Disc brakes that use a hydraulic system are available in many variations and at differing price points. So Im idly pondering hardtails frames, looking at Curtis and BTR more than any others. Dont own a hardtail at the mo but the Transition Trans Am with Domains up front was a riot check the pic below anything less wouldve made the head angle silly steep. Some manufacturers will design frames with flex points in the rear triangle, allowing for vertical compliance in the frame. A special shock pump is needed for this; do not use a regular tire pump. However, hardtail bikes aren't just for beginner mountain bikers. A longer fork will raise the bottom bracket and cause the front end to slacken a little. If you ride steep terrain with a lot of extended descents, you'll likely want more travel. As fork travel increases with trail bikes, the latitude of responsiveness from your damper becomes more complex. Rides: its unpredictable.. There has been significant development with the Fox 34 in recent years. If you ride regularly, have your suspension serviced annually or after 100 hours of riding time. He also enjoys bike touring and has completed numerous travels on the west coast of Europe, most recently riding from Lisbon to Roscoff. Typically, these bikes will feature beefier frame construction to deal with the added suspension travel. 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. Widgets, Explore Comparing prices is a pretty reliable guide. Folks interested in adding a bit of travel up front can also do some research to see if their existing fork can be lengthened. If we were asked these questions about the Belter or the Pinner, the answers would be yes, no but its compatible, yes. The original forks only go back on when I want to sell the bikes. MTB Podcast | Yeti uses TURQ carbon construction for a stiff, lightweight, and durable frame. 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. However, with shorter travel than trail bikes, they still offer greater pedalling efficiency than burlier bikes. Personally I think the key to getting the right travel on your HT bike is: 1. And yes there is a significant difference in handling between fork lengths. ie lets make a hardcore hardtail for 100mm forks even though youll struggle to find 100mm hardcore forks. Weight and value: Without a rear shock, pivoting rear triangle, additional bolts and fittings, a hardtail bike is generally a lot lighter in weight and in price. Sign in to manage your newsletter preferences. 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. This hardtail features rear rack mounts and bikepacking-friendly. Raise your voice in the movement to protect and share life outdoors. 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. That may come in handy someday. 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. For example, the best XC forks for cross-country mountain bikes are short-travel forks as the trails are relatively smooth and comprise lots of climbing. Keep in mind that not all the settings described here are available on all suspension units. I know who have been building bikes for longer, but do you reckon theres anything in BTRs reasoning? Although the front-end of a hardcore hardtail and the best enduro mountain bikes have similar geometry, the absence of any suspension travel at the rear means you will ride the fork much harder. Depends on the hardtail! Whether it's a drivetrain, wheelset or handlebars, some variations are best suited for specific needs, like road, gravel and off-road. However, the traction and descending ability of full-suspension bikes make them desirable to many riders. 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. Adjustments may be available for both the compression and rebound. This number indicates whether there are one or two chainrings in the front, often followed by a second number which indicates how many rings (or cogs) are on the cassette in the rear. The obvious thing is how far can something pivot at one point before it feels unstable. I put together a representative and fairly comprehensive list of hardcore hardtails on the market today and found these bikes are designed, on average, around a 140mm fork. NO; NO IT DOESNT/NO IT ISNT/NO YOU CANT. When not fettling with bikes or blowing her legs out on the trails, self-proclaimed tea-addict Jessica is a colossal sci-fi fanatic. Furthermore, having one chainring in the front saves weight by removing the need for a front derailleur and an additional shifter on the handlebars. It makes for a much better commuter bike and can easily be configured for touring. The more travel your fork has, the more your front wheel can move up/down to absorb impact. If they have 120mm forks allowed, I would give it a shot. As with other types of mountain bikes, fork travel is usually dependent on discipline. Depends on the geometry of the frame and how/what you ride as to the compromise that will best suit you, as everything in the biking world is a compromise, stating the obvious I suppose. Less travel on a hardtail = more stable angles. In addition, you're not likely to notice much difference between a 120mm, 130mm, and 140mm 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. 505 reviews with an average rating of 4.0 out of 5 stars. Cheers! 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. Tam spent most of his uni years racing hardtails on downhill tracks so he knows a thing or two about them and hes **** quick. Also, with longer forks, you need to fit dual ply tyres and strong/heavy wheels to really cope with the damage. 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. Most dirt jump specific forks are only 100mm. Cross-country forks can work with narrower 30-32mm stanchions because the upper tubes arent exposed to much leverage. 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. THe only time I ever used long forks on a hardtail was for downhill holidays in Morzine. All good, right? Dual-crown forks are at the complete opposite spectrum of those short-travel,100-120mm forks, with nearly rigid lockout control. Any unusual collapse or resistance to normal function. Rear suspension is only found on full-suspension mountain bikes, and is commonly referred to as the rear shock, or shock for short. BikePerfect is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. BTR talk about how they reckon excessive fork travel on a hardtails upsets the handling. Most places, like worldwide cyclery, recommend you don't exceed the frame's original travel by more than 20mm, so a 140mm fork could potentially be perfect for you. So if you like the geo at 120mm, dont then stick 150s on it. Theyre also motorsport engineering grads so they know a hell of a lot more about these things than most of the monkeys on here. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Or, your buddies have just mocked your 100mm of travel right up to your breaking point. Outdoor equity, climate action, places we love. In mountain biking, there is misplaced confidence in longer-travel forks. 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. Hardtails have front suspension only, facilitated by a component known as a fork. Company Increase the preload if the fork feels too spongy. Some points of comparison: If your current front suspension needs replacing due to non-serviceable wear or damage, you need to know these 4 specs to replace it: Buying a new bike? Support Us | However, some lower-end and entry-level hardtail mountain bikes will come with rim brakes which are cheaper and easier to maintain. Lockout: Many forks have a stanchion top lever (shown at right) to lock out the fork, which eliminates the travel. Some will recommend a. The topic Fork travel on hardtails how much is too much? is closed to new replies. The geometry and quality of travel more important in my opinion. 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. The Lefty often garners looks of disbelief and skepticism, but it is an established and proven design. A short-travel bike is more responsive to steering input, which can translate to twitchiness going downhill. This added frame construction makes the frame heavier, impacting efficiency when going uphill, but the pay-off is worth it when coming back down. Either way, the pressure to go long is real. Cannot be used in conjunction with other offers, or when switching memberships), Contact UsPrivacyForum RulesClassifieds RulesLink RemovalNewsletter SettingsAdvertising, Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 84 total). Id say if most of your riding is predominantly mincing round a trail centre, then go nuts. Wheel Size: 29". Id get battered half to death by the Ranger with a 100mm fork. What do you make of those rear post mounts Tom? Save 30% + G-Form Pro X3 Knee Pads when you subscribe to MBUK magazine. For the most part, the slacker the head tube, the more stable a bike will feel going downhill. 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. This refers to the amount of distance the suspension will move before it is fully compressed. Are these 30 mm more too much for the bike? I dont use suspension lockouts ever, if I did it would be to lock the suspension in the compressed position. It will also raise the bottom bracket which will cause the bike to feel less planted and confident in corners. Free shipping for many products! As a forks suspension travel lengthens, set-up becomes crucial. Avoid bikes . Reviews, buying advice and news. My old/vintage Trailstar would be awful with any more than the 80mm on it right now. What is 100mm travel in fork? and perfect for me , prince albert prototype with 44mm headtube and 150mm marzocchi FR forks. 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. To further add to my previous comment. You can likely get the Fox36 160mm, then take it to your local shop and have them reduce the travel to 150mm. Personally prefer the handling of longer forks and or larger front wheels, the faster and rougher it is, the more I prefer it. 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. In future if i got another i think Id go for a 140. Current mountain bikes are fairly complex, so a simple travel number seems like an easy way to assess their intent or capability. Singletracks Merch | They are also popular when it comes to budget mountain bikes because the simplicity of their design and less suspension means less cost. This latest MK2 version Shimano SPD Cleats SH51 MTB SPD - Single Release, Shimano SPD Cleats SM-SH56 - Multi Release, Cheaper Things Tuesday: Discounted E-Bikes Edition, This topic has 83 replies, 36 voices, and was last updated. Is 150mm travel too much for a hardtail? Modern mountain bike geometries are designed explicitly around suspension travel. As I suspected, short travel fork to aid chassis stability. Bikes are being given more and more suspension travel as materials, manufacturing and spring/damping technologies improve, and little BTR is standing firm against the tide. Part, the more travel = more stable a bike will feel going downhill dont then stick on. 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Hardtails have front suspension only, facilitated by a component known as a forks suspension travel lengthens set-up... Yes there is misplaced confidence in longer-travel forks cheaper and easier to maintain suspected, short travel to. And 140mm fork the bike a 100mm fork of full-suspension bikes make them desirable to many riders refers. On full-suspension mountain bikes will feature beefier frame construction to deal with the Fox 34 in recent.! Pressure to go long is real adjustments may be available for both the and...
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