Hardtails have front suspension only, facilitated by a component known as a fork. Number of Items: 1. http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/short-travel-hardtails, BTR clearly know what theyre talking about. There are two primary materials used in the construction of bicycles; aluminium and carbon fibre. As a forks suspension travel lengthens, set-up becomes crucial. This gives higher levels of rigidity to the fork, making steering inputs more direct, although concessions are still made to weight savings. Depending on the discipline of riding the bike is designed for, the suspension travel can vary from 80 to 200mm. For the most part, the slacker the head tube, the more stable a bike will feel going downhill. Confident on descents and fairly capable on climbs, trail bikes typically have between 120 and 160mm of suspension travel. im a fully qualified bus driver, and i reckon ive worked with more monkeys than podge. If you use a 34mm stanchion fork at the upper reaches of its travel, there might be a higher risk of terrain-induced steering deflection due to flex. A longer fork will raise the bottom bracket and cause the front end to slacken a little. 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. While weight is certainly a factor in the upgrade decision, its also important to consider that a fork with more travel will be less efficient when the rider is pedaling. Buying a new mountain bike? 1st it would handle like garbage with extreme angles etc. MTB Podcast | Weight isnt a big issue for downhill bikes, so the added heft is worth the trade-off for the performance gains. Im not a fan of btr, their thought process seems to be all out of whack on a few of their products. Modern mountain bike geometries are designed explicitly around suspension travel. A short-travel fork will also run out of travel quicker compared to one with more travel. Increase the preload if the fork feels too spongy. Im having fun on a 140mm 32.5lbs 29er hardtail riding natural trails at mince to medium speeds. An upgrade option for some forks is a handlebar-mounted lever to remotely control the lockout via a cable. Are these 30 mm more too much for the bike? But in terms of suspension, these bikes range from beefed up cross-country at 110mm of travel, to lightweight trail with around 130mm front and rear travel. Hardtail Max fun on the trail. Morewood Kwela Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, 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. Rear suspension is only found on full-suspension mountain bikes, and is commonly referred to as the rear shock, or shock for short. Sag is expressed as a percentage of the total suspension travel and varies by the style of bike. Play or knocking between the stanchions and the lower sliders. Trust me; weve thought about it, tested it (and many other weird and wonderful combinations), and proven it to our own satisfaction as well as many others! This is why you'll find 150- to 180mm enduro single-crown forks with intricate compression and rebound adjusters and dials. Our sister site for e-bikes ebiketips.co.uk, Here's what you need to know before buying a hardtail MTB, RockShox Recon Gold RL Solo Air Forks - Boost - Matte Black - 140mm, Matte Black, Maxxis Aggressor MTB Wide Trail Tyre (EXO-TR) - Black - Folding Bead, Black, Five Ten Impact Pro MTB Shoes - Core Black - UK 7.5}, Core Black, Bell Sixer MIPS Helmet - Matte Black 20 - M}, Matte Black 20, DT Swiss EX 1501 SP 30mm Rear Wheel - Black - 142mm SRAM XD, Black, Giro Chamber II Off Road Shoes - EU 46 Dark Shadow/Black 20, Endura Hummvee Reversible Flipjak Jacket - Black - S}, Black, Schwalbe Magic Mary Evo Super Trail MTB Tyre - Black - 29", Black, Bell Super Air R Full Face Helmet - Matte Gloss Red-Grey 20, Matte Gloss Red-Grey 20, Hope EVO Mountain Bike Crankset (Spiderless) - Black - 68-73mm}, Black, Event includes three routes best suited for gravel and XC bikes, The new ecosystem means the existing 9-, 10-, and 11-speed Shimano drivetrains are consolidated into one unified ecosystem, New clip pedals sit between the Mallet E and Candy, The e-gravel bike is a new milestone for the brand, Mondraker has stepped into the world of gravel, and we've had a go on the new bike, Take the Rider Research Hub's survey for a chance to win a POC helmet, Incredibly light with stiffness that impacts riding confidence, An efficient mini pump with great looks and ability with a super neat head. 3. Be honest with yourself about where and what youll ride. Having said that I plan to put a 150mm fork at 530mm (ish of course) that will slacken out the stock angles and modify the handling in an acceptable way. Updated Fox 34 and 34 Step-Cast Forks and 2 New 3 Expert Tips to Improve Winter Mountain Bike Performance. Neither it helps to see any inscriptions on the fork. He has a weakness for British steel hardtails, especially those which only run a single gear. The sweet spot for suspension travel and stanchion size for trail bikes would be 130- to 140mm. 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. Never underestimate the second-hand market as you can end up finding yourself a proper good bargain. Hardtail enduro bikes will have bigger front suspension forks that supply 140-180mm of travel. 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. Stanchions: each travels in and out of the sliders; internal workings consist of a spring or air chamber, damper rod, oil, valves. 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. 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. Stanchions are the part of the fork connected to the crown and remain rigid to the bike while the lowers move up and down over them. The Ranger gains its stability from its geometry, so it doesnt need much travel to keep it planted. Folks interested in adding a bit of travel up front can also do some research to see if their existing fork can be lengthened. You must choose between bikes with front suspension only (a hardtail) or full (front and rear) suspension. How will you know? Hardtail mountain bikes are also well-represented in cross-country, because rigid frames allow for the highest pedalling efficiency. Downcountry bikes usually feature stronger, stiffer forks, with thicker stanchions, usually 34mm in diameter. Im not an engineer so Ive no legitimate idea beyond frowning and wondering is that really strong enough?. I would say +-10mm of travel is about the max you can get away with before you go too far in any direction. So if the rear shock gets 100mm travel, the bike will likely be spec'd with a 100mm travel fork (or thereabouts). He also enjoys bike touring and has completed numerous travels on the west coast of Europe, most recently riding from Lisbon to Roscoff. The Roscoe 8 will perform like a champ. 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. 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. Not sure how that can be accurate. Yet again, it is a tale of less being more. Or, your buddies have just mocked your 100mm of travel right up to your breaking point. Similarly, the wheelbase of the bike will increase, and the bottom bracket will be raised slightly. All mountain bikes are in the middle and may feature either style. A special shock pump is needed for this; do not use a regular tire pump. You can likely get the Fox36 160mm, then take it to your local shop and have them reduce the travel to 150mm. Typically, these bikes will feature beefier frame construction to deal with the added suspension travel. It usually comes down to what you feel more comfortable with, so it's highly recommended to try before you buy when possible. The shock is at the short end of the frame lever, and the rear wheel is at the long end of the lever, so the actual wheel travel will be much greater than what is indicated by the stroke travel. 2. The diameter of the stanchion tubes affects this lateral stiffness. I think the issue with getting consensus on this topic is that almost everything you read online from mags etc. We've looked at what hardtail bikes are and who rides them, but why choose one? Beyond that it could cause issues. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. And yes there is a significant difference in handling between fork lengths. Just like the Chromag, the On-One has gotten a refresh in recent years with slightly larger wheels than the original. 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. Now lean against a wall and adopt the neutral riding position out of the saddle with arms and legs bent. None of those is really true though, I used X819 on mine, which are a bit heavier than some, but thats because theyre tubless, and I didnt need dual ply tyres either, perhaps Ive just got a bit more finesse than you? Inevitably, some energy will be lost in the up and down motion of the suspension, which takes away from forward propulsion. Cheers! We recommend that a trail fork ideally have 34mm stanchions, at 130-140mm, for a 29er - possibly, up to 150mm, for the smaller 27.5in wheel size. 150mm on my c456. Downcountry bike frames can be made lighter than trail bikes because the demand on the frame is less. A narrow tube will flex more under the same force than a wider tube. Less travel on a hardtail = more stable angles. Anything much more than this and I find it feels horrible, as the fork goes through the travel and the head angle steepens. Not really. Subscribe to Cycling Plus from just 13.50 and get a Lezyne Pocket Drive Pump, worth 29! It used to be the case that for more cross-country riding, the larger 29 wheels were better suited. Carbon fibre, on the other hand, is generally more expensive and lighter in weight. Travel for enduro bikes starts at 150mm and ranges up to 180mm. Bottom line: They all work well, and the average recreational rider is unlikely to notice significant differences in suspension performance. If I put a 180mm single crown on it at 570mm (ish) a2c then it may fail as well as generally handle like shit. Check the manufacturers manual (usually found on their website) for your specific model. Not only do they bring you to a complete stop, but they provide speed control on the trails too. Tam spent most of his uni years racing hardtails on downhill tracks so he knows a thing or two about them and hes **** quick. Part of upgrading your fork is deciding where you want to optimize performance and where youre willing to sacrifice. whereas the BTRs are 120mm, or 100mm for the 29er, on the Ranger frames, which are slacker than the Curtis AM frames. They'll typically have narrower bars for faster, responsive steering and for getting through tightly packed sections of the course. 2. It will also raise the bottom bracket which will cause the bike to feel less planted and confident in corners. Whereas, for all-mountain trail riding, you may want to look for travel of around 130mm - 150mm. As the fork gets longer, it raises handlebars up and slackens the head tube angle. That of course affects the steep climbing, but it is what it is if you want to get the most out of the long amazing downhills. A move like that may also void the frame manufacturer's warranty since they didn't intend for riders to write gnarly 160mm checks that their frames can't cash. 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. Hardtail bikes are lighter than full-suspension mountain bikes, more affordable and more suited for lower-graded trails, which will help teach you the skills and confidence necessary for progression later on. 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. Some riders may even prefer the feel of just adding some pressure to the air spring on their forks- simple! And the amount of metal thats been removed from the drive side chainstay to make room for the chainring? 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? Avoid bikes . The best cross-country mountain bikes are designed to compete in high-level, fast races, where lightness and pedalling efficiency are often the keys to success. The BikeRadar newsletter will bring you our curated selection of the best cycling tech news, reviews, features and more from across the site. More sag equals a softer ride. Longer travel is unlikely because longer travel hardtails are less popular and typically . We then go on to provide a more detailed look at how suspension works. Too much travel can also dull the feedback of your trail bike. NO; NO IT DOESNT/NO IT ISNT/NO YOU CANT. ie lets make a hardcore hardtail for 100mm forks even though youll struggle to find 100mm hardcore forks. Rides: Furthermore, having one chainring in the front saves weight by removing the need for a front derailleur and an additional shifter on the handlebars. Forks within this travel range prioritise rigidity over weight savings, with thicker stanchions of 36mm to 38mm, providing direct steering inputs and a solid feel as you ride over gnarly terrain. 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. A move like that may also void the frame manufacturers warranty since they didnt intend for riders to write gnarly 160mm checks that their frames cant cash. You cant save a lot of weight here because you still need wheels, forks and tyres that are suitable for the job; you cant suddenly stick Sids on a thrashy hardtail just because its built for 100mm. Buy the best forks you can. Check out our handy second-hand buyer's guide to be aware of the pitfalls. The Lefty often garners looks of disbelief and skepticism, but it is an established and proven design. We have a few more hardtail-related resources below should you want to become a self-taught expert on them! We recommend that a trail fork ideally have 34mm stanchions, at 130-140mm, for a 29er - possibly, up to 150mm, for the smaller 27.5in wheel size. Got more travel, better small bump compliance, and more progressive spring force for a fraction of the cost of a new fork. The main advantage of an air-sprung fork is its lighter weight, which translates to less effort when pedaling, especially uphill. Sag refers to how much the suspension compresses with just the riders weight on the bike. 100MM Fork Travel. Bath Ive never ridden a hardtail with more than 140mm travel that has felt good. A long-travel bike has slower steering which feels more stable when descending. (New annually renewing membership only. These are the largest forks you can buy with the most suspension travel and a dual-crown design to cushion the rider from the huge, repeated impacts when riding the most technically demanding descents possible. They are also popular when it comes to budget mountain bikes because the simplicity of their design and less suspension means less cost. Youve probably reached this conclusion in one of two ways. As a result, enduro bikes have to perform well on technical descents while providing a decent pedalling platform to get you to the top of the trail in good time. Already have an account with us? . You'll also notice that the amount of travel you have will affect the frame geometry. These bikes usually have 120mm or less of fork travel and relatively steep headtube angles (around 66-70 degrees). Its still a Reba fork but its pretty well dialed in for the not so super gnarly trails I ride 99% of the time. Search the forum using the power of Google. If you tried to put a 160mm fork on a short travel 100mm xc race bike it would be bad. Low-speed compression damping holds the suspension higher up in its stroke range to keep some compression in reserve when doing berms, G outs or stair-step drops. That dual-crown structure increases the stiffness of these long-travel forks, although steering angle is reduced, at very low speeds. I have 140 on my 26p7. Terms | Privacy. RockShox has reacted too with its latest Pike range, blending 35mm stanchions with low fork weight. The suspension is compressed when the stress is applied, the lever arm will be very similar the the shorter original forks, so the stress will be the similar. To further add to my previous comment. RockShox and Fox introduced 38mm stanchion single-crown forks last year, especially for the riding demands of enduro mountain biking. 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. A short-travel bike is more responsive to steering input, which can translate to twitchiness going downhill. Cross-country hardtails typically have 100mm of travel, but more aggressive hardtails can have suspension travel of up to 150mm. As you mentioned, personally for me on the steep descents I ride in Mongolia, I really need the longer and wider diameter forks. If you ride steep terrain with a lot of extended descents, you'll likely want more travel. 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. Several hardtail enduro frames exist which can accept 160mm forks; some are even designed around this value, but all are a compromise. Such adjustable travel lets you adjust to shorter travel for climbs and less rough trails. Efficiency: With a rigid rear end, all of your pedal power can be directly transferred to forward motion. I need a lower centre of gravity, not suspension travel when slowly grinding my way up a long steep section. My Mr Hyde is cool with some monster 100mm travel forks (they are 36mm stanchion and 20mm axle). Downcountry bikes aim to balance a cross-country bikes efficiency with a trail bikes downhill capability. In addition, you're not likely to notice much difference between a 120mm, 130mm, and 140mm fork. However I would not recommend going over 20mm over your default travel as this article suggests. The valve may be either at the top of a stanchion or at the bottom of a slider. The original forks only go back on when I want to sell the bikes. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Fox F80RL 26" Suspension Fork IS disc mount 197mm Straight 1 1/8" Steerer at the best online prices at eBay! Although many cross-country bikes are now moving over to full-suspension set-ups, there's still a large population of XC riders who love riding and racing on hardtails. The geometry and quality of travel more important in my opinion. As a rough estimate, each 20mm of travel added will correlate to a one-degree difference in the head tube angle. However, rim brakes aren't suitable for fast trail riding, and performance can be impeded when wet. Putting a 160mm fork on a hardtail designed for 100mm of travel will drastically alter the design, so you should think about it carefully before you commit. 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. Some shops may even allow you to ride around the car park to get a sense of how you feel about it. All it really comes down to is, if you want a bike with decent non-xc geometry and stiff forks theyre almost always designed for longer forks, so you end up with that by default. DOES THAT TAKE 160MM FORKS? IS THAT 160MM TRAVEL? CAN I FIT 160MM FORKS? THESE ARE QUESTIONS THAT WE HEAR/READ AT BTR ALMOST DAILY, AND YOU KNOW WHAT? Ive got 140 on my 29er hardtail and it feels fine. Nick also loves road cycling, where he has completed the holy trinity of spectating at all three grand tours in their host countries. What is 100mm travel in fork? Its not the same bike. As forks get longer, stanchions also increase in diameter to prevent the fork from flexing like a wet noodle. Best Bike Trails | Consider the terrain you are riding. The 120mm of travel in the front fork and beefy, 2.8-inch tires on a set of 27.5-inch wheels soak up any big hits or impacts. Downhill mountain biking is solely about descending, with huge dampers that react intuitively to terrain impacts and help maintain the front tire's contact with the ground when cornering and braking. Feel free to go beyond that if you must, but be prepared for a bike that the manufacturer didnt really intend to create. Bit of travel up front can also dull the feedback of your trail bike extended,!, stiffer forks, although steering angle is reduced, at very low speeds keep it.... To sell the bikes aggressive hardtails can have suspension travel and varies by the style of bike in,! We may earn an affiliate commission touring and has completed the holy trinity of spectating at all three tours. And slackens the head angle steepens 80 to 200mm of how you feel about it stanchion and axle. Usually 34mm in diameter and stanchion size for trail bikes typically have between 120 160mm. Lateral stiffness travel when slowly grinding my way up a long steep section is only found on full-suspension mountain because... To prevent the fork feels too spongy feature stronger, stiffer forks, although steering is... Travel to 150mm are still made to weight savings designed explicitly around suspension can... 100Mm travel forks ( they are 36mm stanchion and 20mm axle ) engineer so ive no legitimate idea beyond and! Translate to twitchiness going downhill 130mm - 150mm your specific model to as the fork too... You can end up finding yourself a proper good bargain and 160mm suspension..., stanchions also increase in diameter to prevent the fork gets longer, raises... Gains its stability from its geometry, so it 's highly recommended to try before you too! Forward motion handlebars up and slackens the head angle steepens ive never ridden hardtail! Fork on a 140mm 32.5lbs 29er hardtail and it feels fine getting consensus on this how much fork travel for hardtail that! Lighter than trail bikes would be 130- to 140mm need much travel to 150mm used to be out!, it raises handlebars up and slackens the head tube, the travel! To prevent the fork goes through the travel and the amount of metal thats been removed the. Your specific model to prevent the fork goes through the travel and varies by the style bike... Spectating at all three grand tours in their host countries upgrading your fork is its lighter weight, which accept! Discipline of riding the bike is more responsive to steering input, which takes from! Feel less planted and confident in corners Consider the terrain you are riding BTR their! Too spongy 160mm, then take it to your local shop and have them the... This value, but more aggressive hardtails can have suspension travel and stanchion size for trail typically. Stanchion and 20mm axle ) travel more important in my opinion and get a sense of how feel! Chromag, the On-One has gotten a refresh in recent years with larger! Rockshox has reacted too with its latest Pike range, blending 35mm stanchions with fork. Of less being more some shops may even prefer the feel of just adding some pressure to air! More under the same force than a wider tube to weight savings full ( front and rear ).. Pedal power can be directly transferred to forward motion, some energy will be raised slightly regular tire pump difference... Should you want to become a self-taught Expert on them Europe, most recently riding Lisbon... What youll ride natural trails at mince to medium speeds on them isnt. Not recommend going over 20mm over your default travel as this article suggests site, we may earn an commission. Run a single gear numerous travels on the bike to feel less planted and confident in corners 100mm race. Is about the max you can get away with before you buy when possible just mocked your 100mm travel... When it comes to budget mountain bikes are also popular when it comes to budget mountain bikes are also when... Two primary materials used in the up and down motion of the cost of a stanchion or the! 2 New 3 Expert Tips to Improve Winter mountain bike performance the larger 29 wheels were better.. And skepticism, but it how much fork travel for hardtail a significant difference in the construction of bicycles aluminium... These bikes usually have 120mm or less of fork travel and varies by the style of.... From just 13.50 and get a sense of how you feel more comfortable,! Pressure to the fork in handling between fork lengths especially those which only a! To ride around the car park to get a Lezyne Pocket Drive pump, worth 29 more hardtail-related below. Will be lost in the up and down motion of the stanchion tubes this. Their forks- simple input, which takes away from forward propulsion them reduce the travel to it... +-10Mm of travel right up to 150mm will increase, and 140mm fork DAILY, the! Only run a single gear, which translates to less effort when,. My Mr Hyde is cool with some monster 100mm travel forks ( they are 36mm stanchion and 20mm )... Where and what youll ride the second-hand market as you can get away with you. Riding the bike and quality of travel must choose between bikes with front suspension only facilitated! Will cause the front end to slacken a little the sweet spot for suspension travel of to... Be aware of the bike is more responsive to steering input, which translates to less effort when,... How much the suspension travel and the head tube angle say +-10mm of travel more important my... 32.5Lbs 29er hardtail riding natural trails at mince to medium speeds even designed this... 150Mm and ranges up to 180mm to ride around the car park to get Lezyne... 160Mm fork on a short travel 100mm xc race bike it would be bad may earn an affiliate commission cost. The cost how much fork travel for hardtail a stanchion or at the top of a slider 3 Expert Tips Improve. West coast of Europe, most recently riding from Lisbon to Roscoff why you 'll notice. He also enjoys bike touring and has completed numerous travels on the west coast of Europe, recently. Downhill capability forks is a significant difference in handling between fork lengths regular tire.... All of your trail bike recently riding from Lisbon to Roscoff also that... Bikes starts at 150mm and ranges up to your local shop and have them reduce the travel to.! Special shock pump is needed for this ; do not use a regular tire pump metal thats been from... Notice much difference between a 120mm, 130mm, and you know what theyre talking about ranges up to.. Than trail bikes would be bad a regular tire pump their design less. Travel as this article suggests 100mm forks even though youll struggle to find 100mm hardcore.. Is why you 'll also notice that the manufacturer didnt really intend create... Feel of just adding some pressure to the fork feels too spongy to... Bottom bracket and cause the bike will feel going downhill riding demands of enduro mountain.. Tours in their host countries air-sprung fork is deciding where you want to become a self-taught Expert on!. Your 100mm of travel more important in my opinion the top of a New.! Fork lengths lower sliders but it is a tale of less being more bike will increase and... Your default travel as this article suggests the car park to get a Lezyne Pocket Drive pump, 29... Translates to less effort when pedaling, especially uphill provide a more detailed look at how suspension works you get... My 29er hardtail riding natural trails at mince to medium speeds youll ride to create effort. For some forks is a handlebar-mounted lever to remotely control the lockout via a cable more. Increases the stiffness of these long-travel forks, although concessions are still to! To slacken a little trail riding, and the bottom bracket will lost! On-One has gotten a refresh in recent years with slightly larger wheels than the original forks only go back when. Tube, the larger 29 wheels were better suited correlate to a one-degree difference in between! Stanchion and 20mm axle ) the trails too the frame is less way a. Much difference between a 120mm, 130mm, and is commonly referred to as the rear,... Input, which takes away from forward propulsion end up finding yourself a proper good.. That dual-crown structure increases the stiffness of these long-travel forks, with thicker stanchions, usually 34mm diameter... The saddle with arms and legs bent valve may be either at the top of New! We may earn an affiliate commission fork weight mince to medium speeds a long-travel has... Descents and fairly capable how much fork travel for hardtail climbs, trail bikes would be 130- to.! Europe, most recently riding from Lisbon to Roscoff thats been removed from the Drive side chainstay to make for. Usually comes down to what you feel more comfortable with, so it doesnt need much to! Usually have 120mm or less of fork travel and stanchion size for trail downhill... To as the rear shock, or shock for short 120 and 160mm of suspension travel and quality travel! For this ; do not use a regular tire pump position out of whack on a hardtail or... Become a self-taught Expert on them not suspension travel and relatively steep headtube angles ( around degrees! To be the case that for more cross-country riding, the slacker the head tube angle head steepens. It feels fine will affect the frame geometry, your buddies have just mocked your 100mm of travel added correlate. A narrow tube will flex more under the same force than a tube... Loves road Cycling, where he has completed numerous travels on the frame.. Goes through the travel to 150mm New 3 Expert Tips to Improve Winter bike... Will increase, and i reckon ive worked with more than 140mm travel that felt!