Which forks for mtb

Heavier yes. But stiffer. And cheaper. Read our full test test review of Marzocchi Bomber Z2 fork. Pros: One of the best at beating trail chatter. Sheer traction levels from that coil spring. Cons: Coil brings weight. Silky smooth damping, excellent grip and hand comfort. It clearly has supreme traction when leant right over on tyre edge blocks on off-cambers or super-slippery terrain, which means the Helm is a riot on a muddy day and really allows you to really take the mickey pushing the limits of traction.

This is a massive benefit that will always rule over some of small negatives here for a certain breed of riders too. Pros: The best ever 36 by far. Smooth and delicate everywhere. Cons: The price tag. The new 36 never gets flustered and absorbs hits of every size calmly with an initial dull slurp that feels like your tyre has less air pressure inside.

On one local trail section with brain-rattling high-speed moto whoops, it danced over crests without jiggling vision and balance, while most forks jackhammered and pitched the back end of the bike in their wake.

Touch and bump absorption feel consistent whether absolutely hauling into square edges, or plopping off slow speed steps too. The latest Factory 36 feels like floating in a bath of oil, but also informs enough about the terrain to ride precisely and actively by never being too wallowey or mushy.

Pros: Super supple off-the-top Cons: Aforementioned suppleness can require careful damping adjustment. The following year RockShox took on board feedback from lighter riders, tweaking the damping tunes to give them a more useable range, as well as working on reducing friction throughout the internals. The result is you can now gain even more support without adding harshness, along with less fatigue on long runs.

You still benefit from class-leading sensitivity, excellent reliability and a price that undercuts the closest competition just about. The main issue with the Lyrik is that the new forks from rival Fox have caught up and slightly surpassed the Lyrik in terms of all-round damping excellence.

Having said that, the already smaller-RRP Lyriks can be found significantly cheaper than their equivalent Fox forks. Read our full test review of the RockShox Lyrik Rc2. Although the Zeb is slightly less adjustable than its rival Fox 38 above , it is a bit lighter and more importantly is cheaper. The Zeb is genuinely, noticeably stiffer than the RockShox Lyrik, which is partly due to the overall beefier chassis but also due to the increase in bushing overlap inside the fork.

The Charger 2. All in all, a great fork that may not be quite as amazing as a Fox 38 or a DVO Onyx but can be had for significantly less money if you shop around. Read our full test review of the RockShox Zeb Ultimate. Pros: Great levels of adjustment and super tenacious in the slidey stuff Cons: Not quite a Fox The damping feel of the Onyx is seriously impressive; it feels constantly alive and at work.

Pros: Impressive craftmanship and great platform for tinkerers Cons: Requires a tinkerer, and that price tag. The RFX 36 M2 is available in coil version as well as this air spring version that we tested.

As well as being more accurate than volume spacers, this design also adds support to more of the mid-stroke as opposed to just affecting the very last part of travel. It uses a modest amount of bath oil inside and as such benefits from more frequent strip downs and an owner who enjoys such things.

The air spring curve is tuneable through volume spacers. Built around 40mm stanchions and featuring a whopping mm of travel, the fork is naturally very stiff and responsive, if anything, a touch on the heavy side despite weight-saving measures around the crown and lowers. Further adjustably can be made by fiddling with the four-way GRIP2 damper that independently adjusts high- and low-speed compression and rebound.

As far as heavy-hitting downhill suspension forks go, the RockShox Boxxer has been a favorite in the pro rungs for years now.

The latest version, the Boxxer Ultimate, has received several tweaks including updated seals and oil, and a Charger 2. Furthermore, this new damper system allows the fork to stay higher in the travel, compress more linearly like a coil spring and rebound with more control for better landings.

A big difference between the Boxxer and its rivals has always been the 35mm stanchion tubing, which is notably slimmer than its 40mm rivals. While this does add some torsional twist, the Boxxer never feels unsettled - instead, it provides pliancy and confidence in spades. As a result, each mountain bike discipline places a very different set of demands on the bike and rider so the modern suspension fork varies in terms of travel, spring systems and stanchion thickness.

The modern mountain bike suspension fork is a complicated piece of kit and naturally comprises many moving parts. Modern mountain bike geometries are specifically designed around suspension travel. For example, cross-country mountain bikes feature short-travel forks as the trails are relatively smooth and comprise lots of climbing, so they need to be light and responsive while still providing a decent range of compression.

As you move through the various types of mountain biking, the weight, stanchion thickness and travel all increase so as to meet the demanding needs of each discipline. The secret here is finding a balance between weight and performance, as wider stanchions are stiffer and heavier than their narrower counterparts but are more resilient to greater impacts from rough terrain and jump landings. Thru-axles are wider, stronger and stiffer than the old quick-release skewer systems of yesteryear and have been the gold standard on most high-end performance mountain bikes for some time now.

The 20mm standard is generally reserved for downhill and enduro while the 15mm thru-axle is found on just about all trail and cross-country bikes. The wider hub and flange spacing offered by Boost has increased the stiffness of inch and b wheels even further with the new standards coming in at mm front and mm rear.

There are two steerer types - straight and tapered. Volume spacers or tokens allow you to fine-tune the air volume of your fork. Adding tokens reduces the volume of the air chamber causing the air pressure to ramp up quickly so the spring pressure can be set low, allowing more suspension sag without the risk of bottoming out. Removing tokens will provide the reverse effect. There are two different spring systems: air and coil springs.

Air springs have become the staple choice on modern suspension forks as they are tuneable and have a progressive compression rate — the feel is softer in the first part of the travel and then gets stiffer as more compression is applied. Coil springs on the other hand are found predominantly on downhill bikes. Linear in feel, they provide consistent impact absorption over the range of spring travel. Aaron is Bike Perfect's Tech editor. As the former gear editor of Bicycling magazine and associate editor of TopCar magazine, he has tons of experience writing about bikes or anything with wheels for that matter.

He's tested thousands of cars and bicycles, all over the world. When not riding, racing or testing bicycles in and around the UK's Surrey Hills where he now lives, he's writing about them for Cyclingnews and Bike Perfect. Bike Perfect. Included in this guide: 1. Fox Float 32 Factory Step-Cast. Specifications Weight: 1,g 29er.

Travel: mm. Stanchion diameter: 32mm. Spring system: Air, FIT4 damper. Material: Magnesium and forged aluminum. Wheel size: b, 29er. Steerer: Tapered. Axle: 15xmm Boost, 15xmm. FREE U. A fork with the performance that'll help you beat your riding buddies without beating up your checking account. Sturdy millimeter stanchions, stiff, forged aluminum crown and dependable Solo Airl spring, Recon Silver is just the fork you've been looking for.

The Markhor is a light weight XC fork that can be adjusted down to 80mm travel or up to mm of travel. Stem Clamp Diameter The RockShox Recon Silver sets a new benchmark for value-based performance. Recon represents a perfect partnership between Reba s venerable crown and lower legs and Recon s bombproof steel upper tubes.

With the Motion Control damper, the Recon Silver is the new standard for fun. Handle terrain like a goat, and save money doing it. An entry level fork with the latest features and performance; Judy Silver is built around a brand new chassis derived from the Pike, with BOOST spacing for running Plus tires, up to 2.

Judy Silver features the Motion Control RL damper and is compatible with OneLoc remotes and has Fast Black upper tubes for an all-black look and low friction performance. The Judy Gold RL brings an entry level fork with the latest features and performance; built around a brand new chassis derived from the Pike, that featuring the Motion Control RL damper.

The fork is compatible with OneLoc remotes and has Fast Black upper tubes for an all-black look and low friction performance. ZEB Ultimate with 38mm uppers combines the completely re-tuned Charger 2 damper with new SKF wiper seals, SKF damper cartridge seals, and Maxima Plush fluid for a buttery smooth feel while allowing the fork to ride higher in travel on compression keeping the tires planted on the ground on rebound for unmatched control.

Jumps are getting bigger, tricks are becoming crazier, and the slope style and dirt jumping crowd needed a fork that facilitates the progression. Enter Pike DJ with a stout 35mm chassis, light enough to boost higher, stiff enough to shred berms. The custom tuned Charger damper to stand up on jump faces and specific Solo Air system for heaps of bottom out progression to help butter the landing.