Do we really need long travel bikes in SA?

[Hairy]

I like longer travel bikes ... 1400/160mm range.

 

They are burlier, and therefore stiffer and more robust (Usually )

 

Suspension and duallie frame designs have come a long way allowing for light builds and very efficient bikes.

 

I smaak them.

 

In reverse order the last few trail bikes orientated I have had, xc bikes for another thread:

 

140mm rear, 160mm front

HT rear, 140mm front

140mm rear, 150mm front

140mm front and rear

160mm front and rear

160mm front and rear

140mm rear, 150mm front

135mm rear, 140mm front

[Headshot]

Yes, I did a 3 day race on my 160 mm bike the other day. Not very long at 130km and 2600m total climbing, but boy was the bike fun on the descents. I was so glad I wasnt on a marathon bike whenever things went steep and rocky. 

 

Try riding Jonkers on a long stemmed marathon bike and you'll probably be inclined to ride really slowly down hill and not enjoy the tech features much. Bennet Nel gets complaints that some of the trails are too technical. He rides an Enduro. 

 

Too much emphasis on marathon racing and fitness over skills and fun is the SA way unfortunately. 

[jimmy hardtail]

The way i see it at the moment is that the geometry of the frame i more important than the actual amount of travel. Having ridden dh bikes for years and a whole selection of mid travel trail and freeride bikes, i have realised that geometry counts more than having an extra 20mm of travel. Im currently riding a morewood shove st with custom headset cups. So its 66,5 degree head angle and 140 mm at the back. 150 up front. And its as fast as my izimu on all but the roughest terrain but way more nimble. I find myself seeking out any launch to air off and pumping any bumps in the trail like a pump track bike. And it climbs too, just lock front and rear and off you go

[Headshot]

It really does make one think. Look at Nino, they shred XCO trails that are very technical and would be consider enduro in SA, with a 100mm fork

Not sure how many enduro's you have done?

 

The tracks down in the Cape vary between easy XC and quite steep and technical. There is a difference between trying to extract the best time and maximum speed on a descent to merely surviving a rock garden or two every lap as you do on an XC bike. XC racers also practice their tracks repeatedly prior to racing them.

 

Nino and co would be way faster on a slack,  long travel bike in those rock gardens but also much slower on the climbs due to the extra weight, suspension and such like. XC bikes are a compromise weighted very much in favour of  climbing speed. Not much fun and definitely more dangerous and slower on steep tech and rock gardens than an enduro bike though.

 

Thats why  XC bike makes such a poor choice for your average rider but in this country, these bikes get punted by the shops because of the emphasis on marathon racing in SA. The knock on effect is skills don't improve and trails get dumbed down. ...

[Hairy]

I did the W2W last year on my 140/150mm bike ... my riding partner was on a 150/150mm bike and we were both rocking 26'ers .... we were also not slowest

[Odinson]

Another thing: when riding shorter travel bikes hard, frame design and suspension set-up is important.

 

Some bikes, such as most YTs, have very progressive leverage curves, i.e. the bike is hard to bottom out. Bikes that don't have the same progressivity by design will have to rely on shock set-up to assist in ramp-up at the end of the stroke.

 

So, if you're looking into a frame, do some research into its leverage curve and see what you can expect in that regard.

[Paul Ruinaard]

You cannot wipe away the smile factor of pointing a plush long travel rig downhill.

 

But there is a lot more to this than travel - its also about how that travel is presented and what the bike does with it.  100mm on an XC rig is designed to stay stiff and only give when needed for efficiency.

 

THe same travel on a different discipline bike could be plush and very bouncy.

 

My 2 cents is the sweet spot is about 120mm to 140mm front and back with a frame that can make sure the travel isnt too bouncy. Like a Camber or Stumpjumper or so. Nice slack head angle as well.

 

You can climb and descend all day. You lose a bit on the climbs but thats okay cause you can rip the downhills and rock gardens etc much better.

 

It makes riding fun.

[Headshot]

Another thing: when riding shorter travel bikes hard, frame design and suspension set-up is important.

 

Some bikes, such as most YTs, have very progressive leverage curves, i.e. the bike is hard to bottom out. Bikes that don't have the same progressivity by design will have to rely on shock set-up to assist in ramp-up at the end of the stroke.

 

So, if you're looking into a frame, do some research into its leverage curve and see what you can expect in that regard.

Yes, and you definitely need to invest time in learning about suspension set up on longer travel bikes to get the best out of them. Riding steeper stuff, pump the fork up a bit etc etc....

[Odinson]

Here you go, OP: 

 

140mm back and front; 66,5° head angle; 74° seat angle and 437mm chainstays.

 

http://www.commencal-store.co.uk/Files/98790/Img/02/17METATROYE_680.jpg

 

Edit: And Boost back and front and metric shock sizing!

[popcorn_skollie]

What does travel have to do with it? Surely the shock orientation is the only important factor?

 

Don't be racist

[popcorn_skollie]

I've been thinking about how much travel I need for the next bike for the longest time. 

I was dead set on this one. The Kona Process 134. Then I realized that I didn't have any money. Which I probably should have considered before I deciding that I wanted a new bike.

 

http://2016.konaworld.com/images/bikes/hires/process_134_sup.jpg

 

It seemed like the right decision for me considering that I already have a 150mm bike and a 180mm bike. With a 150mm pike the Process would render my Commi useless despite having slightly less squish in the rear. Assuming that modern trail bikes like the Process make far more efficient use of available travel compared to my old bikes. 

 

Droo mentioned that he found the 110 in the rear of the Phantom over enough and that he just could not get it to bottom out on the rough stuff. It has bigger wheels though so theres that too.

[CAAD4]

Stoppie Lorrie! I thought anything more than 100mm was long travel?

[stefmeister]

Geometry over suspension travel. You can have 160mm of travel, but still ride a firm setup, or 120mm dialed more plush.

 

If I can do it all over now;

the new Santa Cruz 5010 would be on top of my list.

http://www.santacruzbicycles.com/files/bikes/34png/5010_red_hero_web.png

[Odinson]

I've been thinking about how much travel I need for the next bike for the longest time. 

I was dead set on this one. The Kona Process 134. Then I realized that I didn't have any money. Which I probably should have considered before I deciding that I wanted a new bike.

 

He he he.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Geometry over suspension travel. You can have 160mm of travel, but still ride a firm setup, or 120mm dialed more plush.

 

If I can do it all over now;

the new Santa Cruz 5010 would be on top of my list.

http://www.santacruzbicycles.com/files/bikes/34png/5010_red_hero_web.png

Agreed. 

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

He he he.

I was part of the justification verification panel. LOL.