Almost every mountain bike comes with a front suspension fork. If your bike does not have it, chances are it is a road bike or a hybrid. The prices of mountain bike forks can range from just over a hundred to over a thousand. Similar to choosing a bike frame, choosing a bike fork has a lot to do with what you will do with the bike and how much you are willing to spend on it. When choosing a mountain bike fork, it is important to know what the terms in the specifications mean. Listed below are some of the common terms which you will come across. Coil sprung forks - Coil sprung forks are made up of steel coils of spring in the forks. They are affordable but can be disadvantageous because of their weight. However, they are tough and strong and are able to take hard knocks and jumps. Air sprung forks - Air sprung forks are lighter and more expensive. However, they offer more versatility to riders as they can increase the amount of air to increase the pressure, making it harder to compress. Travel - Travel basically refers to how far the springs can be compressed when pressure is loaded to it. For example the spring measures 120 millimetres in length. When fully compressed, it measures 40 millimetres. This means that it has a travel of 80 millimetres. More travel is usually better for travelling downhill and less travel is preferred for climbing uphill. Some brands of mountain bike forks allow riders to adjust the length of travel. Rebound - Rebound is the rate at which the fork bounces back after it is being compressed. Higher end forks usually have rebound adjusters to allow more advanced riders like to set their own rebounds to alter the feel of the bike. Now, let's see how the different types of forks are used on different mountain bikes. Cross country or XC bikes usually emphasise more on speed and endurance rather than being built for very rugged terrain. Hence, XC suspension forks tend to have a short travel and are light weight. Many of them are air sprung and can be easily adjusted. Jump riders require forks which are heavy and can withstand a big landing. Typically, jump bikes have coil sprung forks with short travel so that the front will not compress too much and provides more stability for their next move. Downhill bikes require forks with longer travels and which are capable of handling bigger bumps and hits. These forks are usually coil sprung. It is important for the rider to note that not all frames are compatible with every type of forks. For instance, cross country bike frames may not be suitable to be fitted with forks for designed for downhill bikes. Do keep in mind too, that if you are planning to upgrade to disc brakes in the near future, ensure that there are disc brake mounts on the fork so that you do not have to change them again. As you can see, choosing a bike fork depends on what you primarily do with your bike, so when in doubt, always approach your bike store for advice.
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