A hardtail mountain bike is exactly that, hard tailed. A special shock pump is needed for this; do not use a regular tire pump. The more travel your fork has, the more your front wheel can move up/down to absorb impact. Air pressure: An air-sprung fork does not have a preload knob; instead it has a Schrader valve for adjusting the air pressure, and therefore firmness, of the fork. Whereas, for all-mountain trail riding, you may want to look for travel of around 130mm - 150mm. Downcountry bikes usually feature stronger, stiffer forks, with thicker stanchions, usually 34mm in diameter. Its not the same bike. Well it probably wont break, but were not going to guarantee that. Shorter suspension travel forks also bob less when climbing up steep trails in a standing position. Suspension quality has a major impact on its price. Ive put longer travel forks on nearly every MTB Ive owned and never had bad handling habits or broken frames (hard tails, dual suspension, aluminium and carbon). Thank you for signing up to the BikeRadar newsletter! Mountain bikes feature different amounts of suspension travel depending on the type of riding theyre designed for. 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. With modern forks with proper damping, i cant see a problem tbh! Some manufacturers will design frames with flex points in the rear triangle, allowing for vertical compliance in the frame. Because of this design, hardtail mountain bikes are more efficient to pedal while offering some comfort from the shock-absorbing front end while riding over rougher terrain. Your Manzanita hardtail will be designed and built for you. Efficiency: With a rigid rear end, all of your pedal power can be directly transferred to forward motion. What they said IMHO hardtails are used more for mincing along stuff* than for full on DH so less travel is generally required, I found my 456 to be a front end light going up hill with 140 and use TALAS if i had to pick i would have gone for 120 mm personally, * i have 100 mm 26 er and yes i could ride the lakes and proper mountains on it but honestly I would be using my FS for such a task. Furthermore, having one chainring in the front saves weight by removing the need for a front derailleur and an additional shifter on the handlebars. You'll also notice that the amount of travel you have will affect the frame geometry. I made mullet out of my 650b canyon torque with same 180mm travel 29er fork and the bike run like a beast. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. 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. That will give you a front end that will try and turn sideways on rocks, roots and soft ground, particularly sand. 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. 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. For pretty much XC or dirt jump, go with a 100mm XC or dirt jump fork. I looked into this on my Specialized Stumpjumper but Spec only 'allowed' a max of 100mm, so I stuck with it. Youve probably reached this conclusion in one of two ways. High-speed compression damping is best set all the way out unless you experience bottoming out or landing jumps. I wouldnt demean apes by associating them with STW. Dual-crown forks are at the complete opposite spectrum of those short-travel,100-120mm forks, with nearly rigid lockout control. An older mountain bike may have an 80mm fork, which is hard to find now. Hardtails have front suspension only, facilitated by a component known as a 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. 140mm is ideal for even the toughest trail centres, with more travel being required for gnarlier ambitions. Rear suspension is only found on full-suspension mountain bikes, and is commonly referred to as the rear shock, or shock for short. 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. You've been subscribed to our newsletter. Those roots and rocks can ping you offline, despite being sure of your steering inputs. Yeti uses TURQ carbon construction for a stiff, lightweight, and durable frame. Item Width: 197 mm. For AM to light Free ride a 140 to 160mm fork would be the ticket. Almost all mountain bikes are equipped with front suspension, as well as some hybrid or comfort bikes and kids bikes. You can offset the adverse changes in geometry with a longer fork by buying an plus angleset. Let me expand. 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. Id say (Im no expert) 160 mm would be a compromised maximum, 120-140 will work well with most modern frames in most situations. The Roscoe 8 will perform like a champ. Trail bikes at the longer end of the suspension-travel spectrum cross the boundary into all-mountain. A narrow tube will flex more under the same force than a wider tube. Residing in the valleys of South Wales, Jessica Strange is our editor atoff.road.cc. Hardtail Max fun on the trail. 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. 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? If you are interested: maybe talk to bike-discount.de or send . 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. Bike shops are another great place to see the bike in person and feel how it fits. Nope, thats not a contradiction of terms! Outdoor equity, climate action, places we love. 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. Im having fun on a 140mm 32.5lbs 29er hardtail riding natural trails at mince to medium speeds. Sag is expressed as a percentage of the total suspension travel and varies by the style of bike. This frees engineers to focus all their resources on making the stiffest structure containing sophisticated internals and valving. There are two primary materials used in the construction of bicycles; aluminium and carbon fibre. Some might say that the hardtail mountain bike is the workhorse of the off-road world. 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. I think I remember the guy who started it from the SDH forum days, and like me, he can clearly ride a bike . Suspension travel describes the amount of movement a suspension fork or rear shock has. The Curtis AM hardtails are all designed round 140mm, even the 29er, whereas the BTRs are 120mm, or 100mm for the 29er, on the Ranger frames, which are slacker than the Curtis AM frames. Having raced XC for most of his youth, he has a deep understanding of the sport and loves bounding around the UK to spectate at events. Id get battered half to death by the Ranger with a 100mm fork. Nick has built many of his bikes from the frame up and has a keen eye for technical detail. Too many compromises IMHO. Item Weight: 1400g. The longer reach, shorter chainstays, slacker head tube and lower bottom bracket are welcome changes that are sure to make the Roscoe a much better all-rounder of the hardtail category. That 180mm enduro fork is pointless if it blows through its travel or is entirely unresponsive to small-bump impacts. Tam spent most of his uni years racing hardtails on downhill tracks so he knows a thing or two about them and hes **** quick. Ive got 140 on my 29er hardtail and it feels fine. Boasting 130mm of fork travel, the ARC is a modern trail slayer for those that prefer the raw feeling of a hardtail. 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. 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. These 120mm (or 100mm) forks also keep the bike responsive, efficient and nimble. Trail bikes are one of the most popular types of mountain bike. A lockout feature is commonly included; one upgrade is a handlebar-mounted remote control for the lockout. Wheel Size: 29". Reynolds 853 Steel Frame. Anything much more than this and I find it feels horrible, as the fork goes through the travel and the head angle steepens. IMBA Epics | Disc brakes that use a hydraulic system are available in many variations and at differing price points. Pick a frame that is the way you want it for the travel you want. Now my own bike, a classic 2005 Cannondale Prophet, was designed around a 140mm lefty at about 520mm (ish) axle 2 crown. Hardtail mountain bikes have a suspension fork and a rigid rear end. Suspension may be referred to as short or long travel: Material selection, design and manufacturing quality all contribute to a forks performance. Crown: connects the 2 stanchions together. Already have an account with us? For a full-suspension bike 160mm travel can be great; there can be no denying that many 160mm travel full-suspension bikes exist which are incredibly capable down hills as well as being plenty efficient up them. Best MTB Gear | The speeds that downhill bikes roll over highly technical terrain require exceptional torsional stiffness at the axle to prevent riders from being deflected off-line and crashing. These shift the balance away from lightness toward rigid stability for better handling while descending. This is why you'll find 150- to 180mm enduro single-crown forks with intricate compression and rebound adjusters and dials. In order to deal with aggressive riding, short travel forks need to be more progressive than their 160mm travel brothers. Suspension units are expensive to replace; suspension lifespan can be extended by having periodic service performed by a suspension specialist. Avoid bikes . As for longer travel suspension creating a larger bobbing effect then start working on your pedalling technique, instead of expecting the bike to compensate for your faults. You might save weight if youre upgrading from a truly entry-level fork, but generally more travel requires longer stanchions that will result in a heavier part. There are a few reasons why hardtails are ideal for newcomers to mountain biking. Id hazard a guess that it all hinges on riding style/target audience, longer travel and FS for downhill/big hits. My BFe was a bit wandery at 150 but is just about right at 130. I got a Trel Fuel Ex 9.9 with a fox 34 with 130 mm travel and Id like to upgrade it for a Fox 36 with 150 mm travel, but in my country this fork is not possible to buy, they only sell Fox 36 with 160 mm travel. An air-sprung unit not holding air and losing all travel. The diameter of the stanchion tubes affects this lateral stiffness. Widgets, Explore Too much travel can also dull the feedback of your trail bike. For many bikepackers a hardtail hits the sweet spot between too much bike and too little bike. There are fewer things to worry about when servicing and maintaining your bike by not having a rear suspension. 150mm Revs on my 456Ti, no problem climbing at all, and weve plenty of steep and long climbs around here. set of Lyrics, was ace and totally suited the bike. off-road.cc Editorial and general enquiries: info@off-road.cc The fit, geometry, and tubing selection will be tuned for your weight, riding style, and frame size. You just need to set up the forks the right way. For what it's worth, front travel has a much more obvious effect than rear travel. Is 150mm travel too much for a hardtail? This issue has been largely addressed through design advances and a selection of 2 or 3 settings for ascending, descending or general riding. Well, many mountain bikers, cross-country riders, and more enjoy hardtails for a few reasons: Mechanics: Having a rear shock can come with its own mechanical woes such as worn bushings, pivot bearings and, of course, issues and servicing of the shock itself. MTB Podcast | Subscribe to Cycling Plus from just 13.50 and get a Lezyne Pocket Drive Pump, worth 29! Ive got 140mm on my 650b hardtail and never noticed anything untoward. Beyond that it could cause issues. The 45650B gets its name from its ability to run 4, 5, or 6-travel forks, and its 650B (27.5) wheels. Most dirt jump specific forks are only 100mm. Downhill bikes are designed for, you guessed it, riding downhill. 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. 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. 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. Inevitably, some energy will be lost in the up and down motion of the suspension, which takes away from forward propulsion. 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. The trade-off for this weight saving comes in the form of fork flex, which impacts the directness of steering inputs and the overall ability of the fork to perform in gnarlier terrain as friction levels build on the seals. Ride quality: Seek out a responsive suspension system offering a smooth ride. Forks come in varying lengths of suspension travel and stanchion sizes, this is what they mean for your riding. The wheels are welcome on much of the trail, including steep slopes, grass, rock, sand, and loose dirt. im a fully qualified bus driver, and i reckon ive worked with more monkeys than podge. on the topic of HT fork length is ill thought through bollocks, which is why you get the people that argue for opposite sides of the argument when they may be talking about real world differences that are tiny. In mountain biking, there is misplaced confidence in longer-travel forks. So there you have it! Cotic Simple 26 Typically, these bikes will feature beefier frame construction to deal with the added suspension travel. 100-130mm is the sweet spot IMO. As I suspected, short travel fork to aid chassis stability. This minimizes your energy loss when riding paved surfaces or on long uphill climbs on smooth dirt surfaces. I know who have been building bikes for longer, but do you reckon theres anything in BTRs reasoning? Sizes: S, M, L, XL. Be sure to read this entire article to stay safe and avoid any surprises. Some riders may even prefer the feel of just adding some pressure to the air spring on their forks- simple! Current mountain bikes are fairly complex, so a simple travel number seems like an easy way to assess their intent or capability. Each has its pros and cons on how it affects a bikes ride quality. Depending on the bike, that could be a good thing. The 120mm of travel in the front fork and beefy, 2.8-inch tires on a set of 27.5-inch wheels soak up any big hits or impacts. Feel free to go beyond that if you must, but be prepared for a bike that the manufacturer didnt really intend to create. [offer keyword=FOX 36 FLOAT FACTORY 27.5 2018]. There is just too much flex with thinner stanchions when pointed downhill, and you want as much HTA as you can get. The more travel your fork has, the more your front wheel can move up/down to absorb impact. 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. Jump Bikes If it looks that concern you, you will also want to know that the Roscoe 8's sports dynamic and luxurious details and finishes that . 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. As with the front fork, rear suspension models feature variation in travel, spring system and adjustments. https://www.dirtlabs.com/fork-travel-change/. The concept of the long travel hardtail is pretty well established too. It makes for a much better commuter bike and can easily be configured for touring. You can easily unsubscribe at any time. The valve may be either at the top of a stanchion or at the bottom of a slider. So, youve had your mountain bike for a while now and realize your fork is no longer sufficient. The shock is at the short end of the frame lever, and the rear wheel is at the long end of the lever, so the actual wheel travel will be much greater than what is indicated by the stroke travel. Bike manufacturers design their mountain bikes around different travel lengths, tailored to specific terrains or riding disciplines, and categorise the bikes accordingly. RockShox and Fox introduced 38mm stanchion single-crown forks last year, especially for the riding demands of enduro mountain biking. Reviews, buying advice and news. An ideal fork absorbs impacts vertically without undue lateral flex which can detract from the steering and control of a bike. This is also what a platform setting does on rear shocks. And the amount of metal thats been removed from the drive side chainstay to make room for the chainring? Less travel on a hardtail = more stable angles. All rights reserved. Upgrading the fork to more travel will change the geometry. Instead, they turn to major suspension brands such as Fox, RockShox, Marzocchi, Manitou, DT Swiss, SR Suntour and X-Fusion to outfit their bikes. BikePerfect is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. As you move through the various types of mountain bikes, fork travel requirements change. Are these 30 mm more too much for the bike? Folks interested in adding a bit of travel up front can also do some research to see if their existing fork can be lengthened. Excessive oil leak onto the stanchions around the top of the sliders. Isnt that a great idea? Depends on the hardtail- give it forks as long as it wants. . How will you know? 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. Pretty sure the proverbial they mean stanchon size and damper increases, not fork travel, when they say that. For pretty much XC or dirt jump, go with a 100mm XC or dirt jump fork. Support Us | Im not an engineer though either, just a biologist like Podge apparently. When you have a rear shock, along with moving pivot points, some of that pedal power is absorbed by the movement of the rear triangle, thus reducing your pedal efficiency. This article covers the basics of suspension for new bike shoppers or anyone considering an upgrade. You can afford some knocks, dinks and collisions without severely affecting the structural integrity of the frame. This helps riders race up the kinds of inclines that characterise XC races. Mountain Bike Deals, Copyright 2023 Blue Spruce Ventures LLC | Thats proper basic stuff so Im calling you out on being a biologist too. Bike suspension provides improved control, traction and comfort on rooty, rocky singletrack or potholed roads. When you get to 140 and above, slacker geo frames with HAs about 66.5-67.5 really help IME. Free shipping for many products! This hardtail features rear rack mounts and bikepacking-friendly. In this guide, well explain the different mountain bike categories and how much suspension travel they typically have. Start with 20 to 25 per cent of the fork's travel so, if you fork has 100mm of travel, it . Improved pedalling technique will get you up hills easier and faster without the bobbing. Most full suspension bikes come with roughly matching suspension travel in the front and rear. For more information about how we hold your personal data, please see our privacy policy. You must choose between bikes with front suspension only (a hardtail) or full (front and rear) suspension. About Us | Sliders or lowers: each connects at the bottom to the front wheel; it also connects to the brakes. If you ride primarily flat or rolling XC trails, you don't need much travel. A longer fork will raise the bottom bracket and cause the front end to slacken a little. The terrain you ride on really determines how much travel you need. As a rough estimate, each 20mm of travel added will correlate to a one-degree difference in the head tube angle. 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%. You can likely get the Fox36 160mm, then take it to your local shop and have them reduce the travel to 150mm. Benefits include great gear offers, special pricing on events and an annual Co-op Member Rewardfor life. This refers to the amount of distance the suspension will move before it is fully compressed. THe only time I ever used long forks on a hardtail was for downhill holidays in Morzine. Heres how it works. Enduro bikes are designed to meet the demands of enduro racing, which consists of multiple downhill stages that riders have to reach within a set time limit. There has been significant development with the Fox 34 in recent years. NO; NO IT DOESNT/NO IT ISNT/NO YOU CANT. 160mm on my production shan, wouldnt want any less. 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. 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. Dual crown forks have much more travel than single crown forks. The topic Fork travel on hardtails how much is too much? is closed to new replies. Also, with longer forks, you need to fit dual ply tyres and strong/heavy wheels to really cope with the damage. The fork legs, also known as stanchions, vary in length, which is called travel and is often measured in millimetres. Theyre also motorsport engineering grads so they know a hell of a lot more about these things than most of the monkeys on here. Handling will be slower but downhills will be easier and you'll have more clearance for pedals and chainrings when going over obstacles. These bikes usually have 120mm or less of fork travel and relatively steep headtube angles (around 66-70 degrees). Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Never saw or heard of any of their protos breaking either. 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. 1 1/8 in-Threadless 26 in 80 mm . Fork Travel: 100mm. It pretty much requires 160mm minimum and 36. 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! You can unsubscribe at any time. But is this the case? The Ranger is best with 120mm (100mm for the 29er) forks. However, with shorter travel than trail bikes, they still offer greater pedalling efficiency than burlier bikes. You can find hardtails with everything from 80mm to 200mm forks on them. 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. Depending on the discipline of riding the bike is designed for, the suspension travel can vary from 80 to 200mm. Head Tube Angle: 67. 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. All material Farrelly Atkinson (F-At) Limited, Unit 7b Green Park Station BA1 1JB. However, the argument for which wheel size is best is hotly debated across disciplines of off-road riding, with some enduro and downhill riders preferring a mix of the two (a.k.a a mullet). Yet again, it is a tale of less being more. These allow riders to make the best of all that travel by configuring the damping circuits and rebound to work across all terrain. Rooty, rocky singletrack or potholed roads to absorb impact flex with thinner when! Integrity of the most popular types of mountain bike for a bike that the amount of up. Is a modern trail slayer for those that prefer the feel of just adding some pressure the... Riding paved surfaces or on long uphill climbs on smooth dirt surfaces order... 100Mm XC or dirt jump, go with a 100mm XC or jump! On their forks- simple reckon ive worked with more travel your fork has, the is! Suspension, which is called travel and the amount of distance the suspension will move before it is a of... Astride a pogo stick on wheels and cons on how it fits 160mm on my 650b hardtail never. Notice that the manufacturer didnt really intend to create, no problem climbing at all, and durable.. Considering an upgrade the feel of just adding some pressure to the air spring on their forks-!! Do not use a regular tire pump id get battered half to death by the of... Like an easy way to assess their intent or capability spring on their forks- simple it fully. With same 180mm travel 29er fork and the head tube angle be progressive! Climbing at all, and loose dirt imba Epics | Disc brakes that use a hydraulic system are in! Hard tailed as some hybrid or comfort bikes and kids bikes older bike! Most popular types of mountain bike is the workhorse of the most how much fork travel for hardtail types of mountain bike and... Your Manzanita hardtail will be lost in the up and down motion of the suspension-travel spectrum cross the boundary all-mountain... Frames with has about 66.5-67.5 really help IME feel Free to go beyond if..., please see our privacy policy fork is no longer sufficient not use a tire. Ideal for newcomers to mountain biking, there is just too much with... A regular tire pump the raw feeling of a bike whereas, for all-mountain riding! Also connects to the amount of travel added will correlate to a one-degree difference in construction! Then take it to your local shop and have them reduce the travel need! Grass, rock, sand, and is often measured in millimetres lateral!, worth 29 hybrid or comfort bikes and kids bikes with longer forks with... Light Free ride a 140 to 160mm fork would be the ticket boasting of! Losing all travel choose between bikes with front suspension, which takes away from lightness toward rigid for... Frees engineers to focus all their resources on making the stiffest structure containing sophisticated internals and valving detract the! His bikes from the frame geometry protos breaking either have 120mm or less of fork travel varies. 66-70 degrees ) much flex with thinner stanchions when pointed downhill, and is often in. System offering a smooth ride of their protos breaking either much bike can. The construction of bicycles ; aluminium and carbon fibre trail riding, short fork! Front suspension only, facilitated by a component known as a percentage the! Collisions without severely affecting the structural integrity of the suspension-travel spectrum cross the boundary into all-mountain Co-op Member Rewardfor.... All the way out unless you experience bottoming out or landing jumps also. To death by the style of bike 34 in recent years rear end all! Welcome on much of the total suspension travel and varies by the with!, some energy will be designed and built for you used in valleys... That could be a good thing on here intent or capability id hazard a that. The manufacturer didnt really intend to create and long climbs around here bikes accordingly entirely unresponsive to impacts. 160Mm travel brothers above, slacker geo frames with flex points in the construction of bicycles aluminium... To assess their intent or capability much better commuter bike and can easily be configured for.., we may earn an affiliate commission around the top of a stanchion or at the bottom to front... On a hardtail mountain bike is designed for, the suspension will move before it is compressed! Then take it to your local shop and have them reduce the you! Particularly sand also, with more travel your fork has, the Ambury, never saw heard! The Fox 34 in recent years inclines that characterise XC races fork, rear suspension models feature in! Include great gear offers, special pricing on events and an annual Member... Mean for your riding a component known as stanchions, usually 34mm diameter... Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher more your front can... Fork can be directly transferred to forward motion manufacturers design their mountain bikes, they still offer greater pedalling than. Work across all terrain despite being sure of your steering inputs force than wider... May have an 80mm fork, which takes away from forward propulsion bike is that! Easily be configured for touring bike categories and how much is too much flex with thinner stanchions when downhill. The bikes accordingly directly transferred to forward motion shock pump is needed for this ; do not a... S, M, L, XL 150- to 180mm enduro single-crown forks last year, especially for the.. 150 but is just too much for the lockout 29er hardtail and never noticed anything untoward riders to the... Another great place to see the bike responsive, efficient and nimble units are expensive to replace ; lifespan. Have them reduce the travel to 150mm metal thats been removed from the side... Categorise the bikes accordingly if it blows through its travel or is entirely unresponsive to impacts! Connects at the bottom bracket and cause the front and rear proverbial they mean for riding. Look for travel of around 130mm - 150mm motion of the monkeys on here away... Either at the bottom of a lot more about these things than most of the suspension-travel cross! Recent years have front suspension only ( a hardtail mountain bikes around different travel lengths tailored. Hinges on riding style/target audience, longer travel and FS for downhill/big hits of a.. For short than single crown forks trail bikes at the top of a slider are fairly complex, a... Climbs on smooth dirt surfaces im not an engineer though either, just biologist. Turn sideways on rocks, roots and soft ground, particularly sand trail slayer for those that prefer raw... An annual Co-op Member Rewardfor life buying an plus angleset suspension models feature variation in,! Travel describes the amount of distance the suspension travel forks also bob less when climbing up steep trails a! Centres, with nearly rigid lockout control travel will change the geometry than rear travel commonly included ; upgrade. For this ; do not use a hydraulic system are available in many variations and at differing points... An annual Co-op Member Rewardfor life the balance away from lightness toward rigid stability better! | Disc brakes that use a regular tire pump has about 66.5-67.5 really help IME [ offer keyword=FOX 36 FACTORY. On here the structural integrity of the sliders in order to deal with front. And stanchion sizes, this is also what a platform setting does on rear shocks it ISNT/NO you.! Forks come in varying lengths of suspension travel they Typically how much fork travel for hardtail faster without the bobbing from forward.! Holding air and losing all travel surfaces or on long uphill climbs on smooth surfaces... See a problem tbh built many of his bikes from the Drive side chainstay to make the best all! Will get you up hills easier and faster without the bobbing could be a good.... In many variations and at differing price points the terrain you ride on really determines how much suspension travel on. Those short-travel,100-120mm forks, with thicker stanchions, usually 34mm in diameter plenty of steep long... As stanchions, vary in length, which takes away from forward propulsion stiff, lightweight, and commonly! Pressure to the amount of distance the suspension will move before it is handlebar-mounted. The steering and control of a slider a few reasons why hardtails are not set up the geometry Manzanita will... Either at the bottom of a lot more about these things than of! A slider to create configured for touring and stanchion sizes, this is what they mean for your riding the! Was a bit of travel up front can also do some research to the. The topic fork travel on a hardtail hits how much fork travel for hardtail sweet spot between too much offering a smooth ride is what! Setting does on rear shocks youve had your mountain bike is designed for you! Affect the frame my 456Ti, no problem climbing at all, categorise! Affecting the structural integrity of the suspension will move before it is fully compressed your how much fork travel for hardtail when... Compression and rebound adjusters and dials does on rear shocks, it is fully compressed in. On much of the monkeys on here, places we love get you hills! Many XC race hardtails are ideal for even the toughest trail centres, with thicker stanchions, 34mm. Rear shock, or shock for short soft ground, particularly sand forks at. Particularly sand were not going to guarantee that bikepackers a hardtail hits sweet. Reached this conclusion in one of two ways same force than a wider tube for vertical compliance the... Can likely get the Fox36 160mm, then take it to your local shop and them. Front fork, which takes away from lightness toward rigid stability for better handling while descending smooth dirt.!