2) A larger wheel = more trailĪ larger wheel (green line) = more trail. When you accidentally get off course, it's easier to make a quick steering correction and get back to center. physically turning the handlebars) but they offer more precise handling and better adjustability of the bike mid-corner. It takes effort to correct the bike's path and continue moving forward.īikes with “low flop” (less trail) geometries require a more deliberate input (ie. This is somewhat of a negative during climbing, because if you accidentally lean a bit - which happens a lot when you're using your whole body to try and push up a hill - the bike will start pulling to the left or right. In effect, it is a sort of "power steering," or mechanically reinforced steering input. Because bikes with “high flop” (more trail) geometries strongly reinforce the steering input, the slightest input of the rider (simply leaning over) will initiate a turn. It is pretty much the exact opposite of how a road bike's front end handles - a bike with very little trail. The bike will reinforce your lean as it essentially falls over in that direction. As you’re moving forward, any slight lean to either side will cause a substantial and dramatic “flop” of the wheel. One effect of more trail is "wheel flop." If you've ever sat on a DH bike you've probably experienced this feeling. These are bikes with very slack head angles, which therefore have significantly more trail than all-mountain or XC bikes. We understand head tube angles, so let’s start by discussing how changing the head tube angle affects trail. shorter offset fork 1) A slacker head angle = more trailĪ slacker head angle (blue line) = more trail. Trail can be increased in the following ways, each of which I will detail and elaborate on below. Trail is also changed by two other traits you’ve certainly heard of: head tube angle and wheel size. It is not typically on geometry charts, and many of us don’t think about it, but trail is the primary dimension that changes when you alter a fork’s offset. Trail is the physical distance between the contact patch of the tire (yellow line) and the point where the bike's steering axis touches the ground (blue line). To better understand the effects of fork offset on your bike, we must first define the term “trail”: Trail is the physical distance between the contact patch of the tire (sits directly below front axle) and the imaginary point where the bike's steering axis touches the ground.
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