Here are a few components to seriously consider when purchasing a hardtail mountain bike. Reynolds 853 Steel Frame. The bike has a max spec of 530mm a2c. Singletracks may receive compensation for purchases made through any affiliate links in this article. Whereas, for all-mountain trail riding, you may want to look for travel of around 130mm - 150mm. Ride quality: Seek out a responsive suspension system offering a smooth ride. Advertising and commercial: sales@off-road.cc, Mountain bike, bikepackingand gravel bikes. This minimizes your energy loss when riding paved surfaces or on long uphill climbs on smooth dirt surfaces. Rides: 140mm is ideal for even the toughest trail centres, with more travel being required for gnarlier ambitions. In addition, some fully rigid bikes come with the correct frame geometry angle to upgrade to a suspension fork. The sag is how much the suspension compresses under your weight. 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. Regular service will also prolong the life of your bike frame. 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. So it is very possible to over fork a bike. There is just too much flex with thinner stanchions when pointed downhill, and you want as much HTA as you can get. Because it has this tolerance for brutish behaviour, aluminium has a slight advantage in damping vibrations and impact absorption. Thats proper basic stuff so Im calling you out on being a biologist too. Hardtails aren't great in very steep terrain, despite some hardcore hardtails running forks up to 170mm long. Any unusual collapse or resistance to normal function. m not a fan of btr, their thought process seems to be all out of whack on a few of their products. You can purchase a hardtail mountain bikein-person at a bike shop, from the internet and from second-hand retailers and individuals. As with the front fork, rear suspension models feature variation in travel, spring system and adjustments. Im a graduate zoo keeper, I know a hell of a lot more about monkeys than you. Suspension may be referred to as short or long travel: Material selection, design and manufacturing quality all contribute to a forks performance. Short travel forks; lighter parts; change your riding style so instead of riding through stuff you ride over it. The geometry gets very upset (overly slack head angle, unnecessarily high BB, tall stack, shorter reach, slacker seat angle, etc), which all adds up to a bike which is hard work up hills and no better down them. Arguably, brakes are one of the most important components to consider when buying a bike. NO; NO IT DOESNT/NO IT ISNT/NO YOU CANT. Hence, you end up with a bike weighing more than a full susser, and its not much fun to ride unless youre going very fast down a hill. 505 reviews with an average rating of 4.0 out of 5 stars. 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. Dont own a hardtail at the mo but the Transition Trans Am with Domains up front was a riot check the pic below anything less wouldve made the head angle silly steep. Adjustments may be available for both the compression and rebound. There are fewer things to worry about when servicing and maintaining your bike by not having a rear suspension. They are also popular when it comes to budget mountain bikes because the simplicity of their design and less suspension means less cost. Maybe longer, not often shorter, theres not many bikes that work better with less fork than they were intended for. Some might say that the hardtail mountain bike is the workhorse of the off-road world. Cheers! You can likely get the Fox36 160mm, then take it to your local shop and have them reduce the travel to 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? Same on mine. That 180mm enduro fork is pointless if it blows through its travel or is entirely unresponsive to small-bump impacts. I know who have been building bikes for longer, but do you reckon theres anything in BTRs reasoning? The optimum amount of travel depends on what terrain or trails you like to ride, and where youd like to progress with your riding. The fork stiffness formula is simple: when adding more suspension travel increase stanchion size. How much suspension travel do I need on my mountain bike. It depends totally on your riding style and the intended use. Enter your email for the top stories in mountain biking, plus product picks and deals delivered to your inbox each week. Fork Travel: 100mm. 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. Never saw or heard of any of their protos breaking either. The most common wheel sizes for mountain bikes are 27.5" (a.k.a 650b) and 29". Damping: In addition to a coil or air spring, forks contain a damper rod and oil bath that moderate the speed of the compression and rebound to smooth out the ride. Confident on descents and fairly capable on climbs, trail bikes typically have between 120 and 160mm of suspension travel. RockShox and Fox introduced 38mm stanchion single-crown forks last year, especially for the riding demands of enduro mountain biking. 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. But why shouldnt you fit a cross-country mountain bike, recommended for maximum fork travel of 120mm, with a 130mm fork? What do you make of those rear post mounts Tom? It sounds like youre doing it all right! Save 30% + G-Form Pro X3 Knee Pads when you subscribe to MBUK magazine. Well, everything has a downside. Hey Michael nice piece. Almost all mountain bikes are equipped with front suspension, as well as some hybrid or comfort bikes and kids bikes. 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. While the 27.5" wheel is lighter; of course, but can also be more nimble for technical riding. The diameter of the stanchion tubes affects this lateral stiffness. Boasting 130mm of fork travel, the ARC is a modern trail slayer for those that prefer the raw feeling of a hardtail. My old/vintage Trailstar would be awful with any more than the 80mm on it right now. Hardtails in a nutshell, who they're for, what riding they suit and where to find one that's suitable for you. 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. Now my own bike, a classic 2005 Cannondale Prophet, was designed around a 140mm lefty at about 520mm (ish) axle 2 crown. I use a quick tiedown strap around the front axle and the top of the stanchions to 1/2 compress the longer front suspension, on the long ugly steep climbs. That of course affects the steep climbing, but it is what it is if you want to get the most out of the long amazing downhills. If your coil spring feels too soft or too firm for your weight and riding styleand the available adjustments have not corrected the issueyour bike shop may be able to replace your current springs with a softer or firmer version (if one is available for the model). But these travel-related questions are most often asked about our Ranger frame. The fork legs, also known as stanchions, vary in length, which is called travel and is often measured in millimetres. Various pivot designs and configurations are available. A lockout feature is commonly included; one upgrade is a handlebar-mounted remote control for the lockout. These bikes feature some of the longest suspension travel, ranging from 180 to 200mm, helping to protect riders from large, repeated impacts. Singletracks Merch | A special shock pump is needed for this; do not use a regular tire pump. 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. If we were asked these questions about the Belter or the Pinner, the answers would be yes, no but its compatible, yes. The extra stress of a longer fork is negligible, eg adding 50mm travel by adding a Reba to a XTC will only increase the lever arm (the distance from the centre of the steering tube to the axle) by 10%. Save 30% + G-Form Pro X3 Knee Pads when you subscribe to MBUK magazine. Dual crown forks have much more travel than single crown forks. Jump Bikes Electric mountain bikes are heavy, even compared to downhill bikes. Also think about the style of riding youll do is it casual youre after or do you want to race it? Feel free to go beyond that if you must, but be prepared for a bike that the manufacturer didnt really intend to create. Reviews, buying advice and news. Are these 30 mm more too much for the bike? Instead, they turn to major suspension brands such as Fox, RockShox, Marzocchi, Manitou, DT Swiss, SR Suntour and X-Fusion to outfit their bikes. Aluminium is cheaper, heavier and more robust than its carbon fibre counterpart. 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. Upgrading the fork to more travel will change the geometry. 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. Wow, great piece of information Brian about possibly lengthening ones current fork. High-speed compression damping is best set all the way out unless you experience bottoming out or landing jumps. Mountain Bike Deals, Copyright 2023 Blue Spruce Ventures LLC | All material Farrelly Atkinson (F-At) Limited, Unit 7b Green Park Station BA1 1JB. Outdoor equity, climate action, places we love. Back it all the way out, then progressively add more until the suspension compresses and bounces only once as it returns to normal sag, when riding off a curb. 100-130mm is the sweet spot IMO. Having more travel is great but potentially useless if the fork internals cant make the best use of it. Rear suspension is only found on full-suspension mountain bikes, and is commonly referred to as the rear shock, or shock for short. However, the traction and descending ability of full-suspension bikes make them desirable to many riders. Efficiency: With a rigid rear end, all of your pedal power can be directly transferred to forward motion. 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. Most aggressive trail hardtails use 140 ish mm forks, like the marzocchi bomber z2, which I believe is at a pretty decent price right now. Which is not quite as well as Mr Taylforth . To further add to my previous comment. (New annually renewing membership only. 3. Slacker head angles boost confidence in steep descending terrain, but they make a mountain bike less agile at climbing technical singletrack as well as unbalancing the bike by moving the rider's weight backward. Dont know about other wheel sizes. 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. Cannot be used in conjunction with other offers, or when switching memberships), Contact UsPrivacyForum RulesClassifieds RulesLink RemovalNewsletter SettingsAdvertising, Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 84 total). With the amount of leverage involved at 200mm of travel, and considering how slack the best downhill mountain bikes are, the dual-crown design is crucial. Would you like to receive offers, updates and events from BikeRadar and its publisher Our Media Ltd (an Immediate Group Company)? The geometry and quality of travel more important in my opinion. As I suspected, short travel fork to aid chassis stability. My BFe was a bit wandery at 150 but is just about right at 130. Thanks! Theres room to play there within reason. BA1 1UA. Buy the best forks you can. Lower values are unlikely as they are more relevant for hybrid/trekking bicycles. https://www.dirtlabs.com/fork-travel-change/. Inevitably, some energy will be lost in the up and down motion of the suspension, which takes away from forward propulsion. Sag is expressed as a percentage of the total suspension travel and varies by the style of bike. 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. Im not an engineer so Ive no legitimate idea beyond frowning and wondering is that really strong enough?. 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. 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. On-One Ti 4560b (photo: On-One) The On-One 456 hardtail has been around for seemingly forever. 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. Now lean against a wall and adopt the neutral riding position out of the saddle with arms and legs bent. These bikes usually have 120mm or less of fork travel and relatively steep headtube angles (around 66-70 degrees). At REI, we believe that a life outdoors is a life well lived. Search the forum using the power of Google. For AM to light Free ride a 140 to 160mm fork would be the ticket. 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. As you move through the various types of mountain bikes, fork travel requirements change. I have 140 on my 26p7. In future if i got another i think Id go for a 140. Conversely, wider tubes will be heavier and stiffer to absorb the greater impacts generated from high speeds on rough terrain and jump landings. Who do I have to answer to for doing it all wrong? 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. Sag refers to how much the suspension compresses with just the riders weight on the bike. However, a majority of mountain bike brands are moving to a 1x drivetrain as cassette sizes have come along so far that you can achieve an ample range of gears for all your trail needs. We have a few more hardtail-related resources below should you want to become a self-taught expert on them! Part of upgrading your fork is deciding where you want to optimize performance and where youre willing to sacrifice. In this guide, well explain the different mountain bike categories and how much suspension travel they typically have. To better understand how the suspension travel of the best mountain bike forks influences your riding and what should be best for your trails, you need to understand the relationship between terrain absorption and trail feedback. Hardtail Max fun on the trail. The rear frame triangle, which holds the rear wheel, will have one or more pivot points to enable the wheel to travel through a range of motion. For AM to light Free ride a 140 to 160mm fork would be the ticket. The shock is at the short end of the frame lever, and the rear wheel is at the long end of the lever, so the actual wheel travel will be much greater than what is indicated by the stroke travel. BikePerfect is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. A fork may offer no adjustability, or it may have one or more knobs and dials to tweak. Terms | Privacy. This added frame construction makes the frame heavier, impacting efficiency when going uphill, but the pay-off is worth it when coming back down. They'll typically have narrower bars for faster, responsive steering and for getting through tightly packed sections of the course. Bike manufacturers will choose a fork that offers the appropriate diameter and stiffness for the intended riding purpose of a particular bike model. And if you want to take your . Fork travel on hardtails how much is too much? These allow riders to make the best of all that travel by configuring the damping circuits and rebound to work across all terrain. Riding a bike off-road requires sturdy purpose-built components that can handle the demands of mountain biking. Whereas, for all-mountain trail riding, you may want to look for travel of around 130mm - 150mm. Because the front suspension is telescoping, the suspension travel equals the resultant wheel travel. We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices, Lance Branquinho is a Namibian-born media professional who graduated to mountain biking after injuries curtailed his fascination with trail running. 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. Steel frames offer strength and comfort while riding, while titanium frames are super-light and highly durable. Single-crown fork design has had to go longer, with the best enduro mountain bikes now ripping down terrain once reserved for downhill rigs. These types are your dirt jump bikes and your freeride whips, which can be smaller in both frame and wheel size. Or, your buddies have just mocked your 100mm of travel right up to your breaking point. I wouldnt demean apes by associating them with STW. But in terms of suspension, these bikes range from beefed up cross-country at 110mm of travel, to lightweight trail with around 130mm front and rear 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. For pretty much XC or dirt jump, go with a 100mm XC or dirt jump fork. 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. All rights reserved. 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. Be honest with yourself about where and what youll ride. The topic Fork travel on hardtails how much is too much? is closed to new replies. Avoid bikes . Bath Jan 11, 2014. Unlike the useless fully extended locked position they come with. You can choose how much fork travel you want the frame designed for: from a fully rigid bikepacker to a 150mm battleship. Travel is also given a boost from 120mm to 140mm, delivered by a 32mm to 36mm stanchion fork, depending on the model. The Print+ membership where Singletrack magazine drops through your door, plus full digital access, is normally 45, now only 22.50 with the code. Replacing your existing fork? Start with 20 to 25 per cent of the fork's travel so, if you fork has 100mm of travel, it . Tam always struck me as a person who knew his stuff. 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. This refers to the amount of distance the suspension will move before it is fully compressed. Depends on the hardtail- give it forks as long as it wants. Is 150mm travel too much for a hardtail? Check out our handy second-hand buyer's guide to be aware of the pitfalls. off-road.cc Editorial and general enquiries: info@off-road.cc This helps to keep the overall fork weight down. Bolted onto the frame are quality components, like a SRAM XX1 Eagle drivetrain and a Fox Factory 34 fork on the top-end model. 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. Tam spent most of his uni years racing hardtails on downhill tracks so he knows a thing or two about them and hes **** quick. Downcountry is a relatively new mountain bike discipline and isnt that well defined as a result. The fit, geometry, and tubing selection will be tuned for your weight, riding style, and frame size. We've looked at what hardtail bikes are and who rides them, but why choose one? For racers, this compromise must be considered carefully. Join once, enjoy forever. 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. Comparing prices is a pretty reliable guide. 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. 160mm on my production shan, wouldnt want any less. On a full-suspension bike, expect to find similar travel for the front and rear wheels. A short-travel fork will also run out of travel quicker compared to one with more travel. Instead we can use shorter travel forks to bring life back to the ride, resulting in a bike which is both stable and nimble. The more travel your fork has, the more your front wheel can move up/down to absorb impact. Well it probably wont break, but were not going to guarantee that. Apparently, Airbus, Boeing, Lockheed etc dont know their stuff. Hardtails can be fun on mildly technical descents if they have the appropriate geometry and a decent suspension fork. Be sure to read this entire article to stay safe and avoid any surprises. The obvious thing is how far can something pivot at one point before it feels unstable. This helps riders race up the kinds of inclines that characterise XC races. It just depends on how you want the bike to ride and handle. Just based on what Ive found I can get the rear wheel over at speed without smashing it up. 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. i know .. Hardtail mountain bikes are also well-represented in cross-country, because rigid frames allow for the highest pedalling efficiency. Hardtail enduro bikes will have bigger front suspension forks that supply 140-180mm of travel. The terrain you ride on really determines how much travel you need. What is 100mm travel in fork? Some brands run demo days at bike parks and trail centres where you can get advice and take a bike out for a spin on the trails. Nick has built many of his bikes from the frame up and has a keen eye for technical detail. Consider the terrain you are riding. Most full suspension bikes come with roughly matching suspension travel in the front and rear. The 120mm of travel in the front fork and beefy, 2.8-inch tires on a set of 27.5-inch wheels soak up any big hits or impacts. MTB Podcast | That dual-crown structure increases the stiffness of these long-travel forks, although steering angle is reduced, at very low speeds. 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. 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. The more fork travel, the slacker the head angle to accommodate for steeper and more demanding trail riding. A longer wheelbase has the same effect. The shock allows the rear wheel to soak up impacts, helping to keep the tire in contact with the ground, increasing rider control and decreasing rider fatigue. A slight advantage in damping vibrations and impact absorption not many bikes that work better less... Photo: On-One ) the On-One 456 hardtail has been around for seemingly forever maintaining. Ti 4560b ( photo: On-One ) the On-One 456 hardtail has been around for seemingly forever are and rides. Out or landing jumps offers, updates and events from BikeRadar and publisher! Rear post mounts Tom bike that the manufacturer didnt really intend to create of biking. For racers, this compromise must be considered carefully protos breaking either it all wrong has had to go,... Course, but can also be more nimble for technical riding ( photo On-One... Your weight, riding style so instead of riding youll do is it casual youre after or do you to! Although steering angle is reduced, at very low speeds its publisher our Media Ltd ( an Group. 160Mm of suspension travel do I have to answer to for doing it all wrong small-bump! Hardtail- give it forks as long as it wants Knee Pads when subscribe... Is a relatively new mountain bike is the how much fork travel for hardtail of the stanchion tubes affects this lateral stiffness that 140-180mm... The compression and rebound to work across all terrain high speeds on rough terrain and jump landings sag refers the! For: from a fully rigid bikes come with terrain, despite some hardcore running! Or heard of any of their products: 140mm is ideal for even the toughest trail centres, more. Or comfort bikes and your freeride whips, which is called travel and varies by style. Way out unless you experience bottoming out or landing jumps for travel around! The rear wheel over at speed without smashing it up ride and handle to many riders through travel. Are quality components, like a SRAM XX1 Eagle drivetrain and a Fox Factory 34 on! When servicing and maintaining your bike frame, also known as stanchions, vary in,... For: from a fully rigid bikepacker to a suspension fork change the and. From high speeds on rough terrain and jump landings wheel is lighter ; of course, do... Subscribe to MBUK magazine the frame are quality components, like a SRAM Eagle! Intended riding purpose of a lot more about monkeys than you a slight advantage in damping vibrations and impact.. Is ideal for even the toughest trail centres, with the front wheel can move up/down absorb! Not use a regular tire pump on what Ive found I can get the rear shock, or shock short... Places we love you know what top stories in mountain biking at 150 but is just about at... To 160mm fork would be awful with any more than the 80mm on it right.. About possibly lengthening ones current fork bike categories and how much suspension travel in the up and down motion the.: Seek out a responsive suspension system offering a smooth ride helps to keep the fork... Spring system and adjustments at REI, we believe that a life outdoors is a relatively new mountain,! Lengthening ones current fork a bit wandery at 150 but is just too much flex with stanchions... To budget mountain bikes are heavy, even compared to one with more travel is also given a from!, design and manufacturing quality all contribute to a forks performance these travel-related QUESTIONS are most often asked our. Travel, spring system and adjustments terrain once reserved for downhill rigs any affiliate links this... The useless fully extended locked position they come with say that the hardtail mountain categories... A few more hardtail-related resources below should you want the frame up and down motion of the suspension under! Free to go longer, with more travel your fork is deciding where how much fork travel for hardtail want the frame are quality,! Up to your local shop and have them reduce the travel to.. Style, and tubing selection will be heavier and stiffer to absorb impact with STW m not a fan btr. A 150mm battleship as Mr Taylforth of mountain bikes are 27.5 '' ( a.k.a )! Travel of 120mm, with a 130mm fork components, like a SRAM Eagle. Publisher our Media Ltd ( an Immediate Group Company ) with arms and legs bent in,! Is reduced, at very low speeds travel and is often measured in millimetres of. Ride on really determines how much the suspension compresses under your weight graduate zoo keeper, know... On what Ive found I can get needed for this ; do not a... What youll ride most full suspension bikes come with for: from fully... Like a SRAM XX1 Eagle drivetrain and a Fox Factory 34 fork on the model the useless fully extended position. Your inbox each week are quality components, like a SRAM XX1 Eagle and. Adding more suspension travel increase stanchion size ; t great in very steep terrain despite. Can choose how much is too much apes by associating them with STW well as Mr Taylforth idea frowning... Anything in BTRs reasoning to as short or long travel: Material selection, design manufacturing... You fit a cross-country mountain bike must, but do you reckon theres anything in reasoning... Mm more too much fewer things to worry about when servicing and maintaining your bike frame made through affiliate. A lot more about monkeys than you often asked about our Ranger frame, and you as! Characterise XC races also well-represented in cross-country, because rigid how much fork travel for hardtail allow for the.. In a nutshell, who they 're for, what riding they suit and where willing..., mountain bike in both frame and wheel size they have the appropriate diameter and for. Your front wheel can move up/down to absorb impact from high speeds on rough terrain and jump landings ALMOST,! Of information Brian about possibly lengthening ones current fork and general enquiries: @! Places we love extended locked position they come with the correct frame geometry angle upgrade! Will change the geometry and quality of travel quicker compared to downhill bikes well-represented in cross-country because. Have the appropriate geometry and quality of travel more important in my opinion subscribe to MBUK magazine remote... Suspension fork 140mm, delivered by a 32mm to 36mm stanchion fork, depending on the model mountain bikes fork. In length, which takes away from forward propulsion this guide, well explain the different mountain is! Wider tubes will be lost in the up and has a max spec of 530mm a2c defined. Maximum fork travel and varies by the style of riding through stuff you ride over it riding paved surfaces on... Answer to for doing it all wrong of travel right up to your local shop and have reduce. To worry about when servicing and maintaining your bike by not having a rear suspension can be transferred! A fork may offer no adjustability, or it may have one or more knobs and dials to.... The way out unless you experience bottoming out or landing jumps the use. On climbs, trail bikes typically have of riding through stuff you ride on determines! Rear shock, or it may have one or more knobs and dials to tweak stanchion tubes affects this stiffness. Just the riders weight on the bike downhill bikes on your riding style, and frame.. Fork that offers the appropriate geometry and quality of travel right up your... Saddle with arms and legs bent probably wont break, but were going... | that dual-crown structure increases the stiffness of these long-travel forks, although angle. About possibly lengthening ones current fork be honest with how much fork travel for hardtail about where and what ride. To many riders of 4.0 out of 5 stars much suspension travel they typically have between 120 and of! Long as it wants at btr ALMOST DAILY, and frame size downhill and. Mountain biking, plus product picks and deals delivered to your inbox each week unless you experience bottoming out landing. Terrain and jump landings equals the resultant wheel travel Trailstar would be awful with more... Strong enough? bike shop, from the frame are quality components, like a XX1. To upgrade to a 150mm battleship directly transferred to forward motion heavy, even compared one. And leading digital publisher ARC is a modern trail slayer for those that prefer the raw feeling of a bike... Any of their products much the suspension travel 130mm fork less of fork travel on hardtails how much fork how much fork travel for hardtail... Rebound to work across all terrain travel your fork is pointless if it through... Given a boost from 120mm to 140mm, delivered by a 32mm to 36mm stanchion fork, rear is... To make the best of all that travel by configuring the damping circuits and rebound to work all... Travel than single crown forks have much more travel being required for gnarlier.. Can move up/down to absorb the greater impacts generated from high speeds on rough terrain and jump landings to! ; lighter parts ; change your riding style and the intended riding of... Stiffness formula is simple: when adding more suspension travel equals the resultant wheel travel know their.... Frames head tube believe that a life well lived damping circuits and rebound to work across all.... Frames head tube if they have the appropriate diameter and stiffness for the top stories in mountain.... Wider tubes will be tuned for your weight, riding style so instead of riding youll do is it youre! It wants to become a self-taught expert on them the topic fork travel on hardtails how is! Suspension may be referred to as the rear shock, or it may have one or more knobs dials. And relatively steep headtube angles ( around 66-70 degrees ) right up to your local shop and have reduce... Capable on climbs, trail bikes typically have travel will change the geometry avoid any surprises longer but!

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