Mountain Biking - [question] x Inches of Travel

What does it mean when a bike gets x inches of travel? I've read that various bikes get between 4 and 9 inches of travel. Is this number referring to the total distance that all the shocks together travel? I've always been wondering the answer to this question when reading through Mountain Bike Action (http://mbaction.com) magazine.

Wow toughy. Some people refer to total travel. Like 15inches of travel is 6 in front 9 in rear. Hmmm...I believe if they are only using one reference to suspension it would be both combined if there are two numbers I bet they seperate it.

OTherwise I would like to know if there is a standard. :)

I always figured the x inches of travel were for the frame itself. I.e., a bike that gets 4" of travel refers to the rear wheel travel only. Unless they say, 4" of travel up front, witch then refers to the travel of the fork.

8" of travel to me is 8" in the rear, not 4" rear + 4" front.

See what I mean. No standard :)

Thanks, I just needed some general meaning to the whole term of any travel at all. When I first read it, I thought it meant the bike would go that far and then it would be broken down and stuff. O_o You'd see what I mean if you read it with the same syntax I had. It said something to the extend of "it gets 9 inches of travel and may lose the second chain for..." and I thought it wouldn't get 9 inches before the second chain fell off.

Yeah. :P

When they refer to travel they're talking about total shock stroke and it's usually said differantly for the front fork and rear shock. There's no concrete way to measure it but i know someonw who does know how to. It's pretty easy to understand