If you’re looking to make a significant improvement to a mountain bike’s ride quality, upgrading to the best mountain bike suspension forks is a smart option. The top models are likely to be one of the biggest investments you’ll make, but they pack the potential to totally transform your riding experience.

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Best MTB forks – quick list

• Best enduro fork – RockShox Zeb Ultimate MY25
• Best XC race fork – RockShox SID Ultimate
• Best trail fork – Fox 36 Factory Grip2
• Best budget fork – Marzocchi Z2 Rail

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1. RockShox Zeb Ultimate Charger 3.1 (MY25)

Best long-travel enduro or e-bike fork

Weight: 2,345g | Wheel sizes: 27.5 or 29in | Travel: 150-190mm | Offsets: 38mm, 44mm (27.5in), 44mm, 51mm (29in) | Rating: 10/10

Reasons to buy:

• Even smoother and more sensitive
• Broader tuning range suits all rider sizes and shapes
• Stiffest 38mm fork on the market
• More affordable than the competition
• Performance seems consistent with minimal maintenance

Reasons to avoid:

• Top notch performance still carries a high price tag
• Compression damping dials have slightly confusing indexing

One of the market-leading 38mm stanchion enduro forks has just got even better. With the latest new 3.1 generation Charger RC2 damper, the stiff and precise RockShox Zeb is both smoother off-the-top and more responsive when absorbing repeated hits than previously, but it hasn’t given up any of its support and control when things get really hectic. This Ultimate model is also equipped with vibration-reducing ButterCups at the base of the fork that aim to quieten feedback to the damper and air-spring shafts. And although the significant revisions RockShox has made for model year 2025 are all about damping and bump response, rather than bolstering chassis integrity, our testers have never voiced any complaints about the stiffness of a Zeb fork.

This 2025 Zeb Ultimate is marginally lighter and also less expensive than its most obvious long-travel rival, the Fox 38. The revised bushings and lighter damping tune make it more sensitive than ever – including Fox’s latest top-tier Grip X models – and our tester felt that grip and tracking is as good as it currently gets in this category.

Read our full test review of the RockShox Zeb Ultimate (MY25)

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2. Fox Float 38 Performance Elite Grip2

Best enduro and e-bike fork

Weight: 2,360g | Travel: 160-180mm | Wheel sizes: 27.5 or 29in | Rating: 10/10

Reasons to buy:

• Supple yet supportive
• Ample adjustability
• Even light riders are well catered for now

Reasons to avoid:

• Yep, you guessed it: price tag
• Can get lost in the adjustments if you don’t know what you’re doing

Fox’s flagship single-crown fork is also our ultimate upgrade choice. As long as you have the budget, this burly-legged bruiser takes the roughest tracks in its stride. It’s more sensitive and slightly more composed than the RockShox Zeb, even if the adjustments are not quite as user-friendly. Indeed, in back-to-back testing at BikePark Wales, the 38 clearly had the edge over the RockShox Zeb on the same tracks on the same day, to the point we started to think that our Zeb was in need of a service.

As long as you’re careful and methodical with the dials, you can dial-in this fork exactly how you want it, and then its just a case of hammering as hard as you can, because the Fox 38 just keeps on coming back for more.

Read our full test review of the Fox Float 38 Performance Elite

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3. Fox 36 Factory Grip2

Best trail bike fork

Weight: 2,220g | Offset: 44mm or 51mm (29in), 37 or 44mm (27.5in) | Travel: 150 or 160mm | Rating: 10/10

Reasons to buy:

• The best ever 36 by far
• Smooth and delicate everywhere

Reasons to avoid:

• Premium price tag over rivals
• Kashima coating looks great but doesn’t really transform performance

While it’s tempting to assume you need the extra strength and stiffness of the stout 38, many riders will actually be better off on the erstwhile 36. Why? Well it’s lighter and the chassis is still plenty stiff enough at popular trail bike travel. And the slimmer legs can actually help reduce harshness on mega-stiff carbon e-bike frames.

It still gets the same soft initial touch and reliable support as the 38, and the adjustments are just as wide and effective. We love the new chassis with its lower leg lubrication channels, that splash oil over the bushings and seals to keep it smooth and sensitive. And the pressure bleeders are a useful addition on hot days and long descents. Even the new dropouts can really help reduce binding and keep the ensure you’re maximising performance. As we said in our review, “the latest Factory 36 feels like floating in a bath of oil, but also informs enough about the terrain to ride precisely and actively by never being too wallowey or mushy”. So there you have it.

Read our test of Fox 36 Factory GRIP2 fork

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4. Marzocchi Bomber Z2 Rail

Best value fork

Weight: 2,010g | Offset: 44mm, 51mm | Travel: 100, 120, 130, 140, 150mm | Wheel sizes: 27.5 or 29in | Rating: 9/10

Reasons to buy:

• Simple to set up
• Lots of grip
• Stiff chassis
• Great price-to-performance ratio

Reasons to avoid:

• Carrying some extra weight
• Lacking a bit of support
• Basic adjustments

Essentially a Fox 34 Rhythm in drag, the Marzocchi Bomber Z2 Rail offers excellent performance and low-maintenance at an affordable price. Everything is built big and burly to last, so it’s not the lightest fork on the block, but it needs less time in the workshop and less fettling by the trail-side to set-up.

Given the price, the Z2 is a surprisingly capable fork and responds well to being ridden hard. The highlights are the grip as there’s very little harshness, and it feels solid and secure landing big jumps and drops. As such it fits Marzocchi’s image as a freeride brand. To lift a quote from our review, “if you just want minimal faff and maximum ride time, the Z2 is ideal”.

Read our full test test review of Marzocchi Bomber Z2 Rail fork

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5. RockShox SID Ultimate

Best XC and down-country fork

Weight: 1,508g | Offset: 44mm | Wheel size: 29in | Travel: 120mm | Rating: 10/10

Reasons to buy:

• Great combination of low weight and supple performance
• Doesn’t ride like an uptight XC fork

Reasons to avoid:

• Price tag isn’t very light
• Needs regular servicing
• Not the stiffest fork if you charge hard

In many ways, we think the SID is the best fork in RockShox’s current range. It’s impressively light, bringing noticeable and significant weight savings, yet it’s sensitive, supportive, and stout enough for rallying hard. To spearhead a top down-country chassis, such as the Transition Spur, it’s a match made in heaven.

We’re mainly talking about the 35mm version, with 120mm travel, leaving the skinnier 32mm option for racing only. There’s a bit of flex under extreme loads, but given the SID’s weight and remit, it’s perfectly acceptable. Overall, the SID is an incredibly impressive fork that arguably bridges the gap between the masochistic world of XC racing and the baggy shorted smile-time of trail riding.

Read our full test review of the RockShox SID Ultimate

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6. Fox 34 Float Factory GRIP2

Best lightweight trail fork

Weight: 1,770g | Offset: 44mm, 51mm | Travel: 130mm, 140mm | Wheel sizes: 27.5 or 29in | Rating: 10/10

Reasons to buy:

• Four-way adjustable GRIP2 damper
• More sensitivity off-the-top
• Increased mid-stroke support

Reasons to avoid:

• Higher price point than rivals

34 diameter upper tubes may seem weedy in a world of 38mm options, but for most trail bikes with 130-140mm travel, they have ample stiffness. And the pinnacle of the trail bike fork market is the Fox 34 Factory, thanks to its impeccable damping and perfectly tuned air spring.

The performance of the 34 is exceptionally fluid and controlled, so it provides ample comfort and never gets flustered. The new chassis helps circulate the oil for improved consistency, and the four-way damping adjustments mean you can always get the right tune. Not a cheap prospect, but the ultimate performance usually comes at a cost.

Read our full test review of the Fox 34 Float Factory GRIP2

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7. Cane Creek Helm Coil MKII

Best coil-sprung trail fork

Weight: 2,400g | Offset: 44mm | Travel: 130-160 (internally adjustable) | Rating: 9/10

Reasons to buy:

• One of the best at beating trail chatter
• Sheer traction levels from that coil spring

Reasons to avoid:

• Coil adds weight

Coil-sprung forks are a rarity these days, but Cane Creek puts up a convincing argument that they still deserve a place at the top table. The Helm Air MKII comes in both air and coil options, and we’ve tested both, and rated them highly, but its the coil version that really got us excited. It also stands out as one of the few coil options on the market. So why the hype? Well, in our review we were blown away by the quality of damping and reduction in harshness. In turn, that meant more control and less fatigue, so we could take stupid lines, and push harder for longer. It was almost like cheating.

Yes, the coil spring adds weight and doesn’t have the breadth of convenient adjustability of an air spring, but if you’re looking for something left-field, and are already sold on the advantages of coil-sprung shocks, the Cane Creek Helm Coil could be the perfect complement.

Read our test of Cane Creek Helm Coil MKII

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8. RockShox Pike Ultimate Charger 3.1

Best trail bike fork for sensitivity and smoothness

Weight: 1,870g | Travel: 120, 130 or 140mm | Wheel sizes: 27.5 or 29in | Rating: 8/10

Reasons to buy: 

• Super-sensitive throughout the stroke
• Wider damping range than Charger 3
• Excellent stiffness for its weight
• Backwards compatible upgrades
• Cheaper than Fox equivalent

Reasons to avoid:

• Needs more tuning to find the sweet spot than older RockShox forks
• Hyperactive mid-stroke and deep travel eagerness won’t suit everyone

The latest generation RockShox Pike Ultimate Charger 3.1 fork was launched in the summer of 2024. In Guy Kesteven’s in-depth review, he praised this trail bike fork as a huge improvement over the previous generation in terms of consistent smoothness and ultra sensitive flow. And much of the credit must be down to the new, broader spectrum and radically different in feel Charger 3.1 damper.

This new damper helps create an ultra-sensitive, controlled and grippy fork that’s ready to rally hard. The way the front wheel can stretch into ripples and ruts and suck up smaller roots and rocks gives exceptionally consistent traction and easy rollover. And as a result, riders who want a stable, higher riding mid stroke may find the latest Pike too hyperactive and hysterical for them. Guy also highlighted that it might take you more time to find your perfect settings on this fork.

Read our full review of the RockShox Pike Ultimate Charger 3.1

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9. Öhlins RXF34 M.2

A seriously lightweight down-country fork

Weight: 1,715g | Travel: 120 or 130mm | Wheel sizes: 29in | Rating: 8/10

Reasons to buy:

• One of the lightest forks in its class
• Distinctive looks and moto brand heritage
• External high and low-speed compression adjustment
• Clever, floating 15mm thru-axle

Reasons to avoid:

• 130mm is longest travel option
• Only available for 29in wheel size
• Can’t match the Fox 34 for suppleness and support

This new Öhlins RXF was the lightest in our comparative fork test and firmly targets the best down-country mountain bikes. Available in 29in only, with a maximum of 130mm travel and weighing a hair over 1700g the RXF34 packs a supportive punch in a shorter travel package. And while it shares the same name as the older generation 34, this m.2 version is actually completely different both inside and out.

Differences include this RXF m.2 having a simplified self-balancing positive/negative air chamber, which saves considerable weight, as does the OTX18 damper that’s also a departure from the TTX technology Öhlins built its brand around. Instead of a twin-tube design, there’s a lighter single-tube, but it still gets external high and low-speed compression adjustment. This is an expensive fork, and as good as it is, our review revealed that it can’t quite match the Fox 34 for suppleness and support in every dimension.

Read our full review of the Ohlins RXF34 M.2

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10. Suntour Durolux 36 EQ RC2

Best budget fork for tunability

Weight: 2,180g | Travel: 140, 150, 160, 170mm | Wheel sizes: 27.5 or 29in | Rating: 8/10

Reasons to buy: 

• Excellent damping and tunability
• Premium anodized aluminium dials
• Lower leg air bleed ports
• Great value

Reasons to avoid:

• Compression might be too firm for lighter riders
• Weight penalty over pricier options from Fox and RockShox

If you want performance and adjustability from an enduro fork, but baulk at the prices of the big brands, SR Suntour has a great option in its Durolux 36 EQ RC2. This brand might not be top of your wish list when looking to upgrade your enduro fork, but the Durolux proves that it can compete with the best suspension forks on the market on performance as well as price.

The Durolux 36 uses a similar (spring-backed floating piston) damper design as Fox and RockShox’s latest forks and offers tons of external adjustment. Premium alloy dials allow you to tune both high and low-speed compression and low speed rebound damping. In testing we found there’s not the sophistication of the Charger 3 or GRIP2 when handling successive heavy hits or deep punches where the fork bottoms out in rough g-outs. Overall, the Suntour Durolux 36 offers good value and reliability in a sorted package that could suit heavier trail riders after a stiff, durable fork with effective adjustability.

Read our full review of the Suntour Durolox 36 EQ RC2

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Other mountain bike forks to consider:

For 2025, the Fox 36 Factory Grip X gets an all-new damper and a shiny gold finish. This is the brand’s flagship hardcore trail fork, with a £1,259 price tag, but our tester found that behind the sparkle there’s a lack of polish. So while this latest 36 Factory Grip X brings lots of benefits and improvements on paper, in our tester’s opinion the stock tune is too firm and skewed too far in favour of heavier riders hitting bumps at World Cup racer speed. And that means it’s not particularly comfortable, or easy to ride, if you’re more average in terms of mass and pace.

Boutique US brand DVO offers a couple of longer-travel forks, with the 170mm travel DVO Onyx SC D1 being its burliest single crown model. While this DVO fork’s 36mm legs are slightly skinnier than the latest from Fox and RockShox, tapered alloy stanchions, thicker crown materials and long bushings ensure plenty of rigidity. Our review remarked that the Onyx SC D1’s performance is truly coil-like, with an exceptionally smooth feel, making it equal best on test if you’re looking for the ultimate ground-tracing ride quality and sensitivity. We gave it a rating of 9/10.

Mick Kirkman tested the Öhlins RXF 38 M.2 in 2021. At the time this fork cost almost double some of the competing models in our group test, yet Mick felt it wasn’t as conforming and comfortable as some of these cheaper options. The more convoluted set-up, and the sense that the fork had declined in sensitivity after long days of wet and wild riding – while other forks suffered less – was flagged up too. So while the RXF 38 excelled in some areas, our review suggested that you can save money and enjoy better all-round performance with the Fox 38, RockShox Zeb or DVO Onyx.

The RockShox Domain is a burly, enduro or e-bike fork at a budget price. It gets 38mm stanchions, just like the expensive Zeb, comes in 27.5in and 29in wheel versions, and has travel options from 150mm to 180mm. After an in-depth first ride review, we feel the Domain is an excellent upgrade for a budget e-bike, where the extra weight and forces involved will noticeably benefit from all that extra muscle up front. The damper is less sophisticated than the one on the RockShox Zeb, but it’s effective and is upgradable at a later date. The Domain is simple to set up and built to take a load of abuse.

We rode the all-new RockShox Flight Attendant predictive suspension technology at its launch in 2021. With wireless connectivity and a suite of high-tech sensors, this predictive suspension control aims to put your bike in the perfect mode for every inch of the trail. After 20 riding hours on a Flight Attendant-equipped Zeb fork, MBR editor Danny Milner wrote an in-depth first ride review explaining this new tech in detail and his initial thoughts. Flight Attendant is now available on SID, Pike, Lyrik and Zeb forks, as well as various rear shock models, so check out our review for the full run through. Guy Kesteven also voiced his opinion on this cutting edge tech when he tested the Flight Attendant-equipped Specialized S-Works Epic 8 in early 2024.

When we reviewed the Cane Creek Helm Air MK2 it had seen improvements in almost every area over the first generation fork. Sporting a newly-designed damper, air spring and D-Lock bolt-thru axle, the revised Helm also looked much slicker to our eyes too, with new graphics and finish. Our tester found it easy to set up and achieve a high level of performance, and for a boutique product with such sophisticated damping control it’s reasonably priced too. And the Helm Air MK2 does everything Cane Creek claims, making it a serious contender as an all-mountain or trail suspension fork.

Back in 2019, a year before he reviewed the Cane Creek Helm Air MK2, Mick Kirkman put the Cane Creek Helm Coil fork through the test process. His review commented that ‘it trumps any other fork I’ve used in terms of smoothness and calming fatigue by ironing out stutter bumps and high-frequency chatter. It clearly has supreme traction when leant right over on tyre edge blocks on off-cambers or super-slippery terrain’. But even with the silky-smooth damping, excellent grip and hand comfort, some issues were found and highlighted in his review.

The Marzocchi Bomber Z1 goes way back in this brand’s history but this latest generation model uses technology from parent company Fox. This brings quality damping and construction but with less adjustability, for a lower price. The distinctive ‘M’ in the chassis brace of the Bomber Z1 and oversized dials are unique to the former Italian brand, but inside there’s the exact same GRIP damper as the base model Fox forks. However, the stanchions use a heavier-grade alloy than on the equivalent Fox 36. We found the Z1 to be a very grippy and supple fork, with a stiff and solid chassis. It punches well above its pay grade and we gave it a rating of 8/10.

We reviewed the RockShox Lyrik Ultimate RC2 in 2019 (a 2020 model year fork) rating it at 10/10 and placing it in MBR’s Editor’s Choice awards a year later. This generation fork used the Charger 2.1 damper, along with the brand’s Debonair air spring. In testing, we found you can achieve full travel easier, without compromising support and felt the Lyrik Ultimate still had the best small bump sensitivity going. Current 2025 models use the latest gen Charger 3.1 damper – with a wider range of adjustment – along with the ButterCups tech that aims to calm high-frequency ‘trail chatter’.

With a current price of £850 (£800 when we reviewed it), the X-Fusion Trace 36 HLR is substantially cheaper than some other top-tier forks. Inside the stiff 36mm stanchions lies an air spring with a coil negative spring, and a ‘Roughcut’ damper with an expanding bladder design. We tested the 160mm fork, with a 51mm offset, but the latest version now sports 170mm of travel with a shorter 44mm offset. In our review, we noted that if you like a softer, cushy, air spring feel in the mid stroke you’ll love this fork’s comfort and grip. However, we felt on the steepest enduro tracks the X-Fusion Trace lacked the support of the best-in-class (but pricier) forks.

The stealthy-looking DT Swiss F535 was arguably the smoothest fork in our group test, especially on the kind of trail centre surfaces a lot of people actually ride. But in more challenging and rockier terrain we found the damping felt a touch firm and the chassis a bit soft, impacting on stability and control. For heavier or more aggressive riders, the F535 can feel a little flexy and twangy when landing big jumps and hitting repeated drops, especially when weight is pitched onto the front tyre twisting down steep descents.

If you only know Suntour as a budget suspension brand, you may be shocked at the price tag of the SR Suntour Axon-Werx 34. It cost £1,019 when we reviewed it in 2022. This however, is the fork ridden by XCO Olympic champion Tom Pidcock and we found it to be a viable alternative to the RockShox SID Ultimate and Fox 34 Float Factory SC. Whilst it doesn’t stand head and shoulders above these two forks in terms of performance, it represents a genuinely viable third option with a ride quality that, in our opinion, is equal to both.

It’s been a few years since we tested the Manitou Mezzer Pro but at just over 2kg it’s one of the lightest forks in its class, so makes sense for an aggressive trail bike. With burly 37mm stanchions and up to 180mm travel, it sports the distinctive Reverse Arch that’s seen on all Manitou forks. We found the Mezzer Pro to be composed and supportive over repeated hits, with good off-the-top grip and sensitivity but it isn’t quite as silky (in terms of the initial touch around sag on the smallest hits) as the best forks on test.

We rated the Formula Selva R at 9/10 and found it to be one of the most tuneable forks on the market, with its unique, swappable, compression damping system. When tuning on repeated loops on the same test track, we got the Selva perfectly dialled for tracking and grip while our wheels were on the ground, but this didn’t always translate to enough support for rider weight when landing jumps or on very steep, slow speed tracks. The extra time required to dial in the ultimate setup won’t be for everyone, but this impressive Formula Selva R fork offers a ‘factory’ level of tunability without the need to send it off to a suspension specialist.

The DVO Diamond D1 is a multi-adjustable, enduro fork that’s now available with a reduced offset. It’s built with 35mm stanchions and has ample clearance for large-volume tyres but at 2.39kg it’s one of the heavier forks out there – in part due to the largest internal oil volume. We like the O.T.T. feature and larger oil volume in principle, and it’s a solid all-round performer, but other forks just edge it in terms of comfort and damping finesse on our test tracks, and it’s also harder to set up for less knowledgeable riders.

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How we tested mountain bike forks

With plenty of time to put these forks through their paces, we ended riding everywhere from uplift days at BikePark Wales, Dyfi Bike Park and Revolution Bike Park, to big days out hammering Lake District bedrock. The forks here also either did extended time on Alpine riding trips, being pummelled by 10,000s of metres descending, or faced accelerated forces bolted to various all- mountain e-bikes.

All forks were then back-to-back tested systematically on the same bike (in the dry for maximum speeds and loads) on a local test track. The track we chose had a good mix of steep, twisty ruts up top and then high-speed, beaten-up braking bumps and berms towards the bottom. It’s a track known intimately to all test riders and chosen for how hard it works even a modern suspension fork.

Know the best mountain bike forks:

With suspension brands continually updating their products for improved performance, fork technology is a constantly evolving landscape. Leading players like Fox and RockShox will be familiar as original equipment on complete bike packages, while he smaller firms here have big ambitions for a slice of the aftermarket pie. With trickle-down development from oher areas such as motocross and rallying, there’s a really broad approach to design, technology and tunability among the brands represented.

Considering a fork literally just has to slide up and down to absorb bumps and stabilise the rider, a huge amount of R&D and technology lurks inside. Chassis stiffness, weight, damper architecture, seal and bushing friction, and adjustability are just some of the factors suspension engineers strive to improve. Forks also have to work for a wide range of rider styles and weights.

Most high-end forks come with mind-boggling adjustability, but whether you’re a suspension expert, or you just want to enjoy more speed, comfort and control, for this buyer’s guide put in the hard miles to really get to the bottom of which model delivers ultimate performance on the trail.

Air spring

Air-sprung forks support rider weight with a tuneable air cushion. Air pressure is added via a Schrader valve with a specific high-pressure shock pump to tune ride feel and adjust spring rate and support.

Volume spacers

These aren’t used on every fork, but tweaking the size of the (positive) air chamber by adding or removing volume spacers (or in-built systems to do the same) affects the spring curve. More spacers increases spring progression and helps prevent harsh bottom-outs, while fewer spacers (a larger internal volume) softens the end stroke. Öhlins uses a separate, third, ramp-up chamber to tune progressivity.

External adjustment

Dials on the top and bottom of the fork legs adjust parameters to tune support and control. Separate damping dials allow specific tuning options as to how much oil is allowed through ports and shims inside to absorb impacts, but more options also introduce more opportunities to mess up settings. Having said that, most suspension brands and bike companies now offer decent tuning guides according to body weight, and these will give you a good start point to work from.

Chassis

Stanchion diameter is an important metric for overall stiffness, with thicker fork legs generally adding weight. Bushing size and overlap, plus crown and brace construction also affect rigidity. Tapered steerer tubes are the norm – 1 1/8in to 1.5in at the base. Lower-leg assemblies use cast magnesium to save weight, and all forks here use a Boost 110mm axle spacing with quick- release-style or Allen-key fixings.

Positive and negative springs

Within the air spring there are typically two separate elements balancing breakaway friction and small-bump sensitivity against support. A negative spring pushes back against the main positive spring, and either takes the form of a separate (automatically equalising) air chamber or a coil spring.

Offset

Fork rake or offset has evolved as an important design element. Most brands now offer two different offsets in each wheel size, ranging from 37mm up to 51mm. It’s complicated, but offset affects steering feel and tyre stabilising force, so shorter offsets offer more stability and a ride quality that emulates a slacker head angle, while still keeping the bike’s wheelbase shorter.

Compression damping

Compression damping controls the rate at which displaced damper fluid is allowed to move during bump events. Low-speed controls low shaft-speed impacts like body weight shifts and rolling terrain, and high- speed damping absorbs harsh impacts like square bump faces and landings. Forcing oil through ports or shim stacks generates damping resistance, with energy converted into heat.

Rebound damping

This is the damping circuit that controls the speed that the fork returns to sag after a bump event. Low-speed damping is the most common external adjustment. The damping circuit uses orifices and shim stacks to regulate the oil flow – ports can be opened or closed and shims made stiffer or softer. Some systems also act ‘dynamically’ and respond differently according to the shaft speeds (the speed the legs slide up or down).