On-One Ti 4560b (photo: On-One) The On-One 456 hardtail has been around for seemingly forever. Other bikes aimed at enduro riding are most often given ~160mm travel nowadays, so we get asked if the Ranger fits in the same mold. Although downhill frames are heavier than those intended for other disciplines, its less important to have light frames because youre not pedalling them uphill. Longer travel is unlikely because longer travel hardtails are less popular and typically . Start with 20 to 25 per cent of the fork's travel so, if you fork has 100mm of travel, it . However, the traction and descending ability of full-suspension bikes make them desirable to many riders. Terms | Privacy. off-road.cc is dedicated to bringing you the best coverage of all off-road riding, Our sister site for road bikes road.cc There are a few reasons why hardtails are ideal for newcomers to mountain biking. Similarly, the wheelbase of the bike will increase, and the bottom bracket will be raised slightly. 2023 Recreational Equipment, Inc. All rights reserved. Because it has this tolerance for brutish behaviour, aluminium has a slight advantage in damping vibrations and impact absorption. The shorter suspension travel gives a more responsive feel and youll enjoy greater trail feedback through the handlebar and grips. In this guide, well explain the different mountain bike categories and how much suspension travel they typically have. Sizes: S, M, L, XL. 120mm on 26er Sanderson. 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). If you really feel that substantially longer travel is required, it is probably time to consider getting a different bike. This frees engineers to focus all their resources on making the stiffest structure containing sophisticated internals and valving. Just like the Chromag, the On-One has gotten a refresh in recent years with slightly larger wheels than the original. 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. The shock allows the rear wheel to soak up impacts, helping to keep the tire in contact with the ground, increasing rider control and decreasing rider fatigue. Thats proper basic stuff so Im calling you out on being a biologist too. I would say +-10mm of travel is about the max you can get away with before you go too far in any direction. Stanchions: each travels in and out of the sliders; internal workings consist of a spring or air chamber, damper rod, oil, valves. Are these 30 mm more too much for the bike? 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. At REI, we believe that a life outdoors is a life well lived. The added weight a battery and motor bring means frames as well as components have to be engineered to cope with the extra weight and contribute even more weight to the bike in the process. 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. The sag is how much the suspension compresses under your weight. How much travel you need will depend on the riding you do. Each has its pros and cons on how it affects a bikes ride quality. Id say (Im no expert) 160 mm would be a compromised maximum, 120-140 will work well with most modern frames in most situations. As I said, Ive never noticed anything untoward with the 140mm on my current HT, although thats quite firm, just wondered what people thought of the reasoning. Hitting 3' drops is like hitting a root, they are so . Excludes Gift Memberships, Discount applies to first year. Thanks! Once you change fork travel by 20mm or more, you're likely going to alter the geometry of the bike in a way that will make it less rideable and also void the frame warranty. For AM to light Free ride a 140 to 160mm fork would be the ticket. An air-sprung unit not holding air and losing all travel. 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. Im a policeman, so congratulations on coming second . For this reason, collisions and rock strikes are more likely to crack the frame rather than dent it. Replacing your existing fork? 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. Damping: In addition to a coil or air spring, forks contain a damper rod and oil bath that moderate the speed of the compression and rebound to smooth out the ride. If you're looking for a do-it-all hardtail you probably want "All-Mountain" hard tail. Adjustments may be available for both the compression and rebound. Jump Bikes 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. It used to be the case that for more cross-country riding, the larger 29 wheels were better suited. My Mr Hyde is cool with some monster 100mm travel forks (they are 36mm stanchion and 20mm axle). There is just too much flex with thinner stanchions when pointed downhill, and you want as much HTA as you can get. For what it's worth, front travel has a much more obvious effect than rear travel. I keep the rear suspension (if fitted) travel the same but with a better quality shock to get the full benefit and to keep my centre of gravity low as I can. Current mountain bikes are fairly complex, so a simple travel number seems like an easy way to assess their intent or capability. When you get to 140 and above, slacker geo frames with HAs about 66.5-67.5 really help IME. At 150mm of suspension travel, you are probably pushing the limits of what a 34mm stanchion can deal with, especially for aggressive trail riding. If you are interested: maybe talk to bike-discount.de or send . Suspension quality has a major impact on its price. 3. This is why you'll find 150- to 180mm enduro single-crown forks with intricate compression and rebound adjusters and dials. Downhill riders are less bothered by weight or climbing efficiency. The fit, geometry, and tubing selection will be tuned for your weight, riding style, and frame size. Steel the big line. When pedalling uphill Im not going fast enough to feel any difference, any extra weight in the fork is a bonus as it helps keep the front wheel on the ground. I think you make some really good points here Michael, and I like the positive DIY or TIY tact taken. BikePerfect is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. 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. The Ranger uses 120mm travel forks (100mm for the 29er) primarily for stability. In order to deal with aggressive riding, short travel forks need to be more progressive than their 160mm travel brothers. Although most (70%) of my riding only needs probaby 4 or 4.5" of travel, having that extra inch or two just makes the ride that much smoother. 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. Increase the preload if the fork feels too spongy. [offer keyword=FOX 34 FLOAT PERFORMANCE 27.5 2018]. As I suspected, short travel fork to aid chassis stability. There has been significant development with the Fox 34 in recent years. Less flexibility in the fork will mean more direct steering input, making the bike feel more planted through the rough stuff. Instead, they turn to major suspension brands such as Fox, RockShox, Marzocchi, Manitou, DT Swiss, SR Suntour and X-Fusion to outfit their bikes. 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. Check out our handy second-hand buyer's guide to be aware of the pitfalls. Balancing the increased leverage effect and fork dive under braking in steep terrain is the crucial enabler with long-travel single-crown forks. Trail bikes at the longer end of the suspension-travel spectrum cross the boundary into all-mountain. This adds more torsional stiffness to the fork, helping to keep steering inputs direct through the toughest terrain and providing strength for big impacts. If you cant do either of these on your choice of air fork, walk away. My BFe was a bit wandery at 150 but is just about right at 130. 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. Subscribe from just 13.50 and get a Lezyne Pocket Drive Pump, worth 29! Part Type: . Rides: This issue has been largely addressed through design advances and a selection of 2 or 3 settings for ascending, descending or general riding. As fork travel increases with trail bikes, the latitude of responsiveness from your damper becomes more complex. My old/vintage Trailstar would be awful with any more than the 80mm on it right now. Yet again, it is a tale of less being more. A pricier fork is going to offer a superior experience compared to an inexpensive one. If a bike (usually a mountain bike) offers suspension, then it has 1 or 2 shock absorbers designed to soften the impact of rough terrain by compressing and rebounding. Consider the terrain you are riding. Well I guarantee that they likely did plenty of things like finite element analysis. In addition, you're not likely to notice much difference between a 120mm, 130mm, and 140mm fork. 150mm on my c456. Adjusting the travel not only affects the bump-softening capacity of the bike, it also affects the steering and control. Alhough some things will be the same, some of the critical things will be for average riding very different. In general, bikes will happily accept forks that are up to 20mm larger than their designers intended. Fork travel on hardtails how much is too much? RockShox and Fox introduced 38mm stanchion single-crown forks last year, especially for the riding demands of enduro mountain biking. Neither it helps to see any inscriptions on the fork. Shorter suspension travel forks also bob less when climbing up steep trails in a standing position. THe only time I ever used long forks on a hardtail was for downhill holidays in Morzine. Be honest with yourself about where and what youll ride. Outdoor equity, climate action, places we love. For AM to light Free ride a 140 to 160mm fork would be the ticket. Any increase in fork travel will slacken the bike and shorten its reach. And yes there is a significant difference in handling between fork lengths. A 100- to 120mm lightweight cross-country fork will be ideal if your trails are smooth and flowing. 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. 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. 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More likely to notice much difference between a 120mm, 130mm, and selection.
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