Horquilla de bicicleta y las herramientas de suspensión

Bicycle Fork and Suspension Tools

Bicycle fork suspension is a system often used on the front wheel of bikes to dampen the shocks of riding over rough terrain. Over time, a bicycle’s fork suspension will need servicing to restore its shock absorption capacity. This can also help your bike handle jumps.

Fork suspension is a type of suspension used on the front end of bicycles. The specifications for this kind of telescoping suspension are typically broken into categories based on the amount of travel the suspension is designed to allow. Cross-country, downhill, and freeride bicycles will all have varying amounts of travel based on the impacts that these types of rides subject the bike to. Many fork suspension systems have increased the amount of travel they can accommodate to as much as 200 miles.

There’s a variety of tools designed to help you maintain the fork suspension of different brands of bicycles. Because of the unique tasks required for the different designs of fork suspensions, these tools have multiplied over time. Below is a list of some of the bike tools you can use.

• Anchor fitting tools: These tools are used to remove the air shaft and damper shaft when disassembling a fork suspension.
• Lower leg removal tools: These tools aid in the disassembly of the lower leg of a fork suspension.
• Fork wrenches: These tools are used to hold the connector while tightening the fork suspension's bolts and when piercing connectors with live connectors.
• Dropout alignment gauge sets: These tools are used to properly align fork dropouts so that they are parallel.
• Bushing tools: These are special tools that can make removing and installing bushings found on fork suspensions and bicycle wheels easier.
• Snap ring pliers: These are special pliers designed to remove and to install the snap ring retainers used on bicycle fork suspensions.
• Bearing press tools: Bearing presses are designed to help install the sealed bearings or bottom brackets found in a bicycle’s wheel.
• Air valve adapter tools: These tools are used to pressurize the internal floating pistons in fork suspension shocks by connecting the shock with a separate oil reservoir.

Some tools are specialty implements provided by bicycle manufacturers that use unique designs for their fork suspensions. Many of the tools, however, are generic and can be used for most fork suspension maintenance work on different bike brands and models. Check the instructions provided by your bike’s manufacturer about servicing your bike to get a full list of tools required. Also be sure to double check that the tool in question works with your particular bike.