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FORKS
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Buying Info |
Full Suspension |
Disc Brakes |
Hardtails |
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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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BUYING INFO |
 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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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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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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