Urban bike city forks

Rigid Fork in Steel or Aluminium: Comfort and Weight

The rigid fork is fitted on the vast majority of city bikes: with no moving parts, it requires no maintenance and provides precise handling. In steel, its slender blades flex slightly and filter some vibrations from the road; it is easy to repair and repaint. Aluminium, being lighter, offers sharper handling but transmits more jolts to the wrists. Carbon, reserved for sporty urban bikes, combines lightness and absorption, but is more susceptible to side impacts, for example during a fall or against a parking rack.

The Other Suspensions

Suspensions also come in various types:

• Hybrid Forks.
• Mountain Bike Forks.
• Road Forks.
• BMX Forks.
• Shock Absorbers.
• Accessories.

All suspensions can be found on the suspensions page.

Suspension Fork: When Travel is Justified

A suspension fork for city bikes offers a short travel range, from forty to sixty-three millimetres, usually provided by a coil spring combined with an elastomer. It softens cobblestones, curbs, and potholes, at the cost of significantly higher weight and maintenance for the seals. The lockout, found on some models, stiffens the fork on smooth pavement to prevent bobbing. The preload can be adjusted via a dial at the top of the fork leg: it is increased for a heavier rider or a bike loaded at the front, so that the fork does not bottom out at the end of its travel.

Steerer, Wheel Diameter, and Brakes: The Measurements to Take

Before any replacement, measure the steerer: one inch or one and an eighth inches in diameter, threaded on older bikes or smooth with an externally clamped stem, and a length sufficient for the head tube and washers. The fork must accommodate the wheel diameter, typically twenty-six or twenty-eight inches, with enough clearance for the tyre and mudguard. For braking, check for posts for pads or mounts for disc brakes, in post mount or IS format. Threaded eyelets on the blades allow mudguards and front racks to be fitted.

Good Deals

Good bargains can also be found in the good deals, promotions, clearances, sales, and Black Friday. The new arrivals showcase the latest collections, and items shipped in 24h are prepared and dispatched within 24 hours. The highlights of the year follow a stable order: Black Friday at the end of autumn, the end-of-year holidays, the winter sales, the spring French Days, then the summer sales and back to school.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you replace a rigid fork with a suspension fork?

It’s possible if the geometry allows for it: a suspension fork is taller, raising the front and opening the steering angle. Choose a short travel and a height close to the original to keep the bike balanced.

How can you tell if a fork is bent after a fall?

Look at the bike from the side and front: non-parallel blades, an off-centre wheel between them, or steering that pulls to one side indicate deformation. A bent fork should be replaced, as straightening it weakens the metal.

How do you maintain a suspension fork on a city bike?

Wipe the stanchions after each ride in the rain and apply a drop of suitable lubricant on the seals. A workshop service, including an oil change, is necessary when the fork sticks or has play.

Which fork should you choose for an urban electric bike?

The weight of the bike and battery puts more stress on the fork: choose a model marketed as compatible with electric use, with a robust steerer and reinforced mounts for the disc brake.

Threaded fork or smooth steerer: how to tell them apart?

A threaded fork has threading at the top of the steerer, locked by a locknut, and takes a quill stem. A smooth steerer fork accepts a stem that clamps directly onto the tube, with play being adjusted by the screw on the cap.