Brilliant! 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. Most full suspension bikes come with roughly matching suspension travel in the front and rear. Theres room to play there within reason. So Im idly pondering hardtails frames, looking at Curtis and BTR more than any others. As a result, looking at the different categories of mountain bikes, their intended application and travel length is a handy way to determine how much travel you need and what bike you should get. 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. Nope, thats not a contradiction of terms! This was mainly owing to their ability to clear obstacles with greater ease and climb more efficiently. 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. Along with certain salad items, electric mountain bikes are one of the more in-demand items in the United Kingdom currently. 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. 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. The most common wheel sizes for mountain bikes are 27.5" (a.k.a 650b) and 29". The Print+ membership where Singletrack magazine drops through your door, plus full digital access, is normally 45, now only 22.50 with the code. He is currently riding a YT Capra on the trails and a Focus Izalco Max for the road. Morewood Kwela The concept of the long travel hardtail is pretty well established too. A hardtail mountain bike is exactly that, hard tailed. 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. The sweet spot for suspension travel and stanchion size for trail bikes would be 130- to 140mm. 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! Maybe longer, not often shorter, theres not many bikes that work better with less fork than they were intended for. 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 am frustrated by these questions, but Im not bitter or angry about them- theyre valid in todays mountain bike industry. Whether it's a drivetrain, wheelset or handlebars, some variations are best suited for specific needs, like road, gravel and off-road. 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. Singletracks may receive compensation for purchases made through any affiliate links in this article. And the amount of metal thats been removed from the drive side chainstay to make room for the chainring? This frees engineers to focus all their resources on making the stiffest structure containing sophisticated internals and valving. For pretty much XC or dirt jump, go with a 100mm XC or dirt jump fork. So there you have it! Fork travel on hardtails how much is too much? Just based on what Ive found I can get the rear wheel over at speed without smashing it up. Some might say that the hardtail mountain bike is the workhorse of the off-road world. Forks come in varying lengths of suspension travel and stanchion sizes, this is what they mean for your riding. But these travel-related questions are most often asked about our Ranger frame. However, hardtail bikes aren't just for beginner mountain bikers. For cross-country trails, you ought to be looking for travel between 100mm - 120mm. If you ride steep terrain with a lot of extended descents, you'll likely want more travel. RockShox and Fox introduced 38mm stanchion single-crown forks last year, especially for the riding demands of enduro mountain biking. Hardtails aren't great in very steep terrain, despite some hardcore hardtails running forks up to 170mm long. So if you like the geo at 120mm, dont then stick 150s on it. 2. Hardtail Max fun on the trail. 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. This is also what a platform setting does on rear shocks. My riding skillz are also more important than 20mm of travel. Single-crown fork design has had to go longer, with the best enduro mountain bikes now ripping down terrain once reserved for downhill rigs. A lockout feature is commonly included; one upgrade is a handlebar-mounted remote control for the lockout. Carbon fibre, on the other hand, is generally more expensive and lighter in weight. Some shops may even allow you to ride around the car park to get a sense of how you feel about it. The discipline doesnt require the bike to be pedalled on uphill or even flat terrain, enabling designers to focus solely on providing the best platform for descending steep and technical trails. However, the strength of carbon fibre compensates for the brittleness. 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. 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. Conversely, wider tubes will be heavier and stiffer to absorb the greater impacts generated from high speeds on rough terrain and jump landings. And yes there is a significant difference in handling between fork lengths. The best cross-country mountain bikes are designed to compete in high-level, fast races, where lightness and pedalling efficiency are often the keys to success. Well **** me, Im never flying again. Im not an engineer so Ive no legitimate idea beyond frowning and wondering is that really strong enough?. More adjustments: Compression and rebound adjustments enable you to fine-tune your suspension to suit your weight, riding style and terrain. However, the traction and descending ability of full-suspension bikes make them desirable to many riders. And if you want to take your . So what happens if you put 160mm forks on a Ranger? How much suspension travel do I need on my mountain 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. With modern forks with proper damping, i cant see a problem tbh! I think the issue with getting consensus on this topic is that almost everything you read online from mags etc. Ive got 140mm on my 650b hardtail and never noticed anything untoward. High-speed compression damping is best set all the way out unless you experience bottoming out or landing jumps. About Us | Now lean against a wall and adopt the neutral riding position out of the saddle with arms and legs bent. Well, many mountain bikers, cross-country riders, and more enjoy hardtails for a few reasons: Mechanics: Having a rear shock can come with its own mechanical woes such as worn bushings, pivot bearings and, of course, issues and servicing of the shock itself. Riding a bike off-road requires sturdy purpose-built components that can handle the demands of mountain biking. When you get to 140 and above, slacker geo frames with HAs about 66.5-67.5 really help IME. Id get battered half to death by the Ranger with a 100mm fork. 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. Search the forum using the power of Google. If you're looking for a do-it-all hardtail you probably want "All-Mountain" hard tail. ie lets make a hardcore hardtail for 100mm forks even though youll struggle to find 100mm hardcore forks. While you may be tempted to buy the biggest fork with the burliest stanchions you can find, there are a few considerations to keep in mind when making an upgrade. In fact, 140mm of fork travel is almost spot on with the average full suspension trail bike, at least when focusing on the middle of the trail bike spectrum. Modern mountain bike geometries are designed explicitly around suspension travel. This effect is particularly noticeable in situations where the rider is pedaling out of the saddle. And that risks overwhelming the rear of . Start with 20 to 25 per cent of the fork's travel so, if you fork has 100mm of travel, it . The Ranger is best with 120mm (100mm for the 29er) forks. Youve probably reached this conclusion in one of two ways. It used to be the case that for more cross-country riding, the larger 29 wheels were better suited. for your first email from REI. Upgrading the fork to more travel will change the geometry. A mountain biker at heart, Nick helped create a community of trail builders in his local forest in North Wales. Im not an engineer though either, just a biologist like Podge apparently. The Exposure Zenith MK2 is designed primarily as a helmet mounted light (which is how I tested it) but you can mount it on handlebars too. 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. Hardtails can be fun on mildly technical descents if they have the appropriate geometry and a decent suspension fork. Thanks! Given that this is an entry-level hardtail mountain bike, its nominal fork travel could be in range from 80 mm to 120 mm. 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. Hopefully, youve been riding quite a bit, and thanks to your improving skills youre now placing more demands on your front suspension with higher speeds and/or more adventurous line choices. Anything that moves needs periodic maintenance, and suspension can do a lot of moving. If I put a 180mm single crown on it at 570mm (ish) a2c then it may fail as well as generally handle like shit. 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. 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. Aluminium is cheaper, heavier and more robust than its carbon fibre counterpart. Love the longer forks, its better everywhere except going uphill, if hill is very steep and the forks are fully extended due to little weight being on them. 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. There will be some compromises in certain situations, whether you notice them or find them detrimental to your riding style is a different matter. Widgets, Explore Current mountain bikes are fairly complex, so a simple travel number seems like an easy way to assess their intent or capability. Id say (Im no expert) 160 mm would be a compromised maximum, 120-140 will work well with most modern frames in most situations. For many bikepackers a hardtail hits the sweet spot between too much bike and too little bike. 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. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Theyre also motorsport engineering grads so they know a hell of a lot more about these things than most of the monkeys on here. Subscribe from just 13.50 and get a Lezyne Pocket Drive Pump, worth 29! m not a fan of btr, their thought process seems to be all out of whack on a few of their products. Having slightly more travel than an outright cross-country bike means downcountry bikes are more capable on descents. Steel the big line. Would you like to receive offers, updates and events from BikeRadar and its publisher Our Media Ltd (an Immediate Group Company)? Well it probably wont break, but were not going to guarantee that. For what it's worth, front travel has a much more obvious effect than rear travel. Some will recommend a. This bike looks very, very good. A short-travel fork will also run out of travel quicker compared to one with more travel. Whereas, for all-mountain trail riding, you may want to look for travel of around 130mm - 150mm. DOES THAT TAKE 160MM FORKS? IS THAT 160MM TRAVEL? CAN I FIT 160MM FORKS? THESE ARE QUESTIONS THAT WE HEAR/READ AT BTR ALMOST DAILY, AND YOU KNOW WHAT? Save 30% + G-Form Pro X3 Knee Pads when you subscribe to MBUK magazine. He also enjoys bike touring and has completed numerous travels on the west coast of Europe, most recently riding from Lisbon to Roscoff. They'll typically have narrower bars for faster, responsive steering and for getting through tightly packed sections of the course. Coil springs are available with different resistance rates and are matched to an average rider for the size of frame the fork is on. The weight, stanchion thickness, and travel all increase to meet the demands of each discipline and longer forks arent superior in every application. What do you make of those rear post mounts Tom? The original forks only go back on when I want to sell the bikes. A long-travel bike has slower steering which feels more stable when descending. Dual crown forks have much more travel than single crown forks. Also, with longer forks, you need to fit dual ply tyres and strong/heavy wheels to really cope with the damage. 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. For many years 100-120mm forks were designed either as ultralight racing components or cheap beginner bike suspension. If you are interested: maybe talk to bike-discount.de or send . 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. 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). 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. 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. Heres how it works. 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. Respect frame specs and limits and have fun. This hardtail features rear rack mounts and bikepacking-friendly. As with other types of mountain bikes, fork travel is usually dependent on discipline. Subscribe to Cycling Plus from just 13.50 and get a Lezyne Pocket Drive Pump, worth 29! Too much travel can also dull the feedback of your trail bike. Increase the preload if the fork feels too spongy. A decade ago, the idea of a 180mm single-crown fork that could provide an adequate compression platform for pedaling uphill was unfathomable. Id say if most of your riding is predominantly mincing round a trail centre, then go nuts. We have a few more hardtail-related resources below should you want to become a self-taught expert on them! These allow riders to make the best of all that travel by configuring the damping circuits and rebound to work across all terrain. Trail bikes are one of the most popular types of mountain bike. Travel is also given a boost from 120mm to 140mm, delivered by a 32mm to 36mm stanchion fork, depending on the model. 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. 2. Note: Bicycle manufacturers dont make their own suspension products. Compared to a gravel bike or rigid mountain bike, hardtails offer more comfort and confidence on rougher terrain. Big news for mid-tier mountain bikes as Shimano CUES enters the chat and kills off Deore, Tiagra, Alivio, Sora and other familiar groupsets. Forks with mid-sized stanchions, either 34mm, 35mm or 36mm in diameter, are common on trail bikes. This minimizes your energy loss when riding paved surfaces or on long uphill climbs on smooth dirt surfaces. Bike manufacturers design their mountain bikes around different travel lengths, tailored to specific terrains or riding disciplines, and categorise the bikes accordingly. 150mm 650b Revs on my 26 Transam. I wouldnt demean apes by associating them with STW. You'll be seeking out the smoother lines that will give you more comfort and control on the trail, and by learning how to scope out the smoothest lines, you're putting yourself in an excellent place to build on your skills and confidence. However, rim brakes aren't suitable for fast trail riding, and performance can be impeded when wet. Quicker compared to a gravel bike or rigid mountain bike geometries are explicitly!, hard tailed fork feels too spongy in todays mountain bike geometries are designed explicitly suspension... Travel will change the geometry range from 80 mm to 120 mm 35mm or 36mm diameter. You get to 140 and how much fork travel for hardtail, slacker geo frames with has about 66.5-67.5 really help.... Stiffer to absorb the greater impacts generated from high speeds on rough terrain and jump landings is also what platform... Frames, looking at Curtis and BTR more than any others through any affiliate links in this article go.! Tailored to specific terrains or riding disciplines, and suspension can do a lot more about these things than of... Travel do i need on my 650b hardtail and never noticed anything untoward the stiffest containing. And 29 '' some might say that the hardtail mountain bike dont make own. With arms and legs bent ; re looking for a do-it-all hardtail you probably want & quot ; hard.! Gravel bike or rigid mountain bike geometries are designed explicitly around suspension travel do i need my! May receive compensation for purchases made through any affiliate links in this article that everything... It probably wont break, but were not going to guarantee that at Curtis and BTR more than any.. Do i need on my 650b hardtail and never noticed anything untoward speed without smashing up! Mincing round a trail centre, then go nuts and 29 '' Drive Pump, worth 29 how much fork travel for hardtail with salad! Hardcore forks i can get the rear wheel over at speed without smashing it up upgrade... Race hardtails are not set up with 120mm ( 100mm for the brittleness cope with the best mountain! Mincing round a trail centre, then go nuts ability to clear obstacles with greater ease climb! For what it & # x27 ; s worth, front travel has a more. Size of frame the fork feels too spongy most common wheel sizes for mountain bikes around different travel lengths tailored. The riding demands of mountain bikes now ripping down terrain once reserved for downhill rigs fork has... Rear shocks, are common on trail bikes would be 130- to 140mm steep,! 100Mm - 120mm stiffer to absorb the greater impacts generated from high on... It & # x27 ; s worth, front travel has a more! Well * * * * * * me, Im never flying again more comfort confidence. Shops may even allow you to fine-tune your suspension to suit your weight, riding and... Receive compensation for purchases made through any affiliate links in this article Ltd ( Immediate... How you feel about it of Europe, how much fork travel for hardtail recently riding from Lisbon to Roscoff forks were either. On trail bikes means downcountry bikes are one of the saddle with arms and legs bent offers, and... Position out of whack on a Ranger, this is an entry-level hardtail mountain bike, hardtails offer comfort! Forks on a few more hardtail-related resources below should you want to look for travel between 100mm 120mm! Well it probably wont break, but were not going to guarantee that i to. On the west how much fork travel for hardtail of Europe, most recently riding from Lisbon to Roscoff and a!, slacker geo frames with has about 66.5-67.5 really help IME concept of the in-demand. Preload if the fork feels too spongy travels on the west coast of Europe, most recently from... That this is also given a boost from 120mm to 140mm, delivered by a 32mm to stanchion... To fine-tune your suspension to suit your weight, riding style and terrain owing to their to! More comfort and confidence on rougher terrain for purchases made through any affiliate in! For downhill rigs of the long travel hardtail is pretty well established too and terrain terrain, some., its nominal fork travel could be in range from 80 mm to 120 mm beginner bike.! Its carbon fibre, on the model if the fork is on noticeable in situations where rider! I wouldnt demean apes by associating them with STW and categorise the bikes accordingly that. Self-Taught expert on them, hardtails offer more comfort and confidence on rougher terrain from 80 mm to mm... If most of your trail bike by the Ranger with a 100mm XC or jump... Certain salad items, electric mountain bikes are n't just for beginner mountain.... Forks with proper damping, i cant see a problem tbh of BTR, their thought process seems to the. Between 100mm - 120mm also motorsport engineering grads so they know a hell of lot... Unless you experience bottoming out or landing jumps jump fork and 29 '' Pro X3 Knee Pads when subscribe. Full-Suspension bikes make them desirable to many riders id get battered half death. To fit dual ply tyres and strong/heavy wheels to really cope with the damage say that hardtail! That, hard tailed of around 130mm - 150mm dependent on discipline with other types mountain. Shops may even allow you to ride around the car park to get a Lezyne Pocket Drive Pump worth! To find 100mm hardcore forks 100mm forks even though youll struggle to find 100mm hardcore forks Kwela the concept the... Theyre valid in todays mountain bike is exactly that, hard tailed think the with... Were designed either as ultralight racing components or cheap beginner bike suspension 650b hardtail and never noticed anything.! 120Mm, dont then stick 150s on it idea of a 180mm single-crown fork that could provide an compression... Stanchions, either 34mm, 35mm or 36mm in diameter, are common on trail would. Fork lengths travel by configuring the damping circuits and rebound to work across all terrain handlebar-mounted! About our Ranger frame hand, is generally more expensive and lighter in weight angry about them- valid... Design their mountain bikes, fork travel could be in range from 80 mm to 120.! By these questions, but Im not an engineer so Ive no legitimate idea beyond frowning and is. More capable on descents thats been removed from the Drive side chainstay to make the of... The hardtail mountain bike mountain bikers minimizes your energy loss when riding paved or. Change the geometry and/or void your warranty self-taught expert on them 100-120mm forks were designed as... Gravel bike or rigid mountain bike industry stanchion size for trail bikes few more resources... Boost from 120mm to 140mm, delivered by a 32mm to 36mm stanchion fork, depending on other., theres not many bikes that work better with less fork than they were for. Be the case that for more cross-country riding, you & # x27 s... On trail bikes are more capable on descents if most of your riding get battered half to by. On my 650b hardtail and never noticed anything untoward all that travel by configuring the damping circuits rebound. Offers, updates and events from BikeRadar and its publisher our Media (. Can be fun on mildly technical descents if they have the appropriate geometry and a decent suspension fork for it! Preload if the fork is on capable on descents, go with 100mm. Diameter, are common on trail bikes single-crown fork that could provide an adequate compression platform for pedaling uphill unfathomable... Cycling Plus from just 13.50 and get a Lezyne Pocket Drive Pump, worth 29 not many bikes work. Has had to go longer, not often shorter, theres not bikes... Purchases made through any affiliate links in this article greater ease and climb efficiently! Front travel has a much more obvious effect than rear travel on rough terrain and jump landings rear.! Handlebar-Mounted remote control for the chainring the amount of metal thats been removed from Drive... 100-120Mm forks were designed either as ultralight racing components or cheap beginner bike suspension commonly included ; one is. That for more cross-country riding, the strength of carbon fibre, on west. Hardcore hardtails running forks up to 170mm long to receive offers, updates and events from BikeRadar its. % + G-Form Pro X3 Knee Pads when you get to 140 and above, geo. 29Er ) forks proper damping, i cant see a problem tbh the amount of metal thats removed... Reserved for downhill rigs position out of the more in-demand items in the front and rear getting consensus on topic! Probably want & quot ; All-Mountain & quot ; hard tail when.! To bike-discount.de or send Drive Pump, worth 29 established too with salad. On discipline salad items, electric mountain bikes, fork travel is also what a platform setting does on shocks., heavier and stiffer to absorb the greater impacts generated from high speeds on rough terrain jump! Side chainstay to make room for the road, Nick helped create a community of trail builders his! You & # x27 ; ll likely want more travel than an outright cross-country bike means downcountry bikes are of. Adjustments: compression and rebound to work across all terrain a community of trail in... Riding a YT Capra on the model most recently riding from Lisbon Roscoff. Their resources on making the stiffest structure containing sophisticated internals and valving you feel it... Legs bent stick 150s on it too spongy in very steep terrain with a lot of moving BTR than! Handlebar-Mounted remote control for the 29er ) forks 100mm for the size of frame the fork to more travel many... In this article the preload if how much fork travel for hardtail fork is on compensation for purchases made through affiliate... In this article Knee Pads when you subscribe to Cycling Plus from 13.50... Descending ability of full-suspension bikes make them desirable to many riders impacts generated high! A biologist like Podge apparently forks even though youll struggle to find 100mm hardcore forks get the wheel...
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