Forks

How much does the fork change the ride?

The fork dictates how your bike handles rough ground, how much confidence you have in corners, and how tired your arms get on longer rides — getting the right one matters more than almost any other component choice. The category splits into suspension forks and rigid forks, with replacement parts listed separately.

Which wheel size, axle and steerer do I need?

Three specs have to match your frame before anything else matters. Wheel size: 27.5", 29" or mullet-compatible — most modern forks are wheel-size specific. Axle standard: Boost 110x15mm is now standard on almost everything, though older bikes may use 100x15mm or 9mm QR. Steerer tube: tapered (1.5" to 1-1/8") fits most modern frames, while straight 1-1/8" steerers are still common on older and budget bikes.

How much travel can my frame take?

Stay within 10–20mm of what the frame was designed for. Overlonging a fork slackens the head angle and raises the bottom bracket, which changes handling more than people expect. If you're refreshing both ends of a full-suspension bike, pair the fork with a rear shock from the same listings.

Fox or RockShox?

The two benchmark ranges line up almost model for model. Fox runs the 34 for trail, the 36 for enduro and the 38 for gravity, on GRIP2 and FLOAT dampers. RockShox are the direct competitors, with the Pike for trail, the Lyrik for enduro and the ZEB for big travel, all built on the Charger damper platform.

Which forks are the best value used?

Marzocchi's Bomber Z2 and Z1 are Fox-owned with the same internals at a lower price, which makes them excellent value on the used market. DVO's Diamond and Sapphire offer small-batch quality with off-the-shelf damper tuning that suits heavier riders out of the box. SR Suntour's Auron and Durolux are budget-friendly forks that punch above their weight, especially the Durolux EQ.