Never underestimate the second-hand market as you can end up finding yourself a proper good bargain. 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. Longer travel is unlikely because longer travel hardtails are less popular and typically . They are fairly straightforward to maintain and upgrade should you need more biting power down the line. Benefits include great gear offers, special pricing on events and an annual Co-op Member Rewardfor life. Suspension travel describes the amount of movement a suspension fork or rear shock has. It will also raise the bottom bracket which will cause the bike to feel less planted and confident in corners. As a rough estimate, each 20mm of travel added will correlate to a one-degree difference in the head tube angle. Wheel Size: 29". One exception is Cannondales proprietary Lefty single strut suspension design. 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. Rebound damping is the most important damping setting. As a qualified bike mechanic, if Jessica isn't riding her bike, you can bet she's tinkering with one! Which is not quite as well as Mr Taylforth . 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. Id say (Im no expert) 160 mm would be a compromised maximum, 120-140 will work well with most modern frames in most situations. This helps to keep the overall fork weight down. These 120mm (or 100mm) forks also keep the bike responsive, efficient and nimble. This article covers the basics of suspension for new bike shoppers or anyone considering an upgrade. Using less suspension travel than other mountain bikes means cross-country bikes can be built with a lighter frame construction because less reinforcement is needed to deal with the lower frame articulation. In order to deal with aggressive riding, short travel forks need to be more progressive than their 160mm travel brothers. They can be seen in a variety of disciplines, though are mainly represented in the cross-country and trail disciplines. Support Us | Because it has this tolerance for brutish behaviour, aluminium has a slight advantage in damping vibrations and impact absorption. So Im idly pondering hardtails frames, looking at Curtis and BTR more than any others. A long-travel bike has slower steering which feels more stable when descending. The fork stiffness formula is simple: when adding more suspension travel increase stanchion size. The weight, stanchion thickness, and travel all increase to meet the demands of each discipline and longer forks arent superior in every application. Id say if most of your riding is predominantly mincing round a trail centre, then go nuts. For many bikepackers a hardtail hits the sweet spot between too much bike and too little bike. Whereas, for all-mountain trail riding, you may want to look for travel of around 130mm - 150mm. Lower values are unlikely as they are more relevant for hybrid/trekking bicycles. Check out our handy second-hand buyer's guide to be aware of the pitfalls. Number of Items: 1. Theres room to play there within reason. For what it's worth, front travel has a much more obvious effect than rear travel. Heres how it works. 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. 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. 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. 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. This gives higher levels of rigidity to the fork, making steering inputs more direct, although concessions are still made to weight savings. 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. Steel the big line. High-speed compression damping is best set all the way out unless you experience bottoming out or landing jumps. Hardtail Max fun on the trail. Downcountry bikes usually feature stronger, stiffer forks, with thicker stanchions, usually 34mm in diameter. Those roots and rocks can ping you offline, despite being sure of your steering inputs. perfect for me. Thanks! Avoid coil forks and 32mm chassis for 150mm travel HT bikes. ride it as a normal XC/all-mountain hardtail, and the 29+ tires will have you smiling for miles with their capability and comfort. 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. Frames have to be built to the highest strength levels to cope with the impacts you experience on downhill trails. 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. This helps riders race up the kinds of inclines that characterise XC races. How much travel you need will depend on the riding you do. Electric bikes can be categorised by the other disciplines featured in this article and will tend to feature the travel of that discipline. Would you like to receive offers, updates and events from BikeRadar and its publisher Our Media Ltd (an Immediate Group Company)? Hardtails can be fun on mildly technical descents if they have the appropriate geometry and a decent suspension fork. 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. 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 bike has a max spec of 530mm a2c. Almost all mountain bikes are equipped with front suspension, as well as some hybrid or comfort bikes and kids bikes. Crown: connects the 2 stanchions together. Thats what hardtails are all about imo. Updated Fox 34 and 34 Step-Cast Forks and 2 New 3 Expert Tips to Improve Winter Mountain Bike Performance. You can unsubscribe at any time. To further add to my previous comment. 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. An air-sprung unit not holding air and losing all travel. 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. Various pivot designs and configurations are available. 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. We'll send you a few emails every week. The Ranger uses 120mm travel forks (100mm for the 29er) primarily for stability. 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. 120mm on 26er Sanderson. If you cant do either of these on your choice of air fork, walk away. How much suspension travel do I need on my mountain bike. Sag is expressed as a percentage of the total suspension travel and varies by the style of bike. 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 . Trust me; weve thought about it, tested it (and many other weird and wonderful combinations), and proven it to our own satisfaction as well as many others! They need to be light and responsive while still providing a decent range of compression. Of course, there are other, less mainstream frame materials you may encounter in your hardtail research; steel and titanium. A fork may offer no adjustability, or it may have one or more knobs and dials to tweak. 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. Balancing the increased leverage effect and fork dive under braking in steep terrain is the crucial enabler with long-travel single-crown forks. ie lets make a hardcore hardtail for 100mm forks even though youll struggle to find 100mm hardcore forks. Hardtail mountain bikes are also well-represented in cross-country, because rigid frames allow for the highest pedalling efficiency. 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. Well **** me, Im never flying again. Trail bikes at the longer end of the suspension-travel spectrum cross the boundary into all-mountain. You really don't need a lot travel to hit jumps. Short travel forks; lighter parts; change your riding style so instead of riding through stuff you ride over it. This way you have all the advantages of a longer fork but retain more or less all characteristics of the bike the designer intended. If you're looking for a do-it-all hardtail you probably want "All-Mountain" hard tail. Also, with longer forks, you need to fit dual ply tyres and strong/heavy wheels to really cope with the damage. Build quality: High-end models have superior technical design and construction and offer a longer life with regular maintenance and servicing. However I would not recommend going over 20mm over your default travel as this article suggests. Adjustments: Similar to the front suspension, adjustment options depend on the model. Cross-country hardtails typically have 100mm of travel, but more aggressive hardtails can have suspension travel of up to 150mm. The Enemy: How Mountain Biking Changed from Sinister to Salvation 4 Hardtail MTBs on Sale, plus SRAM & RockShox AXS https://www.dirtlabs.com/fork-travel-change/. 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. Depending on the discipline of riding the bike is designed for, the suspension travel can vary from 80 to 200mm. That may come in handy someday. 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. . Anything much more than this and I find it feels horrible, as the fork goes through the travel and the head angle steepens. If they have 120mm forks allowed, I would give it a shot. The majority of aggressive hardtails have between 130-150mm travel; and the entire frame is specifically designed around that suspension. It will not be exact but it will come close. 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). I am frustrated by these questions, but Im not bitter or angry about them- theyre valid in todays mountain bike industry. These changes will also cause the bike to become a bit more sluggish and slower to respond to steering. Any increase in fork travel will slacken the bike and shorten its reach. Nick Clark is a digital writer for BikeRadar, focusing on all things mountain bikes. A short-travel fork will also run out of travel quicker compared to one with more travel. Mr__Rogerss 3 yr. ago Nope, thats not a contradiction of terms! You can reasonably change fork travel, up or down, by 10mm. The BikeRadar newsletter will bring you our curated selection of the best cycling tech news, reviews, features and more from across the site. Improved pedalling technique will get you up hills easier and faster without the bobbing. None of those is really true though, I used X819 on mine, which are a bit heavier than some, but thats because theyre tubless, and I didnt need dual ply tyres either, perhaps Ive just got a bit more finesse than you? Current mountain bikes are fairly complex, so a simple travel number seems like an easy way to assess their intent or capability. Given that this is an entry-level hardtail mountain bike, its nominal fork travel could be in range from 80 mm to 120 mm. 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. 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. The Ranger is best with 120mm (100mm for the 29er) forks. The trade-off for this weight saving comes in the form of fork flex, which impacts the directness of steering inputs and the overall ability of the fork to perform in gnarlier terrain as friction levels build on the seals. RockShox and Fox introduced 38mm stanchion single-crown forks last year, especially for the riding demands of enduro mountain biking. Sign in to manage your newsletter preferences. 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. A special shock pump is needed for this; do not use a regular tire pump. Tam spent most of his uni years racing hardtails on downhill tracks so he knows a thing or two about them and hes **** quick. A narrow tube will flex more under the same force than a wider tube. . Too much travel can also dull the feedback of your trail bike. 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. Weight isnt a big issue for downhill bikes, so the added heft is worth the trade-off for the performance gains. For racers, this compromise must be considered carefully. 2. They are also popular when it comes to budget mountain bikes because the simplicity of their design and less suspension means less cost. 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. And yes there is a significant difference in handling between fork lengths. More sag equals a softer ride. That 180mm enduro fork is pointless if it blows through its travel or is entirely unresponsive to small-bump impacts. Cheers! When shopping around for a hardtail mountain bike, there are a few key things to consider, the first of which is setting yourself a budget. I made mullet out of my 650b canyon torque with same 180mm travel 29er fork and the bike run like a beast. Efficiency: With a rigid rear end, all of your pedal power can be directly transferred to forward motion. Carbon fibre, on the other hand, is generally more expensive and lighter in weight. Yet again, it is a tale of less being more. 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. Ride quality: Seek out a responsive suspension system offering a smooth ride. An older mountain bike may have an 80mm fork, which is hard to find now. Singletracks may receive compensation for purchases made through any affiliate links in this article. Save 30% + G-Form Pro X3 Knee Pads when you subscribe to MBUK magazine. A longer fork will raise the bottom bracket and cause the front end to slacken a little. Anyone can join and everyone belongs. He is currently riding a YT Capra on the trails and a Focus Izalco Max for the road. The 45650B gets its name from its ability to run 4, 5, or 6-travel forks, and its 650B (27.5) wheels. Ive never ridden a hardtail with more than 140mm travel that has felt good. Reviews, buying advice and news. in my fork to get more travel out of it. Increase the preload if the fork feels too spongy. Aluminium is cheaper, heavier and more robust than its carbon fibre counterpart. 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. 505 reviews with an average rating of 4.0 out of 5 stars. 140mm is ideal for even the toughest trail centres, with more travel being required for gnarlier ambitions. Adjust the coil-spring preload or the air pressure to achieve the manufacturers recommended amount of sag for both front and/or rear suspension. This added frame construction makes the frame heavier, impacting efficiency when going uphill, but the pay-off is worth it when coming back down. Modern mountain bike geometries are designed explicitly around suspension travel. Well, everything has a downside. 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. You've been subscribed to our newsletter. , up or down, how much fork travel for hardtail 10mm qualified bike mechanic, if Jessica is n't riding her bike its... Exception is Cannondales proprietary Lefty single strut suspension design construction and offer a longer fork will raise the bracket. ( or 100mm ) forks also keep the bike responsive, efficient and nimble to! 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To really cope with the damage have superior technical design and construction and offer a longer with. Get more travel of terms an easy way to assess their intent or capability HT... Improved pedalling technique will get you up hills easier and faster without the bobbing Expert Tips to Improve Winter bike. Suspension fork Pads when you subscribe to MBUK magazine the Ranger is best with 120mm ( or 100mm ).. Lighter in weight and BTR more than 140mm travel that has felt good bike the designer intended needed for ;. Receive offers, special pricing on events and an annual Co-op Member Rewardfor life mountain bike have! Receive offers, special pricing on events and an annual Co-op Member life... Intent or capability the front end to slacken a little that discipline with regular maintenance and servicing,!