The main ingredient of the quintessential mountain bike, a trail frameset (also known as an all-mountain frameset) will take you on epic rides, memorable descents, and up laborious climbs. Modern trail bikes are dual-suspension machines with between 4 and 6 inches of travel, their geometry is playful enough to enjoy descents, yet efficient enough to take you anywhere, and they can even handle the odd venture to the bike park. Long story short, buying a new trail frame will put some spring in the step of your jack-of-all-trades mountain bike.
Types
More than anything, the geometry of a trail frame determines how it will be categorized (travel also plays a part). There are two broad types of trail bikes classifiable as light-duty and heavy-duty. Light-duty trail frames have slightly steeper angles and are designed to excel on climbs and sinuous singletrack rides, they are also lighter overall. Heavy-duty trail frames are slightly more beefed up, with more relaxed angles and heavier-duty tube sets. These frames allow riders to attack even the roughest sections of the trail but are slightly heavier.
Sizes
The most common way to size a trail bike is “standover” height, also known as inseam clearance. You want plenty of room between you and the top tube when you come to a stop, especially on uneven surfaces. As a rule of thumb, there should be at least four inches of clearance from the top of your inseam to the top of the top tube. Note that for some frame models the distance will be much larger than four inches due to a sloping top tube. This is okay, provided the length and cockpit area of the bike fit you well.
Most manufacturers provide suggested sizing charts, and because models vary so much between categories, we recommend searching for the chart specific to the bike you’re interested in. It’s important to note that everyone has different riding preferences, so it’s best to test out a variety of sizes before making a final decision.
If you want to know more about trail frameset, feel free to visit our official website: https://www.trifoxbike.com/.