Short Suspension Travel Bikes are they Good?

Most mountain bike professionals are pretty convinced 140mm of travel is best for all-round trail bikes. But that's not to say that shorter travel bikes don't make for good, or even great trail bikes. But before you take that as a green light for the whole lighter, faster, stiffer argument there are two things you need to consider – is a short travel mountain bike the correct tool for the job and how skillful are you going to be at riding that tool?

Basically you should know the type of terrain your spend 90 percent of your time riding. IF it's smooth rolling trails, not rock infested mountains, then surely it is better to be under-biked for 10 percent of your riding than over-biked for the majority of it? Determining your skill level is more tricky, but the truth is that inexperienced or less skillful riders will feel more confident and comfortable with more travel, even it is slower on the ups.

So depending on your perspective, the mountain bikes considered short travel trail or long travel XC will have a travel between 120mm and 130mm of rear wheel suspension travel.

It's fair to say that most mountain bike manufacturers have a good assortment in the short travel category.