Viewing 21 posts - 1 through 21 (of 21 total)
  • How much suspension travel, and why?
  • AndrewBF
    Free Member

    OK, really naive question…

    But what dictates the travel that you should select for your front forks?

    80-140 seems to be the range for regular XC with the larger stuff for the DH class. I can appreciate that, as you want more travel to absorb the impacts of a fast DH ride.

    But for XC, why would you choose say 100 over 120 (or vice versa)? Is it to do with weight, recoil speed, cost, bike geo?

    Until now the forks I’ve used are the ones that have been supplied when the bike was bought – or I’ve replaced like with like on the basis that the manufacturers must have a pretty good idea of what goes well with what for the target market.

    I expect terrain is as important as anything. Looking for something to be used in the Peaks for XC work, would 120 be quite adequate?

    ScottChegg
    Free Member

    Yes.

    seosamh77
    Free Member

    I like being about to switch 85-130mm. 85 uphill, 100/110 flat and 130 downhill with the saddle down an inch or 2..

    Junkyard
    Free Member

    140 mm both ends FS for lakes or proper mountains
    100 mm hardtail or SS everywhere else
    120 absorbs 20 mm more than 100mm and bigger is better apparently. It usually has a weight penalty.
    Peaks is 100 mm for me but you can nearly justify a FS there 😉

    grtdkad
    Full Member

    100mm HT for me – ’cause it’s all I need around here. Light and nimble for climbing and fast enough on my plummeting descents 😀

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    its all about compromise. chose which compromise you want.

    Myself 11omm hardtail does me just fine. real mountains as well

    uplink
    Free Member

    100mm at both ends, because that’s what it came with

    BillyBull
    Free Member

    160 up front on my 5 spot. Love it.

    jonb
    Free Member

    Depends on what’s on offer. Seems like most forks these days for general riding are around the 140mm mark. 100mm forks are very race orientated. In reality it’s dictated by what’s available as much as what you want.

    If you can find 120mm then it would be fine. My ideal hardtail would be 120mm.

    donsimon
    Free Member

    You don’t need more than 100mm.
    [video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mW_ag7duat4&feature=player_embedded[/video]

    Edric64
    Free Member

    Rigid
    😀

    bjj.andy.w
    Free Member

    160 both ends for me riding in the lakes. Some people will say that you dont need that much travel but I need all the help I can get. 😀

    yossarian
    Free Member

    100mm hardtail good for me. Had more and less travel before but keep coming back to it.

    alwhit
    Free Member

    Yes i have followed you bjj.andy.w going arse over tit down sticks pass 140mm for me front and rear !!!!!!

    Northwind
    Full Member

    It’s not just about travel… Like, my Hemlock is 160 up front, 120 in the back, long slack and low and on paper should be ponderous in tight singletrack and no fun on simple stuff, but unexpectedly it turned out to be a total blast on things like that. You can’t sum up the character of a bike by looking at its forks, unless you work for MBR of course.

    dans160
    Free Member

    As much as you like, why worry about it and what others think.

    Err, 160 and 165 for me.

    trout
    Free Member

    150 front 160 rear and ride it on tarmac and gnarly dales and lakes stuff I like it and that is what matters to me .
    dont give a stuff what the travel and style police say .

    Seggons
    Free Member

    180mm totems upfront and 130mm fox air can out back ..

    Odd mix, I know, and possibly the frame isn’t quite guaranteed for it but it is mighty fun and it just seems to work well, so ..

    Rorschach
    Free Member

    Don’t know why but “front forks” makes me giggle.I was going to say I’d never seen back forks but then i remembered

    bjj.andy.w
    Free Member

    Alwhit I hate you, I really do :D. You still up for gisburn on wednesday ?

    buzz-lightyear
    Free Member

    I have an F120 on my HT that originally came from my FS, you only 100mm out of it though. With 30% static sag, it blows through the travel easily when belting into anything rough. But the overall handling is just nice for most local trails.

    I had a Tora 130 coil on my FS, and I only blew all the travel once when nose bonking a drop, but it did go all the way.

    I now have a Sektor 150mm on my FS, with the static sag at 30% I go to ~120mm fairly often, which makes me think I should knock it back a bit with the internal spacers and get the benefits of a lower BB and sharper steering.

Viewing 21 posts - 1 through 21 (of 21 total)

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