You can reasonably change fork travel, up or down, by 10mm. Reviews, buying advice and news. 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. Not sure how that can be accurate. You can purchase a hardtail mountain bikein-person at a bike shop, from the internet and from second-hand retailers and individuals. The Lefty often garners looks of disbelief and skepticism, but it is an established and proven design. The more fork travel, the slacker the head angle to accommodate for steeper and more demanding trail riding. 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. Havent ridden a 650b ht myself but Id say 140mm is about right for 26in and 120mm for 29in. The sweet spot for suspension travel and stanchion size for trail bikes would be 130- to 140mm. (New annually renewing membership only. On-One Ti 4560b (photo: On-One) The On-One 456 hardtail has been around for seemingly forever. Carbon fibre, on the other hand, is generally more expensive and lighter in weight. Excludes Gift Memberships, Discount applies to first year. He has a weakness for British steel hardtails, especially those which only run a single gear. 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. Lower values are unlikely as they are more relevant for hybrid/trekking bicycles. Wheel Size: 29". However, some lower-end and entry-level hardtail mountain bikes will come with rim brakes which are cheaper and easier to maintain. It is one of many factors that contribute to your riding enjoyment. A short-travel bike is more responsive to steering input, which can translate to twitchiness going downhill. There are fewer things to worry about when servicing and maintaining your bike by not having a rear suspension. For pretty much XC or dirt jump, go with a 100mm XC or dirt jump fork. There is a 190mm-travel version of RockShoxs enduro-focused ZEB fork, but youre more likely to see this attached to a freeride or bike park bike. Hitting 3' drops is like hitting a root, they are so . As forks get longer, stanchions also increase in diameter to prevent the fork from flexing like a wet noodle. As I suspected, short travel fork to aid chassis stability. How much suspension travel do I need on my mountain bike. While the 27.5" wheel is lighter; of course, but can also be more nimble for technical riding. Join once, enjoy forever. I made mullet out of my 650b canyon torque with same 180mm travel 29er fork and the bike run like a beast. Hardtail mountain bikes are certainly more friendly to the budget-savvy buyer, with some entry-level hardtails starting from around 500. In future if i got another i think Id go for a 140. A longer wheelbase has the same effect. In addition, some fully rigid bikes come with the correct frame geometry angle to upgrade to a suspension fork. 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. 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. 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. And that risks overwhelming the rear of . Forks come in varying lengths of suspension travel and stanchion sizes, this is what they mean for your riding. I wouldnt demean apes by associating them with STW. It makes for a much better commuter bike and can easily be configured for touring. perfect for me. 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. An older mountain bike may have an 80mm fork, which is hard to find now. The shorter suspension travel gives a more responsive feel and youll enjoy greater trail feedback through the handlebar and grips. 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? This refers to the amount of distance the suspension will move before it is fully compressed. As I said, Ive never noticed anything untoward with the 140mm on my current HT, although thats quite firm, just wondered what people thought of the reasoning. This is why you'll find 150- to 180mm enduro single-crown forks with intricate compression and rebound adjusters and dials. 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. Several hardtail enduro frames exist which can accept 160mm forks; some are even designed around this value, but all are a compromise. Buy the best forks you can. The fork stiffness formula is simple: when adding more suspension travel increase stanchion size. im a fully qualified bus driver, and i reckon ive worked with more monkeys than podge. Weight isnt a big issue for downhill bikes, so the added heft is worth the trade-off for the performance gains. Benefits include great gear offers, special pricing on events and an annual Co-op Member Rewardfor life. Most full suspension bikes come with roughly matching suspension travel in the front and rear. Downhill riders are less bothered by weight or climbing efficiency. The concept of the long travel hardtail is pretty well established too. Some might say that the hardtail mountain bike is the workhorse of the off-road world. Jan 11, 2014. You must choose between bikes with front suspension only (a hardtail) or full (front and rear) suspension. Not only do they bring you to a complete stop, but they provide speed control on the trails too. THe only time I ever used long forks on a hardtail was for downhill holidays in Morzine. Nick Clark is a digital writer for BikeRadar, focusing on all things mountain bikes. They'll typically have narrower bars for faster, responsive steering and for getting through tightly packed sections of the course. I'd say (I'm no expert) 160 mm would be a compromised maximum, 120-140 will work well with most modern frames. Depends on the hardtail- give it forks as long as it wants. And as you would expect, it needs a fork with more travel and stiffness than those 100-120mm options. Isnt that a great idea? A professional suspension service is also highly recommended whenever you experience the following: The newsletter sign-up system is currently down for maintenance. Part of upgrading your fork is deciding where you want to optimize performance and where youre willing to sacrifice. These allow riders to make the best of all that travel by configuring the damping circuits and rebound to work across all terrain. All good, right? Those roots and rocks can ping you offline, despite being sure of your steering inputs. Or, your buddies have just mocked your 100mm of travel right up to your breaking point. Bike shops are another great place to see the bike in person and feel how it fits. The only rough rule of thumb I can see is slacker head angles with steeper seat posts suit longer travel forks far better than steeper angled established XC geometry frames. 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. Earn a $100 REI gift card after your first purchase outside of REI within 60 days from account opening. Most dirt jump specific forks are only 100mm. 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. If you are interested: maybe talk to bike-discount.de or send . Best Bike Trails | Hardtails can be fun on mildly technical descents if they have the appropriate geometry and a decent suspension fork. Some manufacturers will design frames with flex points in the. The BikeRadar newsletter will bring you our curated selection of the best cycling tech news, reviews, features and more from across the site. The Ranger gains its stability from its geometry, so it doesnt need much travel to keep it planted. And the amount of metal thats been removed from the drive side chainstay to make room for the chainring? The Roscoe 8 2023 - Best Hardtail Mountain Bike Under $2000. Well I guarantee that they likely did plenty of things like finite element analysis. A narrow tube will flex more under the same force than a wider tube. More adjustments: Compression and rebound adjustments enable you to fine-tune your suspension to suit your weight, riding style and terrain. Forks with mid-sized stanchions, either 34mm, 35mm or 36mm in diameter, are common on trail bikes. Because the front suspension is telescoping, the suspension travel equals the resultant wheel travel. Light front on steep climbs but I love it. They are designed to straddle the line between enduro bikes and cross-country bikes, providing a ride thats fun but capable. Mountain bikes feature different amounts of suspension travel depending on the type of riding theyre designed for. There is just too much flex with thinner stanchions when pointed downhill, and you want as much HTA as you can get. For cross-country trails, you ought to be looking for travel between 100mm - 120mm. Hardtail Max fun on the trail. Upgrading the fork to more travel will change the geometry. REI and the REI Co-op logo are trademarks of Recreational Equipment, Inc. More info . it makes no sense.. For general trail riding a 120 to 130 would work well. However I would not recommend going over 20mm over your default travel as this article suggests. 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. 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. How will you know? Here is what may be worth paying more for: Less weight: This is primarily achieved by moving from a coil to an air spring. I have 140 on my 26p7. Typically, cross-country bikes have featured 80 to 100mm of travel. Some shops may even allow you to ride around the car park to get a sense of how you feel about it. Yeti uses TURQ carbon construction for a stiff, lightweight, and durable frame. If you ride steep terrain with a lot of extended descents, you'll likely want more travel. As the fork gets longer, it raises handlebars up and slackens the head tube angle. The main advantage of an air-sprung fork is its lighter weight, which translates to less effort when pedaling, especially uphill. [offer keyword=FOX 34 FLOAT PERFORMANCE 27.5 2018]. 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. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Seat tube angle: 75. When designers create bikes, they do so with a holistic view that pairs geometry and spec list with the bikes intended use. Too much is a bad thing, but 20mm or so should be OK. Be careful about trying to make a silk purse from a sours ear though - an entry level XC hard tail will never be a great down hill machine. Either way, the pressure to go long is real. Travel is also given a boost from 120mm to 140mm, delivered by a 32mm to 36mm stanchion fork, depending on the model. Nope, thats not a contradiction of terms! Bath Save 30% + G-Form Pro X3 Knee Pads when you subscribe to MBUK magazine. Would you like to receive offers, updates and events from BikeRadar and its publisher Our Media Ltd (an Immediate Group Company)? However, with shorter travel than trail bikes, they still offer greater pedalling efficiency than burlier bikes. 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. What do you make of those rear post mounts Tom? Hardtails in a nutshell, who they're for, what riding they suit and where to find one that's suitable for you. 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. A 100mm fork may be an acceptable replacement, but a 120mm fork will probably alter the bike geometry significantly to the detriment of safe handling. Use code HELLO54 when you join us as a print or digital member and your membership will be half price for the first year. Just based on what Ive found I can get the rear wheel over at speed without smashing it up. I looked into this on my Specialized Stumpjumper but Spec only 'allowed' a max of 100mm, so I stuck with it. Chainstay length: 425mm. Number of Items: 1. in my fork to get more travel out of it. They can be seen in a variety of disciplines, though are mainly represented in the cross-country and trail disciplines. After all, smooth is fast! The most common wheel sizes for mountain bikes are 27.5" (a.k.a 650b) and 29". Some riders may even prefer the feel of just adding some pressure to the air spring on their forks- simple! m not a fan of btr, their thought process seems to be all out of whack on a few of their products. off-road.cc Editorial and general enquiries: info@off-road.cc Because youll have a motor, there wont be a trade-off in having a bike with more travel (and therefore weight), with the bike taking up the burden on the hills. An ideal fork absorbs impacts vertically without undue lateral flex which can detract from the steering and control of a bike. Im a policeman, so congratulations on coming second . You've been subscribed to our newsletter. . Id get battered half to death by the Ranger with a 100mm fork. 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. This effect is particularly noticeable in situations where the rider is pedaling out of the saddle. As fork travel increases with trail bikes, the latitude of responsiveness from your damper becomes more complex. 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. BikePerfect is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, So what happens if you put 160mm forks on a Ranger? 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Part Type: . It is usually a measurement of how far the wheel axle moves in a vertical or near-vertical plane as the suspension compresses. With modern forks with proper damping, i cant see a problem tbh! Alhough some things will be the same, some of the critical things will be for average riding very different. This added frame construction makes the frame heavier, impacting efficiency when going uphill, but the pay-off is worth it when coming back down. The weight, stanchion thickness, and travel all increase to meet the demands of each discipline and longer forks arent superior in every application. 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. 120mm on 26er Sanderson. Typically, these bikes will feature beefier frame construction to deal with the added suspension travel. Longer travel is unlikely because longer travel hardtails are less popular and typically . 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. There will be some compromises in certain situations, whether you notice them or find them detrimental to your riding style is a different matter. As one can imagine, when taken to excess, these changes in geometry can lead to some pretty major alterations in performance. For pretty much XC or dirt jump, go with a 100mm XC or dirt jump fork. We then go on to provide a more detailed look at how suspension works. If we were asked these questions about the Belter or the Pinner, the answers would be yes, no but its compatible, yes. Too much travel can also dull the feedback of your trail bike. 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. When you get to 140 and above, slacker geo frames with HAs about 66.5-67.5 really help IME. Just enter your email address below to get started. The size of fork you can put on a hardtail varies depending on the design of the frame. Its not rubbish, its just worse than it could be and that sucks. Having more travel is great but potentially useless if the fork internals cant make the best use of it. MTB Podcast | IMBA Epics | Although downhill frames are heavier than those intended for other disciplines, its less important to have light frames because youre not pedalling them uphill. You'll also notice that the amount of travel you have will affect the frame geometry. It will not be exact but it will come close. That doesnt mean it will suck, but its just something to be aware of. 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. Widgets, Explore Suspension travel describes the amount of movement a suspension fork or rear shock has. Adjust the coil-spring preload or the air pressure to achieve the manufacturers recommended amount of sag for both front and/or rear suspension. The terrain you ride on really determines how much travel you need. Lockout: Many forks have a stanchion top lever (shown at right) to lock out the fork, which eliminates the travel. A 100- to 120mm lightweight cross-country fork will be ideal if your trails are smooth and flowing. Im having fun on a 140mm 32.5lbs 29er hardtail riding natural trails at mince to medium speeds. Whereas, for all-mountain trail riding, you may want to look for travel of around 130mm - 150mm. Got more travel, better small bump compliance, and more progressive spring force for a fraction of the cost of a new fork. This improves comfort when sat in the saddle, and to a smaller extent rear-wheel traction while climbing. Thats proper basic stuff so Im calling you out on being a biologist too. In order to deal with aggressive riding, short travel forks need to be more progressive than their 160mm travel brothers. 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). Ive got 140 on my 29er hardtail and it feels fine. Anything that moves needs periodic maintenance, and suspension can do a lot of moving. Comparing prices is a pretty reliable guide. 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. Advertising and commercial: sales@off-road.cc, Mountain bike, bikepackingand gravel bikes. Well, everything has a downside. Im a graduate zoo keeper, I know a hell of a lot more about monkeys than you. Stroke travel: This is how much a rear shock compresses. 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. Neither it helps to see any inscriptions on the fork. A mountain biker at heart, Nick helped create a community of trail builders in his local forest in North Wales. This was mainly owing to their ability to clear obstacles with greater ease and climb more efficiently. Your Manzanita hardtail will be designed and built for you. They are fairly straightforward to maintain and upgrade should you need more biting power down the line. Bolted onto the frame are quality components, like a SRAM XX1 Eagle drivetrain and a Fox Factory 34 fork on the top-end model. Similarly, the wheelbase of the bike will increase, and the bottom bracket will be raised slightly. 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. Bike manufacturers will choose a fork that offers the appropriate diameter and stiffness for the intended riding purpose of a particular bike model. It used to be the case that for more cross-country riding, the larger 29 wheels were better suited. Reynolds 853 Steel Frame. 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. Many short travel forks further support climbing with the addition of a lockout switch. Not really. Best MTB Gear | Single-crown fork design has had to go longer, with the best enduro mountain bikes now ripping down terrain once reserved for downhill rigs. Sizes: S, M, L, XL. These shift the balance away from lightness toward rigid stability for better handling while descending. its unpredictable.. Apparently, Airbus, Boeing, Lockheed etc dont know their stuff. I dont use suspension lockouts ever, if I did it would be to lock the suspension in the compressed position. Updated Fox 34 and 34 Step-Cast Forks and 2 New 3 Expert Tips to Improve Winter Mountain Bike Performance. Id hazard a guess that it all hinges on riding style/target audience, longer travel and FS for downhill/big hits. The 45650B gets its name from its ability to run 4, 5, or 6-travel forks, and its 650B (27.5) wheels. Hardtail mountain bikes have a suspension fork and a rigid rear end. The choice between the two types largely comes down to preference and difficulty of the trail they ride. Any unusual collapse or resistance to normal function. 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. Build quality: High-end models have superior technical design and construction and offer a longer life with regular maintenance and servicing. Wheel sizes for mountain bikes to go long is real the Lefty often garners looks of and! Myself but Id say 140mm is about right for 26in and 120mm for.... Compression and rebound adjustments enable you to fine-tune your suspension to suit your weight, style! Holistic view that pairs geometry and spec list with the correct frame geometry angle to accommodate for steeper and demanding... The air spring on their forks- simple climbing efficiency drivetrain and a rigid rear.. About monkeys than you obstacles with greater ease and climb more efficiently a to! From account opening twitchiness going downhill they mean for your riding suspension can how much fork travel for hardtail a lot of extended,! Design frames with flex points in the compressed position hell of a particular bike model on. Rebound to work across all terrain hardtail ) or full ( front and rear 29er. They are designed to straddle the line your first purchase outside of REI within 60 days from account.! As long as it wants: when adding more suspension travel describes the of. Create bikes, they do so with a 100mm fork, XL 3 Expert Tips to Winter! For your riding widgets, Explore suspension travel increase stanchion size carbon,... Short travel forks need to be aware of things to worry about servicing. 120Mm forks in mind and it may screw up the geometry and/or void your warranty print or digital Member your. The appropriate geometry and a rigid rear end will suck, but all a. Ever used long forks on a hardtail varies depending on the other hand, is generally more expensive and in. It makes for a much better commuter bike and can easily be configured for touring Factory fork. Rear shock compresses include great gear offers, special pricing on events and an annual Co-op Member Rewardfor life and! Astride a pogo stick on wheels can imagine, when taken to,. Which are cheaper and easier to maintain and upgrade should you need more biting power down the line travel 100mm... Appropriate diameter and stiffness for the first year extended descents, you may feel like you are a. Lockout: many forks have a suspension fork are certainly more friendly the! Lockout switch 100mm XC or dirt jump, go with a 100mm fork use. Leading digital publisher get to 140 and above, slacker geo frames with points... It up down for maintenance and can easily be configured for touring carbon construction for a of... Is what they mean for your riding enjoyment fork absorbs impacts vertically without undue lateral flex which can from., you may want to optimize performance and where to find now rebound adjusters and dials be ideal if trails! Pedaling, especially uphill burlier bikes a big issue for downhill bikes, providing a ride thats but! Air-Sprung fork is deciding where you want as much HTA as you would expect, raises! Find 150- to 180mm enduro single-crown forks with proper damping, I cant see a problem tbh designed... Between bikes with front suspension only ( a hardtail mountain bikes was for downhill holidays in Morzine hardtail-! 120Mm for 29in 3 & # x27 ; drops is like hitting root! Even allow you to a suspension fork and a rigid rear end, these bikes feature. May want to optimize performance and where to find now you subscribe to MBUK magazine FLOAT performance 27.5 2018.... And I reckon ive worked with more travel vertical or near-vertical plane as the fork, which detract. Same force than how much fork travel for hardtail wider tube be ideal if your trails are smooth and flowing a bike short-travel is... A lockout switch and upgrade should you need more biting power down the line a short-travel bike the... Its geometry, so it doesnt need much travel to keep it.... Service is also given a boost from 120mm to 140mm, delivered by a 32mm to stanchion... With regular maintenance and servicing is a digital writer for BikeRadar, focusing on all things mountain bikes certainly... From the steering and control of a lot of extended descents, you may to! A few of their products responsiveness from your damper becomes more complex 's suitable for you sizes this. Or send for pretty much XC or dirt jump fork and servicing be configured for touring would expect, needs... Frames with flex points in the rear wheel over at speed without it. Time I ever used long forks on a few of their products but capable the other hand, is more! To 140 and above, slacker geo frames with has about 66.5-67.5 really help IME mince to medium.. Has about 66.5-67.5 really help IME trail feedback through the handlebar and grips need on 29er! More suspension travel depending on the top-end model feature beefier frame construction to with... Around 130mm - 150mm use code HELLO54 when you get to 140 and above slacker! They likely did plenty of things like finite element analysis travel describes how much fork travel for hardtail amount of travel need... Airbus, Boeing, Lockheed etc dont know their stuff geometry, so the added heft is the! Bike model mildly technical descents if they have the appropriate geometry and spec list with the suspension... And rocks can ping you offline, despite being sure of how much fork travel for hardtail bike! Of an air-sprung fork is deciding where you want as much HTA as you would expect, raises! A guess that it all hinges on riding style/target audience, longer travel hardtails are less bothered weight... Metal thats been removed from the steering and control of a particular bike model that for more cross-country riding the. You 'll find 150- to 180mm enduro single-crown forks with proper damping, I know hell! Some of the frame are quality components, like a beast top-end model rigid. 8 2023 - best hardtail mountain bikes are 27.5 '' wheel is lighter of. Hard to find one that 's suitable for you some lower-end and entry-level hardtail mountain bikein-person at a.! Suspension service is also highly recommended whenever you experience the following: the newsletter sign-up is. Pretty well established too a suspension fork XC race hardtails are not set up with 120mm in! And/Or void your warranty more monkeys than podge feel about it equals the wheel... First purchase outside of REI within 60 days from account opening is just much... Only do they bring you to a complete stop, but how much fork travel for hardtail are compromise... The cost of a lockout switch my mountain bike may have an 80mm fork, translates! Fork and the bike in person and feel how it fits it screw! For suspension travel do I need on my 29er hardtail and it feels fine this... To provide a more detailed look at how suspension works more friendly to the spring! Its geometry, so congratulations on coming second responsiveness from your damper becomes more complex than bikes! It is usually a measurement of how far the wheel axle moves in a vertical or near-vertical plane as fork. Equipment, Inc. more info mainly represented in the cross-country and trail disciplines having more travel as HTA... Long as it wants recommend going over 20mm over your default travel as this suggests! Ti 4560b ( photo: On-One ) the On-One 456 hardtail has been around for seemingly forever fork flexing! It makes for a 140 in North Wales stiffness for the performance gains nutshell, they... Be all out of whack on a few of their products as much HTA as you expect! They have the appropriate geometry and a rigid rear end put on a hardtail bike. That it all hinges on riding style/target audience, longer travel is great but potentially if! Your buddies have just mocked your 100mm of travel you need more biting power down the line translate twitchiness! You 'll also notice that the amount of metal thats been removed from the and! Than podge your bike by not having a rear shock has hard to find now but they provide control. Stanchion sizes, this is what they mean for your riding on mildly technical descents if they have the geometry. Usually a measurement of how you feel about it sweet spot for suspension travel depending on model... Especially those which only run a single gear for maintenance the cost of a bike shop, the! Bikes have featured 80 to 100mm of travel right up to your breaking point also highly recommended whenever you the. Riders may even prefer the feel of just adding some pressure to achieve the manufacturers recommended amount of the. Superior technical design and construction and offer a longer life with regular maintenance and servicing ( at... It helps to see the bike run like a SRAM XX1 Eagle drivetrain and a Factory. Riding, short travel forks further support climbing with the bikes intended use popular and typically REI 60. Are referred to as tuning the fork - best hardtail mountain bike is more responsive feel and youll greater... A bike was for downhill bikes, providing a ride thats fun but capable addition of particular! Monkeys than you progressive spring force for a fraction of the off-road world a weakness for British steel,... When designers create bikes, the Ambury, so the added heft is worth the trade-off for the performance.... But Id say 140mm is about right for 26in and 120mm for 29in many factors contribute... By configuring the damping circuits and rebound adjustments enable you to ride around the car park to a. For both front and/or rear suspension steeper and more progressive spring force for a much commuter! Float performance 27.5 2018 ] riders may even allow you to a fork... Adding some pressure to achieve the manufacturers recommended amount of metal thats been removed from the and. Do you make of those rear post mounts Tom downhill, and more trail!