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Fork Testing: Behind The Scenes

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As you may already know, Issue #110 of Singletrack Magazine has recently hit the shelves and we couldn’t be more proud of what we’ve put together for you to enjoy! Inside, you’ll find epic stories about trails to ride in the Lake District and Scotland, and there’s even a feature about fat biking in Switzerland. Dive further in and you can enjoy tales about a Mont Blanc trip that didn’t quite go according to plan, and there’s also Chipps’ brilliant interview with Tom Ritchey that you MUST read.

In the Grinder section of Issue #110, we put three Big Name full suspension trail bikes to the test, and there’s a whole bunch of other gear we also punished on our local trails, including the Stif Morf hardtail and the Box Components 1×11 drivetrain (get a sneak peek here).

fork test group x-fusion dt swiss fox float rockshox pike bos deville formula bikepark wales bpw rob wil david hayward
A van full of bikes, forks, and a whole load of good times! Photo: Rob Mitchell.

Also featured in Issue #110 is our Trail Fork group test, where we took seven different 130-140mm suspension forks to test them back-to-back. As part of the test, we took the Singletrack Van down to BikePark Wales to pack in a whole load of lift-assisted runs for testing fork settings and performance characteristics. Here we give you a behind-the-scenes look at how some of the testing went down.

fork test group x-fusion dt swiss fox float rockshox pike bos deville formula bikepark wales bpw rob wil david hayward
BikePark Wales is an incredibly well setup trail centre, with an on-site cafeteria, bike store and workshop. Photo: Rob Mitchell.
fork test group x-fusion dt swiss fox float rockshox pike bos deville formula bikepark wales bpw rob wil david hayward
#forevergrammin’ Photo: Rob Mitchell.
fork test group x-fusion dt swiss fox float rockshox pike bos deville formula bikepark wales bpw rob wil david hayward
We took seven different trail forks to put to the test. Who came out on top? Photo: Rob Mitchell.
fork test group x-fusion dt swiss fox float rockshox pike bos deville formula bikepark wales bpw rob wil david hayward
Ride, remove, swap, install, setup, repeat. Photo: Rob Mitchell.
fork test group x-fusion dt swiss fox float rockshox pike bos deville formula bikepark wales bpw rob wil david hayward
Setting sag with the Saggle – a very simple but effective tool that helped enormously with fork testing. Read our basic suspension setup guide here. Photo: Rob Mitchell.
fork test group x-fusion dt swiss fox float rockshox pike bos deville formula bikepark wales bpw rob wil david hayward
You get very good at this when you’ve done it a dozen times in a day. Photo: Rob Mitchell.
bpw bikepark wales fork test trailer shuttle wil
Going up! Mechanical doping, but not the e-MTB kind. The shuttle trailer kind. And BikePark Wales has got this dialled. Photo: Rob Mitchell.
fork test group x-fusion dt swiss fox float rockshox pike bos deville formula bikepark wales bpw rob wil david hayward
The variety of trails at BikePark Wales is vast, but it’s all built to handle all the weather. Lots of slate and rocky sections that are ideal for pummelling suspension forks into. Photo: Rob Mitchell.
stif morf fork test group x-fusion dt swiss fox float rockshox pike bos deville formula bikepark wales bpw rob wil david hayward
David aboard the Stif Morf hardtail that is also featured in Issue #110 of Singletrack Magazine. Photo: Rob Mitchell.
fork test group x-fusion dt swiss fox float rockshox pike bos deville formula bikepark wales bpw rob wil david hayward
“One more time!” Photo: Rob Mitchell.
fork test group x-fusion dt swiss fox float rockshox pike bos deville formula bikepark wales bpw rob wil david hayward
“Who wants to do another run?” Photo: Rob Mitchell.
fork test group x-fusion dt swiss fox float rockshox pike bos deville formula bikepark wales bpw rob wil david hayward
When you’ve ridden a fork several times, but it’s not quite dirty enough for the photo shoot. Photo: Rob Mitchell.

For the full rundown on the trail fork group test, grab yourself a copy of Issue #110, which you can purchase a copy of Issue #110 in both print and digital forms. Or better yet, why not Subscribe? You’ll get every issue of Singletrack delivered to your door, plus you’ll get additional content as a Premier User, which includes additional photo galleries, videos and stories to enjoy in the comfort of your own home.

Or if you’re hunting for Christmas Gift ideas like us, why not get your mate a Singletrack Subscription? You can choose a print or digital subscription, and they start at just £1.49 a month, which we think is ripper value! Plus, you’ll be the legend amongst your riding mates for hooking them up with a present that they actually want, so get ready to enjoy the glory!

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