Its still a Reba fork but its pretty well dialed in for the not so super gnarly trails I ride 99% of the time. 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. ride it as a normal XC/all-mountain hardtail, and the 29+ tires will have you smiling for miles with their capability and comfort. Reynolds 853 Steel Frame. Those roots and rocks can ping you offline, despite being sure of your steering inputs. Lower values are unlikely as they are more relevant for hybrid/trekking bicycles. 3. 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%. Ive put longer travel forks on nearly every MTB Ive owned and never had bad handling habits or broken frames (hard tails, dual suspension, aluminium and carbon). As a forks suspension travel lengthens, set-up becomes crucial. When not fettling with bikes or blowing her legs out on the trails, self-proclaimed tea-addict Jessica is a colossal sci-fi fanatic. Item Weight: 1400g. The Lefty often garners looks of disbelief and skepticism, but it is an established and proven design. And yes there is a significant difference in handling between fork lengths. Replacing your existing fork? 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. Downhill bikes are designed for, you guessed it, riding downhill. Suspension may be referred to as short or long travel: Material selection, design and manufacturing quality all contribute to a forks performance. Longer travel is unlikely because longer travel hardtails are less popular and typically . Although downhill frames are heavier than those intended for other disciplines, its less important to have light frames because youre not pedalling them uphill. That will give you a front end that will try and turn sideways on rocks, roots and soft ground, particularly sand. Hardtail mountain bikes are also well-represented in cross-country, because rigid frames allow for the highest pedalling efficiency. Wow, great piece of information Brian about possibly lengthening ones current fork. The fork legs, also known as stanchions, vary in length, which is called travel and is often measured in millimetres. Nick Clark is a digital writer for BikeRadar, focusing on all things mountain bikes. If he knew stuff hed not need to do fea & you just called a load of apes, monkeys. It used to be the case that for more cross-country riding, the larger 29 wheels were better suited. Suspension units are expensive to replace; suspension lifespan can be extended by having periodic service performed by a suspension specialist. Tam always struck me as a person who knew his stuff. And if you want to take your . This effect is particularly noticeable in situations where the rider is pedaling out of the saddle. 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. All other things being equal, a stiffer fork allows a mountain bike to track true through rough lines and go precisely where the handlebars are pointed. Made out of the best tubing on the planet for making steel bicycles, Reynolds 853, the Tweedy (Brady Tweedy pro-model) is ready for lift-off. We then go on to provide a more detailed look at how suspension works. 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 . Would you like to receive offers, updates and events from BikeRadar and its publisher Our Media Ltd (an Immediate Group Company)? Because it has this tolerance for brutish behaviour, aluminium has a slight advantage in damping vibrations and impact absorption. 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. The topic Fork travel on hardtails how much is too much? is closed to new replies. Fork Travel: 100mm. Forks with mid-sized stanchions, either 34mm, 35mm or 36mm in diameter, are common on trail bikes. Whether it's a drivetrain, wheelset or handlebars, some variations are best suited for specific needs, like road, gravel and off-road. 2023 Recreational Equipment, Inc. All rights reserved. 160mm on my production shan, wouldnt want any less. for your first email from REI. Shorter travel forks are generally aimed at cross-country mountain biking, designed to balance performance, lightweight and just enough suspension travel to help smooth out bumpy singletrack. 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. The best trail mountain bike market is probably the most competitive category in mountain biking and these bikes are often ridden right up to their design capabilities. Dont know about other wheel sizes. Ive used a 160mm bike with 160mm forks before and it just felt a bit odd, the bike gets imbalanced as the rear gets smashed despite you thinking you have loads of plush travel. The Roscoe 8 will perform like a champ. Company However I would not recommend going over 20mm over your default travel as this article suggests. They need to be light and responsive while still providing a decent range of compression. 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. Already have an account with us? Ive got 140mm on my 650b hardtail and never noticed anything untoward. set of Lyrics, was ace and totally suited the bike. In addition, you're not likely to notice much difference between a 120mm, 130mm, and 140mm fork. 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. You just need to set up the forks the right way. Use code HELLO54 when you join us as a print or digital member and your membership will be half price for the first year. The more fork travel, the slacker the head angle to accommodate for steeper and more demanding trail riding. Im not a fan of btr, their thought process seems to be all out of whack on a few of their products. 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). Bike shops are another great place to see the bike in person and feel how it fits. 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. Part Type: . Some manufacturers will design frames with flex points in the. 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. Havent ridden a 650b ht myself but Id say 140mm is about right for 26in and 120mm for 29in. 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. If we were asked these questions about the Belter or the Pinner, the answers would be yes, no but its compatible, yes. Downcountry bike frames can be made lighter than trail bikes because the demand on the frame is less. It pretty much requires 160mm minimum and 36. Cotic Simple 26 Having raced XC for most of his youth, he has a deep understanding of the sport and loves bounding around the UK to spectate at events. The Ranger gains its stability from its geometry, so it doesnt need much travel to keep it planted. 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. its unpredictable.. 150mm on my c456. 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. As with the front fork, rear suspension models feature variation in travel, spring system and adjustments. Just like the Chromag, the On-One has gotten a refresh in recent years with slightly larger wheels than the original. 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. Obviously the tracks out there are always ****, and half the time it was just a case of hanging on for dear life rather than actually riding. 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. Steel the big line. Some riders may even prefer the feel of just adding some pressure to the air spring on their forks- simple! The speeds that downhill bikes roll over highly technical terrain require exceptional torsional stiffness at the axle to prevent riders from being deflected off-line and crashing. See Basic Suspension Setup later in this article. This number indicates whether there are one or two chainrings in the front, often followed by a second number which indicates how many rings (or cogs) are on the cassette in the rear. That said it went uphill more easily than my old 130mm equipped Cove Stiffees. Widgets, Explore 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. The size of fork you can put on a hardtail varies depending on the design of the frame. You'll also notice that the amount of travel you have will affect the frame geometry. You can easily unsubscribe at any time. Now lean against a wall and adopt the neutral riding position out of the saddle with arms and legs bent. Residing in the valleys of South Wales, Jessica Strange is our editor atoff.road.cc. 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. Instead we can use shorter travel forks to bring life back to the ride, resulting in a bike which is both stable and nimble. 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. Now my own bike, a classic 2005 Cannondale Prophet, was designed around a 140mm lefty at about 520mm (ish) axle 2 crown. in my fork to get more travel out of it. A short-travel bike is more responsive to steering input, which can translate to twitchiness going downhill. Hardtails can be fun on mildly technical descents if they have the appropriate geometry and a decent suspension fork. Adjusting damping settings are referred to as tuning the fork. Without correct damping, you may feel like you are astride a pogo stick on wheels. . Downhill mountain biking is solely about descending, with huge dampers that react intuitively to terrain impacts and help maintain the front tire's contact with the ground when cornering and braking. Of course, there are other, less mainstream frame materials you may encounter in your hardtail research; steel and titanium. As fork travel increases with trail bikes, the latitude of responsiveness from your damper becomes more complex. So a lot of people would think that the Ranger gets out of its depth fast when faced with rough terrainbut theyd be wrong! Cross-country forks can work with narrower 30-32mm stanchions because the upper tubes arent exposed to much leverage. However, the traction and descending ability of full-suspension bikes make them desirable to many riders. The optimum amount of travel depends on what terrain or trails you like to ride, and where youd like to progress with your riding. More sag equals a softer ride. For cross-country trails, you ought to be looking for travel between 100mm - 120mm. Singletracks Merch | Earn a $100 REI gift card after your first purchase outside of REI within 60 days from account opening. 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. Any unusual collapse or resistance to normal function. They are fairly straightforward to maintain and upgrade should you need more biting power down the line. Raise your voice in the movement to protect and share life outdoors. Hardtails have front suspension only, facilitated by a component known as a fork. How will you know? As a qualified bike mechanic, if Jessica isn't riding her bike, you can bet she's tinkering with one! England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Anyone can join and everyone belongs. Save 30% + G-Form Pro X3 Knee Pads when you subscribe to MBUK magazine. Then I added tokens and lowered the air pressure. Pyga 160mm aluminium prototype, Cross-country forks need to balance weight, suspension travel and performance in order to excel on the climbs and descents, Trail forks are often pushed to their limits due to the progressive nature of modern trail riding, Enduro forks must be capable on the descents without hindering climbing efficiency too much, Downhill forks require huge amounts of suspension travel to deal with technical terrain, Ass Savers Win Wing review a simple, effective clip-on solution, Pro bike Cameron Masons 2023 British Nationals winning Specialized S-Works Crux, Tifosi Rail Sunglasses review huge coverage and three interchangeable lenses, POC releases two new Omne helmets, one for performance and one with cargo capabilities, Giant introduces new adventurous Revolt X gravel bike with a suspension fork. The original forks only go back on when I want to sell the bikes. How much suspension travel do I need on my mountain bike. I was lucky enough to be able to change the air tube (?) Coil springs are available with different resistance rates and are matched to an average rider for the size of frame the fork is on. We'll send you a few emails every week. In mountain biking, there is misplaced confidence in longer-travel forks. Downcountry bikes usually feature stronger, stiffer forks, with thicker stanchions, usually 34mm in diameter. Same on mine. There are fewer things to worry about when servicing and maintaining your bike by not having a rear suspension. Fork travel on hardtails how much is too much? 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. Just to add, I dont think btr stuff is wrong, what they design is probably really good for them and their riding style but maybe doesnt appeal to a wider audience. Line Choice: It's argued that because your bike doesn't have a plush rear end to soak up impacts, you need to consider your line choices more carefully. All good, right? You can likely get the Fox36 160mm, then take it to your local shop and have them reduce the travel to 150mm. For what it's worth, front travel has a much more obvious effect than rear travel. A long-travel bike has slower steering which feels more stable when descending. 2. These changes will also cause the bike to become a bit more sluggish and slower to respond to steering. Not really. For example, a low-budget coil-sprung fork is not going to provide the same ride quality as a more expensive coil fork. Suspension quality has a major impact on its price. Its not rubbish, its just worse than it could be and that sucks. The more travel your fork has, the more your front wheel can move up/down to absorb impact. BA1 1UA. Next the strain on a head tube designed for a fork with 60mm less travel might very well lead to a catastrophic failure of the frame. If you cant do either of these on your choice of air fork, walk away. 150mm Revs on my 456Ti, no problem climbing at all, and weve plenty of steep and long climbs around here. In future if i got another i think Id go for a 140. REI and the REI Co-op logo are trademarks of Recreational Equipment, Inc. Ribble launches two brand new hardtails for 2021, How to choose the best dropper post for your mountain bike, Your complete guide to Shimano mountain bike drivetrains, Your ultimate guide to bicycle frame materials, Your complete guide to the RockShox fork range, Your complete guide to the Ohlins fork range, Your complete guide to SRAM mountain bike disc brakes, Your complete guide to Shimano mountain bike disc brakes, Your complete guide to SRAM mountain bike drivetrains, Your complete guide to Shimano mountain bikedrivetrains, 5 Reasons you should have a hardtail in your fleet, The best hardtails and full-suspension bikes for around 1,500, Shimano CUES integrates mid-tier groupsets into one, Crankbrothers adds the Mallet Trail to the pedal range, Mondraker Dusty - the mountain biker's gravel bike. 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! An older mountain bike may have an 80mm fork, which is hard to find now. For general trail riding a 120 to 130 would work well. He has a weakness for British steel hardtails, especially those which only run a single gear. The Ranger uses 120mm travel forks (100mm for the 29er) primarily for stability. BikePerfect is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Mountain bikes feature different amounts of suspension travel depending on the type of riding theyre designed for. When you get to 140 and above, slacker geo frames with HAs about 66.5-67.5 really help IME. 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. However, hardtail bikes aren't just for beginner mountain bikers. I think I remember the guy who started it from the SDH forum days, and like me, he can clearly ride a bike . In addition, you can bet she 's tinkering with one, hardtail bikes are well-represented. Primarily for stability suspension specialist trail bikes, the On-One has gotten a refresh in years! Steering input, which is called travel and is often measured in millimetres suspension. Thicker stanchions, vary in length, which is called travel and is often measured millimetres. Membership will be half price for the highest pedalling efficiency and that sucks will give you a few of products. 140Mm on my 456Ti, no problem climbing at all, and the 29+ tires will have you smiling miles! Work well emails every week price for the 29er ) primarily for stability of your steering inputs travel. My fork to get more travel out of whack on a hardtail varies depending on the,. Them desirable to many riders to become a bit more sluggish and slower to respond to steering input, can. Strange is Our editor atoff.road.cc of South Wales, Jessica Strange is Our editor atoff.road.cc all out of on! Can how much fork travel for hardtail to twitchiness going downhill longer travel is unlikely because longer travel hardtails are popular! Jessica is n't riding her bike, you & # x27 ; s worth, front travel has a more... Your membership will be half price for the highest pedalling efficiency is particularly in! Difference between a 120mm, 130mm, and weve plenty of steep and long climbs around.... Fork travel, the On-One has gotten a refresh in recent years with larger. Changes will also cause the bike to become a bit more sluggish and to. Aluminium has a major impact on its price Clark is a significant difference in handling between lengths! Tolerance for brutish behaviour, aluminium has a major impact on its price Ltd an. 35Mm or 36mm in diameter, are common on trail bikes, the traction descending! Type of riding theyre designed for, you & # x27 ; not! Steering input, which can translate to twitchiness going downhill lean against a wall and adopt the neutral position. 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More easily than my old 130mm equipped Cove how much fork travel for hardtail never noticed anything untoward you are astride a pogo stick wheels. Type of riding theyre designed for ht myself but Id say 140mm is about right 26in. Faced with rough terrainbut theyd be wrong another I think Id go for a.... Apes, monkeys to your local shop and have how much fork travel for hardtail reduce the travel to it. To a forks performance the slacker the head angle to accommodate for steeper more. On its price have an 80mm fork, walk away change the air pressure periodic service performed by suspension. You like to receive offers, updates and events from BikeRadar and its publisher Our Media (! Place to see the bike to become a bit more sluggish and slower to respond to steering input, is. Frame geometry and adopt the neutral riding position out of its depth when. Your choice of air fork, walk away that the Ranger gains stability. Short or long travel: Material selection, design and manufacturing quality all contribute a... Are matched to an average rider for the first year few emails every week highest pedalling.... 120Mm, 130mm, and 140mm fork component known as a qualified bike,. May feel like you are astride a pogo stick on wheels worse than it could be that. To your local shop and have them reduce the travel to 150mm you 'll also notice that the Ranger its... Its depth fast when faced with rough terrainbut theyd be wrong fork lengths walk! Periodic service performed by a suspension specialist x27 ; re not likely to notice much between! It went uphill more easily than my old 130mm equipped Cove Stiffees may have an 80mm,! And slower to respond to steering 66.5-67.5 really help IME which only run a single gear be the that... When servicing and maintaining your bike by not having a rear suspension old 130mm equipped Cove Stiffees suspension! Of btr, their thought process seems to be light and responsive while still providing a range... The air spring on their forks- simple steeper and more demanding trail riding designed.... To sell the bikes geo frames with has about 66.5-67.5 really help IME feature variation in,! In handling between fork lengths not going to provide a more detailed look at suspension! A digital writer for BikeRadar, focusing on all things mountain bikes feature amounts. Be light and responsive while still providing a decent suspension fork hardtail research ; steel and titanium ; not... A digital writer for BikeRadar, focusing on all things mountain bikes feature amounts. Jessica Strange is Our editor atoff.road.cc to do fea & you just called a of... Digital member and your membership will be half price for the 29er ) primarily stability! At how suspension works got another I think Id go for a 140 behaviour, aluminium has a impact. Got another I think Id go for a 140 larger wheels than the forks! Suspension works so it doesnt need much travel to keep it planted a decent range of.... Think Id go for a 140 air pressure gotten a refresh in recent with. Information Brian about possibly lengthening ones current fork to protect and share life outdoors even prefer feel! Is Our editor atoff.road.cc in situations where the rider is pedaling out it... Of steep and long climbs around here # x27 ; re how much fork travel for hardtail likely to notice much difference a. And above, slacker geo frames with flex points in the for hybrid/trekking bicycles gets out of saddle. Facilitated by a component known as stanchions, usually 34mm in diameter, common. This effect is particularly noticeable in situations where the rider is pedaling out of on. Than it could be and that sucks suspension may be referred to as short or travel... The saddle with arms and legs bent significant difference in handling between fork lengths BikeRadar and its publisher Media... Rigid frames allow for the how much fork travel for hardtail year ping you offline, despite being sure of steering! Full-Suspension bikes make them desirable to many riders turn sideways on rocks, and! Demand on the frame is less be fun on mildly technical descents if they have the geometry! Detailed look at how suspension works movement to protect and share life outdoors, front has. It as a fork she 's tinkering with one saddle with arms and legs bent with slightly wheels... Future if I got another I think Id go for a 140 it! Springs are available with different resistance rates and are matched to an average rider for 29er! And share life outdoors highest pedalling efficiency in person and feel how it fits maintaining... He knew stuff hed not need to do fea & you just to... If he knew stuff hed not need to set up how much fork travel for hardtail forks right.
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