Front forks for bicycles: the principle of operation and selection criteria. Shock-absorbing forks for bicycles

Cycling offers a huge selection of different bike options designed for certain driving styles (aggressive, fast, quiet, trial, etc.), and depending on this, manufacturers equip the units for comfort and maximum pleasure.

The most common options that have European quality and high comfort (within the bicycle) are models equipped with vibration dampers on the front fork, but there are even more comfortable models with rear shock absorbers. Naturally, for the comfort you need to pay, and in the case of the presence of rear shock absorbers, the cost of this (not Chinese counterfeit) bicycle will be prohibitively high.

Best forks for bicycles: hard or shock

Bicycle forks are divided into two main categories: rigid and amortized, but each of these models has its advantages and disadvantages.

The advantages of forks with shock absorbers are the smoothness of overcoming various bumps and the high degree of control of bicycle control. Due to the shock absorbers, the forks press the tire firmly against the road surface and allow for constant control of the control.

Rigid forks for bicycles also have their positive sides: low cost, simplicity of design, inexpensive maintenance, and also light weight. This type of front bicycle forks is mainly used in low-cost or high-speed models.

Disadvantages of the front forks for bicycles

Disadvantages of this type of forks are a large (when compared with conventional) weight and cushioning, which extinguishes the efforts of the cyclist when the pedal is pressed. To the category of consoles with shock absorbers also include periodic maintenance of shock absorbers, which will have to purchase additional keys and screwdrivers, but the ideal is a set of tools.

Iron bicycle forks have some disadvantages: they do not create damping during a ride on a bad road, which has a bad effect on the whole structure and the bicyclist.

Principle of amortization fork

Most forks with shock absorbers work on the principle of telescoping, based on two tubes, one of which is of smaller diameter, and the second one is larger (inside it there is a shock absorber that extinguishes sharp changes in the tube with a small diameter).

Depending on the layout, the bicycle shock absorbers are divided into three groups: conventional, inverted and specific.

The usual configuration consists of an upper tube of smaller diameter and a lower one - an enlarged size, in which the shock absorber is located.

Inverted forks work on exactly the same principle as conventional ones, except that the piston (small diameter tube) is not on top, but on the bottom. This type of fork for bicycles is uncomfortable due to the constant contamination of the cylinder, but, among other things, its cost is much higher than normal.

Specific front forks are based on the same piston function as conventional ones, but in comparison with them are equipped with several pistons and levers, and this group also includes one-legged forks.

Standards of forks for bicycles

Regardless of the design and availability of shock absorbers, the front forks are divided into four main groups according to the diameter of the pipes used:

1. Inch.
2. 1 inch and 1/8 inch.
3. 1 inch and ¼ inch.
4. 1 inch and ½ inches.

For a different riding style, there are three types of piston stroke in the front wheel fork:

1. A short stroke - from 2.5 to 3 centimeters (used for walking and speed).
2. The average stroke length is from 5 to 7.5 millimeters (the main application in tourism).
3. Long piston stroke from 12 to 30 centimeters (used for mountain descents).

Front forks for bicycles by shock absorber types

1. Spring shock absorbers forks are the cheapest option with an initial cost of 600 rubles. This category is the most short-lived shock absorbers, suitable only for the simple riding of adolescents. Springs for this type of forks are divided according to the price category: inexpensive (from 600 to 1500 rubles) and expensive (from 1500 to 3000 rubles).
2. A fork on a spring with an elastomer element that extinguishes serious bumps. The price category is from 2000 to 3500 rubles. A practical model for a normal ride, quite high quality in relation to the price.
3. Shock absorbers air principle. The price starts at 7500 rubles. This is one of the most common models of forks for bicycles due to quality and resistance to stress.
4. Air-and-oil shock absorbers. The cost starts from 10 000 rubles. Wear-resistant model, which requires constant monitoring of the oil cartridge.
5. Spring-oil shock absorbers fork. The price range is from 7500 to 10 500 rubles. This type of forks is most popular among fans of aggressive bicycle driving styles.

Maintenance of the front forks

Front forks on shock absorbers do not require repair, but behind them (in contrast to iron forks) you need to constantly observe and check the condition of the anther, which both helps and can hurt. Initially, the rubber gasket is installed to contain dust and dirt, but it may happen that the dirt will be clogged under the dust cover and will scratch the "piston", which will lead to premature failure of the plug.

To inspect the shock absorber, inspect the dust cover and the "piston" (small diameter tube) for scratches and chips.

If an even small hole is found on the anther due to wiping, it should be cut off and continue monitoring the condition of the shock absorber without it, otherwise the dirt will get inside and it will not be possible to notice this trouble in time.

Note : With a constant wiping of the shock absorber cylinders and a captious control of the state of their cleanliness, you can significantly extend the service life.

With the full output of the shock absorber it will be easier to replace it, but there are workshops that can repair the front fork of a bicycle, the only complication may be the availability of spare parts for a broken shock absorber. Repair in most cases is inexpedient due to high costs, it will be easier to replace the bicycle fork entirely than to wait for the result of repair and the arrival of original spare parts from the manufacturer.