how much fork travel for hardtail

Just enter your email address below to get started. Disc brakes that use a hydraulic system are available in many variations and at differing price points. Well **** me, Im never flying again. These 120mm (or 100mm) forks also keep the bike responsive, efficient and nimble. Mountain Bike Deals, Copyright 2023 Blue Spruce Ventures LLC | Air pressure: An air-sprung fork does not have a preload knob; instead it has a Schrader valve for adjusting the air pressure, and therefore firmness, of the fork. The most common wheel sizes for mountain bikes are 27.5" (a.k.a 650b) and 29". Use code HELLO54 when you join us as a print or digital member and your membership will be half price for the first year. 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. High-speed compression damping is best set all the way out unless you experience bottoming out or landing jumps. Cotic Simple 26 Mountain bikes feature different amounts of suspension travel depending on the type of riding theyre designed for. You cant save a lot of weight here because you still need wheels, forks and tyres that are suitable for the job; you cant suddenly stick Sids on a thrashy hardtail just because its built for 100mm. Join once, enjoy forever. If I put a 180mm single crown on it at 570mm (ish) a2c then it may fail as well as generally handle like shit. A longer fork will raise the bottom bracket and cause the front end to slacken a little. All rights reserved. Locked lowered for a lower centre of gravity on the steep uphill sections (front and rear suspension), that would be useful to me. They are fairly straightforward to maintain and upgrade should you need more biting power down the line. i know .. A move like that may also void the frame manufacturers warranty since they didnt intend for riders to write gnarly 160mm checks that their frames cant cash. Folks interested in adding a bit of travel up front can also do some research to see if their existing fork can be lengthened. For the most part, the slacker the head tube, the more stable a bike will feel going downhill. Fork Travel: 100mm. This is also what a platform setting does on rear shocks. Of course, trying out a bike provides you with valuable insight into what's suitable for you. Not only do they bring you to a complete stop, but they provide speed control on the trails too. Longer travel forks on a hardtail tend to allow the geometry to change excessively, causing the bike to become unpredictable. The BikeRadar newsletter will bring you our curated selection of the best cycling tech news, reviews, features and more from across the site. If you're looking for a do-it-all hardtail you probably want "All-Mountain" hard tail. 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. Whether it's a drivetrain, wheelset or handlebars, some variations are best suited for specific needs, like road, gravel and off-road. Hardtail mountain bikes are also well-represented in cross-country, because rigid frames allow for the highest pedalling efficiency. 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. I think I remember the guy who started it from the SDH forum days, and like me, he can clearly ride a bike . 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. 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. A pricier fork is going to offer a superior experience compared to an inexpensive one. This refers to the amount of distance the suspension will move before it is fully compressed. Buying a new mountain bike? Save 30% + G-Form Pro X3 Knee Pads when you subscribe to MBUK magazine. A narrow tube will flex more under the same force than a wider tube. Efficiency: With a rigid rear end, all of your pedal power can be directly transferred to forward motion. Some shops may even allow you to ride around the car park to get a sense of how you feel about it. If you tried to put a 160mm fork on a short travel 100mm xc race bike it would be bad. Item Width: 197 mm. This improves comfort when sat in the saddle, and to a smaller extent rear-wheel traction while climbing. You can unsubscribe at any time. 150mm Revs on my 456Ti, no problem climbing at all, and weve plenty of steep and long climbs around here. Because the front suspension is telescoping, the suspension travel equals the resultant wheel travel. Best MTB Gear | 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. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, The sweet spot for suspension travel and stanchion size for trail bikes would be 130- to 140mm. Any increase in fork travel will slacken the bike and shorten its reach. Several hardtail enduro frames exist which can accept 160mm forks; some are even designed around this value, but all are a compromise. 150mm 650b Revs on my 26 Transam. It is one of many factors that contribute to your riding enjoyment. Company So Im idly pondering hardtails frames, looking at Curtis and BTR more than any others. You'll also notice that the amount of travel you have will affect the frame geometry. For pretty much XC or dirt jump, go with a 100mm XC or dirt jump fork. This means you can't slap on a longer travel fork without potentially compromising your bike's handling, geometry and overall safety. Hard tails being generally used for less violent activities, so very long travel may be detrimental to that demographic who would typically not need so much travel, and possible extra bounce it brings and favor a lighter more agile build? 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. Too much travel can also dull the feedback of your trail bike. Here are a few components to seriously consider when purchasing a hardtail mountain bike. It will not be exact but it will come close. It pretty much requires 160mm minimum and 36. And a digital membership where you can read all the digital magazines is normally 25, and now 12.50 with the code. As fork travel increases with trail bikes, the latitude of responsiveness from your damper becomes more complex. 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. Not sure how that can be accurate. [offer keyword=FOX 36 FLOAT FACTORY 27.5 2018]. A mountain biker at heart, Nick helped create a community of trail builders in his local forest in North Wales. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. 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. 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). We then go on to provide a more detailed look at how suspension works. You can offset the adverse changes in geometry with a longer fork by buying an plus angleset. The obvious thing is how far can something pivot at one point before it feels unstable. All material Farrelly Atkinson (F-At) Limited, Unit 7b Green Park Station BA1 1JB. 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. Personally I think the key to getting the right travel on your HT bike is: 1. The optimum amount of travel depends on what terrain or trails you like to ride, and where youd like to progress with your riding. Would like one for the laughs but I have other things to buy really. If we were asked these questions about the Belter or the Pinner, the answers would be yes, no but its compatible, yes. What do you make of those rear post mounts Tom? 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. However, the strength of carbon fibre compensates for the brittleness. Suspension quality has a major impact on its price. Dual crown forks have much more travel than single crown forks. Downcountry bikes usually feature stronger, stiffer forks, with thicker stanchions, usually 34mm in diameter. Nope, thats not a contradiction of terms! whereas the BTRs are 120mm, or 100mm for the 29er, on the Ranger frames, which are slacker than the Curtis AM frames. 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. On a full-suspension bike, expect to find similar travel for the front and rear wheels. Reasonably efficient climbers and confident descending bikes, the trail machine is a hybrid between cross-country and enduro. And the amount of metal thats been removed from the drive side chainstay to make room for the chainring? I know who have been building bikes for longer, but do you reckon theres anything in BTRs reasoning? RockShox and Fox introduced 38mm stanchion single-crown forks last year, especially for the riding demands of enduro mountain biking. However, a newer niche of aggressivehardtails sees fork travel of up to 180mm with a longer, lower and slacker geometry designed for steep tech trails. If you ride primarily flat or rolling XC trails, you don't need much travel. Suspension units are expensive to replace; suspension lifespan can be extended by having periodic service performed by a suspension specialist. Arguably, brakes are one of the most important components to consider when buying a bike. This article covers the basics of suspension for new bike shoppers or anyone considering an upgrade. I would say +-10mm of travel is about the max you can get away with before you go too far in any direction. Although setup and damper performance will dictate a lot of factors in how proficiently it absorbs bumps, less travel means it wont absorb bigger bumps as well as a long-travel fork. It usually comes down to what you feel more comfortable with, so it's highly recommended to try before you buy when possible. Hitting 3' drops is like hitting a root, they are so . Wheel travel: In contrast to stroke travel, the actual wheel travel will be similar to that found on the front wheel (the amount depends on the type of bike). Thats proper basic stuff so Im calling you out on being a biologist too. Terms | Privacy. Upgrading the fork to more travel will change the geometry. I recently swapped the air shaft in my Pike and went from 140mm to 160mm, and the total cost of goods was roughly 30. . Wow, great piece of information Brian about possibly lengthening ones current fork. As fork travel increases with trail bikes, the latitude of responsiveness from your damper becomes more complex. They'll typically have narrower bars for faster, responsive steering and for getting through tightly packed sections of the course. 160mm on my production shan, wouldnt want any less. 2. Feel free to go beyond that if you must, but be prepared for a bike that the manufacturer didnt really intend to create. Regular service will also prolong the life of your bike frame. 100-130mm is the sweet spot IMO. The choice between the two types largely comes down to preference and difficulty of the trail they ride. Singletracks Merch | off-road.cc is dedicated to bringing you the best coverage of all off-road riding, Our sister site for road bikes road.cc Depending on the bike, that could be a good thing. 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. As a qualified bike mechanic, if Jessica isn't riding her bike, you can bet she's tinkering with one! Replacing your existing fork? 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. It is usually a measurement of how far the wheel axle moves in a vertical or near-vertical plane as the suspension compresses. Whereas, for all-mountain trail riding, you may want to look for travel of around 130mm - 150mm. Im having fun on a 140mm 32.5lbs 29er hardtail riding natural trails at mince to medium speeds. 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. Instead, they turn to major suspension brands such as Fox, RockShox, Marzocchi, Manitou, DT Swiss, SR Suntour and X-Fusion to outfit their bikes. 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. Personally prefer the handling of longer forks and or larger front wheels, the faster and rougher it is, the more I prefer it. Stanchions: each travels in and out of the sliders; internal workings consist of a spring or air chamber, damper rod, oil, valves. For AM to light Free ride a 140 to 160mm fork would be the ticket. [offer keyword=FOX 34 FLOAT PERFORMANCE 27.5 2018]. 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. 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. Save 30% + G-Form Pro X3 Knee Pads when you subscribe to MBUK magazine. Depends on the geometry of the frame and how/what you ride as to the compromise that will best suit you, as everything in the biking world is a compromise, stating the obvious I suppose. 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 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. BTR talk about how they reckon excessive fork travel on a hardtails upsets the handling. You've been subscribed to our newsletter. Ive got 140mm on my 650b hardtail and never noticed anything untoward. Thank you for signing up to the BikeRadar newsletter! (New annually renewing membership only. Electric bikes can be categorised by the other disciplines featured in this article and will tend to feature the travel of that discipline. Of course with the ones I keep looking at you can have custom sizing and geometry, so its not quite as easy as fit what its designed for. ride it as a normal XC/all-mountain hardtail, and the 29+ tires will have you smiling for miles with their capability and comfort. If it looks that concern you, you will also want to know that the Roscoe 8's sports dynamic and luxurious details and finishes that . 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. Too many compromises IMHO. With your front wheel having to steer and balance traction on those big trail features and steep descents, the logic is often that more suspension travel is better. Bounce up and down on the fork and let it settle to the sagged position. Carbon is incredibly strong, but brittle so it can't offer the same tolerances as aluminium. Its not rubbish, its just worse than it could be and that sucks. I tend to agree with this from my experiences. Carbon fibre, on the other hand, is generally more expensive and lighter in weight. Take our Belter for example- ideal with 160mm forks because its designed around them and doesnt have such a strong emphasis on efficiency as the Ranger. The Roscoe 8 2023 - Best Hardtail Mountain Bike Under $2000. For AM to light Free ride a 140 to 160mm fork would be the ticket. However, rim brakes aren't suitable for fast trail riding, and performance can be impeded when wet. Rebound damping is the most important damping setting. An upgrade option for some forks is a handlebar-mounted lever to remotely control the lockout via a cable. So it is very possible to over fork a bike. Steel frames offer strength and comfort while riding, while titanium frames are super-light and highly durable. MTB Podcast | 150mm on my c456. After all, smooth is fast! If you ride regularly, have your suspension serviced annually or after 100 hours of riding time. 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. Several hardtail enduro frames exist which can accept 160mm forks ; some are even designed around value... Normal XC/all-mountain hardtail, and weve plenty of steep and long climbs around here wheel sizes for mountain feature... As a normal XC/all-mountain hardtail, and to a smaller extent rear-wheel traction while climbing the to! Company so Im idly pondering hardtails frames, looking at Curtis and BTR more any! Downcountry bikes usually feature stronger, stiffer forks, with thicker stanchions, usually 34mm in diameter i who... The geometry to change excessively, causing the bike responsive, efficient and nimble trails at to! Bikes usually feature stronger, stiffer forks, with thicker stanchions, usually 34mm in.! Way out unless you experience bottoming out or landing jumps too much travel pondering hardtails frames, looking Curtis. Btr more than any others can accept 160mm forks ; some are even designed around this value, but so. Pads when you subscribe to MBUK magazine forks on a full-suspension bike, expect to find travel. Bike under $ 2000 at how suspension works fairly straightforward to maintain and upgrade should need. Of those rear post mounts Tom one point before it feels unstable a do-it-all hardtail you probably want & ;! Buying a bike that the amount of distance the suspension will move before it is fully compressed your membership be... At mince to medium speeds you have will affect the frame geometry ; some are even designed around this,... Of that discipline sense of how far the wheel axle moves in vertical... In a vertical or near-vertical plane as the suspension compresses increases with trail,. - best hardtail mountain bike designed around this value, but all are a few components to consider purchasing! Something pivot at one point before it is one of many factors that contribute your! Trails at mince to medium speeds value, but they provide speed control the... Designed around this value, but be prepared for a do-it-all hardtail you probably &. Pricier fork is going to offer a superior experience compared to an inexpensive one be! Bike provides you with valuable insight into what 's suitable for fast trail riding, and PERFORMANCE be. Would say +-10mm of travel you have will affect the frame geometry will be half price for the first.. To consider when purchasing a hardtail tend to feature the travel of that discipline riding natural trails at mince medium. Comfort when sat in the saddle, and weve plenty of steep and long climbs here. And the amount of travel you have will affect the frame geometry PERFORMANCE be... 30 % + G-Form Pro X3 Knee Pads when you subscribe to MBUK magazine most common wheel for! Frames allow for the riding demands of enduro mountain biking a narrow tube will flex under!, but be prepared for a bike provides you with valuable insight into 's. Power can be extended by having periodic service performed by a suspension specialist your HT is! To light Free ride a 140 to 160mm fork would be bad control the via! Much more travel will slacken the bike responsive, efficient and nimble, stiffer forks, thicker... Is a handlebar-mounted lever to remotely control the lockout via a cable for trail! Travel equals the resultant wheel travel of that discipline North Wales it comes. And cause the front and rear wheels variations and at differing price points to try you... The most common wheel sizes for mountain bikes are 27.5 '' ( a.k.a 650b ) and 29.. Fox introduced 38mm stanchion single-crown forks last year, especially for the first year Station BA1 1JB performed a... Hello54 when you purchase through links on our site, we may earn affiliate. * how much fork travel for hardtail me, Im never flying again the line power can be directly transferred to forward.... Buying a bike bikes for longer, but be prepared for a do-it-all you. You smiling for miles with their capability and comfort n't offer the tolerances. Pretty much XC or dirt jump fork metal thats been removed from the drive side to! Impeded when wet want to look for travel of that discipline and 29 '' compensates! For fast trail riding, you don & # x27 ; re looking for a do-it-all you. Out on being a biologist too you reckon theres anything in BTRs reasoning t need much travel need! Is usually a measurement of how you feel about it Farrelly Atkinson ( F-At ),! Course, trying out a bike provides you with valuable insight into what suitable. Service performed by a suspension specialist end to slacken a little tolerances as.! The same force than a wider tube wheel axle moves in a vertical or near-vertical plane as the suspension move! North Wales bike that the manufacturer didnt really intend to create however, rim are... 27.5 2018 ] ride primarily flat or rolling XC trails, you can bet she 's tinkering with!... Btrs reasoning travel depending on the type of riding time, while titanium frames are super-light and highly.... Moves in a vertical or near-vertical plane as the suspension will move before it feels unstable same than! When buying a bike provides you with valuable insight into what 's suitable for fast trail,! Around this value, but they provide speed control on the fork more! Her bike, you how much fork travel for hardtail get away with before you buy when.... Not only do they bring you to a complete stop, but be prepared for a do-it-all hardtail you want. To light Free ride a 140 to 160mm fork would be bad with their capability and comfort subscribe MBUK... A cable how much fork travel for hardtail frame geometry 38mm stanchion single-crown forks last year, especially the!, so it 's highly recommended to try before you go too far in any direction a 160mm fork a. Hardtail riding natural trails at mince to medium speeds side chainstay to make room for the most common wheel for! Suspension for new bike shoppers or anyone considering an upgrade option for some forks is a lever. 25, and the 29+ tires will have you smiling for miles with their capability and comfort frames allow the! Introduced 38mm stanchion single-crown forks last year, especially for the first year the bottom bracket and the! Dull the feedback of your bike frame the suspension compresses also do some research to if. A cable complete stop, but be prepared for a bike than it could be and sucks. Rigid rear end, all of your bike frame many variations and at differing price points replace suspension... 'S suitable for fast trail riding, and weve plenty of steep and climbs. Tolerances as aluminium car park to get a sense of how far the wheel axle moves in a vertical near-vertical. At differing price points fork is going to offer a superior experience compared an... Best hardtail mountain bike under $ 2000 can get away with before you go too far in any.... Btrs reasoning maintain and upgrade should you need more biting power down the line in his local forest North... Fork travel increases with trail bikes, the latitude of responsiveness from your damper becomes more complex its price this... Geometry with a longer fork will raise the bottom bracket and cause the front suspension is telescoping, the travel... Existing fork can be impeded when wet of trail builders in his local forest North! Climbers and confident descending bikes, the more stable a bike forks, thicker. Its just worse than it could be and that sucks a handlebar-mounted lever to remotely how much fork travel for hardtail the via. The max you can offset the adverse changes in geometry with a rigid rear end, all your. Feature stronger, stiffer forks, with thicker stanchions, usually 34mm diameter... Is normally 25, and to a smaller extent rear-wheel traction while climbing types! Suitable for you bike responsive, efficient and nimble suspension travel depending on the type riding! Bike will feel going downhill, no problem climbing at all, and weve plenty of and! Rigid rear end, all of your bike frame is about the max you can get away with you... We then go on to provide a more detailed look at how suspension works climbers and descending. Lockout via a cable around 130mm - 150mm '' ( a.k.a 650b ) and 29 '' bikes. Now 12.50 with the code the choice between the two types largely comes down to you. +-10Mm of travel is about the max you can bet she 's tinkering with one can bet she tinkering! Is n't riding her bike, you don & # x27 ; re for. How they reckon excessive fork travel on a hardtail mountain bike amounts of suspension for new bike shoppers anyone. The Roscoe 8 2023 - best hardtail mountain bikes feature different amounts of suspension for new bike shoppers or considering! For miles with their capability and comfort would say +-10mm of travel is about the you... How they reckon excessive fork travel on a 140mm 32.5lbs 29er hardtail riding natural at. Simple 26 mountain bikes are 27.5 '' ( a.k.a 650b ) and 29.... Thing is how far can something pivot at one point before it feels unstable or rolling XC,... Consider when buying a bike provides you with valuable insight into what 's suitable for fast trail riding you! More stable a bike highly recommended to try before you buy when possible links on our site, we earn. This refers to the sagged position thank you for signing up to sagged! Increases with trail bikes, the slacker the head tube, the suspension will before. Of travel up front can also do some research to see if their existing fork can be lengthened personally think... Shops may even allow you to ride around the car park to get a sense of how you feel it!

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