All things suspension travel

The significant difference between a road bike and a mountain bike is the suspension. Road bikes are designed for speed and covering long distances. Suspension elements would swallow energy applied by the cyclist for propulsion. A suspension fork or damper are therefore not used. In addition, very narrow, smooth tires provide little resistance so that high speeds can be achieved. However, this means that only asphalt or very flat surfaces can be ridden on. Gravel bikes allow due to their tires including more profile, even on dirt and gravel roads to get ahead. If, on the other hand, you want to roll over rooty forest passages, explore rough trails or even be prepared for deep drops in the bike park, you'll reach for the MTB. The demands placed on a bike change depending on the type of terrain ridden. Different gradations of suspension travel support in the intended range of use. Whether hardtail or fully, E-bike or exclusively self-propelled: with the right suspension travel, every adventure off the road seems feasible. Here you can find out exactly what suspension elements are all about and how much travel is suitable for whom.

What is the spring travel?

Mountain bikes can be suspended in different ways. The suspension travel means the suspension depth that absorbs bumps and jumps. Suspension fork and damper are considered suspension elements. The distance the damper can compress is called the stroke. Multiplied by the rear end gear ratio, you can calculate the frame's suspension travel. For a better understanding, let's first take a closer look at the suspension elements along with bike types. Hardtail is the collective term for bikes that are simply suspended. For example, dirt bikes also belong to the hardtails. A suspension fork is the connecting element between the front wheel and the handlebar. It allows the front wheel to compress. There are rigid forks with steel suspension or air suspension. In modern bikes, air suspension has largely prevailed over the heavy, limited-adjustment steel suspension in recent years. Rigid forks are used on road bikes, cyclocross bikes, gravel bikes and BMXs.

Air suspensions can be precisely adjusted by changing the air pressure they contain. This is relevant to adapt an MTB to the body weight of its rider. It also allows you to respond to your own needs during the ride. The nature of the surface on which one mainly moves plays a role. Certain riding techniques and tricks are easier to implement with a harder suspension fork. Up to 200 millimeters of suspension travel are common with suspension forks. This means that a maximum suspension travel of 200mm is possible. Nowadays, the so-called lock-out system is widely used. The suspension fork can be locked. This increases the traction. What is meant is the bike's ability to convert drive power into propulsion, i.e. acceleration. Energy is thus saved on level ground or uphill when the suspension fork is locked. The applied power goes directly into propulsion and is not swallowed by the suspension fork. Fullys are mountain bikes with "full suspension". In addition to the front suspension fork, there is a rear shock absorber. This can also be locked on many models to perform better uphill and on flat trails. All Mountain Bikes or trail bikes, the enduro or freeride bikse are counted for example as fullys. Rear shock absorbers compensate for bumps and catch jumps and drops. The spring and shock absorber combine to form the suspension strut, which is often just referred to as a damper in common parlance. As with the suspension fork, there are two options. A suspension by air or by a steel or titanium spring. The material is of course also a question of money. The air suspension can also contribute to weight reduction of the entire bike and is more precisely adjustable. Especially for riders with little body weight, this can pay off. Bikes with a lot of suspension travel that are built for particularly rough terrain tend to go for steel or titanium suspension. As the suspension travel increases, the frame geometry also changes.

What spring travel do I need?

If you want to buy a new bike , you should analyze your driving behavior in advance. It is important to start from the real main area of use. If you like to go to the bike park once or twice a year, but are otherwise more at home in the forest, you will never really use a freeride bike . Staying realistic is the be-all and end-all here.

Hardtail

Do you want to do long tours on slightly uneven ground or reach the top of the mountain independently? In addition, the way down should be fun and lead over rooty trails? Then the cheaper and less maintenance-intensive hardtail can be the perfect choice for you. Usually it has around 100mm of suspension travel. There are trail hardtails or race hardtails. Manufacturer specifications tell you what their models are suitable for. Hardtails are especially recommended for people with little riding technique. Since no damper is installed, which could forgive many driving errors, you learn to ride very well.

Fullys

Do you feel like adrenaline, bumpy descents and the full fun in the bike park? Then look around at the fullys of your favorite manufacturers. With the Fullys it is particularly exciting when it comes to the suspension travel.

Cross country bikes usually have up to 120 mm of suspension travel. They are also called Racefullys. Who is particularly much uphill on the road, but still wants to perform downhill on easy trails, can look for a cross country, also called XC bike .

All-mountain bikes, also called trail bikes, have up to about 150mm of suspension travel. Some enduro bikes are also in this range. One relies on long frame geometry with a flat steering angle. This results in an upright riding position. With this category of bike most mountain bike affine people are well served. Uphill can still be ridden well independently. The All Mountain bike also compensates for rough trails and wide jumps or smaller drops. It is the perfect compromise for people who, in addition to home trails, also occasionally want to visit a bike park. The focus is on a lightweight construction, aluminum and carbon are common frame materials. Mainly you can find it with 29-inch wheels.

Enduro bikes with a little more travel and freeride bikes have an average of up to 180mm travel. Not only the suspension differs, but also the steering angle, seat angle and thus the entire seating position are much more geared towards downhill riding. The wheel size or the mounting of the bike components also influence the seating position. The body is positioned more above the rear axle. In this way, large obstacles can be rolled over and long jumps are cushioned. Riding uphill independently is rather troublesome with this suspension travel. In the bike park, however, you are best positioned with it. Freeride bikes are worthwhile for people with a lot of experience on the bike or professionals.

Downhill bikes usually have up to 180mm travel. They are designed primarily for downhill racing, i.e. speed on rough trails. Downhill bikes are also exposed to high loads. With the large load capacity of the frame comes a lot of weight. The suspension fork has a double bridge. This ensures stability. Riding uphill is hardly possible with a downhillbike . The frame geometry is geared even more towards a recumbent riding position.

Various types of mountain bikes are now available with an electric motor. Especially uphill, this is a relief. E-mountain bikes are an excellent support for reaching unique mountain peaks and viewpoints that would require great effort under their own power. E-fullys are particularly popular. The trip to the gondola or shuttle service can be saved by getting uphill assistance from the motor. This makes it possible to do a particularly large number of downhill runs in a short time.

How do I adjust my suspension?

Suspension elements offer options for adjusting them. This makes it possible to improve performance. In addition to the air pressure in air suspension, knobs and volume spacers, also called tokens, can be adjusted. Volume spacers are made of plastic or rubber and reduce the volume in the air chamber of the suspension fork or shock.

1. First, the negative spring travel should be set appropriately. The negative spring travel is the compression of the damper by just putting it on the MTB. This can be regulated by the air pressure or the spring. Here, the more downhill loaded the bike will be, the higher the negative spring travel in relation to the total spring travel. Here you should always go after the body weight in addition to the bike equipment such as helmet and protectors. It is important to set the negative suspension travel while standing, not sitting. Otherwise, the suspension fork may be set too low for steep terrain.
2. After that, you can take a look at the rebound. This refers to the rebound speed of the suspension elements after they have been compressed by jumps or bumps in the ground. A fast rebound setting is more playful. Too fast of a rebound can give the feeling of flying over the handlebars quickly. A slow rebound setting makes the bike stick more to the ground. The important thing here is to find a compromise that suits your own riding style.

Known suspension manufacturers such as Fox, Rockshox or Sram offer a setup guide. This helps for orientation with the correct setting.

Is more suspension travel better?

People often tend to aim for more suspension travel than they really need. However, more travel does not only have advantages. While it is true that much suspension travel forgives a lot. Larger obstacles can be easily rolled over and high speeds are possible downhill even without much technology. Here lies a problem. Technique is the most important factor in cycling. You will learn it properly rather with little suspension travel. It is helpful to start riding on trails with a hardtail. A full suspension bike fires up a spongy feel and you get less feedback from the ground. Also, certain riding techniques and tricks are easier to learn and implement with less suspension travel. If, for example, you want to try a "bunny hop", i.e. take both tires off the ground at the same time, you will have a hard time with a fully at the beginning. Offsetting the wheels also works better when the bike has less compression. An honest analysis of one's own bike use and the terrain in which one feels comfortable will help one make the appropriate choice of suspension travel. In the end, though, endlessly reading up on the subject doesn't count. Better time is spent practicing on the bike , trying things out and getting a feel for your bike. You can find a variety of potential dream bikes at buycycle. If you have any questions about suspension elements or travel, the buycycle team is there to help and advise.