Generally speaking, the steeper and more difficult the terrain, the more travel you will want. That's why a downhill bike, made to ride steep, rough, rocky and uneven terrain, has 200 mm (8") of travel, while a cross country bike, made to pedal for long periods of time on smoother terrain involving climbing, flat and descending, has 100 mm (4") of travel.

Two of the more prevalent materials in higher-end bicycles each offer unique characteristics and benefits. As to which one is the best, well, the debate will rage on for eternity, or possibly very close to it. But the simple answer is that carbon fibre, a woven material, is usually found on higher- to highest-end bicycles. It is lightweight, strong and allows engineers to finely tune how a bicycle rides to very precise tolerances. It is more difficult to use and more expensive, because it is not as easy to make as aluminum. Aluminum alloy is lightweight yet very strong, and can be found in bikes that range from entry- to mid-level all the way up to full-on race bikes. Less expensive than carbon fibre, the right aluminum can offer excellent rider characteristics but doesn't lend the same ability to finely tune them. For more information on our carbon technologies, see our carbon tech page.

Two of the more prevalent materials in higher-end bicycles each offer unique characteristics and benefits. As to which one is the best, well, the debate will rage on for eternity, or possibly very close to it. But the simple answer is that carbon fibre, a woven material, is usually found on higher- to highest-end bicycles. It is lightweight, strong and allows engineers to finely tune how a bicycle rides to very precise tolerances. It is more difficult to use and more expensive, because it is not as easy to make as aluminum. Aluminum alloy is lightweight yet very strong, and can be found in bikes that range from entry- to mid-level all the way up to full-on race bikes. Less expensive than carbon fibre, the right aluminum can offer excellent rider characteristics but doesn't lend the same ability to finely tune them. For more information on our carbon technologies, see our carbon tech page.

Two of the more prevalent materials in higher-end bicycles each offer unique characteristics and benefits. As to which one is the best, well, the debate will rage on for eternity, or possibly very close to it. But the simple answer is that carbon fibre, a woven material, is usually found on higher- to highest-end bicycles. It is lightweight, strong and allows engineers to finely tune how a bicycle rides to very precise tolerances. It is more difficult to use and more expensive, because it is not as easy to make as aluminum. Aluminum alloy is lightweight yet very strong, and can be found in bikes that range from entry- to mid-level all the way up to full-on race bikes. Less expensive than carbon fibre, the right aluminum can offer excellent rider characteristics but doesn't lend the same ability to finely tune them. For more information on our carbon technologies, see our carbon tech page.