On a full-suspension bike, expect to find similar travel for the front and rear wheels. So, it goes without saying that a full-suspension mountain bike has both front and rear suspension systems. For AM to light Free ride a 140 to 160mm fork would be the ticket. And a digital membership where you can read all the digital magazines is normally 25, and now 12.50 with the code. The obvious thing is how far can something pivot at one point before it feels unstable. Crown: connects the 2 stanchions together. You will see premium trail bike forks offering high- and low-speed compression adjustment, allowing riders to balance full travel benefits on gnarly terrain without having the fork dive too much in high-speed berms. Sign in to manage your newsletter preferences. Excludes Gift Memberships, Discount applies to first year. Most dirt jump specific forks are only 100mm. Some manufacturers will design frames with flex points in the rear triangle, allowing for vertical compliance in the frame. Im not an engineer so Ive no legitimate idea beyond frowning and wondering is that really strong enough?. However, the traction and descending ability of full-suspension bikes make them desirable to many riders. As with the front fork, rear suspension models feature variation in travel, spring system and adjustments. If we were asked these questions about the Belter or the Pinner, the answers would be yes, no but its compatible, yes. 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. Alhough some things will be the same, some of the critical things will be for average riding very different. The more travel your fork has, the more your front wheel can move up/down to absorb impact. General guidelines: Sag enables the wheel to follow undulations in the ground more effectively, allowing the suspension to extend so that the wheel can drop into depressions in the trail. You've been subscribed to our newsletter. More info . We've looked at what hardtail bikes are and who rides them, but why choose one? The original forks only go back on when I want to sell the bikes. The change in steering tube angle is also small, to give it bad handling habits you would need to be trying to turn it into something like a Harley Davidson chopper. With 150- to 180mm single-crown forks, you dont need a lockout control for climbing, but you want to control the multiple channels of compression and rebound. Got more travel, better small bump compliance, and more progressive spring force for a fraction of the cost of a new fork. You can easily unsubscribe at any time. . However, the strength of carbon fibre compensates for the brittleness. Having more travel is great but potentially useless if the fork internals cant make the best use of it. For racers, this compromise must be considered carefully. Electric mountain bikes are heavy, even compared to downhill bikes. A narrow tube will flex more under the same force than a wider tube. Part of upgrading your fork is deciding where you want to optimize performance and where youre willing to sacrifice. 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. Tam spent most of his uni years racing hardtails on downhill tracks so he knows a thing or two about them and hes **** quick. This bike looks very, very good. To further add to my previous comment. A mountain biker at heart, Nick helped create a community of trail builders in his local forest in North Wales. Now my own bike, a classic 2005 Cannondale Prophet, was designed around a 140mm lefty at about 520mm (ish) axle 2 crown. Thank you for signing up to the BikeRadar newsletter! 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. They are designed to straddle the line between enduro bikes and cross-country bikes, providing a ride thats fun but capable. Almost all mountain bikes are equipped with front suspension, as well as some hybrid or comfort bikes and kids bikes. whereas the BTRs are 120mm, or 100mm for the 29er, on the Ranger frames, which are slacker than the Curtis AM frames. The sag is how much the suspension compresses under your weight. I am frustrated by these questions, but Im not bitter or angry about them- theyre valid in todays mountain bike industry. Rides: Got to be all down to geometry and frame design. Adjusting the travel not only affects the bump-softening capacity of the bike, it also affects the steering and control. Is 150mm travel too much for a hardtail? 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. 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. These bikes usually have 120mm or less of fork travel and relatively steep headtube angles (around 66-70 degrees). If you tried to put a 160mm fork on a short travel 100mm xc race bike it would be bad. It makes for a much better commuter bike and can easily be configured for touring. Short travel forks; lighter parts; change your riding style so instead of riding through stuff you ride over it. 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. The geometry gets very upset (overly slack head angle, unnecessarily high BB, tall stack, shorter reach, slacker seat angle, etc), which all adds up to a bike which is hard work up hills and no better down them. If I put a 180mm single crown on it at 570mm (ish) a2c then it may fail as well as generally handle like shit. Try it you might like it, be warned, going back to the stock setup might not feel so good afterwards. 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). In this guide, well explain the different mountain bike categories and how much suspension travel they typically have. For general trail riding a 120 to 130 would work well. 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. In fact, 140mm of fork travel is almost spot on with the average full suspension trail bike, at least when focusing on the middle of the trail bike spectrum. 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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. 140mm is ideal for even the toughest trail centres, with more travel being required for gnarlier ambitions. All good, right? Beyond that it could cause issues. Im not a fan of btr, their thought process seems to be all out of whack on a few of their products. A suspension uses a hydraulic system that allows the front wheel to move up and down as you ride over uneven terrain. As you mentioned, personally for me on the steep descents I ride in Mongolia, I really need the longer and wider diameter forks. Check the manufacturers manual (usually found on their website) for your specific model. It usually comes down to what you feel more comfortable with, so it's highly recommended to try before you buy when possible. Reasonably efficient climbers and confident descending bikes, the trail machine is a hybrid between cross-country and enduro. http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/short-travel-hardtails, BTR clearly know what theyre talking about. The diameter of the stanchion tubes affects this lateral stiffness. You just need to set up the forks the right way. The most common wheel sizes for mountain bikes are 27.5" (a.k.a 650b) and 29". For this reason, collisions and rock strikes are more likely to crack the frame rather than dent it. Im not an engineer though either, just a biologist like Podge apparently. Improved pedalling technique will get you up hills easier and faster without the bobbing. Compared to a gravel bike or rigid mountain bike, hardtails offer more comfort and confidence on rougher terrain. Increase the preload if the fork feels too spongy. Subscribe to Cycling Plus from just 13.50 and get a Lezyne Pocket Drive Pump, worth 29! 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. The geometry and quality of travel more important in my opinion. Bike manufacturers design their mountain bikes around different travel lengths, tailored to specific terrains or riding disciplines, and categorise the bikes accordingly. Confident on descents and fairly capable on climbs, trail bikes typically have between 120 and 160mm of suspension travel. Belt . Replacing your existing fork? I use a quick tiedown strap around the front axle and the top of the stanchions to 1/2 compress the longer front suspension, on the long ugly steep climbs. My BFe was a bit wandery at 150 but is just about right at 130. An upgrade option for some forks is a handlebar-mounted lever to remotely control the lockout via a cable. 150mm 650b Revs on my 26 Transam. Besides factors such as weight, stiffness, and efficiency, riders will also want to think about how a longer fork will change the shape of the bike. As you move through the various types of mountain bikes, fork travel requirements change. A decade ago, the idea of a 180mm single-crown fork that could provide an adequate compression platform for pedaling uphill was unfathomable. A move like that may also void the frame manufacturers warranty since they didnt intend for riders to write gnarly 160mm checks that their frames cant cash. Some will recommend a. For general trail riding a 120 to 130 would work well. Id say (Im no expert) 160 mm would be a compromised maximum, 120-140 will work well with most modern frames in most situations. Excessive oil leak onto the stanchions around the top of the sliders. The Lefty often garners looks of disbelief and skepticism, but it is an established and proven design. Many short travel forks further support climbing with the addition of a lockout switch. Respect frame specs and limits and have fun. The valve may be either at the top of a stanchion or at the bottom of a slider. Adjustments: Similar to the front suspension, adjustment options depend on the model. 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. 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. Along with certain salad items, electric mountain bikes are one of the more in-demand items in the United Kingdom currently. For many bikepackers a hardtail hits the sweet spot between too much bike and too little bike. 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. They can be seen in a variety of disciplines, though are mainly represented in the cross-country and trail disciplines. The discipline doesnt require the bike to be pedalled on uphill or even flat terrain, enabling designers to focus solely on providing the best platform for descending steep and technical trails. 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. A short-travel bike is more responsive to steering input, which can translate to twitchiness going downhill. Just enter your email address below to get started. Sag refers to how much the suspension compresses with just the riders weight on the bike. 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