As you (OP) are currently on a more aggressive hardtail with a 150mm fork, I suspect a true ‘down country FS maybe a more ‘under-biked’ than your current setup. It’s amazing how much your legs can absorb, it just gets a bit tiring, especially if you pedal across/up a lot of roots terrain, as in the Surrey hills. I’d suggest a 125-140mm travel fs trail bike sounds more suited to your requirements.
Like you, I had a 150mm travel forked Hardtail, but found it quite tiring around Surrey’s undulating rooty trails, I ended up swapping the frame for a 130mm travel trail bike with a 140mm fork, specifically a SC 5010. If find it to be pretty much in the sweet spot, slack and squishy enough for the steeper rough trails but also light and lively enough for the undulating flowy ones and the climbs. Great on old school XC loops too, especially with some faster rubber.
I’m not saying the 5010 is the one to go for, but something similar in that trail bike category would suit, depending on which wheel size you prefer.
Thank you all for your input on this. It seems the general consensus is that a 120mm fork probably won’t be enough but might be enough at the rear.
I’m not in any great rush to migrate from the HT but will keep my eyes peeled for demo opportunities for bikes in the “hardcore downcountry” genre that seems to suit my needs best.
Thank you all for your input on this. It seems the general consensus is that a 120mm fork probably won’t be enough but might be enough at the rear.
I’m not in any great rush to migrate from the HT but will keep my eyes peeled for demo opportunities for bikes in the “hardcore downcountry” genre that seems to suit my needs best.
Mostly I think you need to decide what tickles you most... comfort vs fun etc. and how much breaking it is going to affect you.
SH divides up into 99% doable on a HC HT and 1% possibly doable on a DH bike if you're stupid/need social media views how much of that 99% is doable on a "downcountry" depends how much you value your frame and wheels and how much its a short travel trail vs long travel XC but there is certainly a lot (features not % of trails) I'd not do on my XC bike and not expect it to snap in 1/2 or the wheels just fold up that I'd do/have done on my play 26er with 100mm fork (and I've seen Pure Darkness and Indian Summer done on a 80mm elastomer fork).
My fastest (only) recorded time on BkB is clipped in on the 100mm XC HT but I bypassed the drop in as I fully expect the chainstays would just snap... and if they didn't then the wheel would probably just fold up. I don't usually bother timing anything but a mate got obsessed timing it.
On the other hand I'd put money Bo-JtB is faster and comfier on a downcountry with the uphill bits, especially the rooty uphill part.
95% of the time (or more) I don't take the XC bike to SH because it limits what I can ride without worrying its going to break not because of the travel. When I cycle from home that adds another 30 miles or so I still mostly take the steel HT as then I can ride what I want not what the bike can take.
Akers
I suspect a true ‘down country FS maybe a more ‘under-biked’ than your current setup. It’s amazing how much your legs can absorb, it just gets a bit tiring, especially if you pedal across/up a lot of roots terrain, as in the Surrey hills. I’d suggest a 125-140mm travel fs trail bike sounds more suited to your requirements.
This ... ^^^
