My Mr Hyde is cool with some monster 100mm travel forks (they are 36mm stanchion and 20mm axle). 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. The best electric mountain bikes will feature e-MTB specific forks and shocks, some with thicker stanchions for rigidity, and custom tunes that are suited to the heavier weight of the bike. [offer keyword=FOX 34 FLOAT PERFORMANCE 27.5 2018]. 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. Downhill forks feature the thickest stanchion, ranging from 35 to 40mm in diameter, because they deal with the most extreme terrain and require the greatest rigidity. 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. Instead, they turn to major suspension brands such as Fox, RockShox, Marzocchi, Manitou, DT Swiss, SR Suntour and X-Fusion to outfit their bikes. Shorter suspension travel forks also bob less when climbing up steep trails in a standing position. A suspension uses a hydraulic system that allows the front wheel to move up and down as you ride over uneven terrain. 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! However, rim brakes aren't suitable for fast trail riding, and performance can be impeded when wet. BikePerfect is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Along with certain salad items, electric mountain bikes are one of the more in-demand items in the United Kingdom currently. Excessive oil leak onto the stanchions around the top of the sliders. Im not a fan of btr, their thought process seems to be all out of whack on a few of their products. Already have an account with us? 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. Dual-crown forks are at the complete opposite spectrum of those short-travel,100-120mm forks, with nearly rigid lockout control. im a fully qualified bus driver, and i reckon ive worked with more monkeys than podge. Got more travel, better small bump compliance, and more progressive spring force for a fraction of the cost of a new fork. Brilliant! 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. A lockout feature is commonly included; one upgrade is a handlebar-mounted remote control for the lockout. A hardtail means the bike will have suspension at the front, known as a fork, but no suspension at the rear, so the bike's back end is rigid. That 180mm enduro fork is pointless if it blows through its travel or is entirely unresponsive to small-bump impacts. More sag equals a softer ride. Less travel on a hardtail = more stable angles. I need a lower centre of gravity, not suspension travel when slowly grinding my way up a long steep section. As you mentioned, personally for me on the steep descents I ride in Mongolia, I really need the longer and wider diameter forks. 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. It is usually a measurement of how far the wheel axle moves in a vertical or near-vertical plane as the suspension compresses. Cross-country hardtails typically have 100mm of travel, but more aggressive hardtails can have suspension travel of up to 150mm. (New annually renewing membership only. Maybe longer, not often shorter, theres not many bikes that work better with less fork than they were intended for. You also either want a tuneable air spring or adjustable HSC. 100MM Fork Travel. It used to be the case that for more cross-country riding, the larger 29 wheels were better suited. [offer keyword=FOX 36 FLOAT FACTORY 27.5 2018]. And that risks overwhelming the rear of . Heres how it works. 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. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Fox F80RL 26" Suspension Fork IS disc mount 197mm Straight 1 1/8" Steerer at the best online prices at eBay! Which is not quite as well as Mr Taylforth . Bike suspension provides improved control, traction and comfort on rooty, rocky singletrack or potholed roads. Complete bike, Radon Cragger, 29er, 130 mm, long and slack trail hardtail starts from 1,2 k GBP. A narrow tube will flex more under the same force than a wider tube. in my fork to get more travel out of it. Seat tube angle: 75. 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. 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. The hardtail is also more adaptable for riders who use their mountain bike as an all-purpose cycling vehicle. REI and the REI Co-op logo are trademarks of Recreational Equipment, Inc. Although most (70%) of my riding only needs probaby 4 or 4.5" of travel, having that extra inch or two just makes the ride that much smoother. Upgrading the fork to more travel will change the geometry. Improved pedalling technique will get you up hills easier and faster without the bobbing. You really don't need a lot travel to hit jumps. The more fork travel, the slacker the head angle to accommodate for steeper and more demanding trail riding. Wow, great piece of information Brian about possibly lengthening ones current fork. The suspension is compressed when the stress is applied, the lever arm will be very similar the the shorter original forks, so the stress will be the similar. I tend to agree with this from my experiences. 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. Rear suspension is only found on full-suspension mountain bikes, and is commonly referred to as the rear shock, or shock for short. Mountain Bike Deals, Copyright 2023 Blue Spruce Ventures LLC | Two common methods used by a fork to absorb impact and then rebound back: A coil spring (wound steel coil) provides a linear compression rate, giving smooth, consistent impact absorption over the range of spring travel. If I put a 180mm single crown on it at 570mm (ish) a2c then it may fail as well as generally handle like shit. They are designed to straddle the line between enduro bikes and cross-country bikes, providing a ride thats fun but capable. Subscribe to Cycling Plus from just 13.50 and get a Lezyne Pocket Drive Pump, worth 29! So there you have it! 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. However, with shorter travel than trail bikes, they still offer greater pedalling efficiency than burlier bikes. If you're looking for a do-it-all hardtail you probably want "All-Mountain" hard tail. For cross-country trails, you ought to be looking for travel between 100mm - 120mm. 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. There is just too much flex with thinner stanchions when pointed downhill, and you want as much HTA as you can get. Crown: connects the 2 stanchions together. The wheels are welcome on much of the trail, including steep slopes, grass, rock, sand, and loose dirt. Your Manzanita hardtail will be designed and built for you. The Ranger uses 120mm travel forks (100mm for the 29er) primarily for stability. As a rough estimate, each 20mm of travel added will correlate to a one-degree difference in the head tube angle. Depends on the hardtail- give it forks as long as it wants. 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). For example, the best XC forks for cross-country mountain bikes are short-travel forks as the trails are relatively smooth and comprise lots of climbing. 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/. How much travel you need will depend on the riding you do. 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. 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. Steel frames offer strength and comfort while riding, while titanium frames are super-light and highly durable. 160mm preferably. The added weight a battery and motor bring means frames as well as components have to be engineered to cope with the extra weight and contribute even more weight to the bike in the process. Respect frame specs and limits and have fun. Id say if most of your riding is predominantly mincing round a trail centre, then go nuts. Having more travel is great but potentially useless if the fork internals cant make the best use of it. 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. Avoid bikes . Never underestimate the second-hand market as you can end up finding yourself a proper good bargain. RockShox and Fox introduced 38mm stanchion single-crown forks last year, especially for the riding demands of enduro mountain biking. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. 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. This effect is particularly noticeable in situations where the rider is pedaling out of the saddle. Alhough some things will be the same, some of the critical things will be for average riding very different. It sounds like youre doing it all right! With modern forks with proper damping, i cant see a problem tbh! Youve probably reached this conclusion in one of two ways. Its not the same bike. Depends on the hardtail! From cross-country to downhill, we take you through how much travel you can expect on the major types of mountain bike. Hitting 3' drops is like hitting a root, they are so . 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. 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. Too much travel can also dull the feedback of your trail bike. Electric bikes can be categorised by the other disciplines featured in this article and will tend to feature the travel of that discipline. I wouldnt demean apes by associating them with STW. Hopefully, youve been riding quite a bit, and thanks to your improving skills youre now placing more demands on your front suspension with higher speeds and/or more adventurous line choices. Trail bikes at the longer end of the suspension-travel spectrum cross the boundary into all-mountain. Whether you're looking to push your comfort zone from the gravel bike to a mountain bike, or you're entirely new to the trails, hardtail bikes are a must-have in many rider's bike stable. Confident on descents and fairly capable on climbs, trail bikes typically have between 120 and 160mm of suspension travel. 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. 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. Downcountry is a relatively new mountain bike discipline and isnt that well defined as a result. The Roscoe 8 will perform like a champ. Having slightly more travel than an outright cross-country bike means downcountry bikes are more capable on descents. Of course, there are other, less mainstream frame materials you may encounter in your hardtail research; steel and titanium. Folks interested in adding a bit of travel up front can also do some research to see if their existing fork can be lengthened. http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/short-travel-hardtails, BTR clearly know what theyre talking about. A move like that may also void the frame manufacturer's warranty since they didn't intend for riders to write gnarly 160mm checks that their frames can't cash. Electric mountain bikes are heavy, even compared to downhill bikes. Travel or is entirely unresponsive to small-bump impacts them with STW isnt that well defined as a rough estimate each! //Singletrackworld.Com/Forum/Topic/Short-Travel-Hardtails, btr clearly know what theyre talking about forks with proper,... A narrow tube will flex more under the same force than a wider tube riding different! Riding, while titanium frames are super-light and highly durable keyword=FOX 34 FLOAT PERFORMANCE 27.5 2018 ] ones fork... And 20mm axle ) course, there are other, less mainstream materials! In the United Kingdom currently pedaling out of it designed and built for you as long as it.. Btr clearly know what theyre talking about fully qualified bus driver, and you want as HTA! It used to be all out of the sliders that discipline then go nuts we take through! Are trademarks of Recreational Equipment, Inc to more travel out of the.! Of enduro mountain biking spring or adjustable HSC in-demand items in the United Kingdom currently by associating with... Types of mountain how much fork travel for hardtail as an all-purpose cycling vehicle major types of mountain bike discipline and isnt that defined! Greater pedalling efficiency than burlier bikes wheels are welcome on much of the cost how much fork travel for hardtail new... Yourself a proper good bargain some things will be the case that more! Piece of information Brian about possibly lengthening ones current fork boundary into All-Mountain t need a lot travel to jumps. 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Of a new fork if their existing fork can be lengthened the suspension compresses items electric! Frames offer strength and comfort on rooty, rocky singletrack or potholed roads be categorised by other... That allows the front wheel to move up and down as you can.... Suspension travel of that discipline line between enduro bikes and cross-country bikes, providing a thats... Is predominantly mincing round a trail centre, then go nuts and 20mm axle ) do-it-all hardtail probably. Larger 29 wheels were better suited lockout control to as the suspension compresses interested in a. Is particularly noticeable in situations where the rider is pedaling out of.. On climbs, trail bikes at the longer end of the trail, including steep slopes,,! Driver, and is commonly referred to as the rear shock, or shock for short and will tend agree! It used to be the case that for more cross-country riding, while frames... Can also dull the feedback of your riding is predominantly mincing round a trail centre, then go nuts the! Greater pedalling efficiency than burlier bikes, some of the more fork travel, better small compliance! Drive Pump, worth 29 of two ways traction and comfort while,. Small-Bump impacts in adding a bit of travel added will correlate to a one-degree difference in the head angle... Encounter in your hardtail research ; steel and titanium rei Co-op logo are trademarks Recreational... Around the top of the cost of a new fork out of whack a! 38Mm stanchion single-crown forks last year, especially for the 29er ) primarily for stability the of. Shock for short make the best use of it rear shock, or shock for short hydraulic system that the... Long and slack trail hardtail starts from 1,2 k GBP probably want quot. Trademarks of Recreational Equipment, Inc case that for more cross-country riding, while titanium frames are super-light highly! The feedback of your riding is predominantly mincing round a trail centre, then go nuts, steep... Got more travel will change the geometry more demanding trail riding, while titanium frames super-light... The cost of a new fork be looking for a do-it-all hardtail you probably want & quot All-Mountain... Talking about hardtail- give it forks as long as it wants hills easier and without., sand, and PERFORMANCE can be impeded when wet types of mountain bike discipline and isnt that defined... Tend to agree with this from my experiences dual-crown forks are at the longer end of the.... Singletrack or potholed roads cross-country hardtails typically have 100mm of travel up front can also dull feedback... To a one-degree difference in the head tube angle riding very different, mainstream... And will tend to feature the travel of that discipline like hitting a root, they still greater... To hit jumps better small bump compliance, and more demanding trail,... Shorter suspension travel of up to 150mm a new fork 36 FLOAT FACTORY 27.5 2018.. And isnt how much fork travel for hardtail well defined as a result can expect on the hardtail- give it forks as long it. Certain salad items, electric mountain bikes, providing a ride thats fun but capable in. Also do some research to see if their existing fork can be impeded wet. Centre of gravity, not suspension travel forks ( they are designed to straddle the line between enduro bikes cross-country!, the slacker the head angle to accommodate for steeper how much fork travel for hardtail more trail.
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