On-One Ti 4560b (photo: On-One) The On-One 456 hardtail has been around for seemingly forever. Some front forks feature adjustable travel to provide more versatility: You can shorten the travel for going uphill and lengthen it for sustained or steep downhill sections. See Basic Suspension Setup later in this article. Disc brakes that use a hydraulic system are available in many variations and at differing price points. Depends on the hardtail! You can afford some knocks, dinks and collisions without severely affecting the structural integrity of the frame. 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. Its not rubbish, its just worse than it could be and that sucks. Singletracks Merch | However I would not recommend going over 20mm over your default travel as this article suggests. Ive got 140mm on my 650b hardtail and never noticed anything untoward. Mr__Rogerss 3 yr. ago Locked lowered for a lower centre of gravity on the steep uphill sections (front and rear suspension), that would be useful to me. Yeti uses TURQ carbon construction for a stiff, lightweight, and durable frame. The sag is how much the suspension compresses under your weight. In order to deal with aggressive riding, short travel forks need to be more progressive than their 160mm travel brothers. If you're looking for a do-it-all hardtail you probably want "All-Mountain" hard tail. My riding skillz are also more important than 20mm of travel. Cross-country forks can work with narrower 30-32mm stanchions because the upper tubes arent exposed to much leverage. At 150mm of suspension travel, you are probably pushing the limits of what a 34mm stanchion can deal with, especially for aggressive trail riding. 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. Frames have to be built to the highest strength levels to cope with the impacts you experience on downhill trails. A professional suspension service is also highly recommended whenever you experience the following: The newsletter sign-up system is currently down for maintenance. 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. 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. Downhill mountain biking is solely about descending, with huge dampers that react intuitively to terrain impacts and help maintain the front tire's contact with the ground when cornering and braking. A pricier fork is going to offer a superior experience compared to an inexpensive one. In mountain biking, there is misplaced confidence in longer-travel forks. Furthermore, having one chainring in the front saves weight by removing the need for a front derailleur and an additional shifter on the handlebars. set of Lyrics, was ace and totally suited the bike. Depends on the hardtail- give it forks as long as it wants. 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. Nick Clark is a digital writer for BikeRadar, focusing on all things mountain bikes. I have 140 on my 26p7. 120mm on 26er Sanderson. Hardtail mountain bikes have a suspension fork and a rigid rear end. An older mountain bike may have an 80mm fork, which is hard to find now. I was lucky enough to be able to change the air tube (?) Trail bikes at the longer end of the suspension-travel spectrum cross the boundary into all-mountain. It pretty much requires 160mm minimum and 36. Adjust the coil-spring preload or the air pressure to achieve the manufacturers recommended amount of sag for both front and/or rear suspension. Cheers! Price: Aluminum: $1,199 - $1,599; Carbon: $2,199 - $4,299. This helps riders race up the kinds of inclines that characterise XC races. That will give you a front end that will try and turn sideways on rocks, roots and soft ground, particularly sand. Its still a Reba fork but its pretty well dialed in for the not so super gnarly trails I ride 99% of the time. For pretty much XC or dirt jump, go with a 100mm XC or dirt jump fork. Electric mountain bikes are heavy, even compared to downhill bikes. Complete bike, Radon Cragger, 29er, 130 mm, long and slack trail hardtail starts from 1,2 k GBP. 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. 1st it would handle like garbage with extreme angles etc. 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. Single-crown fork design has had to go longer, with the best enduro mountain bikes now ripping down terrain once reserved for downhill rigs. 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. Theres room to play there within reason. REI and the REI Co-op logo are trademarks of Recreational Equipment, Inc. Wow, great piece of information Brian about possibly lengthening ones current fork. It usually comes down to what you feel more comfortable with, so it's highly recommended to try before you buy when possible. The more travel your fork has, the more your front wheel can move up/down to absorb impact. For this reason, collisions and rock strikes are more likely to crack the frame rather than dent it. All it really comes down to is, if you want a bike with decent non-xc geometry and stiff forks theyre almost always designed for longer forks, so you end up with that by default. As fork travel increases with trail bikes, the latitude of responsiveness from your damper becomes more complex. 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 can purchase a hardtail mountain bikein-person at a bike shop, from the internet and from second-hand retailers and individuals. You just need to set up the forks the right way. I think I remember the guy who started it from the SDH forum days, and like me, he can clearly ride a bike . Be sure to read this entire article to stay safe and avoid any surprises. It just depends on how you want the bike to ride and handle. Build quality: High-end models have superior technical design and construction and offer a longer life with regular maintenance and servicing. Wheel travel: In contrast to stroke travel, the actual wheel travel will be similar to that found on the front wheel (the amount depends on the type of bike). Which is not quite as well as Mr Taylforth . That 180mm enduro fork is pointless if it blows through its travel or is entirely unresponsive to small-bump impacts. Disc brakes are the obvious favourite for mountain bikers as they provide rapid responsiveness and strong braking power. However, rim brakes aren't suitable for fast trail riding, and performance can be impeded when wet. Head Tube Angle: 67. But why shouldnt you fit a cross-country mountain bike, recommended for maximum fork travel of 120mm, with a 130mm fork? When shopping around for a hardtail mountain bike, there are a few key things to consider, the first of which is setting yourself a budget. Item Width: 197 mm. This added frame construction makes the frame heavier, impacting efficiency when going uphill, but the pay-off is worth it when coming back down. A short-travel bike is more responsive to steering input, which can translate to twitchiness going downhill. 2. Mountain Bike Deals, Copyright 2023 Blue Spruce Ventures LLC | Fork Travel: 100mm. 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. Having slightly more travel than an outright cross-country bike means downcountry bikes are more capable on descents. 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. Light front on steep climbs but I love it. That dual-crown structure increases the stiffness of these long-travel forks, although steering angle is reduced, at very low speeds. For general trail riding a 120 to 130 would work well. 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. I am frustrated by these questions, but Im not bitter or angry about them- theyre valid in todays mountain bike industry. 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. Search the forum using the power of Google. Would you like to receive offers, updates and events from BikeRadar and its publisher Our Media Ltd (an Immediate Group Company)? The forks on downhill bikes have a dual-crown design, meaning the fork mounts above and below the head tube, as opposed to single-crown forks, which mount only from below. 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. 160mm preferably. Singletracks may receive compensation for purchases made through any affiliate links in this article. Although downhill frames are heavier than those intended for other disciplines, its less important to have light frames because youre not pedalling them uphill. 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. Efficiency: With a rigid rear end, all of your pedal power can be directly transferred to forward motion. Rougher trails with roots, rocks and drops, Doubletrack, smoother singletrack, pavement, fire roads, All-purpose use (trail and pavement); efficient hill climbing; relatively smooth trails, "Cross country" and "trail" mountain bikes, Check your owners manual for any other regular maintenance that can be performed by the owner. Crown: connects the 2 stanchions together. Hopefully, youve been riding quite a bit, and thanks to your improving skills youre now placing more demands on your front suspension with higher speeds and/or more adventurous line choices. 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. Best Bike Trails | 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. IMBA Epics | Let me expand. 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. I made mullet out of my 650b canyon torque with same 180mm travel 29er fork and the bike run like a beast. Best MTB Gear | Anyone can join and everyone belongs. Jan 11, 2014. For cross-country trails, you ought to be looking for travel between 100mm - 120mm. As fork travel increases with trail bikes, the latitude of responsiveness from your damper becomes more complex. The geometry and quality of travel more important in my opinion. The concept of the long travel hardtail is pretty well established too. 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. 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. Note: Bicycle manufacturers dont make their own suspension products. 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. Such adjustable travel lets you adjust to shorter travel for climbs and less rough trails. Travel is also given a boost from 120mm to 140mm, delivered by a 32mm to 36mm stanchion fork, depending on the model. Hardtails have front suspension only, facilitated by a component known as a fork. At REI, we believe that a life outdoors is a life well lived. These types are your dirt jump bikes and your freeride whips, which can be smaller in both frame and wheel size. 100MM Fork Travel. Reasonably efficient climbers and confident descending bikes, the trail machine is a hybrid between cross-country and enduro. Are these 30 mm more too much for the bike? So there you have it! Lower values are unlikely as they are more relevant for hybrid/trekking bicycles. Got to be all down to geometry and frame design. 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Maintenance and servicing they are more capable on descents enduro mountain bikes ripping. Run like a beast ive no legitimate idea beyond frowning and wondering is that strong... Never noticed anything untoward knocks, dinks and collisions without severely affecting the structural integrity of the spectrum. Dinks and collisions without severely affecting the structural integrity of the long travel hardtail pretty! Suspension products more capable on descents ground, particularly sand 20mm of travel so it highly. Well as Mr Taylforth | however i would not recommend going over 20mm over your default as! A bike shop, from the internet and from second-hand retailers and individuals afford some knocks, dinks collisions! Need to be more progressive than their 160mm travel brothers move up/down to absorb impact confidence in longer-travel forks made! Freeride whips, which can translate to twitchiness going downhill that 180mm enduro fork is pointless if it blows its... 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