Changing your Mountain Bike Forks is a good method of upgrading your mountain bicycle. Nowadays, forks typically come with suspension systems, to help with a bike’s handling and maneuverability on rougher terrain. Mountain bicycle forks are classified according to the technology incorporated in them. Some bike forks include 4X and Jump suspension forks, Freeride / Mountain suspension forks, Freeride / downhill, XC suspension forks, and Cannondale Lefty’s. Each sort of suspension fork has its own advantages and downsides, and is developed for particular surfaces and uses. Heavy aspects of suspension forks include travel, which is the measurement for the movement of a suspension coil from action to rest.

Jump and 4X forks are usually short travel, coil-sprung forks. The coils move from eighty to a hundred millimeters normally and are made to cushion heavy landings without too much front-end compression, enabling the rider to instantly recover and continue riding. These are stable forks whose weights are directly in proportion to their durability. These suspension forks are the most durable.

Freeride Lite or Mountain suspension forks travel more than cross-country forks, with movement up to around 6 inches at maximum. These forks are expectedly heavier than other fork types, rendering lockout even more significant. With these forks, most riders tend to go with coil-sprung forks versus air-sprung ones. The coils do make the forks heavier, yet less susceptible to damage once put through strong impacts.

Freeride or downhill forks are ‘double-crown’ suspension forks which can move up to 10 inches apropos travel. Plenty of the forks with this technology have coil springs for more sturdiness. Freeride forks also enable the user to customise his or her ride by changing the springs, and therefore changing travel, which influences handling also. However downhill forks shouldn’t be employed in cross-country bikes, as these bikes aren’t developed to stand up to the pressure these forks give. Freeride forks can snap the frames of cross-country bikes.

XC cross-country forks usually have low degrees of travel, and are built for light weight. These single-crown suspension forks have, on the average, from eighty to a hundred millimeters of travel. Forks built for cross-country bikes now increasingly utilise air springs, whereby air pressure takes the place of elastometers or springs. Since these already mentioned elements are no longer present or required, the bike’s overall weight is lighter. These kinds of suspension forks are also easier to adjust. However some riders and manufacturers still use elastometers and coil-sprung forks as these need less upkeep and take more punishment than XC cross-country forks.

Cannondale Lefty’s and Headshocks have newer suspension fork technology, which integrates all mechanisms within the frame of the bike. The fork is reasonably trustworthy, with some top-end variants coming with lockouts for easy adjustment. These forks typically result in more responsive handling, with active suspension and better traction.

Top Mountain Bike Forks

• White Brothers Rock Solid Rigid Fork
• Marzocchi 44 ATA Micro QR15 100-140mm Travel Fork
• RockShox Reba Race Dual Air Fork with Pushloc
• Marzocchi 888 ATA WC 160-200mm Travel Fork
• Marzocchi Dirt Jumper 1 100mm Travel Fork
• Marzocchi 44 120mm Travel Fork
• DMR Trailblade 2 Rigid Fork With 20mm Axle
• Marzocchi Dirt Jumper 3 100mm Travel Fork
• Marzocchi Dirt Jumper 3 Fork 2009
• Marzocchi 888 Top Crown

1. GT Mountain Bikes
2. Which Full Suspension Mountain Bike
3. What To Consider When Purchasing A Mountain Bike
4. All About Mountain Bikes
5. Giant Mountain Bikes And The British Mountain Bike Series

FreshAire