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 1
The Steerer Tube:
Most steerer tubes are of the Ahead
variety, which means that they have no
thread. Aluminium is the popular material
as it saves weight, while steel ones are
used to keep the prices down. Threaded
steerers are only available in steel, and
most manufacturers only offer this option
on low - end forks.
2 The Stanchions:
The stanchions (Upper Legs) contain
all the internals of the fork, including
the spring medium and damping method.
Chromed steel is the smoothest and most
durable material for stanchions, but
treated Aluminium offers considerable
weight saving with negligible loss of
performance.
3
The V Brake Bosses:
Most forks have protruding bosses for
attaching V - style brakes. But more and
more forks are coming on to the market
with - out them. It's all to do with the
massive upsurge in the disc brake markets.
4
Sliders:
These slide up and down the stanchions,
creating the suspension action that allows
the front wheel to track over the terrain.
Sliders are connected by a bridge ; this
stops the fork legs twisting, or moving
independently.
5 Seals:
The seals do the job of keep in the oil
and air, and also keep out the trail dirt.
6 Crown:
Usually forged from Aluminium, the crown
connects the steerer tube to the
stanchions. Bonding the crown to the
stanchions is lighter than using pinch
bolts, the downside of which is that if
you damage a stanchion you need to replace
the entire upper assembly.
7 Preload Adjuster:
These instantly transform the suspension
fork into a rigid one by locking out
Suspension. The bike manufacturer
Cannondale even offer an electronic
version with a handlebar switch called
E.L.O. (Electronic Lock Out)
8
Disc Brake Mounts:
Most forks come with two studs on the back
of the left hand stanchion for attaching
disc brakes. The studs are normally
international standard but some
manufacturers, such as Manitou, use the
Hayes post mounts, which can limit the
type of brakes that can be fitted.
9 Dropouts:
The front wheel is secured to the fork via
the dropouts, these come in standard quick -
release form, 20mm bolt - through, or a
combination of both. |
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 What
basic things do I need from a fork ?
Regardless of the spring medium [usually air or
steel coil spring] any suspension fork worthy
of off - road abuse should have oil damping with
rebound adjustment. External rebound is
preferable, but as long as it's adjustable, the
fork can be tuned to the rider's weight and riding
style.
Other adjustments are just a bonus. |
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 Do
I need a travel adjuster ?
Travel adjusters are not essential but they are
the future. Basically, they allow you to customize
the geometry of the bike: less travel / steeper
head angle for climbing, longer travel / slacker
head angel for down-hills. A fork with a travel
adjuster will also enable riders with full
suspension bikes to accurately dial in the match
to the front and rear of the bike. |
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What about a
lockout ?
O.K. but again not essential. If you do a lot of
road riding, then a lockout is the best thing to
have on your bike, especially if there are hills
involved. Other than that, you are better off with
a well adjusted active suspension fork. |
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How much travel
do I need ?
About 2" to 4" for a X/C bike riding and 4" to 6"
for a free-ride biking and 6" to 8" for downhill
riding, If it has lockout all the better. |
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