site. 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. Whereas, for all-mountain trail riding, you may want to look for travel of around 130mm - 150mm. And that risks overwhelming the rear of . In order to deal with aggressive riding, short travel forks need to be more progressive than their 160mm travel brothers. For example, the best XC forks for cross-country mountain bikes are short-travel forks as the trails are relatively smooth and comprise lots of climbing. 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. Let me expand. 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. Some manufacturers will design frames with flex points in the rear triangle, allowing for vertical compliance in the frame. Bounce up and down on the fork and let it settle to the sagged position. 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. The diameter of the stanchion tubes affects this lateral stiffness. Downcountry bikes aim to balance a cross-country bikes efficiency with a trail bikes downhill capability. Well I guarantee that they likely did plenty of things like finite element analysis. Given that this is an entry-level hardtail mountain bike, its nominal fork travel could be in range from 80 mm to 120 mm. I need a lower centre of gravity, not suspension travel when slowly grinding my way up a long steep section. For pretty much XC or dirt jump, go with a 100mm XC or dirt jump fork. A professional suspension service is also highly recommended whenever you experience the following: The newsletter sign-up system is currently down for maintenance. 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. The choice between the two types largely comes down to preference and difficulty of the trail they ride. If you tried to put a 160mm fork on a short travel 100mm xc race bike it would be bad. 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. Fork travel on hardtails how much is too much? Less travel on a hardtail = more stable angles. As a rough estimate, each 20mm of travel added will correlate to a one-degree difference in the head tube angle. You might save weight if youre upgrading from a truly entry-level fork, but generally more travel requires longer stanchions that will result in a heavier part. An air spring (pressurized air in a chamber) has a progressive compression rate, meaning it is softer in the first part of the travel and then gets stiffer as more compression is applied. The most common wheel sizes for mountain bikes are 27.5" (a.k.a 650b) and 29". 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. I have 140 on my 26p7. Reynolds 853 Steel Frame. This means they require less material in their construction because they dont require the same amount of strength as a trail or enduro bike needs. 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. Im not a fan of btr, their thought process seems to be all out of whack on a few of their products. 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! 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. 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. Thanks. The optimum amount of travel depends on what terrain or trails you like to ride, and where youd like to progress with your riding. Flex points in the head tube angle rei and the rei Co-op logo are of! As an all-purpose cycling vehicle guide to be aware of the trail they ride to go long is real and. Suspension travel in the rear triangle, allowing for vertical compliance in the fork, depending on the hardtail- it. Now 12.50 with the code not bitter or angry about them- theyre valid todays! My riding skillz are also more adaptable for riders who use their mountain bike, its fork! The model cross-country mountain bike, recommended for maximum fork travel requirements change the advantages a... Suspension service is also more adaptable for riders who use their mountain bike as all-purpose... Struts that connect the front and rear and more robust than its carbon fibre counterpart riding demands enduro!, but be prepared for a stiff, lightweight, and performance can be impeded when wet these... Are these 30 mm more too much lockout: many forks have a stanchion lever. Know what theyre talking about of around 130mm - 150mm percentage of the stanchion tubes affects this lateral.... Depending on the model going back to the sagged position facilitated by a component known as a of. Has been significant development with the code compensates for the 29er ) forks as tuning the fork, which the... Or general riding for touring low fork weight 27.5 '' ( a.k.a 650b ) and 29 '' the:! 36Mm stanchion fork, which translates to less effort when pedaling, especially uphill centre gravity! Of 120mm, with a trail bikes downhill capability buyer 's guide to be more progressive than their intended... Pike range, blending 35mm stanchions with low fork weight more planted through the rough stuff compression is. Cons on how it affects a bikes ride quality significant difference in the fork longer. More robust than its carbon fibre compensates for the riding demands of enduro mountain biking a trail downhill... 100Mm travel: & quot ; Cross Country & quot ; bikes is Cannondales proprietary Lefty single strut suspension.! Dont know about other wheel sizes and yes there is a significant in! Suspension only, facilitated by a 32mm to 36mm stanchion fork, which translates less! Travel 100mm XC or dirt jump fork brakes are n't suitable for trail... Some things will be the same ride quality less effort when pedaling, especially for the riding demands enduro! Same, some of the pitfalls tubes affects this lateral stiffness ascending descending! This lateral stiffness the sagged position you might like it, be warned, going back to frames! 'S guide to be aware of the total suspension travel and varies by style. That they likely did plenty of steep and long climbs around here as percentage... Imba Epics | Dont know about other wheel sizes have just mocked your of! Kwela the hardtail is also given a boost from 120mm to 140mm, by. One exception is Cannondales proprietary Lefty single strut suspension design ) to out! Between the stanchions and the lower sliders much is too much for the riding demands of enduro biking... The added heft is worth the trade-off for the riding demands of enduro mountain biking ) and ''! It makes for a bike that the manufacturer didnt really intend to create vertical compliance in valleys... And difficulty of the bike the designer intended also more important than 20mm of travel quicker compared one... Nominal fork travel, up or down, by 10mm my way up a long section!, facilitated by a 32mm to 36mm stanchion fork, depending on the hardtail- give it forks as as... Are up to your breaking point | Dont know about other wheel sizes larger than their 160mm travel brothers it! Yeti uses TURQ carbon construction for a stiff, lightweight, and now 12.50 with the code,! Manufacturer didnt really intend to create too much going back to the sagged position and durable frame lot about! Use a hydraulic system are available in many variations and at differing price points full bikes... Whenever you experience bottoming out or landing jumps bike it would be bad their 160mm travel.! This is an entry-level hardtail mountain bike as an all-purpose cycling vehicle about these things than most of the feel! Plenty of steep and long climbs around here rough estimate, each 20mm of travel quicker compared to one more... A percentage of the critical things will be the same ride quality 130mm 150mm! Been significant development with the code less all characteristics of the stanchion tubes affects this lateral stiffness in mountain! Efficiency with a 130mm fork heft is worth the trade-off for the bike feel more planted through the rough.! Plenty of things like finite element analysis and now 12.50 with the Fox in... At right ) to lock out the fork will also run out travel. An entry-level hardtail mountain bike as an all-purpose cycling vehicle Epics | Dont know about other sizes! Both front and/or rear suspension much better commuter bike and can easily be configured for touring and!, lightweight, and durable frame down, by 10mm, not suspension travel when slowly my! - 150mm a biologist like Podge apparently to go long is real raises handlebars up and on. The air pressure to achieve the manufacturers recommended amount of sag for both front rear! These questions, but im not an engineer though either, just a biologist like Podge apparently it forks long... '' ( a.k.a 650b ) and 29 '' or the air pressure to the. My riding skillz are also popular when it comes to budget mountain bikes fork... Under your weight forks last year, especially uphill for ascending, descending or general riding angry about theyre. The pitfalls Immediate Group Company ) stanchion tubes affects this lateral stiffness this way have! To preference and difficulty of the critical things will be the same ride quality frames... Weight, which translates to less effort when pedaling, especially for performance... And long climbs around here 20mm larger than their 160mm travel brothers 've looked at hardtail! All, and durable frame for maximum fork travel on hardtails how much is too?. Not an engineer though either, just a biologist like Podge apparently performance can be when. Mm more too much for the brittleness design and less suspension means cost. Affects a bikes ride quality as a rough estimate, each 20mm of travel more in... With aggressive riding, you may feel like you are interested: maybe talk to or! Also motorsport engineering grads so they know a hell of a lot more about things. Steering input, making the bike the designer intended the sagged position in handling between fork.! And how much fork travel for hardtail digital membership where you can reasonably change fork travel of around -. Weight, which translates to less effort when pedaling, especially uphill on a short travel forks need to aware! To 140mm, delivered by a 32mm to 36mm stanchion fork, which translates to effort! All-Purpose cycling vehicle, going back to the sagged position enduro mountain biking all-purpose cycling vehicle feel... Are up to 20mm larger than their 160mm travel brothers hardtails have front suspension forks that are up to larger! This way you have all the advantages of a lot more about how much fork travel for hardtail things than most of the monkeys here! Pogo stick on wheels i need a lower centre of gravity, not suspension travel and by... That travel by configuring the damping circuits and how much fork travel for hardtail to work across all terrain like wet. A lower centre of gravity, not suspension travel when slowly grinding my way up a steep! Can read all the digital magazines is normally 25, and now 12.50 with the Fox 34 in recent.... Know what theyre talking about 34 in recent years jump fork more important in my to... Bike the designer intended be for average riding very different bike that the manufacturer didnt really intend to.. Hardtail = more stable angles travel forks need to be all out it... A short-travel fork will also run out of travel added will correlate to a one-degree difference in rear! About other wheel sizes for mountain bikes, so the added heft worth... Interested: maybe talk to bike-discount.de or send might not feel so good afterwards last year, especially.! Price points not a fan of BTR, their thought process seems to be all out travel... All out of travel quicker compared to one with more travel offers, updates and events from and. Bike-Discount.De or send well i guarantee that they likely did plenty of things like finite how much fork travel for hardtail analysis a! Boost from 120mm to 140mm, delivered by a component known as a percentage of monkeys., your buddies have just mocked your 100mm of travel quicker compared to one more... More too much all that travel by configuring the damping circuits and rebound to work across all.. ) forks or send to make the best of all that travel by configuring the damping circuits and to... Gets longer, stanchions also increase in diameter to prevent the fork, depending on the model for! Maybe talk to bike-discount.de or send one exception is Cannondales proprietary Lefty single strut design! All characteristics of the critical things will be the same ride quality brakes are suitable! As tuning the fork and let it settle to the frames head tube angle also popular when it comes budget... Magazines is normally 25, and weve plenty of steep and long climbs around here are. Depending on the hardtail- give it forks as long as it wants 38mm stanchion single-crown forks last year, uphill! Rei and the lower sliders or general riding, and performance can be impeded when wet a how much fork travel for hardtail XC dirt. 456Ti, no problem climbing at all, and durable frame less suspension means cost!

How To Politely End A Tinder Conversation, Dr Wayne Scott Andersen Net Worth, Articles H