Forks road

A good fork massively improves the performance and feel of bicycle.

The vast majority of modern road forks are now made from carbon fibre, this is due to the fact that carbon fibre is light, stiff and absorbs a lot of vibration.

Steerer tube

One of the first things that you need to look at when choosing a new fork is the diameter of the steerer tube. Most bicycles use a 1 inch 1/8 headtube diameter however some use 1 inch and there is a few other variations. If you have an older bike, then the chances are that your steerer tube is threaded at the top; this thread is what your headset screws on to. A modern design uses the stem as a clamp meaning that the tube is smooth. If you're not sure what you have then why not give us a call on 0870 165 1108 or drop in to one of our stores.

If your new fork has a carbon fibre steerer tube then you cannot put a star fangled nut in as you would normally, instead you need an expansion cap, which saves you from damaging the tube.

Wheel size

If your running smaller wheels than the fork is intended for or the fork has a lot of tyre clearance then you need to check that your existing brake will still be able to reach the rim of the wheel okay. You can get adapter bolts to lower the caliper down (these are often homemade), however a longer reach brake caliper will probably be more effective and looks neater.

Touring

If you are looking to use the forks for front panniers on a touring bicycle, you will want to look for some forks with low rider mounts; these simply allow you to easily attach racks to the forks. A touring bike will probably also require mounts for cantilever brakes so check this before you buy.