Kellys Gibon: suspension setup & specs
The Kellys Gibon is a trail hardtail with 120–140 mm of fork travel. This page lists the 8 current builds with fork and gives matching starting values for SAG and tyre pressure.
Calculate the setup for your Kellys Gibon →
All builds
Fork, weight and price according to the manufacturer. Wheel size: 27.5 / 29.
| Build | Fork | Weight | RRP | Calculator |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05 27.5 | SR Suntour XCM32 NLO (120 mm) | 14.8 kg | – | Setup → |
| 05 29 | SR Suntour XCM32 NLO (120 mm) | 15.0 kg | – | Setup → |
| 10 29 (SR Suntour XCM32) | SR Suntour XCM32 LO (120 mm) | – | – | Setup → |
| 10 29 (SR Suntour XCM34) | SR Suntour XCM34 (130 mm) | – | – | Setup → |
| 30 29 | RockShox Recon Silver RL (140 mm) | – | – | Setup → |
| 50 27.5 | Marzocchi Bomber Z2 (140 mm) | – | – | Setup → |
| 50 29 (Marzocchi Bomber Z2) | Marzocchi Bomber Z2 (140 mm) | – | – | Setup → |
| 50 29 (RockShox Psylo Gold) | RockShox Psylo Gold RC (140 mm) | – | – | Setup → |
How it compares
On travel, the Kellys Gibon is right where the “trail hardtail” category usually is: 120–140 mm up front against a median of 130 mm from 17 bikes. Within Kellys’s mountain bikes, it sits between the Kellys Tyke and the Kellys Thorx on travel. Kellys builds the frame from aluminium.
At a minimum of 14.8 kg (05 27.5 build), the Kellys Gibon is heavier than its category median of 13.2 kg – 1.6 kg more. In total, 6 different forks are used, from the SR Suntour XCM32 NLO to the RockShox Psylo Gold RC. Wheel sizes differ by build or frame size: 27.5 / 29.
Setup notes for this spec
- Air fork (RockShox Recon Silver RL): the air valve is on top of the left leg under a cap. Change pressure in small steps (about 5 psi (0.34 bar)) and cycle the fork a few times afterwards so the air chambers can equalise.
- Rebound: turn the red Marzocchi and RockShox adjuster fully closed first and count clicks from there – that way you can note settings and restore them later.
- Hardtail: without rear suspension, rear tyre pressure largely decides comfort and traction – it is worth testing in 0.1 bar (1.5 psi) steps.
Target SAG for the Kellys Gibon
Instead of percentages, this table gives SAG directly in millimetres, measurable with the O-ring on the stanchion. Change the pressure step by step until you reach the value; if Kellys gives its own target SAG, use that.
120 mm fork (05 27.5, 05 29, 10 29 (SR Suntour XCM32))
| Riding style | Fork SAG |
|---|---|
| XC / touring | 17 % = 20 mm |
| Trail | 20 % = 24 mm |
| Enduro / rough | 22 % = 26 mm |
| Bike park | 20 % = 24 mm |
130 mm fork (10 29 (SR Suntour XCM34))
| Riding style | Fork SAG |
|---|---|
| XC / touring | 17 % = 22 mm |
| Trail | 20 % = 26 mm |
| Enduro / rough | 22 % = 29 mm |
| Bike park | 20 % = 26 mm |
140 mm fork (30 29, 50 27.5, 50 29 (Marzocchi Bomber Z2), 50 29 (RockShox Psylo Gold))
| Riding style | Fork SAG |
|---|---|
| XC / touring | 17 % = 24 mm |
| Trail | 20 % = 28 mm |
| Enduro / rough | 22 % = 31 mm |
| Bike park | 20 % = 28 mm |
How to measure SAG is explained in our guide SAG setup.
Tyre pressure starting values
The values apply to 2.35″ wide tubeless tyres with a trail casing. With an inner tube add about 0.2 bar (2.9 psi), with an insert take off about 0.1 bar (1.5 psi). Stock tyres: MICHELIN Wild AM Competition Line 60-622 (29"x2.35) Tubeless Ready or KENDA Amrak 61-622 (29"x2.40); SCHWALBE Nobby Nic Evo Super Trail 60-622 (29x2.35) Tubeless Easy, ADDIX Soft, folding; SCHWALBE Nobby Nic Evo SuperTerrain 60-584 (27.5x2.35) Tubeless Easy, ADDIX SpeedGrip, folding; SCHWALBE Nobby Nic Performance 60-584 (27.5"x2.35) ADDIX; SCHWALBE Nobby Nic Performance 60-622 (29x2.35) ADDIX; SCHWALBE Nobby Nic Performance 62-622 (29"x2.40) ADDIX; SCHWALBE Tough Tom 60-622 (29"x2.35) K-Guard, SBC.
| Ready-to-ride weight | Front | Rear |
|---|---|---|
| 60 kg | 1.43 bar (21 psi) | 1.63 bar (24 psi) |
| 70 kg | 1.55 bar (22 psi) | 1.75 bar (25 psi) |
| 80 kg | 1.67 bar (24 psi) | 1.87 bar (27 psi) |
| 90 kg | 1.79 bar (26 psi) | 1.99 bar (29 psi) |
| 100 kg | 1.91 bar (28 psi) | 2.11 bar (31 psi) |
| 110 kg | 2.03 bar (29 psi) | 2.23 bar (32 psi) |
| 120 kg | 2.15 bar (31 psi) | 2.35 bar (34 psi) |
Air pressure in the fork
You will find a guide value for air pressure on the fork sticker or in the suspension makers’ charts. Our calculator also takes riding style and rebound into account. In the end, measured SAG is what counts.
Sources
- Gibon 05 27.5
- Gibon 05 29
- Gibon 10 29 (SR Suntour XCM32)
- Gibon 10 29 (SR Suntour XCM34)
- Gibon 30 29
- Gibon 50 27.5
- Gibon 50 29 (Marzocchi Bomber Z2)
- Gibon 50 29 (RockShox Psylo Gold)