A Race or Trail Fork for my Mountain Bike

One of the most important features with a trail fork is reliability. Race forks only get hammered for three hours at a time but a trail fork is out there all day.

Apart from putting a lot of stress and wear on the parts, if it breaks out on the moors then you've got a long walk home.

You don't want to pay for expensive service either. Sponsored mountain bike racers get this done for free but trail riders should opt for forks that are easy to repair and overhaul. An easy way to cut down on maintenance is to fit fork boots or gaiters.

Fork boots stop water and dirt working it's way into the internals. A grease injection system is a good idea too, but you pay for it – you'll find this system on some of the more expensive forks.