Unanswered Is lower travel better for climbs?

[jonathan horticulturist]

I’ve seen 100mm travel at the front on an Ebike, and wondered why they exist... I’m guessing Cross Country riding.

 

[Northumbrian]

100mm front travel tends to be with tight angles in the headstock ( x country bike geometry from a few years ago)
Good for climbing as the front wheel is tucked well into frame so it doesn’t weave or lift..... however horribly unstable and require a different riding style, and tbh not that nice to ride,

 

[Rusty]

I’ve seen 100mm travel at the front on an Ebike, and wondered why they exist... I’m guessing Cross Country riding.

Pretty much. As @Northumbrian said, usually steep angles for sharper turning.
Seat tube geometry and chainstay length probably have far more effect on climbing than the front end.

 

[steve_sordy]

Tracey Mosely puts a strap on her fork to reduce the front travel. It lowers the front of the bike and makes it easier to climb.

 

[Mikerb]

Tracey Mosely puts a strap on her fork to reduce the front travel. It lowers the front of the bike and makes it easier to climb.

...not without retuning the fork!! Obviously strapping down the fork lowers the front of the bike so weight distribution is centred more on the bike when climbing especially if climbing seated, BUT it also takes all the initially stroke out of the suspension meaning it will be virtually non responsive to smaller bumps and tend to jump around more. As with most things a compromise travel fork is probably the optimum solution but E EWS riders would then also be compromised on the downhill sections of the course. Personally for E EWS racers I would think experimenting with compression and rebound settings for the climb stages would yield more benefits....... or maybe variable travel forks will make a comeback??

 

[p3eps]

My old man still has a 2011 Stumpy S-Works.
The Fox forks on it have some sort of ‘climb setting’, where you turn the dial and lean forward.
They sink about half way into their travel, and remain there... giving the bike a better angle for steep climbs. Once at the top, turn the dial back, and the forks extend again.

Seems like a useful setting - but something that I’ve never seen on another bike.

 

[urastus]

Tracey Mosely puts a strap on her fork to reduce the front travel. It lowers the front of the bike and makes it easier to climb.

I think there were quite a few in the ews e that did this.