is 140mm travel enough for enduro

• Help Center
• Chat with a Ride Guide
• 1-866-401-9636
• Retail Store
• Bike Services

Reset Password

We will send you an email to reset your password.

Don't have an account? Create an account

Create Account

Already have an account? Sign In

• Favorite your products & save them to your account
• Save a search & get notified when new products drop
• Be first to know about the latest events & promotions

Bike Finder

Results have arrived, mtb travel - how much mtb suspension travel do you need what does it mean.

Do you want more suspension travel or less? How do you know how much you need? Here's how to decide whether a long-travel or short-travel MTB is better for you and your trails.

Written by: Bruce Lin

Published on: Mar 9, 2022

Posted in: MTB

You’re going to a big, important party, but you’re iffy about the dress code. Would you rather show up overdressed or underdressed?

A lot of mountain bikers face a similar dilemma, but instead of choosing the right clothes, it’s about choosing the right bike. You've probably heard certain bikes described as “too much bike” or “not enough bike.” But what does that mean?

In mountain biking, suspension travel often receives the most attention when riders are looking at bike specs. Depending on your skill, riding style, and terrain, there is likely an ideal amount of suspension travel. Other specs such as geometry , wheels , and tires  matter too, but they are usually tailored to match a bike's suspension.

Most modern mountain bikes will have somewhere between 100mm and 170mm of suspension travel. This covers everything from cross-country race machines to versatile mid-travel trail bikes to hard-hitting enduro bikes . (If you want to learn more about how mountain bikes are categorized check out our Mountain Bike Buyer’s Guide .)

So what's the right amount of travel for you?

[button] SHOP MOUNTAIN BIKES [/button]

MTB travel basics: what is travel on a mountain bike?

In case you're new to riding, mountain bike suspension travel is a measurement of how much a wheel can move to absorb bumps. On the front, mountain bike travel comes from your suspension fork. At the rear, MTB travel is provided by some configuration of frame pivots that compress a rear shock.

When to choose a long-travel MTB

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.

Trail and enduro bikes fall into this category. They absorb big hits and smooth out rough terrain. If you regularly ride steep or gnarly trails, a bike like this makes a lot of sense. 

If you're mostly riding mellow flow trails though, a big and burly long-travel bike might be overkill. You won't be able to use all the suspension travel you paid for. The bike may feel cumbersome, maybe a bit boring, and you’ll have to expend more energy to push it around and climb uphill.

But let’s say you lack confidence on descents. A more capable enduro bike with ample suspension travel could help you enjoy riding more by increasing your confidence, comfort, and giving you more margin for error. 

Some ride big and burly bikes everywhere because they're fit enough to pedal a long-travel bike up big climbs and on long rides without much trouble. For them, being overbiked isn't a handicap, and it's worth it for when the trail gets gnarly. If you care more about descending as fast as possible more than having a bike that's efficient for pedaling or climbing, long-travel bikes will cater more to your style.

[button] SHOP LONG-TRAVEL MOUNTAIN BIKES [/button]

When to choose a short-travel MTB

Short-travel bikes usually have 100-120mm of travel to maximize efficiency. In some cases, these bikes could have forks with 10-20mm more travel to make them more versatile on descents.

XC and short-travel trail bikes fall into this category. They are efficient and usually feel more agile than longer-travel bikes. If you race cross-country, do long adventure rides, or stick to mellow trails, these are the best option.

If you venture onto steep and gnarly downhill tracks with big rocks and jumps, a short-travel bike will start to feel sketchy. There’s a good chance you’ll have to ride slower and more cautiously than you would on a long-travel bike, taking easier lines and occasionally skipping tough sections.

But let’s say you dread going uphill and are constantly getting dropped by fitter riders. A bike with less travel that’s lighter and more efficient could help you go faster and expend less energy. 

If you’re a skilled rider that just wants to make riding more exciting, short-travel bikes provide a lot more trail feedback and give you less room for error. You have to stay focused, be more selective about lines, and be more active with your body. For some, this can be a more enjoyable ride experience than just sitting back and letting a long-travel bike do the hard work for you.

[button] SHOP SHORT-TRAVEL MOUNTAIN BIKES [/button]

So how much suspension travel do I need?

Seth H., Merchandising Manager   "I started on an XC hardtail and rode everything, even gnarly downhills on it. It had a dropper and I did just fine. I really thought it was all I would ever need. Then I went to Moab. I rode a borrowed enduro bike on The Whole Enchilada and it kind of opened my eyes. I bought a bigger bike not long after and started riding all my regular trails again. It changed how I rode.

"Personally, I really don’t mind being overbiked for most of my riding now. I ride alone a lot so I go my own pace. But I'm also decently fit and I can keep up with everyone I ride with on my bigger bike (an Ibis Ripmo). If you’re fit, I say go as big as you want."

Chad H., Warehouse Manager   "I would prefer to be underbiked on the majority of trails. Being underbiked keeps the skills sharp and makes the trail an exciting challenge. I feel that being overbiked takes the challenge and excitement out of trails. It leads to laziness and dulls your skill as a rider.

"Right now for me, I believe the best bike for 85 percent of the riding I do will be a full suspension cross country bike, like the Santa Cruz Blur. I would add a dropper seatpost and Fox Step-Cast 34 120mm fork just to give it a tiny bit more capability. Or the new Trek Top Fuel, or possibly a Yeti SB100 are good options. It's what people are calling 'downcountry' now, even though I hate the term. It will be a little bit more capable than a full cross country bike, but it’ll have the same quick handling and speed. That'll be perfect for me." 

What about mid-travel "quiver-killer" mountain bikes?

I always keep at least two mountain bikes in my quiver: a long-travel enduro bike and a short-travel XC bike. This lets me tackle everything from downhill bike parks to short-track XC races. But for many riders, a mid-travel trail bike is all you need.

Mid-travel bikes are a good compromise between downhill performance and pedaling/climbing efficiency. They usually have 120-140mm of travel. Many call these bikes "quiver-killers," because they can do it all (well, almost). I even spent a full season on a quiver-killer , just to see how well it worked for a wide range of riding and was pleasantly surprised by how versatile it actually was.

However, these bikes don't completely excel at anything. A longer-travel bike will be better downhill and a shorter travel bike will be more efficient for racing. Ultimately, if you can only have one bike for casual riding, or you're unsure what type of mountain bike you need for your local trails, this category is the best option. 

[button] SHOP MID-TRAVEL MOUNTAIN BIKES [/button]

How to choose a mountain bike

Are your trails rough and rocky or smooth and flowy? Are they fast and steep or tight and technical? Your terrain has a big impact on bike selection. Generally, the rougher, steeper, and faster a trail is, the more travel you'll want and vice versa. 

The second step is to know yourself. Your riding ambition is nearly as important as terrain. If you are a ripper who lives for downhills, you'll probably want to support yourself with more travel. But if your ride fantasy involves conquering high mountains, and exploring miles of backcountry trails, you might want to stay light and efficient with less travel.

No matter what, it's possible to have fun riding any bike, and having the ideal amount of suspension travel isn't everything. Keep in mind too that the rider is always going to make a far bigger difference than the bike. Fast descenders drop me on gnarly downhills riding XC hardtails, and fit climbers drop me on uphills riding heavy enduro machines. Good riders take what they have, and make it work. 

That being said, you can always play to your strengths or weaknesses. Having a bike that enhances the parts of riding that you care about the most will make mountain biking more fun. 

Are you overbiked or underbiked for your trails? Do you prefer long travel or short travel? Or do you have a bike that sits somewhere in the middle? Let us know in the comments!

Features, Guides, MTB Jul 3, 2024

Race Tips from Leadville Trail 100 MTB Finishers

Guides, MTB Jun 18, 2024

How Specialized S-Sizing Works, and Why It's Kinda Genius

Features, Guides, MTB Jun 17, 2024

Specialized Stumpjumper by Year: How to Buy A Used Stumpjumper

Features, Latest, MTB Jun 10, 2024

Racing The First-Ever Tour Divide with Mary Metcalf

Features, Latest, Learn, MTB Jun 10, 2024

Tread Setters: A Different (and Important) Take on the White Rim

Bikes, Latest, MTB Apr 5, 2024

This Specialized S-Works Epic World Cup Is My Perfect Leadville Bike

FAQs, Guides, Latest, MTB Apr 3, 2024

FAQ: Top 5 Mountain Bikes That Hold Their Value

Bikes, Features, Latest, MTB Mar 15, 2024

Banshee Legend DH Bike Review: A Privateer’s Dream Bike

Features, Latest, MTB, Tech Mar 12, 2024

RockShox Flight Attendant: Will XC Welcome Its New Electronic Overlords?

Bikes, Features, Latest, MTB, Vintage Jan 24, 2024

The Tioga Racer: 1993 Raleigh John Tomac Signature Ti/Carbon

Features, Fun, MTB Jan 4, 2024

Rage Against the Machine Likes Mountain Biking

Bikes, Features, MTB Nov 29, 2023

The Cannondale F-Si Throwback Might Be the Most Beautiful XC Hardtail Ever

New arrivals.

Certified Pre-Owned

Cannondale SuperSix EVO SE Gravel Bike - 2023, 51cm

Orbea Occam M30 Eagle Mountain Bike - 2021, Medium

Ibis Ripmo Mountain Bike - 2024, Medium

Spot Brand Mayhem 130 Mountain Bike - 2024, Medium

Trek Domane SL Road Bike - 2021, 60cm

Specialized S-Works Stumpjumper Mountain Bike - 2022 S5

A2 Bikes Road Phreak Road Bike - 2021, 47cm

Cervélo Caledonia-5 Road Bike - 2022, 51cm

Cervélo R5 Road Bike - 2015, 51cm

Specialized Epic EVO Carbon Comp Mountain Bike - 2021, Large

Specialized Stumpjumper Comp Alloy Mountain Bike - 2022, S5

Specialized S-Works Epic Mountain Bike - 2021, Medium

• MAGAZINE OFFERS
• BIKE INSURANCE
• Best Products
• Maintenance
• Accessories
• Long-Term Reviews
• BikeRadar Podcast
• First Look Friday
• Bike of the Week
• Tech Features
• Routes and Rides
• Bike Galleries
• BikeRadar Bargains
• Buyer's Guides
• Fitness & Training
• Sizing & Fit
• Mountain Biking UK
• Cycling Plus
• Bike of the Year 2024

How much suspension travel do I need on my mountain bike?

From cross-country to downhill, we take you through how much travel you can expect on the major types of mountain bike

Andy Lloyd / Our Media

Mountain bikes feature different amounts of suspension travel depending on the type of riding they're designed for.

Suspension travel describes the amount of movement a suspension fork or rear shock has. It is usually a measurement of how far the wheel axle moves in a vertical or near-vertical plane as the suspension compresses.

Depending on the discipline of riding the bike is designed for, the suspension travel can vary from 80 to 200mm. While more travel may seem better, helping you soak up lumps and bumps, it can be a hindrance if your riding includes lots of climbing or you benefit from a light, responsive bike.

This means deciding on the right amount of travel for your needs can be difficult, but there are a few factors to keep in mind, including your riding style and the type of trails and terrain you'll be tackling.

Bike manufacturers design their mountain bikes around different travel lengths, tailored to specific terrains or riding disciplines, and categorise the bikes accordingly. As a result, looking at the different categories of mountain bikes, their intended application and travel length is a handy way to determine how much travel you need and what bike you should get.

In this guide, we’ll explain the different mountain bike categories and how much suspension travel they typically have.

Cross-country mountain 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.

Typically, cross-country bikes have featured 80 to 100mm of travel. 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 Scott’s Spark RC .

Using less suspension travel than other mountain bikes means cross-country bikes can be built with a lighter frame construction because less reinforcement is needed to deal with the lower frame articulation. This helps riders race up the kinds of inclines that characterise XC races .

The short-travel forks used on cross-country bikes also help to keep weight down because they utilise a lighter chassis and narrower stanchions, usually 30 to 32mm in diameter.

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 trade-off for this weight saving comes in the form of fork flex, which impacts the directness of steering inputs and the overall ability of the fork to perform in gnarlier terrain as friction levels build on the seals.

A short-travel fork will also run out of travel quicker compared to one with more travel. Although setup and damper performance will dictate a lot of factors in how proficiently it absorbs bumps, less travel means it won't absorb bigger bumps as well as a long-travel fork.

Hardtail mountain bikes are also well-represented in cross-country, because rigid frames allow for the highest pedalling efficiency. However, the traction and descending ability of full-suspension bikes make them desirable to many riders.

Downcountry mountain bikes

Downcountry bikes aim to balance a cross-country bike's efficiency with a trail bike's downhill capability.

‘Downcountry’ is a relatively new mountain bike discipline and isn’t that well defined as a result. 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.

Having slightly more travel than an outright cross-country bike means downcountry bikes are more capable on descents. However, with shorter travel than trail bikes, they still offer greater pedalling efficiency than burlier bikes.

Downcountry bike frames can be made lighter than trail bikes because the demand on the frame is less. This means they require less material in their construction because they don’t require the same amount of strength as a trail or enduro bike needs.

Downcountry bikes usually feature stronger, stiffer forks, with thicker stanchions, usually 34mm in diameter. This gives higher levels of rigidity to the fork, making steering inputs more direct, although concessions are still made to weight savings.

Trail mountain bikes

Trail bikes are one of the most popular types of mountain bike. They are designed to straddle the line between enduro bikes and cross-country bikes, providing a ride that’s fun but capable.

Confident on descents and fairly capable on climbs, trail bikes typically have between 120 and 160mm of suspension travel.

Trail bikes at the longer end of the suspension-travel spectrum cross the boundary into all-mountain. Typically, these bikes will feature beefier frame construction to deal with the added suspension travel.

The optimum amount of travel depends on what terrain or trails you like to ride, and where you’d like to progress with your riding. 140mm is ideal for even the toughest trail centres, with more travel being required for gnarlier ambitions.

Forks with mid-sized stanchions, either 34mm, 35mm or 36mm in diameter, are common on trail bikes. These shift the balance away from lightness toward rigid stability for better handling while descending. Less flexibility in the fork will mean more direct steering input, making the bike feel more planted through the rough stuff.

Enduro mountain bikes

Enduro bikes are designed to meet the demands of enduro racing , which consists of multiple downhill stages that riders have to reach within a set time limit. 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.

Travel for enduro bikes starts at 150mm and ranges up to 180mm. There is a 190mm-travel version of RockShox’s enduro-focused ZEB fork, but you’re more likely to see this attached to a freeride or bike park bike.

Enduro bikes require a burly frame construction in order to cope with the demands of downhill trails.

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.

This added frame construction makes the frame heavier, impacting efficiency when going uphill, but the pay-off is worth it when coming back down.

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.

Downhill mountain bikes

Downhill bikes are designed for, you guessed it, riding downhill. The discipline doesn’t require the bike to be pedalled on uphill or even flat terrain, enabling designers to focus solely on providing the best platform for descending steep and technical trails.

These bikes feature some of the longest suspension travel, ranging from 180 to 200mm, helping to protect riders from large, repeated impacts.

Frames have to be built to the highest strength levels to cope with the impacts you experience on downhill trails. Although downhill frames are heavier than those intended for other disciplines, it's less important to have light frames because you’re not pedalling them uphill.

Downhill forks feature the thickest stanchion, ranging from 35 to 40mm in diameter, because they deal with the most extreme terrain and require the greatest rigidity.

Weight isn’t a big issue for downhill bikes, so the added heft is worth the trade-off for the performance gains.

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. This adds more torsional stiffness to the fork, helping to keep steering inputs direct through the toughest terrain and providing strength for big impacts.

Electric mountain bikes

Electric mountain bikes are heavy, even compared to downhill bikes. 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.

Electric bikes can be categorised by the other disciplines featured in this article and will tend to feature the travel of that discipline.

The best electric mountain bikes will feature e-MTB specific forks and shocks, some with thicker stanchions for rigidity, and custom tunes that are suited to the heavier weight of the bike.

Because you’ll have a motor, there won’t be a trade-off in having a bike with more travel (and therefore weight), with the bike taking up the burden on the hills.

What about hardtail mountain bikes?

Hardtail mountain bikes have a suspension fork and a rigid rear end. They can be seen in a variety of disciplines, though are mainly represented in the cross-country and trail disciplines. They are also popular when it comes to budget mountain bikes because the simplicity of their design and less suspension means less cost.

As with other types of mountain bikes, fork travel is usually dependent on discipline. Cross-country hardtails typically have 100mm of travel, but more aggressive hardtails can have suspension travel of up to 150mm.

Some manufacturers will design frames with flex points in the rear triangle, allowing for vertical compliance in the frame. This improves comfort when sat in the saddle, and to a smaller extent rear-wheel traction while climbing.

Share this article

Digital Writer

• Terms & Conditions
• Subscribe to our magazines
• Manage preferences

Recommended minimum MTB suspension Travel (Trail & Enduro)

Looking to purchase a bike that would cover both Trail & Enduro. What would be the minimum front & rear travel recommended to cover both. Been looking at the YT Jeffsy. Got a budget of $2,500 so any other recommendations would be appreciated.

I’m on 160 front (fox36) and 140 DW link rear. 2.5WT tires.

It’s a blast for everyday trail riding and plenty for my level of enduro race skills. Wouldn’t want to line up for an XC race on this bike, but tons of fun for most everything else. Also bullet proof for regular riding which I generally prefer vs faster, lighter, more fragile.

Where do you live and plan to ride the most?

To answer your question directly though, 150mm travel up front would be my choice if I had to choose one bike with no intentions of XC racing or epic rides and leaning more towards “enduro” and occasional bike park days. With the slacker front ends these days, 160mm would be fine too. For the rear travel you can usually get by with a little less.

Consider where you do most of your riding. If in the west or in the mountains with easy access to tech terrain, definitely leans towards a little more travel. Live in the midwest but plan to travel to places with more hills on occasion, then lean towards a little less travel. I usually ride Santa Cruz, so I would choose a Bronson if I lived in a techy area or a 5010 or Hightower if I lived with less tech around.

The Jeffsy is a good choice, IMO, if you are going to frequent enduro type rides. A lot of bang for your buck with the direct-to-consumer brand. A good friend of mine, who lives in SoCal, rides the higher end version and likes it a lot. I think it covers the range of trail bike to a downhill park bike (easily handles black-rated trails). It could start to be a bit of a drag on long trail days as it would easily be too much bike for more XC trails, but it is all a trade off, and things like a tire change could help a lot for truly long days.

If you think you might do endurance rides or XC races, then it gets hard to do it all with a single bike. I currently have a 150mm travel bike (older high-end 26" that I want to replace) and a 120mm 29er, to cover all of my riding. If you forced me to get one to do it all “good enough” (including participating in XC events) then a modern 130mm 29er with two wheel/tire combos would be my choice.

Another vote for the 130mm 29er trail bike. I’m on a fuel ex8. It pedals great and rips downhill. I love the downhill, but I also have done a few xc races. It’s a bit on the heavy side for xc, but it’s ok. And it goes downhill faster on it than anyone in my category.

It shreds on flow and jump trails, it’s great in tech, but does get very bumpy in rock gardens.

If you want a do it all bike, 130mm is where it’s at. But If you definately have no interest in xc and only want to ride gravity then I’d go something bigger, I’ve ridden a trek remedy around mystic MTB park and it ripped, it pedalled almost as well uphill, definately not a problem there. But much more fun going downhill, 150mm of travel is so forgiving.

Couple of Qs:

Where do you live/ride? How are the trails? Do you travel a lot to bike places?

Do you have any other MTBs?

Do you ever plan on doing any racing with it? If so, what type?

Alu versions of the Orbea Occam or Canyon Neuron would be worth looking at…

Important note, the new 2020 Trek Fuel EX changed. It is now more Enduro focused with the long and slack trend, comes with a 140mm Fox 36 and is heavier as a result. Its not really the same poppy and snappy trail bike of old.

In some ways, it may be better for the OP goal than it used to be. Either way, just know it is a different bike now than the prior years.

SC Highball is 150/140, around your price point.

130-150 rear, 140-160 front. The trails you ride will determine if you chose on the higher vs lower end of this range.

Lots of bikes in this range. Your budget will likely rule out some (eg Yeti SB130). If you’re looking to buy new, check out the Canyon Spectral.

Thanks for pointing that out. The Fuel EX was on my short list and now I am not sure about it. I ride the relatively punchy, rooty trails of Southeast Michigan and am tired of my hardtail. I am looking for an Aluminum 29er with full suspension and on paper the Fuel EX 5 was looking really good.

The Jeffsy is the best bang for your buck. I was going to buy the 29 version and they were out. My friend who works for Rocky Mountain had a 2018 Altitude sitting around in pretty flawless shape with the MRP Ribbon fork. My lord. This thing is a blast. From DH days at Winter Park to long back country days; I do not regret it. I do have an XC bike FWIW.

In a perfect world, I’d get a downcountry bike - Something 140’ish for everyday trail riding and save the Altitude for shuttle laps and dh days

Take a look at the Canyon Neuron. 130mm front and rear, a very similar bike to the old Fuel. Also, great deals on the 2019 models now that the 2020 model is being released.

Yeah, I’m not overly pleased with Trek’s 2020 offerings.

Supercaliber is too much of a full and not enough hardtail (I like the Procaliber better and got a 2019 after seeing this)

Top Fuel is now a blended XC/Trail bike that is quite good really (but I already had a 2017 version that is the pure XC fully).

Fuel EX is now a Heavy Hitter Trail bike that flirts with Enduro (I got the 2019 EX 9.9 closeout since I wanted more of an all-around bike and don’t want the heavier build and lazier steering).

I just think Trek shifted the entire line up a half-step in the “burly scale” and kinda ruined what they had originally.

I’ve looked at the Neuron - just wish I could ride one.

Unfortunate. Many of us live in non-burly areas and still like to MTB…

Canyon has a return policy … course you won’t be able to do much more than ride around in a parking lot.

This is a great deal for top of the line spec right now:

Suspension travel: Understanding fork length and how it affects your mountain bike

Forks come in varying lengths of suspension travel and stanchion sizes, this is what they mean for your riding

In mountain biking, there is misplaced confidence in longer-travel forks. With your front wheel having to steer and balance traction on those big trail features and steep descents, the logic is often that more suspension travel is better. But is this the case?

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.

Modern mountain bike geometries are designed explicitly around suspension travel. For example, the best XC forks for cross-country mountain bikes are short-travel forks as the trails are relatively smooth and comprise lots of climbing. They need to be light and responsive while still providing a decent range of compression.

As you move through the various types of mountain bikes, fork travel requirements change. The weight, stanchion thickness, and travel all increase to meet the demands of each discipline – and longer forks aren’t superior in every application.

Cross-country: 100-120mm travel, 30-32mm stanchion diameter

Shorter travel forks are generally aimed at cross-country mountain biking , designed to balance performance, lightweight and just enough suspension travel to help smooth out bumpy singletrack. 

Cross-country forks can work with narrower 30-32mm stanchions because the upper tubes aren’t exposed to much leverage. This helps to keep the overall fork weight down.

But why shouldn’t you fit a cross-country mountain bike , recommended for maximum fork travel of 120mm, with a 130mm fork? Isn’t that a great idea? Not really.

Any increase in fork travel will slacken the bike and shorten its reach. Slacker head angles boost confidence in steep descending terrain, but they make a mountain bike less agile at climbing technical singletrack as well as unbalancing the bike by moving the rider's weight backward. It will also raise the bottom bracket which will cause the bike to feel less planted and confident in corners.

For many years 100-120mm forks were designed either as ultralight racing components or cheap beginner bike suspension. That has changed with the popularity of downcountry and there are now 120mm forks that have much stiffer crowns.

Consider the terrain you are riding. A 100- to 120mm lightweight cross-country fork will be ideal if your trails are smooth and flowing. The shorter suspension travel gives a more responsive feel and you’ll enjoy greater trail feedback through the handlebar and grips.

Shorter suspension travel forks also bob less when climbing up steep trails in a standing position. Many short travel forks further support climbing with the addition of a lockout switch.

Trail: 120-150mm travel, 34mm stanchion diameter

The best trail mountain bike market is probably the most competitive category in mountain biking and these bikes are often ridden right up to their design capabilities.

Reasonably efficient climbers and confident descending bikes, the trail machine is a hybrid between cross-country and enduro. And as you would expect, it needs a fork with more travel and stiffness than those 100-120mm options.

There has been significant development with the Fox 34 in recent years. RockShox has reacted too with its latest Pike range, blending 35mm stanchions with low fork weight.

At 150mm of suspension travel, you are probably pushing the limits of what a 34mm stanchion can deal with, especially for aggressive trail riding. The sweet spot for suspension travel and stanchion size for trail bikes would be 130- to 140mm.

Yet again, it is a tale of less being more. 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. Those roots and rocks can ping you offline, despite being sure of your steering inputs.

Too much travel can also dull the feedback of your trail bike. 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.

As fork travel increases with trail bikes, the latitude of responsiveness from your damper becomes more complex. You will see premium trail bike forks offering high- and low-speed compression adjustment, allowing riders to balance full travel benefits on gnarly terrain without having the fork dive too much in high-speed berms. 

Enduro: 150-180mm travel, 35-38mm stanchion diameter

The fork stiffness formula is simple: when adding more suspension travel increase stanchion size.

Single-crown fork design has had to go longer, with the best enduro mountain bikes now ripping down terrain once reserved for downhill rigs. RockShox and Fox introduced 38mm stanchion single-crown forks last year, especially for the riding demands of enduro mountain biking .

Having more travel is great but potentially useless if the fork internals can’t make the best use of it. That 180mm enduro fork is pointless if it blows through its travel or is entirely unresponsive to small-bump impacts.

With 150- to 180mm single-crown forks, you don’t need a lockout control for climbing, but you want to control the multiple channels of compression and rebound. Balancing the increased leverage effect and fork dive under braking in steep terrain is the crucial enabler with long-travel single-crown forks.

As a forks suspension travel lengthens, set-up becomes crucial. This is why you'll find 150- to 180mm enduro single-crown forks with intricate compression and rebound adjusters and dials. These allow riders to make the best of all that travel by configuring the damping circuits and rebound to work across all terrain.

A decade ago, the idea of a 180mm single-crown fork that could provide an adequate compression platform for pedaling uphill was unfathomable. But today’s 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.

Downhill: 180-200mm travel, 40mm stanchion diameter

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.

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. There would be enormous flex issues if you were to produce a single-crown fork at 200mm of travel and ride it down very steep and technical terrain.

Downhill riders are less bothered by weight or climbing efficiency. This frees engineers to focus all their resources on making the stiffest structure containing sophisticated internals and valving.

The speeds that downhill bikes roll over highly technical terrain require exceptional torsional stiffness at the axle to prevent riders from being deflected off-line and crashing. That dual-crown structure increases the stiffness of these long-travel forks, although steering angle is reduced, at very low speeds.

Dual-crown forks are at the complete opposite spectrum of those short-travel,100-120mm forks, with nearly rigid lockout control. 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.

• Suspension 101 : Everything you need to know about your mountain bike suspension dials
• How to adjust mountain bike suspension

Lance Branquinho is a Namibian-born journalist who graduated to mountain biking after injuries curtailed his trail running. He has a weakness for British steel hardtails, especially those which only run a single gear. As well as Bike Perfect , Lance has written for MBR.com , Off-Road.cc and Cycling News.

e*thirteen Quick Fill Schrader tubeless valve review – Presta-compatible Schrader tubeless valve

e*thirteen Helix Race 9-52t cassette review – maximum gear range upgrade

Madison Flux Trail Short Sleeve Jersey review – tough MTB top that's great value too

Most Popular

• 2 e*thirteen Quick Fill Schrader tubeless valve review – Presta-compatible Schrader tubeless valve
• 3 e*thirteen Helix Race 9-52t cassette review – maximum gear range upgrade
• 4 I rode Merida’s all-new Big Trail 600 hardtail MTB and the fresh geometry makes it a fantastically rad riding freak
• 5 Schwalbe looks to reinvent the way we inflate bike tires with its new easier to use and more efficient Clik Valve push-on system

• Forum Listing
• Marketplace
• Advanced Search
• Riding Style
• Enduro Racing

Choosing The Perfect Enduro Bike: How much suspension do you need?

Attachments

Good thing I don't race Enduro, seems to be an elitist event. Ride the bike you already have, ride a lot, and learn some DH skills on a hard tail, go to the bike park and learn some jumping skills too!  

• ?            
• 15.5M posts
• 519.8K members

Top Contributors this Month

How Much Travel Do You Need?

Simple question. Tough answer.

These days it’s near impossible to go to a bike shop and leave with a bad bike. The research, development and tech in modern mountain bikes is very impressive. They’re way more capable than bikes from even five years ago. It becomes a blessing and a curse. With literally hundreds of solid options, the difficulty becomes deciding which style of bike is best for you. Well, consider this the ultimate, be-all and end-all, no questions asked, 100% scientific, authoritative guide to helping you find your next bike.

Here’s how our test went. We picked three different styles of bikes within the broader “trail bike” category (Trail meaning the bike pedals uphill, rides downhill and isn’t strictly designed for XC or DH racing. You know, the kind 95% of us ride.) Within the “Trail” category we broke it down further into just plain old Trail, All Mountain and Enduro. We chose to keep all of the bikes within the same brand to eliminate differences in suspension design and to minimize differences in geometry. We wanted this test to be all about the amount of suspension rather than geometry or platform. We chose the Santa Cruz Tallboy (Trail), Santa Cruz Hightower (All Mountain) and the Santa Cruz Megatower (Enduro) for our test. All three of our test rigs had the same level of build kit, carbon Reserve wheels and surprisingly very similar geometry. The biggest differentiator was how much travel each bike had. The Tallboy comes with 120mm out back paired to a 130mm fork, the Hightower is 140mm rear and 150mm front, while the Megatower packs a punch at 160mm front and back. Head tube angles across all three bikes only varied by 0.5 degrees.

We loaded all the bikes into the shop van and hit the hills. We rode each bike on three different trails to get a good idea of how they all compare on a wide variety of terrain. Our test climb lasted about 15 minutes and had a little bit of everything. It had fast bits, steep bits, rocky bits, loose bits and paved road bits — that’s a lot of bits. We also rode a flow trail with berms, jumps and rollers. The final trail we rode really pushed some limits. It was steep and rooty with a handful of drops and loose flat corners. The trails we tested gave us a good idea of how each bike feels on an “everyday” ride as well as a ride that might be above your pay grade.

Let’s get down to the nitty gritty. How Much Travel Do You Need?

Conor – This went about as expected. We started the test on the enduro bikes while our legs were fresh. The Megatower climbed well enough. The steep seat tube kept my weight over the pedals and not way off the back of the bike. It had gobs of traction for the looser pitches of the climb. It felt heavy and I spent quite a bit of the climb in the easiest gear just to keep the wheels spinning. Enduro bikes are meant to be able to get you up a hill without too much fuss, but they really put an emphasis on descending. The geometry is designed to be as stable as possible down rough, steep terrain. This same geometry is what makes the bike sit back and wander up steep climbs. I own an enduro bike so I’m very familiar with how they climb. They’re not amazing, but they will do the job. I’m still able to put in big days in the mountains without being completely gassed by the end.

Brock – The enduro bike climbed well enough. Nobody ever buys an enduro bike because they’re wanting to climb a lot. My idea of riding an enduro bike is to get me to the top without hike-a-biking a DH sled. The modern geometry on this bike felt really good on the climbs, both the long, drawn-out climbs, and the short-punchy ones. The seat tube angle kept me right over the top of the bike, and I never felt like I was losing traction or working harder than I needed to be. The only noticeable downside was that I was pushing a bit of extra weight being on the enduro bike. Thanks to the Eagle gearing and the 50 tooth “granny gear,” I never had to walk this bike.

Conor – We then moved on to the all mountain bike. The Santa Cruz Hightower felt apparently lighter and snappier from the get go. It sagged into its travel less and provided a snappier ride. Sitting higher in the travel, my weight was more centered on the bike. The front wheel wandered less and tracked a straighter line when things got steep. I felt faster even though this was our second lap up the hill. All mountain bikes are designed to take you anywhere on the mountain. They need to be able to go uphill, downhill and just about anywhere. Our all mountain test bike was still a tad heavy and a little more focused on downhill performance.

Brock – After jumping onto the all mountain bike, I was really glad that Conor had chosen to ride the enduro bikes first. The difference in weight, even just being a few pounds, felt so much better to climb on. I rarely used the “granny gear” on this bike, even on the long section of pavement after getting off the dirt. It was noticeably easier to get up and over the rough, rooty sections of the climb without getting hung up, or feeling like you were exerting every last bit of energy. Overall, it felt a lot more efficient, and I felt better on this bike at the top of the hill.

Conor – Finally, moving on to the trail bike. The Tallboy made the climb a piece of cake. Again the difference in weight was rather apparent. The trail bike felt much more responsive than the other two. It accelerated quicker, tracked the straightest line no matter how steep the climb and encouraged us to push the pace a little. No Eagle gear moseying here.

Brock – The same feeling going from the enduro bike to the all mountain bike was there again changing from the all mountain to the trail bike. A lighter feel, along with more efficient pedaling urged me to thank Conor, yet again, for picking the enduro bike first, and leaving me on the trail bike to repeat the climb for the third time. Not only was it lighter than the all mountain bike, but the feeling of it being snappier was evident as well. One thing I did notice about the shorter travel in the rough sections of the climb was that it would get hung up a bit more than the longer travel bikes, meaning that momentum would get robbed by roots and rocky sections on the punchy climbs. The fix for this was better line choice, or just putting down a bit more power to push through. Again, even more so than the all mountain bike, I was using less low gears on this bike, which I bring up because this was the third time climbing within about an hour or two, and fatigue was setting in. I felt like I might just keep pedaling all day on this bike.

Our times for the ride confirmed how we felt on each of the bikes. The trail bike was the fastest while the enduro was the slowest with the all mountain bike falling somewhere in the middle.

Let the fun begin. How Much Travel Do You Need?

Conor – First up is the enduro bike — fast, confident, grippy and a heck of a lot of fun. This is where Brock and I started to vary in our opinions about the bikes. Personally, I loved the enduro bike on this trail. I was able to push harder into corners, overshoot jumps and barely even feel it and hit the drops without slowing down. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. I did notice the Megatower felt a little sluggish out of the tighter corners compared to the other two bikes. It wallowed a bit under heavy pedaling efforts too. Overall, the enduro bike felt really fast but at the same time very controlled, two things that don’t always go hand in hand.

Brock – As we began our descent on the enduro bikes, my overall thought was that the enduro bike felt long and that I didn’t need it on the flow trail we had chosen. It felt like it needed to be manhandled through the tighter corners, and I didn’t feel much of a benefit except where there were sections that I carried a bit more speed than I probably should have. In the moments of misjudgment on my part, I was grateful to be on a longer travel bike that soaked it up. One in particular was a blind drop that I picked a bad line, landed further out than desired, putting me off the trail. In this situation, I think that the extra travel made up the difference of getting bounced off the bike, or recovering and riding away. In the rougher sections near the bottom, the enduro bike seemed to gain speed through the rock gardens, but lose speed in the tighter corners.

Conor – The all mountain bike was a good mix of the other two. It instilled more confidence than the trail bike without being sluggish. It had more “pop” than the Megatower but not as much as the Tallboy. The tires felt gripper and more substantial. The Hightower was a little easier to get around a corner than the enduro bike. The shorter wheelbase made the tighter section at the bottom of the trail much easier to navigate. It got back up to speed faster after a corner as well. If your trails are really tight but still difficult and rocky, the all mountain bike might be a better option than a full blown enduro rig. I was slowest on the all mountain bike, however. I felt the Hightower didn’t take enough of the “monster truck” factor from the Megatower to be fast in the rocks, but it didn’t take enough of the fast, zippy nature of the Tallboy in the corners and rollers. Or at least that’s the only way I can justify it.

Brock – I immediately felt better going downhill on the all mountain bike. It was so much easier to maneuver and plant exactly where I wanted on the trail, which I credit to the shorter wheel base, and lighter weight. The bike felt like it was encouraging me to pedal out of the corners and make extra speed in the sections where I didn’t feel comfortable on the enduro bike. Come time for the rough stuff, the bike had plenty of travel to not feel much of an effect, and keep the speeds high. When it got really rough, I could always preload the suspension, and jump over the top of it. Something that wasn’t there on the enduro bike because I felt like it needed to just plow through it. The all mountain bike felt overall more playful than the enduro bike on this trail.

Conor – Lastly the trail bike — or should we call it the skateboard with two wheels. The trail bike liked to play and pop. It felt very quick in and out of the corners. The Tallboy gives you the feeling that you’re not wasting any energy pushing through the travel. In other words, when you pump to gain speed, all of your energy is translated into making the bike go faster. Same goes for pedaling back up to speed out of a corner. Nothing is wasted. The trail bike accelerated very quickly. While the top speeds were slower, on a twisty trail like the one we rode, the maneuverable nature of the bike can bring up your average speeds resulting in a faster run. I really enjoyed the ride quality of the trail bike. Instead of my usual style (death-gripping the bars, closing my eyes and hoping I don’t run into something) I was forced to slow down a bit. Going slower I was really able to focus more on having fun, rather than being fast. It’s a style of riding I’m really starting to enjoy.

Brock – Since I used the word “playful” for the all mountain bike on this trail, I think I’d use some sort of descriptive word to emphasize the playfulness on the trail bike — super playful, extra playful, extremely playful — something like that. Or maybe I say, “grinningly playful” to put it into perspective for those who ride and get it — it was so good. Pushing it into corners, jumping over things, pulling into a manual through rough stuff, or flat stuff, or just any stuff, this bike was rad. I’m pretty sure after riding this I started running through some financial possibilities to purchase this bike and bring it home. It was at home on a fast flow trail, and made me want to ride laps over and over on it. This bike got pushed hard, and responded well. I did find the limit of it a time or two, and just kept riding. It was really surprising at how capable a short travel bike can be, and how much fun it amounts to.

Watch the full flow trail runs –

Things are getting serious now. How much travel do you need?

Conor – We saved the hardest trail of the day for last. This descent had enough roots to last a lifetime, steep skidder sections and plenty of trees to narrowly dodge… or hit. The enduro bike obviously ate it up. It really came into its element on the tough descent. The Megatower didn’t get hung up in the roots, in fact it seemed to just pick up speed. The rear end moved up and out of the way with ease. The steeps didn’t make the bike feel outgunned and the chunky ledges and drops didn’t get the bike bouncing and bucking around. I had the most fun during the entire day on this trail on this bike. Pushing into root littered corners at high speed is my kind of fun. I liked the way the bike stayed composed in sections where I started losing control of the other bikes. The bumps don’t disappear (that wouldn’t be any fun) rather they just feel inconsequential. I knew the trail was bumpy, I could feel it, but it didn’t seem to matter. I didn’t feel the need to grab the brakes. The bike almost dared me to see if I could go faster, push harder into a corner or pull up for a big double. My time reflected the amount of fun I was having.

Brock – The enduro bike felt like this tech trail was made for it. Or the trail felt like it was made for the enduro bike. Either way, you get the point. It ate up the steep rooty section at the top as if they weren’t there, and helped me feel confident maintaining and gaining speed through drops and steep sections. Although my time is not on track with how I felt, this was the bike I’d choose for this type of trail. The problem was, before riding this, I pushed one of the other bikes a bit harder than I should have, and got the scare of my life. This caused some hesitation on the enduro bike so I wouldn’t have a repeat of the previous run, or get bucked off the bike. My complaints of the bike being too much, or overkill on the flow trail, were nowhere to be found on this trail.

Conor – The all mountain bike handled the tough descent as you would hope. It didn’t feel quite as good as the enduro bike, but it gave me enough confidence to let loose. Compared to the Megatower, the back end felt a little more chattery and less composed in the high speed roots. The bike bounced around a little more and I found myself grabbing brakes where I didn’t need to on the enduro bike. All the drops and steep sections felt great though — there was plenty of travel to remain in control. There was enough grip for the dusty conditions and cornering felt fast.

Brock – The all mountain bike handled everything I threw at it on the tech trail, until I went too big on a drop and scared myself into grabbing the brakes before the next drop and sliding out, as mentioned above. I guess we could say I felt over confident, and pushed it too hard. Since I didn’t technically go down, I’d say pushing it too hard and finding the limits is a good thing, especially on a trail like this. The bike felt nimble, and never felt under-gunned through the roughest parts, partly due to the aggressive geometry, but also because it had just enough travel to get the job done.

Conor – The trail bike was a bit of a surprise. It handled the roots fairly well and really only felt out of its element when things got steep. The bike bucked around quite a bit more than the other two. I was on the brakes more while aboard the Tallboy. I didn’t have the same confidence as with the other bikes. The ragged edge felt quite a bit closer and at one point I lost control of the bike and hit a tree. In order to enjoy this trail on the trail bike, I had to slow down and ride a little differently. Instead of no-braking a section and plowing into everything in my way, I’d focus more on staying on a good line and hitting my braking points.

Brock – The trail bike again was grinningly fun. Before riding this bike down this particular trail, it would have never crossed my mind to take a 120mm bike down such a rowdy trail. Instead I would have opted for a longer travel bike, or a different trail. However, I would gladly ride this bike any day of the week back down this trail. It felt confident and playful throughout the whole ride. Obviously in the real rough and steep stuff, things got a bit dicey, but never too much to scare or intimidate me. If anything, I’d say that on this bike, you just feel the trail a bit more than on the longer bikes.

Watch the full tech trail runs –

Brock – The enduro bike was great on the tech trail, and not my favorite on the flow trail. It’s a lot of bike. Its job is to get you to the top eventually, and have a rad time coming back down. It’s happiest finding the roughest bits of trail to pilot it down, and encourages that type of riding. It’s also good at making up the differences and shortcomings of the rider. If you like to smash and bash, and perhaps need some help when things get a little out of control, this bike may be for you.

My pick out of the three bikes would be the all mountain bike. It’s a bike that’s great at pedaling mellow trails and still having a good time, or taking a shuttle to the top and riding down the gnarliest trail you can find. It’s well rounded in everything that you could do with it. The all mountain bike made me think of long days on Park City trails where I just start pedaling without an end goal in mind and end up getting lost and finding my way back to the parking lot with 30-40 miles on the odometer for the day. The long days up, across, and back down is what this bike is ideal for in my eyes. This bike is going to make a great bike for the rider that does all of the above, and needs just one bike to do it all.

The trail bike might have the most fun factor of the three. If we timed average time smiling or giggling on the bike, this would win. If you’re not the rider to go regularly push yourself on really steep trails all the time, this could be the one. If you’re out for a good time, no matter the terrain or the people you’re with, and occasionally like to get outside of your comfort zone, this could also be the bike to handle it all. It’s been dubbed the downhiller’s XC bike, and since we all love to go downhill at some point, I don’t think I could agree more.

Conor – Which bike would I pick? Short answer, I’d take the enduro bike all day. What can I say? I’m a long travel kind of guy. I like that it has your back no matter how rowdy things get. You can always rely on the bike to get you out of a spicy situation. I’m happy enough to take a penalty on the climbs to get that extra downhill performance. I don’t feel like there is such a thing as “too much travel.” Feel like your bike is too big? Ride it faster, brake less, hit jumps bigger and smash every rock in sight. I can see the advantages to shorter travel bikes, but they don’t align with my priorities very well. If you want to hit hard trails, or hate the feeling of being outgunned, an enduro bike is going to be a good choice for you. It’s got your back in every situation.

The all mountain bike felt too much like a fence sitter to me. I want a bike that can go mach burrito down a nasty trail, or I want a bike that is just down to take it easy, hit all the jumps and have a good time. For me the all mountain bike doesn’t take enough of the strengths from the enduro or trail categories to really shine. My times on the day reflect that pretty well. We didn’t have a way to measure “good times” but the hootin’ and hollerin’ was more subdued aboard the all mountain bike. And, don’t take this as me hating on the Santa Cruz Hightower. I think it makes an excellent all mountain bike. The category just isn’t for me. I think someone who doesn’t just ride buffed out singletrack, but isn’t willing to give up that extra edge of climbing performance would really enjoy an all mountain bike. I can also see people who like to ride hard trails at slower speeds really liking this category too.

The trail bike gave me a run for the money. I had a heck of a good time looking for features to hit, jumps to jump and corners to smash. It’s a riding style I’m not as used to but it’s really starting to grow on me. I could see myself buying a short travel trail bike in the future. Who knows, maybe it will even replace my long-travel squishy bike one day. I like the way these shorter travel bikes handle and the benefits can’t be ignored. For the time being though, they just don’t line up as well with the terrain I like to ride. If you like riding cruiser singletrack and the occasional rugged trail, a trail bike would be an excellent option.

Hopefully this article and series of videos helps you decide which style of bike is best for you. If you’re interested in any of the bikes we rode in our test, we have all of them in our demo fleet. If you want to try something other than a Santa Cruz demo, we have a ton of other bikes. Check out the whole list of demo bikes here .

Share this:

2 responses to “how much travel do you need”.

Nice summary. There is undeniable sex appeal for the longer travel bikes, and one might like to have more “just in case”. At the end of the day, you have to know a couple of things: where you will be riding mostly and your skill level. I agonized over choosing between an Ibis Ripley and Ripmo. I finally opted for the Ripley and it is a friggin’ blast. I still window shop the Ripmo, but I figure that can wait until I can really make the Ripley sail. It doesn’t bottom out on 4 foot drops and it is a rocket on smoother flow trails. I am also one of those oddballs that enjoys the challenges of climbing something a little on the technical side.

[…] downhill MTB models with corresponding travel ranges include the Santa Cruz V10 (200mm) and the Specialized Demo […]

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Blog at WordPress.com.

Discover more from Bikers Edge

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading

Home › Forums › Bike Forum › The old "how much travel is too much" question

• This topic has 30 replies, 25 voices, and was last updated 7 years ago by maxtorque .
• The old "how much travel is too much" question

I’m thinking about upgrading my 10 yr old Marin hardtail to a full suspension and there are some good deals on a couple of 160mm bikes at the moment. I know it is more travel than I need for the riding I do (I’m not going to be doing any enduro races any time soon) and was really looking in the 130 to 140mm range but from a value point of view and the level of kit available I’m quite tempted by the longer travel bikes.

For those with more experience of full suspension than me, would I really regret going for the longer travel bike pedalling around places like Cannock?

I have never ridden Cannock, but I’ve ridden plenty of other trail centres. A short travel hardtail is perfect. A short travel full sus like a Giant Anthem would probably also be a good choice.

Trail centres are not steep enough of fast enough for 160mm travel bikes btw. Pick the right tool for the job

Please enable JavaScript

Ahh…. That’ll explain why I’ve hated every trail centre I’ve been to 🙄

Don’t be tempted if that’s the kind of riding you enjoy. I’d say 160mm will be too much. I’d look for a bike wit around 120 -140mm 650b or 100 – 130mm 29er.

160mm bikes really are designed for hard steep fast trails nowadays.

I have a 140mm full sus trail bike, used to have a 170mm full sus enduro bike, and have recently built up a 100mm travel hardtail. Guess which is the most fun round my local trail centre (Dalby). Clue. Not the first 2.

Ignore DT, he hasn’t ridden a bike off-road since your old Marin reached school age – and long travel bikes have got a lot better since then! 😛

However, there are a lot of good bikes in the 120-140mm travel realm which will go uphill and along as easily as your hardtail (and grip better on technical climbs) and demolish it downhill.

I don’t know what your budget is but the new Bird Aeris 120 is a lot of bike for the money, whichever spec level you go for, and the geometry and suspension design are both very well sorted.

I wouldn’t want a 160mm bike for Cannock.

It felt a bit of a slog on my (heavy) 110mm bike.

Stick with plan a, I reckon

I’ve got a 160 bike I regularly ride around Cannock. It’s great. Over the top for most bits(well, all of it really, but it’s nice in some of the humungous braking bumps) but certainly doesn’t feel like lugging a dh bike up a fire road. A lot will totally depend on the bike anyways. Would a 130 bike be more appropriate? Yeah, probably, but I’d rather have the bike that’s a bit OTT for a lot of my riding, with a bit in reserve, and epic for the bigger stuff, than be totally under biked on the gnar.

I’m sure a Spark or something would be faster, but it’s not what I’m used to, and it’s not what I like riding. And I’m only riding for fun, not times. Remember that 1 160 bike is not the same as another. My Transition Patrol Is a lot more fun on those sort of trails than my Capra was, or the Enduro I had for a bit.

If, however, that’s the gnarliest riding you’ll ever do, then I’d say it would be quite OTT. But the right bike will still be a crapload of fun, and happily save your bacon at times that a 100 mil bike would have spat you off.

I reckon a 120mm FS 29er is a UK sweet-spot, although all the riding I did at Cannock in the past was on a 140mm fork HT.

Ignore DT, he hasn’t ridden a bike off-road since your old Marin reached school age

Urgh, the last bike I rode off-road had drop handlebars 😀

My point still stands though; pick the correct tool for the job. Sounds like some of the above posters pick a bike based on their annual trip to the alps, and then spend the rest of the year lugging it round trail centres.

FTS. Some of the most fun I’ve had on a bike was Morgins downhill track on a hardtail. Inappropriate, but better than dragging a big full susser round grizedale every other week night.

My point still stands though; pick the correct tool for the job

Some of the most fun I’ve had on a bike was Morgins downhill track on a hardtail

TBH it’s not that simple. My main bike is a Remedy 29 with 150/140mm of travel but it carries it well so it’s no great hardship to pedal it around, and it’s still fun to ride on easier stuff. That last one’s the important bit IMO, some big bikes are monster trucks that can take the fun out of easy trails.

My old bike was heavier, blobbier to pedal, but most of all it could just kind of steamroller things so it could make easier stuff feel a bit pointless- I almost never rode it on my local trails. It’s a personality trait of the bike more than anything else…

I really like the shorter travel idea but in practice it’s never worked for me… Partly because you end up using a lot of the same parts- Pikes or 34s, similar wheels and tyres, same drivetrain… So my longer travel bike’ll be lighter than some shorter bikes just because it has a fairly light frame.

I have found that increasing travel just makes the trails boring, am happier at trail centres on either my hardtail or bandit than i am on the covert which has a fair bit more travel. It just takes the challenge out of it, and yeah i can go faster on the big bike but what’s the point when it makes trails seem uninspiring. Have ridden my dh bike (200mm) and covert (160mm) at the fod uplift and others and it’s way more fun on the covert. That being said there are places (revo) where i take nothing other than the dh bike

@Northwind : For the OP’s use case you wouldn’t need 34s/pikes and burly tyres though. You’d have a lot more fun on a 120mm bike with 32’s and some faster tyres.

Thanks for the comments – I’ll steer clear of the bargain and go with something more suitable. Aeris 120/Whyte T130/Cotic Flare were on my original list and pretty much at the top end of my budget. 2016 Cannondale Habit with the lefty fork is a bit cheaper but less modern geometry I think – any one with an opinion it?

You’ve only got to look at the best selling bikes in the U.K. None I bet are long travel machines , first bike to mind T130 very capable . Too many platforms the industry are flooding the market with options , never have I needed and wanted for more than 130mm on my bfe and 120 on my segment. 160mm tend to be gravity oriented very slack and a tad slow across the ground and climbing, steer clear of direct buying pay a visit to the local bike shop most ride and will ( most ) be able to get you demos.

You’d use the same tyres on either bike- no reason to put burly tyres on a bike that sees light use, just because it happens to be longer travel.

And for 120mm, a set of 120mm 32s is almost the same weight as 34s (because the 32 is effectively an older model- the step cast 32 is lighter but only comes in 100mm) 34mm is becoming the norm for 120mm.

(you could go with a Sid or similar and save more weight but there’s also tradeoffs there, and you’re talking a couple of hundred grams. I like my Sids but I don’t think I’d have them on any sort of trailbike. I liked my 120mm Revelations but they were heavier than 34s)

It’s all kind of by the by because the OP is looking at 130-140mm, or longer. But it’s interesting to me, how much better these “mid weight” parts are now, it’s been a sort of creeping quiet benefit. Today’s mid-travel and lighter long-travel bikes are ridiculous.