Flying on a 5-incher

Five inches. In the mountain-biking world, where the probability of enjoying a breathtaking descent is often measured by the distance your bike's wheels can compress, or "travel," when they hit a big rock, 5 inches of travel is way better than 3 or 4. Although 5 inches typically came on heavy, slow-climbing, 33-pound bikes, advances in suspension design and tubing fabrication have brought big travel to nimble, sub-30-pounders.

By Roy M. Wallack

March 24, 2008