How much travel can I get away with?

ivancarlos

Thinking of upgarding the stock fork on my mtb a Trek 6500. Came with an 80mm travel fork. How much travel can I get away with on a new fork without screwing up the geometry?

Andy B

Depends on what the frame is warranted for.

Also depends on the crown to axle measurement of your current forks & the ones you want to put on.

You might get away with 100mm forks, the steering will become slacker as the head angle slackens off a little.

supersonic

Yeah treks are ok upto 100mm, not warrantied for anymore. As Andy says, check crown axle measurement too - Zocchi forks are often a little longer.

Anonymous

apart, from 55s, sonic. They actually seem shorter than most other 160mm travel forks.
Warning though

55s tend to fail

johnbass

yeah you'll be able to get away with 100m but DEFFS watch out for manitou forks because i got some stance's for my norco bigfoot and it said adjustment from 120mm - 150mm but in reality there was an extra 30mm that kinda screwed up the geometry on my bike.

Snow-Junkie

if it came with 80 id say go 100mm.
rock shox are decent for the price. if you want to spend more go with fox.
bike experts seem to say never go past 200mm even on freeride and downhill.
120mm and 140mm may be compromising comfort.

jammieeeee

Go for a 100mm fork, a RS tora for around £100, or if you have £200 a reba SL from merlin (see link http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=product&productId=1070&categoryId=18)

ivancarlos

jammieeeee wrote:

if you have £200 a reba SL from merlin (see link http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=product&productId=1070&categoryId=18)

That's the one I've been looking at. Does anyone have any experience of it?