How to Use a Suspension Fork

During the first big mountain bike boom of the 1990s, suspension forks were mainly reserved for racers and those with deep pockets. As the technology evolved, more bike makers began replacing rigid forks with suspension forks. Suspension forks offer increased comfort, better handling and traction and longer rider endurance. They also allow riders to go over previously unconquerable terrain. Keeping a few thoughts in mind and knowing how the suspension fork affects your bike's handling can help you get the most out of the component.

Instructions

    • 1

      Familiarize yourself with your bike's geometry. If you have added a suspension fork in place of a rigid fork, your new fork will increase your bike's ride height. Ride it on a familiar trail and note how the new ride height changes handling and also note the effect on the head tube angle. The increased ride height will slacken your steering angle and make your bike less responsive when you are riding on smooth surfaces.

    • 2

      Ride over bumps and technical trails to see how the compression of your fork affects the handling. In addition to the greater ride height and slackened steering angle that you experience on smooth paths, note how compression of the fork affects handling, as your bike's geometry is now dynamic rather than static. Pay attention to how steering and handling are affected at different rates of fork compression.

    • 3

      Adjust your riding style to reflect the observations you have made about your bike's suspension fork. View the bike as a pendulum and do not be afraid to move your body back and forth to compensate for fork compression and to maximize the benefit of the suspension.

    • 4

      Push down on your fork and then lift up on your bars as it decompresses to familiarize yourself with how you can use the suspension rebound to your advantage. You can use the suspension's decompression as a means of helping you lift your bike over obstacles, which will open up a whole new world of mountain biking to you. This suspension rebound can be used to help you more easily perform a successful bunny hop over logs or other obstacles.