How much is enough?

How much suspension travel is truly necessary on a fork when you’re shredding through the forest on a hardtail? Do trail hardtails need 140mm of travel, or could a hardtail sporting a 120mm fork be the superior option? We’ve done a head-to-head comparison.

There’s ample scientific evidence proving that full-suspension mountain bikes are more efficient on trails. The rear suspension grants the back tire significantly more ground contact, allowing riders to tackle rough terrain both swiftly and with precision. Plus, they offer greater comfort compared to a hardtail. Those are the upsides. However, most sellers won’t tell you about the drawbacks of a full-suspension bike:

Hardtails provide the most natural riding experience of all mountain bikes. With a rigid rear end, you can feel every root you roll over. Riding a hardtail is almost like having a strict mistress that demands flawless technique. Make a mistake, and you’ll feel the whip’s snap. Nail your technique, and it’ll leave you grinning from ear to ear. There’s something incredibly satisfying about feeling the entire rider’s energy being converted into forward momentum, with none of it seemingly dissipating in the suspension.

In short, both full-suspension bikes and hardtails have their merits. Deciding which suits you best largely depends on how you prioritise factors such as the thrill of descending or your desire for comfort. Put simply, it boils down to the budget you have available. For more tips on making this choice, you can check out our extensive buyer’s guide on the subject.

Choosing between a full-suspension rig and a hardtail is just the beginning. The decision-making process gets even more challenging when choosing between classic 100mm race bikes, the modern 120mm all-around hardtails, or the trail-specific hardtails with 130mm of travel or more. For hardtail aficionados, this is a hard call to make.

For decades, 100mm of travel was the standard for race hardtails. However, 100mm race hardtails like the Scott Scale, the Merida Big Nine, or the Cube Elite have evolved into ultra spartan machines for race tracks. We’ve put the forefathers of all bikes head-to-head in a separate article, thoroughly comparing them to modern 120mm hardtails here. The verdict: Hardtails with 100mm of travel are now only of interest to a very narrow target audience.

Hardtails featuring 120 mm of travel and a dropper post tip the scales at only about 700 grams to 1 kilo heavier for a comparable price and are significantly more trail-capable. To confirm this, we’ve back-to-back tested the Merida Big.Nine in both its 100 mm and 120 mm travel versions.

We’ve noticed that while you can feel the extra travel, it’s not quite the game-changer compared to a telescopic seatpost. But what happens when you bump up from 120mm of travel, as with the Focus Raven or the Rose PDQ, to 140mm? Are trail hardtails like the Rose Bonero or the Orbea Laufey sick, or does the fun factor get drowned out by the travel?

To definitively determine the optimal travel for a hardtail, we’ve procured two absolutely comparable bikes. The new Liteville H3 is available in both 120mm and 140mm travel versions, and we’ve got our hands on both to perform a direct and thorough comparison of the systems.

Both bikes feature the same frame, yet their spec differs significantly. While the 120mm version rolls on lightly treaded tires, the 140mm trail variant isn’t just shod with significantly more aggressive knobs, it also sports beefier aluminum wheels, a fork with thicker stanchions, and a four-piston brake setup on the front wheel. This whole setup is clearly more downhill-oriented, which truly makes sense given the extra travel. The fact that the H3 in its trail configuration is only 900 grams heavier than the 120mm version is indeed astonishing.

The Rose Bonero at €2,200 hit the scales at 12.6 kilograms with 140 mm of travel. The Orbea Laufey, priced at €2,500, weighs in at 13.7 kilograms. That’s a more realistic weight for a trail hardtail. So, there’s a clear difference in weight and design. But do you feel that on the trail?

Switching directly from one bike to another, you immediately notice a more upright riding position on the 140mm travel trail hardtail. There’s significantly less pressure on your wrists compared to the 120mm rig. The entire front is a bit higher. Imagine it like this: With the longer fork, the bike’s geometry pivots around the rear axle by about two centimeters upwards. As a result, the effective top tube length becomes shorter when measured horizontally, and the stack height increases. The tension in the thighs decreases with the higher front end, which might slightly reduce pedaling efficiency.

The 120mm travel bike positions you more aggressively. Coupled with its lighter weight and faster-rolling tires, there’s no question that it excels on long rides and climbs.

Descending on a singletrack, the tables turn. However, it’s not as drastic as one might assume. With the 140mm bike, you’re in a more upright position behind the bars, affording you a bit more control. The increased wheelbase, more responsive brakes, and additional suspension travel provide a more confident ride downhill.

However, even a trail-specific hardtail remains a hardtail! You can’t bomb downhills twice as fast as you would on a 120mm-travel version. Eventually, the rear end takes hits so intense that it becomes a challenge to maintain control. Ultimately, the trails you can tackle with a trail hardtail are the same ones you’d ride with a 120mm hardtail.

To fully tap into the potential of a 140mm fork and knobby tires, the bike would need a shock in the rear. The imbalance between the front and rear becomes more pronounced with 140mm of travel, and it’s something that can’t be compensated for with skill alone. Riding a 140mm trail hardtail certainly opens up the door to bigger air, but the landing delivers a significant jolt that can be felt in the ankles and lower back.

When tackling gnarlier trails, you’re safer with more travel, provided you adjust your speed accordingly. However, you can’t just rip it open thoughtlessly and go full throttle. One thing becomes clear during the test: The more travel you’re looking for, the more it makes sense to opt for a full-suspension rig.

Hardtails with 100 millimeters of travel really only have two justifications in my eyes:

If neither of these apply to you, then you should steer clear of the classic 100mm race hardtails. That’s because a hardtail with a 120mm fork and a dropper post offers so much more fun on the trails with only a minimal weight penalty.

When it comes to travel on a hardtail, more isn’t always better. With a rigid rear end, it becomes difficult to unlock the full potential of the fork, tires, and brakes of a trail-oriented hardtail with 140mm of travel. Hardtails fitted with a 120mm fork and a dropper post are currently the top pick for most riders.

Trail hardtails like the H3 with its trail-ready specs or the Rose Bonero truly have their place when shredding downhill is your top priority, but the funds don’t stretch to a full-suspension rig. If you love tackling gnarly trails but currently have a budget of only 2000-2500 € for a bike, trail hardtails are an excellent choice. They’re lighter and typically come with higher-end components than full-suspension bikes. For trail addicts on a tight budget, trail hardtails are the way to go. However, those eyeing longer rides may find that a 120mm travel hardtail is generally the better option.

As always, you can find all the latest models rated consistently here:

• all 120mm hardtails
• all trail hardtails with 130mm of front suspension travel