What's the right amount of trail bike travel for Canberra trails

[stinkytodamax]

Hi Guys

Currently riding a Santa Cruz Blur with 650b (sorry 27.5) wheels with 120mm front travel and 100mm in the rear. Its a great bike especially for XC use.

I haven't had a bike with more than 120mm of travel in the past 5 years.

I want to get riders inputs as to weather 140mm (i.e. A Giant Trance Advanced 27.5, Ibis Mojo) is just to much travel for riding Kowen/Sparrow/Stromlo/Bruce. I have the feeling 140mm would be fine for Stromlo but how does a longer travel bike stack up on our other trails which are basically XC.

Reason. I'm wanting to sell the Santa Cruz and get a longer travel bike XC bias trail bike and a hardtail 29er for racing.

Any input is welcome.

Cheers

JP

 

[spiderpig]

IMO, I prefer that little bit extra travel to have a ball with at stromlo and not have to worry about hitting any of the little drops or jumps down the back section. Ive had my 5" travel 26" speacilized dually for a longtime now and wouldn't go anything less, ive just upgraded to a 5.5" travel 26" trance.
If the bike your looking at has decent forks/shock with propedal, CTD, blah blah blah which almost all have now anyway, you won't notice an extra inch of travel at sparrow etc, but will love it decending at stromlo.
Your thinking of buying a seperate race bike anyway, so buy this one for the fun factor!

 

[stinkytodamax]

Thanks Spiderpig. I've been riding 100mm travel and hardtails for so long now I've got no idea what a 140mm bike would feel like. You are right CTD has made even average dual sus bikes pedal well so it looks like I should take a few for a test ride around Kowen and Sparrow to see if my competitive side can suffer going slightly slower but having more fun on the downs.

I figure the fun bike should be able to do dual duties as well given Kowen can get a bit chewed out during events like the Mont and my lower back isn't what it used to be.

I was looking for a Trance like you bought before I bought my Santa Cruz. They were good value when they were being run out.

 

[Capone]

Depends on what you are prepared to ride up the Hill

4-5in trail bikes seem to be the best weapon to handle our trails, however have seen people on 6in bikes smash it.

You have a 29er HT for times when you want to go fast so it seems you want more of a play bike. 5/6in with slack geo could be your ticket

 

[spiderpig]

I think you will find the dually fine around sparrow etc, i ride there alot aswell, and Jerra. As you know the trails at sparrow etc are "smooth" compared to some, but the constant tree roots, holes and rocks still don't allow you to sit down for long - on a hard tail and can be quite unrelenting if riding for multiple hours.

My speacialized dually is an old 04 model enduro pro, with the old Fox vanilla 125 RLC coil/oil forks (ie plush as and not the latest and greatest) but with a newer Fox RP23 fitted. The old enduro frame is a great frame and was well ahead of its time but needed the RP23 badly to stop the pedal bob. Once i fitted this it was good times.
I thought i would get a 29er hardtail (13 XTC Advanced SL1), surely i would be quicker on it than my old dually and i want to do some 100k type endurance events, thought it would be a good choice, especially for smoother type "sparrow" trails. Turns out i was wrong, I'm not fit enough to stand all day like what you have to do on the hardtail, can't just sit down and pump away at the pedals, and i was slower on it than my old school 04 dually, even at smoother trails like at sparrow (compared to Jerra, stromolo), was not nearly as much fun on the decents, and by the sounds of it like you, my back couldn't handle it (ive fractured 4 vert from previous moto accidents).
Your fun bike if its well spec'd will be able to do it easy, can't wait to pick up the 12 SLO Trance i just bought. So for me, i worked out, there still isn't alot in it (pedalling/efficency wise) between my 04 dually and the newer bikes, its still alot more about the rider/fitness/fun factor, getting the right bike to suit rider/terrain and 26" duallies are still more than capable, contrary to what some bike shops and bike manafacture's marketing departments tell us.

 

[stinkytodamax]

I've always struggled riding uphill. I'm still paying for being a sinner until 3 years ago. I've always favored a bike that gets me to the top easier and I can use my experience to make my way back down as fast as I can. Its the only way I keep up in most races.

It's hard having to adjust my thinking on what is the right bike for me. I'm on the verge of having a 2nd child (that'll be 2 under 18 months!) so I can only imagine the riding time will be reduced again and I should really be looking at having more 'fun' rides than racing.

A 27.5 Scott Spark with its twin lock is beginning to make some sense to me, help get me up and 120mm for the downs.

I can't justfy 6in travel given I'm not into the all mountain/DH riding. You're right though some dudes smash up that hill on bikes that shouldn't be that fast!

 

[moorey]

I've set up (or in process of setting up) both my trail bikes exactly how I like them. It's obviously personal, but I like a little travel more in the front.
Chumba is 120mm rear and 150 front, nickel is 120 rear, currently with 120 front, but just waiting on 150mm forks in the mail. Nickel doubles as xc bike (or my version of)
I have a 160mm F/R bike, and can ride it anywhere and as far as the other bikes, but it's more travel than I ever need on the trails.
Mates ride their sb66's everywhere as trail bikes, but they are really a bit of overkill on the regular tracks.
There's no simple answer, some mates swear by their hard tails as trail bikes also.
If I was buying new rather than building, I would buy a 140 F/R bike.

 

[stinkytodamax]

I'm thinking 120mm might be the way to go in the rear perhaps with a talas 120-140mm. I just don't find the trails here lose enough/steep enough to require the 150-160mm.

Most of the downhill/trail strava sections of Stromlo (I'm not saying the DH track of course!) are held by dudes who ride 29er hardtails.

Hell I'm 17th on Strava on western wedgetail, a short flowy DH trail and I ride a 100mm travel bike.

Thanks for the input Moorey.

 

[workmx]

STDM,

I have ridden hardtails (rigid through to 150mm travel) and full sus (100mm only) in Canberra.

Still can't see the need for rear suspension here.

I have ridden Majura and Sparrow on a rigid 29er (and on a CX bike) and had fun.

 

[Capone]

I'm thinking 120mm might be the way to go in the rear perhaps with a talas 120-140mm. I just don't find the trails here lose enough/steep enough to require the 150-160mm.

Most of the downhill/trail strava sections of Stromlo (I'm not saying the DH track of course!) are held by dudes who ride 29er hardtails.

Hell I'm 17th on Strava on western wedgetail, a short flowy DH trail and I ride a 100mm travel bike.

Thanks for the input Moorey.

Good idea, i ride a anthem with a 120mm fork, handles everything with ease.

Western Wedgetail is the best piece of track at stromlo

 

[stinkytodamax]

Good idea, i ride a anthem with a 120mm fork, handles everything with ease.

Western Wedgetail is the best piece of track at stromlo

WW is great but I'm not a fan of the new alignment crossing the fire road. I'll have to practice it some more.

I miss my 26 Anthem it was a great workhorse and friggin light with Crests and tubeless.

 

[bootsandall]

I found my 09 Norco fluid 1 with two rear travel position quiet good for Canberra's trails, can run it at the 114mm then swapped it to 140mm when at Stromlo. Donn't notice much difference but then again I'm just out to have a fun ride and not be to stressed about what times I'm clocking. When we hit Pork Barrel I know that I can send it nice and quick and the 140mm is going to suck it up. When we head out to Sparrows its never pushed, generally I do the whole loop with the RP23 propedal lock out on.