Long Travel 29ers

Terminology

A.) Reach: the distance between the center of the head tube (where the handlebars sit) and an invisible line that runs up from the center of the bottom bracket. Short travel bikes are getting longer and longer reach, meaning to keep up with steeper head tube angles (read on), the longer reach allows the rider to have more control over the front end of the bike. For a medium-sized frame, expect to see between 440mm and 470mm for reach.

B.) Rear Center (Chainstay Length): The distance between the rear axle and the bottom bracket. The shorter the measurement means the rider will be positioned closer to the back axle and this allows for easier manuals, greater control over the back tire, and overall, the bike will have a more responsive feel. The longer the chainstay length, the greater stability you will have at speed and over rougher terrain.

C.) Front Center: The distance between the front axle and the bottom bracket. As head tubes get slacker the front center distance is getting longer. A longer measurement again will mean more control at speed on downhills but potentially sluggish responsiveness on uphills and flats. A shorter front center will provide more agile steering and greater control on uphills but may feel sketchy when at speed on downhills.

D.) Wheelbase: Measure from the front center to the rear center of each wheel, and you get the measurement for the wheelbase. This is the distance between the front axle and rear axle. A larger wheelbase will provide stability on the downhills while a shorter wheelbase will be more maneuverable and give slightly better control over the front wheel. Both serve different purposes and each rider will likely prefer a different measurement depending on his or her discipline.

E.) Bottom Bracket Height: This is the measurement of the distance between the bottom bracket and the ground. A lower bottom bracket height will offer more control and a more stable feeling on the downhills, however the trade-off is the potential of bouncing your bottom bracket or pedals off of uneven roots and rocks.

F.) Head Tube Angle: This is the angle of the head tube from a flat plane (the ground). Head tube angles often absorb the most impact on the handling and stability of the mountain bike. You will hear the angles referred to as “slack” if they are a low angle or steep as they get higher. Cross country bikes and trail bikes have steeper head tube angles that allow riders to have greater control over the bike while climbing, whereas enduro and downhill mountain bikes have very slack head tube angles to give the most control while descending at high speeds.

G.) Seat Tube Angle: This is the angle that the seat tube stands up from horizontal. This angle determines the rider’s seated position over the back wheel and the amount of control that they will have over the front wheel. A steeper seat tube angle has traditionally been best for bikes that want to climb and keep the rider in a neutral position so they can power hard into the pedals. A steeper seat tube angle also offers the rider the option to have more weight over the front wheels and, in turn, greater control and traction over the front end.

H.) Trail: The distance between the bikes front wheel contact patch with the ground and the steering axis. Greater tire size will provide more trail as well as smaller fork offsets. The more trail, the greater amount of tire will be in contact with the ground and that equals more traction and control.

Fork Offset: The distance between the front axle and the steering axis. Essentially, where the front fork comes down from the head tube is your steering axis, and the small amount of metal that connects the front fork to the axle is the offset. Traditionally, mountain bikes have gone with a 51mm offset for 29” wheels. However, there is a small push towards bringing in smaller offsets, like 44mm, which provide greater trail and more traction.

Travel: This is how far moving parts move on a mountain bike. Mainly referring to the suspension (rear and front). When reading about mountain bikes, specifically a “120 mm travel bike,” the travel they are mentioning is in the rear shock. Frames are built with a level of suspension in mind and are not often switched for different levels of travel, so that is why the travel often only means the rear suspension. Front travel in the forks is easier to switch around, depending on the rider’s preference and terrain, so those numbers will change more frequently.

Bikes with smaller travel (short travel) are better for climbing as the suspension won’t take away too much of your pedaling power as you move uphill, whereas the larger suspension is better for a more controlled and comfortable descent down choppy terrain. Most suspension systems are lockable, meaning you can reduce the amount of travel on the fly, and this helps with climbs. 

Best Long Travel Mountain Bikes of 2021

Other Mountain Bikes

Ibis Ripmo

Pivot Switchblade

Canyon Strive

Orbea Rallon

Kona Process X

Norco Sight

Scott Ransom

Nukeproof Mega

Santa Cruz Hightower

Best All-Around Long Travel Bike of 2021

Santa Cruz has created the perfect one quiver bike with the Hightower. With a suspension system that is capable of handling flowy trails to absolutely nightmarish choss piles, the Hightower will make it through. Every tester has been really impressed and surprised by the Hightower and its overall versatility. There really isn’t much more to say other than this bike will climb and mountain and ford any stream. It was easy to give the Hightower our selection as Best All-Around Long Travel Bike of 2021.

^ Back to Top ^

Giant Reign

Best Budget Long Travel Bike of 2021

Giant, though late to the 29” party, have produced some impressive 29ers. The Reign is their second 29er after the Trance, and they are definitely dialing it in. The Reign is a solid climber with the Maestro system and a steep seat angle to keep the rider in a good position. Turn the bike downhill and prepare to bash through anything in your way. The 170mm fork is composed and all-business, while the fairly short rear chainstay with the snappy rear shock keeps it lively and poppy. At the prices Giant is offering on their carbon and alloy frames, it was a fairly easy choice to name the Reign as the Best Budget Long Travel Bike of 2021, though you can still splash out if you so choose.

^ Back to Top ^

Yeti SB150

Best Climbing Long Travel Bike of 2021

The Yeti SB150 always impresses with its climbing ability and an easy selection as the Best Climbing Long Travel Bike of 2021. Without going overboard on the modern geometry side of things, Yeti has produced a competent climber that is still really aggressive on the downhills. The Infinity Switch system even got an upgrade making the bike more robust. The added suspension makes the bike really playful in the rough and rowdy sections of trails and it has just become a really good all-arounder.

^ Back to Top ^

Specialized Enduro

Best Enduro Bike of 2021

Built for the descent but will also get you uphill with your own power is a tough combination to find. Specialized has come pretty close to nailing it with their new Enduro bikes. The combination of long travel and modern geo has given this downhill rocket the legs to get back up the mountain. The seat tube could be a bike steeper to really help the pedaling efficiency, but it is a small price to pay for the wild downhill skills this bike comes with. It is controlled and composed but also poppy and playful, it has amazing traction when you need it and really just wants to go fast. Add the cool SWAT downtube storage, and it’s hard to find any flaws in this beast, making it our Best Enduro Bike of 2021.

^ Back to Top ^

Other Mountain Bikes

Ibis Ripmo

New may not always be better, but in the case of the Ibis Ripmo, it most certainly is. Slackening the head tube angle, slightly longer reach, and some protection for the linkages, the Ripmo V2 isn’t too different, but it is better. The more aggressive headtube angle does not take away from the climbing ability of the Ibis’s we have come to know and has only made it more fun on the downs. Now with room for a 750ml water bottle, what can’t this bike do?!

^ Back to Top ^

Pivot Switchblade

Pivot has nailed it. The Switchblade is a dialed-in all-around trail bike that is ready to tackle any terrain, and it will do it in style. The rear shock has been customized by Fox for the Switchblade and has made the bike super-efficient on the uphills but plush and bottomless on the downhills. With a modern but reserved geometry, the Switchblade is highly maneuverable and snappy through tight sections of trail but will also eat up choppy straights. It really is hard to find a negative with the Switchblade other than the price, but also there is a ton of technology that is available to be added to the Switchblade should your wallet allow.

^ Back to Top ^

Canyon Strive

Canyon has created something very innovative with the Shapeshifter and for that, it’s pretty awesome. However, it seems that if they had originally adjusted some of the geometry, the Strive could be a one-quiver ride without the bells and whistles that in a way also hinder it. Definitely worth a look for a rider who doesn’t like the modern geo all that much but is looking for a do-it-all bike. The all-around nature of the Strive is present, it just feels like you need to do too much while riding to get the best out of the bike.

^ Back to Top ^

Orbea Rallon

The Rallon by Orbea is a very composed enduro bike. While the geometry keeps it out of the hard-charging enduro bike categories, it is a super good climber and comfortable all-day rider. The MyO customized paint option provided by Orbea will allow you to have the stealthiest or flashiest bike on the hill if you so choose. The rear linkage has been updated and raised to increase bottom out support and create a more responsive ride while also maintaining control while braking. This bike is excellent if you are not the biggest fan of all of the new modern geometry these days and live in an area where there is a lot of vertical gains to be climbed.

^ Back to Top ^

Kona Process X

Kona has brought a stretch limousine to a chicane competition it seems. The new Process X is a far cry from what most of the bikes in this article are in terms of geometry and length. While the length and geo make it a downhill superstar, it does not love tight corners and hates uphills just as much as kids chasing the ice cream truck. The flip-chip that increases or decreases the chainstay length does make a big difference in the ride. So it’s all about finding that perfect set up.

^ Back to Top ^

Norco Sight

The 2021 is not very different from the 2020 Norco Sight, but it is very different from the 2019 Sight. So know that before reading any further. The new 2021 Norco Sight is a long bike with long chainstays and steep seat tubes to keep everything calm, cool, and collected on climbs and speedy descents. Paired with Norco’s Ride Align app, you can easily dial in your suspension settings to get the most out of your new ride and get cruising. Definitely not the flashiest bike or the bike you ride if you want to let your hair down and show off to your friends. The Sight is rock solid and a hard-charging all-mountain bike that could find itself in some enduro races.

^ Back to Top ^

Scott Ransom

Relying too heavily on the TwinLoc system the Scott Ransom just isn’t the bike it could be if it simply utilized the suspension it chose to its fullest. While being a shredder and a great option for enduro races, the suspension just isn’t quite what we were hoping for, and the rest of the impressive bike fell to the wayside. It is a downhill shredder and great for some laps in the bike park. If you don’t climb a lot and mainly use gravity for propulsion, this is a great option.

^ Back to Top ^

Nukeproof Mega

With a few modifications on the already awesome Mega, Nukeproof has created an amazing bike. They have even added enough room for a water bottle holder, which is great news for people who hate fanny packs. The Mega now comes with a shorter chainstay and a steeper seat tube to make climbing more efficient and the downhills more lively. The build-outs in all five of the options for the Mega are solid and look after the important parts before adding too many bells and whistles. All in all, the Mega is a super all-arounder that would work for any rider of any skill set.

^ Back to Top ^