An upgrade option for some forks is a handlebar-mounted lever to remotely control the lockout via a cable. However, the strength of carbon fibre compensates for the brittleness. While the 27.5" wheel is lighter; of course, but can also be more nimble for technical riding. Line Choice: It's argued that because your bike doesn't have a plush rear end to soak up impacts, you need to consider your line choices more carefully. You can find hardtails with everything from 80mm to 200mm forks on them. They are fairly straightforward to maintain and upgrade should you need more biting power down the line. Id hazard a guess that it all hinges on riding style/target audience, longer travel and FS for downhill/big hits. 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? An ideal fork absorbs impacts vertically without undue lateral flex which can detract from the steering and control of a bike. Those roots and rocks can ping you offline, despite being sure of your steering inputs. Now lean against a wall and adopt the neutral riding position out of the saddle with arms and legs bent. Hardtail Bike, Mountain Bike. Singletracks may receive compensation for purchases made through any affiliate links in this article. 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. Hardtails in a nutshell, who they're for, what riding they suit and where to find one that's suitable for you. Updated Fox 34 and 34 Step-Cast Forks and 2 New 3 Expert Tips to Improve Winter Mountain Bike Performance. Youll find a range of options and prices. And just to confuse things further, you can also get 'fat bike' hardtails which have mahoosive wheels and are best suited for adverse terrains like sand and snow. 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. A special shock pump is needed for this; do not use a regular tire pump. Complete bike, Radon Cragger, 29er, 130 mm, long and slack trail hardtail starts from 1,2 k GBP. Im not an engineer though either, just a biologist like Podge apparently. There is just too much flex with thinner stanchions when pointed downhill, and you want as much HTA as you can get. 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. But todays big-hitting 38mm single-crown forks are hugely adaptable, giving riders all the precise cornering support and cushioning when landing those huge drops or landings. 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. You can choose how much fork travel you want the frame designed for: from a fully rigid bikepacker to a 150mm battleship. Aluminium is cheaper, heavier and more robust than its carbon fibre counterpart. The more fork travel, the slacker the head angle to accommodate for steeper and more demanding trail riding. Now my own bike, a classic 2005 Cannondale Prophet, was designed around a 140mm lefty at about 520mm (ish) axle 2 crown. Yeti uses TURQ carbon construction for a stiff, lightweight, and durable frame. 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. That may come in handy someday. Ive got 140 on my 29er hardtail and it feels fine. When you get to 140 and above, slacker geo frames with HAs about 66.5-67.5 really help IME. 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. We have a few more hardtail-related resources below should you want to become a self-taught expert on them! 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. Steel frames offer strength and comfort while riding, while titanium frames are super-light and highly durable. We then go on to provide a more detailed look at how suspension works. Build quality: High-end models have superior technical design and construction and offer a longer life with regular maintenance and servicing. Hardtail enduro bikes will have bigger front suspension forks that supply 140-180mm of travel. Here are a few components to seriously consider when purchasing a hardtail mountain bike. 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. 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. This means deciding on the right amount of travel for your needs can be difficult, but there are a few factors to keep in mind, including your riding style and the type of trails and terrain youll be tackling. [offer keyword=FOX 36 FLOAT FACTORY 27.5 2018]. 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. Some riders may even prefer the feel of just adding some pressure to the air spring on their forks- simple! A 100- to 120mm lightweight cross-country fork will be ideal if your trails are smooth and flowing. As you move through the various types of mountain bikes, fork travel requirements change. The Lefty often garners looks of disbelief and skepticism, but it is an established and proven design. (New annually renewing membership only. For AM to light Free ride a 140 to 160mm fork would be the ticket. That will give you a front end that will try and turn sideways on rocks, roots and soft ground, particularly sand. . Thanks! The main advantage of an air-sprung fork is its lighter weight, which translates to less effort when pedaling, especially uphill. 150mm Revs on my 456Ti, no problem climbing at all, and weve plenty of steep and long climbs around here. 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). Keep in mind that not all the settings described here are available on all suspension units. Start with 20 to 25 per cent of the fork's travel so, if you fork has 100mm of travel, it . Play or knocking between the stanchions and the lower sliders. 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. A decade ago, the idea of a 180mm single-crown fork that could provide an adequate compression platform for pedaling uphill was unfathomable. Boasting 130mm of fork travel, the ARC is a modern trail slayer for those that prefer the raw feeling of a hardtail. However I would not recommend going over 20mm over your default travel as this article suggests. 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Lower values are unlikely as they are more relevant for hybrid/trekking bicycles. Jan 11, 2014. 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. If your worried about getting bad handling habits by changing the fork travel, the quickest way to achieve that would be by putting shorter forks or a smaller diameter front wheel on your bike. Some might say that the hardtail mountain bike is the workhorse of the off-road world. Save 30% + G-Form Pro X3 Knee Pads when you subscribe to MBUK magazine. Same on mine. 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. Is 120mm travel enough for downhill? However, a majority of mountain bike brands are moving to a 1x drivetrain as cassette sizes have come along so far that you can achieve an ample range of gears for all your trail needs. Because cross-country race courses have become more extreme and technical, it is now common to see bikes designed around 120mm travel front and rear, such as Scotts Spark RC. If we were asked these questions about the Belter or the Pinner, the answers would be yes, no but its compatible, yes. It is one of many factors that contribute to your riding enjoyment. Downcountry bikes aim to balance a cross-country bikes efficiency with a trail bikes downhill capability. Got to be all down to geometry and frame design. The Roscoe 8 will perform like a champ. You can unsubscribe at any time. Adjustments may be available for both the compression and rebound. Rides: Suspension may be referred to as short or long travel: Material selection, design and manufacturing quality all contribute to a forks performance. 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 . England and Wales company registration number 2008885. If you are interested: maybe talk to bike-discount.de or send . Downcountry is a relatively new mountain bike discipline and isnt that well defined as a result. Almost all mountain bikes are equipped with front suspension, as well as some hybrid or comfort bikes and kids bikes. My riding skillz are also more important than 20mm of travel. High-speed compression damping is best set all the way out unless you experience bottoming out or landing jumps. Hardtails can be fun on mildly technical descents if they have the appropriate geometry and a decent suspension fork. 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. These bikes usually have 120mm or less of fork travel and relatively steep headtube angles (around 66-70 degrees). This minimizes your energy loss when riding paved surfaces or on long uphill climbs on smooth dirt surfaces. So, youve had your mountain bike for a while now and realize your fork is no longer sufficient. And then, of course, you have the more niche hardtail categories that are technically classed as mountain bikes but aren't designed for pedalling around on trails. BA1 1UA. Use code HELLO54 when you join us as a print or digital member and your membership will be half price for the first year. 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. 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. 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. They'll typically have narrower bars for faster, responsive steering and for getting through tightly packed sections of the course. Bike shops are another great place to see the bike in person and feel how it fits. 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. Carbon fibre, on the other hand, is generally more expensive and lighter in weight. Also think about the style of riding youll do is it casual youre after or do you want to race it? Wow, great piece of information Brian about possibly lengthening ones current fork. 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. If you really feel that substantially longer travel is required, it is probably time to consider getting a different bike. Depending on the bike, that could be a good thing. Its not the same bike. 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. it makes no sense.. Single-crown fork design has had to go longer, with the best enduro mountain bikes now ripping down terrain once reserved for downhill rigs. 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. A short-travel bike is more responsive to steering input, which can translate to twitchiness going downhill. Trail bikes are one of the most popular types of mountain bike. Would like one for the laughs but I have other things to buy really. Rebound damping is the most important damping setting. Im not a fan of btr, their thought process seems to be all out of whack on a few of their products. 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. Anyone can join and everyone belongs. 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. 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. We'll send you a few emails every week. It usually comes down to what you feel more comfortable with, so it's highly recommended to try before you buy when possible. 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. Ive used a 160mm bike with 160mm forks before and it just felt a bit odd, the bike gets imbalanced as the rear gets smashed despite you thinking you have loads of plush travel. Too many compromises IMHO. Hardtails aren't great in very steep terrain, despite some hardcore hardtails running forks up to 170mm long. 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. Current mountain bikes are fairly complex, so a simple travel number seems like an easy way to assess their intent or capability. Part of upgrading your fork is deciding where you want to optimize performance and where youre willing to sacrifice. For more information about how we hold your personal data, please see our privacy policy. Or landing jumps get to 140 and above, slacker geo frames with about! Many factors that contribute to your riding enjoyment than its carbon fibre counterpart where youre to... 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