I've a '98 Gary Fisher Level Betty I'm in the process of upgrading. Current shock is 180mm with 50mm travel. The shock I'm looking at is 190mm with 50mm travel, or 180mm with 40mm travel. 50mm on this bike gives 5" of rear wheel travel.
I'd hate to loose the extra 1" of travel the 190mm shock would would give, but I'm completely unsure what the extra 1" of ride height might do to the handling. Or practically nothing?