THE TELESCOPIC FORK

Look at the bikes in today’s on- or off-road competition, and you will find telescopic forks on all of them. A “tele” is structurally simple and has continued to develop new strengths.

Critics correctly note that its sliding motion generates “stiction”—initial resistance to movement—its angled legs are pro-dive, and it inefficiently transmits stress up the telescoping legs from the tire footprint to a high steering head before distributing it back down into the