How Much Travel Do Most All Mountain Bikes Have?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Generally all-mountain bikes have between 130 and 160mm of travel. As to what sort of riding they’re suited to, the clue’s in the name. All-mountain bikes are designed for riding every sort of terrain on the mountain — from DH runs to flowy and smooth singletrack and everything in between.

Is 160mm travel too much for trail riding?

160mm of travel is only really needed if you’re hitting big hucks, or you’re smashing really long bouldery fast descents . Do I need 160mm travel? 99% of the time, no.

Why do 27.5 bikes have more travel?

Because of the smaller diameter , 27.5-inch wheels are easier to navigate through tight and tricky trails and respond to rider input more readily, which is especially true for smaller riders who might otherwise struggle to control larger (and generally heavier) 29ers.

How much travel does a trail bike have?

Long-travel bikes usually have 150-170mm of rear travel to handle tough downhill trails. Front travel often matches rear travel but sometimes can be more.

What does 130mm travel mean?

~130mm Travel: “Trail” Bikes

Around 130mm travel is what most companies would call a “Trail” bike. These are generally designed for all around riding. They climb pretty well, and they descend pretty well. 130mm is also about the longest travel fork that you’ll commonly find on a hardtail.

Is 120 enough to travel?

In addition, you’re not likely to notice much difference between a 120mm, 130mm, and 140mm fork. Honesty, a 120mm fork is enough travel for most Trail riders .

How much difference does 20mm of travel make?

As a rough estimate, each 20mm of travel added will correlate to a one-degree difference in the head tube angle.

Is 140mm travel too much?

140mm of travel is not much in real terms ...its just like a slight bend of the legs... I think many people get caught up in exactly how much travel to use. The important thing is that the travel you use suits the bike design and wont spoil the angles or turn it into a “chopper”.

Is 170mm travel too much?

But Yeah, 170mm will still be fine , you are getting on for DH-esq travel, however if you think you might make use of it, or it will help you man up a shade more then there’s no harm in giving it a whirl.

Is a 29er faster than a 26er?

In the end, the 29ers came in 7.5 seconds ahead of the 26ers —a 2.4-percent speed increase—without making the riders work harder, as there were no differences in power output, cadence, time spent coasting, work, or heart rate.

How tall should you be for a 29-inch bike?

If you are under 5’6” tall, a 26-inch mountain bike is still likely to be a better fit. If you’re 5’6′ or taller , you should be able to find a 29er model to fit you. Riders more than 6′ tall can rejoice: You’ll definitely enjoy a more natural riding position with the size and frame geometry of a 29er.

Can a 27.5 wheels on my 26?

Condensed answer: It’s possible to install 27.5-inch wheels on a 26-inch frame if there’s enough clearance, and the bike uses disc brakes . The conversion limits the width of the tires and could also greatly impact the geometry of the bicycle to the point where the modification becomes questionable.

How much travel should a hardtail have?

It depends totally on your riding style and the intended use. For pretty much XC or dirt jump, go with a 100mm XC or dirt jump fork. For general trail riding a 120 to 130 would work well. For AM to light Free ride a 140 to 160mm fork would be the ticket.

Is 150 mm travel too much?

150mm is absolute overkill for every trail in the lower peninsula . Get a downcountry bike instead if you want to go the full suspension route. Or a rowdy hardtail.

How much travel does a downhill bike have?

Downhill (DH)

These events usually take place in bike parks and where riders can chair lift their bikes as they are not required to ride uphill. The trails usually have berms, jumps, roots, and many obstacles, and so the bike is equipped with between 170 mm to over 250 mm of travel.

Are air forks better than coil?

Air forks provide better bottom-out resistance

Near the end of the range, it takes a huge amount of force to further compress the air inside. The total amount of force required to compress an air fork and bottom it out is greater than a coil fork. This is assuming that both are set for the same rider weight.

Is 150mm travel enough for Enduro?

What should I look for in the best enduro mountain bikes? An enduro bike is basically a mountain bike with at least 150mm of suspension travel , but more commonly 160-180mm. They’re built for the rigours of racing full-bore downhill whilst being sufficiently efficient on climbs and contouring trails too.

Can I put 140mm forks on a 120mm bike?

Going from 120 mm up to 140 mm should be perfectly fine . It will probably give you 1 degree of slack angle to your front end and raise your bb height by possibly 1/2′′.

Is 100mm travel enough?

yes, it’s plenty . pro-Dh’ers need/use 200mm-ish. mere mortals will be riding stuff that’s half as gnarly*, half as fast*. that’ll be 100mm being plenty for us then.

How much does it cost to go to Whistler?

The average price of a 7-day trip to Whistler is $1,547 for a solo traveler, $2,778 for a couple, and $5,209 for a family of 4 . Whistler hotels range from $53 to $164 per night with an average of $104, while most vacation rentals will cost $220 to $1000 per night for the entire home.

How much travel should you use?

Set sag between 20-30%. If you only ride smooth trails, you should still use about 3/4 of the travel . Measure this, since the exposed stanchion is longer than fork travel. If you start to ride harder or start to ride rougher trails and bigger drops, you will need to add air.

Can I put a 120mm fork on a 80mm bike?

120mm would be long for an XC frame that came with an 80mm fork. I doubt the manufacturer would recommend this , however lot’s of people do those kinds of swaps without significant issues. It is pushing the design limits of the frame, and if you’re pushing the limits of what the bike can do, you may run into problems.

Can I put a 140mm fork on a 100mm bike?

There is no good reason to slap 140mm fork on a frame that is designed for 100 . It will no ride better and it may break, like many other already noted.

Can I put 150mm forks on a 120mm bike?

If you are one who likes to test things and push boundaries and if the frame was no longer of any value to you using a 120mm fork, you could give the 150mm a go and see what happens. But just be ready for the worst to possibly happen. It is possible, nothing will prevent you from doing so .

Is 150mm travel enough for bike park?

150 mm travel fork is plenty ! You will have fun for sure. If you are the biker for big jumps & drops and bike parks the Swoop is a great bike. But takes fun away when doing trail biking on tamer trails.

Can you ride XC bike on trails?

Can you ride XC trails on a trail bike? Yes, you can ride a trail bike on cross-country terrain ! Having the right bike for the terrain that you are riding is always going to improve your overall experience.

Are Enduro bikes good for jumping?

Can an Enduro Bike Handle the Jumps and Drops Going Downhill? Absolutely . Enduro bikes are hearty and can handle most gnarly trails. For most people enduro bikes can easily handle the same trails in the same way as a trail bike.

Leah Jackson
Author
Leah Jackson
Leah is a relationship coach with over 10 years of experience working with couples and individuals to improve their relationships. She holds a degree in psychology and has trained with leading relationship experts such as John Gottman and Esther Perel. Leah is passionate about helping people build strong, healthy relationships and providing practical advice to overcome common relationship challenges.