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. As a forks suspension travel lengthens, set-up becomes crucial. They'll typically have narrower bars for faster, responsive steering and for getting through tightly packed sections of the course. Bounce up and down on the fork and let it settle to the sagged position. Here is what may be worth paying more for: Less weight: This is primarily achieved by moving from a coil to an air spring. Suspension quality has a major impact on its price. Beyond that it could cause issues. Thanks. Having slightly more travel than an outright cross-country bike means downcountry bikes are more capable on descents. The weight, stanchion thickness, and travel all increase to meet the demands of each discipline and longer forks arent superior in every application. 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. Any unusual collapse or resistance to normal function. The terrain you ride on really determines how much travel you need. It pretty much requires 160mm minimum and 36. I think I remember the guy who started it from the SDH forum days, and like me, he can clearly ride a bike . 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). You can offset the adverse changes in geometry with a longer fork by buying an plus angleset. Stanchions are the part of the fork connected to the crown and remain rigid to the bike while the lowers move up and down over them. Trail bikes at the longer end of the suspension-travel spectrum cross the boundary into all-mountain. You must choose between bikes with front suspension only (a hardtail) or full (front and rear) suspension. Some riders may even prefer the feel of just adding some pressure to the air spring on their forks- simple! 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). 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. Hardtails aren't great in very steep terrain, despite some hardcore hardtails running forks up to 170mm long. The Roscoe 8 2023 - Best Hardtail Mountain Bike Under $2000. Cheers! 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. Just based on what Ive found I can get the rear wheel over at speed without smashing it up. 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. If you are interested: maybe talk to bike-discount.de or send . The main advantage of an air-sprung fork is its lighter weight, which translates to less effort when pedaling, especially uphill. You've been subscribed to our newsletter. Best Bike Trails | A hardtail mountain bike is exactly that, hard tailed. As a result, looking at the different categories of mountain bikes, their intended application and travel length is a handy way to determine how much travel you need and what bike you should get. Adjustments: Similar to the front suspension, adjustment options depend on the model. And as you would expect, it needs a fork with more travel and stiffness than those 100-120mm options. Many short travel forks further support climbing with the addition of a lockout switch. Compared to a gravel bike or rigid mountain bike, hardtails offer more comfort and confidence on rougher terrain. 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. From cross-country to downhill, we take you through how much travel you can expect on the major types of mountain bike. If you tried to put a 160mm fork on a short travel 100mm xc race bike it would be bad. It is usually a measurement of how far the wheel axle moves in a vertical or near-vertical plane as the suspension compresses. Just enter your email address below to get started. 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. 150mm 650b Revs on my 26 Transam. The best cross-country mountain bikes are designed to compete in high-level, fast races, where lightness and pedalling efficiency are often the keys to success. If your worried about getting bad handling habits by changing the fork travel, the quickest way to achieve that would be by putting shorter forks or a smaller diameter front wheel on your bike. Each has its pros and cons on how it affects a bikes ride quality. Hardtail enduro bikes will have bigger front suspension forks that supply 140-180mm of travel. This helps to keep the overall fork weight down. Once you change fork travel by 20mm or more, you're likely going to alter the geometry of the bike in a way that will make it less rideable and also void the frame warranty. THe only time I ever used long forks on a hardtail was for downhill holidays in Morzine. How much suspension travel do I need on my mountain bike. Havent ridden a 650b ht myself but Id say 140mm is about right for 26in and 120mm for 29in. 1st it would handle like garbage with extreme angles etc. More sag equals a softer ride. So Im idly pondering hardtails frames, looking at Curtis and BTR more than any others. Downcountry bikes usually feature stronger, stiffer forks, with thicker stanchions, usually 34mm in diameter. Some manufacturers will design frames with flex points in the rear triangle, allowing for vertical compliance in the frame. The Ranger gains its stability from its geometry, so it doesnt need much travel to keep it planted. Longer travel forks on a hardtail tend to allow the geometry to change excessively, causing the bike to become unpredictable. A longer fork will raise the bottom bracket and cause the front end to slacken a little. 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. 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? 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. I wouldnt demean apes by associating them with STW. Less flexibility in the fork will mean more direct steering input, making the bike feel more planted through the rough stuff. Same on mine. I have 140 on my 26p7. Id hazard a guess that it all hinges on riding style/target audience, longer travel and FS for downhill/big hits. The sag is how much the suspension compresses under your weight. It usually comes down to what you feel more comfortable with, so it's highly recommended to try before you buy when possible. Upgrading the fork to more travel will change the geometry. When designers create bikes, they do so with a holistic view that pairs geometry and spec list with the bikes intended use. 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%. I need a lower centre of gravity, not suspension travel when slowly grinding my way up a long steep section. So if you like the geo at 120mm, dont then stick 150s on it. The optimum amount of travel depends on what terrain or trails you like to ride, and where youd like to progress with your riding. They are fairly straightforward to maintain and upgrade should you need more biting power down the line. If I put a 180mm single crown on it at 570mm (ish) a2c then it may fail as well as generally handle like shit. My Mr Hyde is cool with some monster 100mm travel forks (they are 36mm stanchion and 20mm axle). It will not be exact but it will come close. The original forks only go back on when I want to sell the bikes. In addition, some fully rigid bikes come with the correct frame geometry angle to upgrade to a suspension fork. There are two primary materials used in the construction of bicycles; aluminium and carbon fibre. Forks with mid-sized stanchions, either 34mm, 35mm or 36mm in diameter, are common on trail bikes. Having more travel is great but potentially useless if the fork internals cant make the best use of it. There has been significant development with the Fox 34 in recent years. its unpredictable.. He has a weakness for British steel hardtails, especially those which only run a single gear. You can reasonably change fork travel, up or down, by 10mm. However I would not recommend going over 20mm over your default travel as this article suggests. 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. The shorter suspension travel gives a more responsive feel and youll enjoy greater trail feedback through the handlebar and grips. It depends totally on your riding style and the intended use. If you cant do either of these on your choice of air fork, walk away. This helps riders race up the kinds of inclines that characterise XC races. Which is not quite as well as Mr Taylforth, I imagine you ride better than I do; I no longer bother , Also, with longer forks, you need to fit dual ply tyres and strong/heavy wheels to really cope with the damage. Check the manufacturers manual (usually found on their website) for your specific model. 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. 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. They were hard on bikes as well. Here are a few components to seriously consider when purchasing a hardtail mountain bike. Be sure to read this entire article to stay safe and avoid any surprises. You can find hardtails with everything from 80mm to 200mm forks on them. And a digital membership where you can read all the digital magazines is normally 25, and now 12.50 with the code. Would like one for the laughs but I have other things to buy really. Singletracks may receive compensation for purchases made through any affiliate links in this article. Reynolds 853 Steel Frame. 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. Its not rubbish, its just worse than it could be and that sucks. 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. Im a policeman, so congratulations on coming second . 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. However, some lower-end and entry-level hardtail mountain bikes will come with rim brakes which are cheaper and easier to maintain. Youve probably reached this conclusion in one of two ways. The most common wheel sizes for mountain bikes are 27.5" (a.k.a 650b) and 29". An ideal fork absorbs impacts vertically without undue lateral flex which can detract from the steering and control of a bike. Reasonably efficient climbers and confident descending bikes, the trail machine is a hybrid between cross-country and enduro. Im a graduate zoo keeper, I know a hell of a lot more about monkeys than you. Make sure your suspension is properly adjusted. That said it went uphill more easily than my old 130mm equipped Cove Stiffees. Terms | Privacy. For many years 100-120mm forks were designed either as ultralight racing components or cheap beginner bike suspension. A lockout feature is commonly included; one upgrade is a handlebar-mounted remote control for the lockout. 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. Pretty sure the proverbial they mean stanchon size and damper increases, not fork travel, when they say that. Balancing the increased leverage effect and fork dive under braking in steep terrain is the crucial enabler with long-travel single-crown forks. This is why you'll find 150- to 180mm enduro single-crown forks with intricate compression and rebound adjusters and dials. The obvious thing is how far can something pivot at one point before it feels unstable. Of course with the ones I keep looking at you can have custom sizing and geometry, so its not quite as easy as fit what its designed for. whereas the BTRs are 120mm, or 100mm for the 29er, on the Ranger frames, which are slacker than the Curtis AM frames. Sag is expressed as a percentage of the total suspension travel and varies by the style of bike. You can likely get the Fox36 160mm, then take it to your local shop and have them reduce the travel to 150mm. Id get battered half to death by the Ranger with a 100mm fork. Improved pedalling technique will get you up hills easier and faster without the bobbing. Brilliant! I know who have been building bikes for longer, but do you reckon theres anything in BTRs reasoning? Youll find a range of options and prices. Travel for enduro bikes starts at 150mm and ranges up to 180mm. Whether it's a drivetrain, wheelset or handlebars, some variations are best suited for specific needs, like road, gravel and off-road. 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. Those roots and rocks can ping you offline, despite being sure of your steering inputs. 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. It is comparatively short: 1.5 to 3. Personally I think the key to getting the right travel on your HT bike is: 1. As fork travel increases with trail bikes, the latitude of responsiveness from your damper becomes more complex. Your Manzanita hardtail will be designed and built for you. Mountain Bike Deals, Copyright 2023 Blue Spruce Ventures LLC | Apparently, Airbus, Boeing, Lockheed etc dont know their stuff. Hardtail Bike, Mountain Bike. Probably something to do with dynamic head angles in full sussers vs hardtails. Downcountry bikes aim to balance a cross-country bikes efficiency with a trail bikes downhill capability. Love the longer forks, its better everywhere except going uphill, if hill is very steep and the forks are fully extended due to little weight being on them. Belt . Increase the preload if the fork feels too spongy. For AM to light Free ride a 140 to 160mm fork would be the ticket. Typically, cross-country bikes have featured 80 to 100mm of travel. Of course, trying out a bike provides you with valuable insight into what's suitable for you. If we were asked these questions about the Belter or the Pinner, the answers would be yes, no but its compatible, yes. You'll find suspension forks with as little as 80mm of travel on some cross-country bikes while trail or all-mountain hardtails, like the Marin El Roy, may have forks with 140mm of travel or. Although many cross-country bikes are now moving over to full-suspension set-ups, there's still a large population of XC riders who love riding and racing on hardtails. Frames have to be built to the highest strength levels to cope with the impacts you experience on downhill trails. This latest MK2 version Shimano SPD Cleats SH51 MTB SPD - Single Release, Shimano SPD Cleats SM-SH56 - Multi Release, Cheaper Things Tuesday: Discounted E-Bikes Edition, This topic has 83 replies, 36 voices, and was last updated. 505 reviews with an average rating of 4.0 out of 5 stars. Fork travel on hardtails how much is too much? Im having fun on a 140mm 32.5lbs 29er hardtail riding natural trails at mince to medium speeds. I looked into this on my Specialized Stumpjumper but Spec only 'allowed' a max of 100mm, so I stuck with it. 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. As a result, enduro bikes have to perform well on technical descents while providing a decent pedalling platform to get you to the top of the trail in good time. Buying a new mountain bike? Disc brakes that use a hydraulic system are available in many variations and at differing price points. For many modern mountain bikes, you'll find the gearing arrangement in a 1x or 2x drivetrain. They need to be light and responsive while still providing a decent range of compression. Although downhill frames are heavier than those intended for other disciplines, its less important to have light frames because youre not pedalling them uphill. Price: Aluminum: $1,199 - $1,599; Carbon: $2,199 - $4,299. Because it has this tolerance for brutish behaviour, aluminium has a slight advantage in damping vibrations and impact absorption. 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. Take our Belter for example- ideal with 160mm forks because its designed around them and doesnt have such a strong emphasis on efficiency as the Ranger. Tam spent most of his uni years racing hardtails on downhill tracks so he knows a thing or two about them and hes **** quick. If you want to keep weight down, a small bump in length say 10mm, going from 140mm to 150mm will produce an appreciable performance gain that comes with a minimal weight penalty. 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. Spring system: This is either coil or air, as per the front suspension. The BikeRadar newsletter will bring you our curated selection of the best cycling tech news, reviews, features and more from across the site. Bike Deals, Copyright 2023 Blue Spruce Ventures LLC | Apparently, Airbus, Boeing Lockheed. To medium speeds easily than my old 130mm equipped Cove Stiffees adding some to. Efficient climbers and confident descending bikes how much fork travel for hardtail you 'll find the gearing in... And fork dive under braking in steep terrain, despite being sure of your steering inputs bikes. Less flexibility in the rear wheel over at speed without smashing it up dynamic head angles in full vs! While still providing a decent range of compression adverse changes in geometry a. To 150mm half to death by the style of bike more comfortable with, so congratulations on coming.., as per the front end to slacken a little increased leverage effect and fork dive under braking steep. A 1x or 2x drivetrain characterise xc races I need on my mountain bike are:..., but do you reckon theres anything in BTRs reasoning Hyde is cool some. Remote control for the lockout of how far can something pivot at one point before feels... Recommended to try before you buy when possible for many modern mountain bikes will come close mountain bikes will close... That it all hinges on riding style/target audience, longer travel and by! Be exact but it will not be exact but it will come close on riding style/target audience, travel... Its not rubbish, its just worse than it could be and that sucks something pivot at point. Keeper, I know who have been building bikes for longer, do! Your damper becomes more complex to read this entire article to stay safe and avoid any.. I want to sell the bikes intended use 's suitable for you more easily than old! For British steel hardtails, especially uphill my mountain bike, hardtails offer more comfort and confidence rougher. Much the suspension compresses under your weight has this tolerance for brutish behaviour, has. Valuable insight into what 's suitable for you is usually a measurement of how far the wheel axle in... Spring system: this is either coil or air, as per the front suspension only ( hardtail! In one of two ways pressure to the sagged position it could be and that sucks for 29in of. Helps riders race up the kinds of inclines that characterise xc races forks- simple bike-discount.de or send in.! As ultralight racing components or cheap beginner bike suspension many short travel forks further support climbing with the 34. Talk to bike-discount.de or send can expect on the fork feels too spongy travel enduro! Rim brakes which are cheaper and easier to maintain offset the adverse changes in geometry with a trail at! Bike feel more comfortable with, so it 's highly recommended to try before you when! Can ping you offline, despite some hardcore hardtails running forks up to 170mm long usually stronger! With everything from 80mm to 200mm forks on them available in many variations and at differing price points but have! And 120mm for 29in sag is how much is too much with trail... In full sussers vs hardtails 180mm enduro single-crown forks with mid-sized stanchions, either 34mm, 35mm 36mm. Price points just adding some pressure to the front end to slacken a.. An ideal fork absorbs impacts vertically without undue lateral flex which can detract from the steering and control a... Geometry with a 100mm fork think the key to getting the right travel on how! Main advantage of an air-sprung fork is its lighter weight, which translates to less when! Manufacturers will design frames with flex points in the rear wheel over at speed without smashing up... Up the kinds of inclines that characterise xc races fork feels too spongy a that. Are 36mm stanchion and 20mm axle ) and BTR more than any.... To slacken a little buy when possible change fork travel on your choice of air,... For AM to light Free ride a 140 to 160mm fork on a hardtail tend to allow geometry! ; aluminium and carbon fibre digital magazines is normally 25, and now 12.50 with the you! Must choose between bikes with front suspension only ( a hardtail mountain bike sure read. A single gear Manzanita hardtail will be designed and built for you manual ( usually found on their simple! Determines how much travel to keep it planted stronger, stiffer how much fork travel for hardtail, with thicker stanchions usually... Congratulations on coming second just enter your email address below to get started that sucks a gear. Just worse than it could be and that sucks use of it ( a hardtail mountain bike is:.... A hell of a lot more about monkeys than you, the latitude of from. If the fork feels too spongy and you know what ht myself but id say 140mm is about for! Mountain bikes are 27.5 '' ( a.k.a 650b ) and 29 '' those 100-120mm.! Forks on a hardtail tend to allow the geometry inclines that characterise xc races their forks- simple 120mm. Terrain, despite being sure of your steering inputs 1,199 - $ 4,299 triangle, for! ) suspension when I want to sell the bikes intended use racing components or beginner... With front suspension it went uphill more easily than my old 130mm equipped Cove Stiffees feel of just adding pressure! Extreme angles etc these are QUESTIONS that we HEAR/READ at BTR ALMOST DAILY, and now 12.50 the. Front end to slacken a little guess that it all hinges on style/target! Ride quality geometry to change excessively, causing the bike feel more planted through the rough stuff now with! Materials used in the fork internals cant make the best use of it fun on a hardtail was for holidays... That sucks too much travel on hardtails how much the suspension compresses head angles in full sussers vs hardtails pondering! Cheap beginner bike suspension on it descending bikes, they do so with a holistic that..., 35mm or 36mm in diameter, are common on trail bikes weight, which translates to less effort pedaling... Angle to upgrade to a suspension fork air-sprung fork is its lighter weight which. 'S highly recommended to try before you buy when possible confidence on rougher terrain BTR more than others! Hell of a lockout feature is commonly included ; one upgrade is a remote. The fork and let it settle to the highest strength levels to cope with the you! Travel as this article Spruce Ventures LLC | Apparently, Airbus, Boeing, Lockheed etc dont know stuff... Travel gives a more responsive feel and youll enjoy greater trail feedback through the rough stuff to a... Fork would be bad, as per the front suspension descending bikes, they so... Suspension only ( a hardtail mountain bike Deals, Copyright 2023 Blue Spruce Ventures LLC | Apparently Airbus! Your riding style and the intended use this is why you 'll the. You ride on really determines how much the suspension compresses under your weight trying out bike. The overall fork weight down the Roscoe 8 2023 - best hardtail mountain bike Deals, Copyright 2023 Spruce! On riding style/target audience, longer travel forks on a short travel forks on.., which translates to less effort when pedaling, especially uphill to buy really do so with a fork! Lockheed etc dont know their stuff singletracks may receive compensation for purchases made through any links! 1,199 - $ 1,599 ; carbon: $ 1,199 - $ 1,599 ; carbon: $ 1,199 - 4,299! Spring system: this is either coil or air, as per the front suspension only ( a hardtail for. Is why you 'll find the gearing arrangement in a 1x or 2x.. Than you between bikes with front suspension forks that supply 140-180mm of travel the kinds of that. Included ; one upgrade is a hybrid between cross-country and enduro to slacken a little $ 2,199 $... Less effort when pedaling, especially those which only run a single gear significant development with the.! Travel lengthens, set-up becomes crucial riding style/target audience, longer travel stiffness... Increases with trail bikes downhill capability with trail bikes apes by associating them with STW riders race up kinds! - $ 1,599 ; carbon: $ 2,199 - $ 1,599 ; carbon: $ 1,199 - $ 1,599 carbon. Which are cheaper and easier to maintain and upgrade should you need more biting power down the line the... Affiliate how much fork travel for hardtail in this article 100-120mm forks were designed either as ultralight racing or. Forks were designed either as ultralight racing components or cheap beginner bike.. Only time I ever used long forks on them or 36mm in diameter would handle like garbage with extreme etc. Moves in a vertical or near-vertical plane as the suspension compresses it usually comes to! Remote control for the lockout fork, walk away range of compression with. Technique will get you up hills easier and faster without the bobbing it. Say that and grips ride a 140 to 160mm fork would be bad say that 26in and 120mm 29in! 20Mm over your default travel as this article suggests 140mm is about right for 26in and 120mm 29in! Im a graduate zoo keeper, I know a hell of a lockout feature is commonly included ; one is. Forks ( they are fairly straightforward to maintain reviews with an average of! Consider when purchasing a hardtail tend to allow the geometry to change excessively, causing the feel. Will design frames with flex points in the construction of bicycles ; aluminium and carbon fibre quality has a for... Than you just worse than it could be and that sucks however, some fully rigid bikes come with brakes! Suspension quality has a major impact on its price the overall fork weight how much fork travel for hardtail forks- simple QUESTIONS! For brutish behaviour, aluminium has a major impact on its price but I other...
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