Hi, This is my first post so please be gentle. I have a Lapierre X-control which has 100mm rear travel and comes fitted with a 120mm fork. I'm thinking of fitting a 140mm fork as I'm starting to hit bigger jumps and drops. I know eventually I will have to buy a Zesty but I was hoping this might buy me some more time on this frame before I out grow it.
I have read all the posts about what happens to the head angle and bottom bracket height when you increase travel and I'm happy with all that. My question is, with only 100mm on the back is 140mm on the front too much of a difference between front and rear travel? Most full sussers seem to have only 10 or 20mm difference between front and rear travel, but hardtails obviously have way more squish out front.
I hope that all makes sense. I look forward to hearing what you have to say.
Not sure of about the terms of warranties on the Lapierre's but be careful that running too much travel up front does not invalidate it.
Too long travel can put excess stresses on the headtube and the junction with the toptube and downtube causing it to fail.
So maybe chat with Lapierre direct about it first: http://www.lapierre-bikes.co.uk/contact
Hope that helps.
I wouldn't expect a longer fork to make the bike any better at jumps/drops, the gain tends to be in increased rock munching ability from the longer travel and slacker angles and improved cornering likewise.
Thanks s****y. I'll check with them and I'll post the same question on the Lapierre owners forum to check up on my specific bike. I was more interested if anyone thought that set up makes sense or if anon had ridden anything with similar travel.
Can't comment on your bike, I used to have a 140/100mm bike and it worked just fine but then it was (kind of) designed for it. My full suss is usually 160/120 and I love it, it just makes total sense to me for the same reason as hardtails, you have your legs suspensioning more at the back anyway.
Agree with chiefguru, more travel tends to make bikes less good at jumping.
Thanks for that. I always whip all my mates on the climbs but they have longer travel bikes and loose me on the downs. I was thinking the extra travel and slacker head angle would help me with that and help cushion my landings.
Have a rocky mountain element 999rsl
140 talas 34's up front 100mm ctd rear
travel, bought second hand from canada,
not into jumps but it is ridden hard,
feels perfectly balanced, blindingly
quick on my local trails 😀
Are you running suitably aggro tyres? There's nothing like a tyre swap for transforming how a bike feels downhill!
I think my tires are ok. I have 2 sets Hitchinson Toros for the wet and Schwalbe Black Jacks for if it ever gets dry again.
I have run my 2008 Trance ( 100mm as standard) with a 140mm Revelation fork for a couple of years now. Frankly it feels like it should have been run that way anyway. Slacker angle makes for greater stability and a less hairy ride on rougher, technical stuff. Although I'm able to ride it quicker and with more confidence on the downs, I have had to adopt a slightly more perched on the nose of the saddle, seated on steep climbs.
No odd cracks, creaks or other issues at all.