Best Suspension Forks of 2019- Our Review & Buyer’s Guide

Ensuring that your forks meet set requirements is important, we were happy to find that these RockShox Lyrik RCT3 forks are easy to setup, great value and offer brilliant support.

With all of the above intertwined into one product, it was hard to rate these suspension forks any lower than first place. With everything considered, we believe the RockShox Lyrik forks to be the best on the market for their price.

Recognised for enduro racing, you can be sure that these forks are durable, supportive and offer complete control when tackling huge hills. Whether you’re climbing an incline or landing a jump, you can be comfortable with these robust forks. Not only are they durable but they are also able to intelligently shift your weight and take the friction out of the ride.

Capable of low-speed compression ensuring complete upright support during all conditions.

Complete with a super-stylish design in red, a 73% static friction reduction, an alloy seal and it’s certainly versatile.

Widely celebrated across the globe, by serious MTB fans, the Fox Float is one of the most popular models around. Incorporating plenty of technology, 180mm travel and bespoke springs- it is our favourite of the Float series.

In 2019, we consider the 36 Float Grip 2 to be the one of the best out there.

There are a number of reasons to enjoy this extreme suspension fork part. After checking it out in person, we were glad to learn how much advancement has gone into this component.

It showcases smooth impact-absorbing travel that is capable of offensively carrying out all terrain, from hard surfaces to bumpy off-road conditions. It is great for all mountain bikers and is particularly designed to allow you a smooth downhill ride.

Supportive for aggressive riding, it still offers enough sensitivity for professional riders to grasp the terrain and how to attack their trail. It has travel of between 140mm- 180mm and also dampens the shock with an impressive position lever.

We couldn’t resist another RockShox set of forks. Not only do they produce professional parts but they make them accessible. You can easily fit these to your bike and you don’t need to stress about paying over the odds.

The RockShox Yari RC forks are some of the best we’ve seen this year. They are hardy and can wear the toughest of terrains. This is likely down to the technology integrated into this part, it comes with Rapid Recovery and Motion Control. Both offer a dampening design to take out the vigorous vibrations and also rebound quickly and nicely, enabling you to enjoy bumpy trails.

There’s a lot to love with these forks. It has a 35mm chassis providing a stiff design. It boasts precision and sensitivity for smooth riding.

The technologies available on this bike include:

• DebonAir- Soft is the new hard. They have created lab-tested technology that enables a plush feel to their suspension. The floaty design allows you to enjoy every bump, remaining sensitive to the track. At the same time, it ensures that you don’t wear the bumps and stay comfortable and injury-free.
• Motion Control- Again, it contributes to the smoothness of these forks. You can ride up and downhill without stress. This technology can reduce the bumps you feel through the frame and handlebars.
• Rapid Recovery- Travel is what everybody seems to be raving about. Take consecutive bumps in your stride without damaging the suspension. It has external rebound and can recover quickly from any bumps or slopes.
• Boost- We love versatility, the Boost allows you to enjoy different forks and wheels. Make the most of the latest SRAM technology.

Enjoy external rebound, low speed compression, 140mm travel and lockout details. The stiffness is coupled with precision and it makes it the perfect all-rounder.

If you’ve been looking to upgrade your forks, it is likely that you have already come across Fox. These forks are rated as the best value for money.

Those searching for forks for under £200, will be excited to find these innovative suspension forks available on the market.

They are packed with air-springs, options for offset and 130mm travel.

Let’s highlight the standout features of the Float 34. They’re known for easily climbing hills and having a floaty air spring that provides comfort. It is made from solid alloy construction, can easily be adjusted and also are supremely lightweight.

Are you in need of reliable, lightweight and innovative forks that can live up to their reputation? After riding with the Manitou forks, it was hard to test any other components.

The Manitou Mattoc forks are perfect for competitions and really give a smooth feel. We meticulously trialled them with various frames, wheels and discs. Our team concluded that these forks are worth their weight in gold.

They are perfect for thrill-seeking trails and could be the difference during your performance. Effortlessly enjoy your favourite trails as you ride downhill. They have been cultivated to ride smoothly during all of the most extreme terrains.

There’s a lot to celebrate about this introduction and one specification we enjoyed, was the ABS+ Compression Adjuster as it helps provide a smooth journey.

In contrast to the above opinion we did find some negatives. The sensitivity could be improved as it takes so much out of what you feel and that can effect your performance.

Features 15mm quick-release axle, it is easy to use, is durable and has a 34mm stanchion diameter.

Those of you on a strict budget, turn away now. In all seriousness, these forks have the potential to transform your performance. Honed and developed by Cane Creek, you can be sure that you’ll be privy to premium features and innovative technology.

They’ve been specifically tuned for extreme trails and has an adjustable travel. Offering you the utmost control over your bike. The settings allow you to enjoy all conditions and terrains, enabling a way to adapt with their versatile design.

From riding with these forks, you can tell exactly how much thought has gone into every aspect. They easily adjust and can be reduced down to 100mm travel from 160mm.

Also comes with D-Loc Axle Assembly, Versatile Air Spring and Air Volume Adjustment.

Almost everything about this component has been made to adjust to different terrain and types of racing. Regardless of what type of mountain biker you are, you can enjoy high-performance spec’s.

You don’t necessarily need to be an advanced rider to buy these suspension forks, but you’ll need to be handy with fitting the forks and ensure that you do it carefully.

If lightweight, carbon disc forks are up your street- then check out these cutting-edge forks from Ritchey. They are the complete package for the price-range.

Constructed from solid carbon, they are as lightweight as they come. If you are all about having a lightweight bike and want to cut down your trail time, then these parts should be on your radar.

Low in weight whilst offering durability is music to our ears. It is sturdy but isn’t to stiff during a route. All off-roaders will want the Ritchey WCS Carbon Forks.

Our experts were thoroughly impressed, offering performance at an affordable price.

Let’s dig out the stats on this one- it has carbon dropouts, weighing just 615-grams and is a post mount disc. The travel can be upgraded from 100mm to 160mm with these forks. It will completely shift and upgrade your geometry for the better.

DVO Emerald is a precious set of forks that will revolutionise the way that you ride. You no longer need to panic about bumps and rough terrain.

By no stretch of the imagination are these forks cheap, but they are great value. Expect lots of improvements as they give your bike that professional feel.

If it wasn’t for the cost we’d have rated these higher up in the list. They are also pretty rare as they offer an option for 26” wheels. The difference between the 26” and 27.5” model is the crowns and offset, the 26” has 44mm offset while the other has 49.92mm.

Lightweight is one thing that many of us search for, but when you combine that with the damping features and carbon design, you are onto a winner.

The ingenious engineering that has gone into this bike offers a different aspect to the others. It has been created from a Motocross element, bringing durability and performance. It’s more than capable for mountains, cross-country and even landing steep hills.

It has 203mm travel, high and low speed compression, 7000-series aluminium that’s hard anodised and also has Carbon Torsion Arch.

It’s been the go-to air fork for trail riders for some time. You can now enjoy this much-improved set of forks at a great price.

We were already biased upon setting up the experiment with this component. For all the wrong reasons, we believed that they probably haven’t improved on the previous model.

We were wrong! It’s a strong fork and we also noticed various upgrades. The damping has been significantly improved, it is also lighter and it comes with a new chassis.

RockShox have really worked on this model. Upgrading all of the main features from the chassis to the air springs.

In regards to performance, we were thoroughly impressed. It provides a stiffer design that remains sensitive to the trail. There’s a lot of mid-stroke support too.

As many have highlighted, the new position of the air spring can be frustrating and difficult to access. The cap is in the upper tube of the fork to provide better down tube clearance.

On the upside, you can now enjoy simply using a cassette tool to remove the top cap, unlike before.

By now, it’s no secret that RockShox offer some of the best forks out there. They provide many of the best MTB components, full-stop!

The revelation model came as no surprise. We already had high expectations for these forks. They boast the same chassis as the latest Pike series. Offering a robust stiffness this fork can withstand all trails.

It is armed with DebonAir, Motion Control, Rapid Recovery, BOOST. With a forged aluminium crown, a stylish finish, friction reducing DevonAir spring and remote compatibility.

If you want a smooth ride that reduces friction and provides you with full-control then the Revelation is for you. It is an all-in-one fork, perfect for trail-riders.