Which Mountain Bike Forks
Changing your Mountain Bike Forks is a good way of upgrading your mountain bicycle. These days, 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 benefits and disadvantages, and is developed for specific surfaces and uses. Significant 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 typically short travel, coil-sprung forks. The coils move from eighty to one hundred millimeters normally and are made to cushion heavy landings without too much front-end compression, enabling the rider to right away recover and continue riding. These are stable forks whose weights are directly related 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 six inches at maximum. These forks are expectedly heavier than other fork types, rendering lockout even more serious. With these forks, most riders tend to go with coil-sprung forks as opposed to air-sprung ones. The coils do make the forks heavier, yet less subject to damage once put through powerful impacts.
Freeride or downhill forks are ‘double-crown’ suspension forks which can move up to ten inches re travel. Many of the forks with this technology have coil springs for more durability. Freeride forks also enable the user to customise his or her ride by changing the springs, and therefore changing travel, which influences handling as well . However downhill forks should not be used in cross-country bikes, as these bikes are not developed to withstand the pressure these forks give. Freeride forks can snap the frames of cross-country bikes.
XC cross-country forks typically have low degrees of travel, and are built for light weight. These single-crown suspension forks have, on the average, from 80 to 100 millimeters of travel. Forks built for cross-country bikes now increasingly utilize air springs, wherein 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 types of suspension forks are also better to adjust. However some riders and makers still use elastometers and coil-sprung forks as these require less upkeep and take more punishment than XC cross-country forks.
Cannondale Lefty’s and Headshocks have more moderen suspension fork technology, which integrates all mechanisms inside the frame of the bike. The fork is quite reliable, with some topend variants coming with lockouts for easy adjustment. These forks sometimes result in more reactive handling, with active suspension and better traction.
Top Mountain Bike Forks
- RockShox Recon Race Fork OE 2009
- RockShox Argyle 318 Fork
- Marzocchi 33 120mm Travel Fork
- Marzocchi Dirt Jumper 2 100mm Travel Fork
- Marzocchi 55 RC3 160mm (140) Travel Fork
- RockShox Revelation 426 Dual Air Maxle Fork with Pushloc
- RockShox Reba Race 29er Dual Air Fork with Pushloc
- Magura Wotan Fork – Ex Demo
- Marzocchi 22 R 100mm Travel Fork
- Marzocchi 888 Top Crown
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