Changing a mountain bicycle fork is a good way of upgrading your mountain bicycle. Nowadays, forks customarily come with suspension systems, to help with a bike's handling and maneuverability on rougher terrain. Mountain bike forks are classified according to the technology incorporated in them. Some bike forks include 4X and Jump suspension forks, Freeride / Mountain suspension forks, Freeride / DH forks, XC suspension forks, and Cannondale Lefty's. Each kind of suspension fork has its own advantages and disadvantages, and is developed for particular surfaces and uses. Significant facets of suspension forks include travel, which is the measurement for the movement of a suspension coil from action to rest.

Jump and 4X forks are typically short travel, coil-sprung forks. The coils move from 80 to 100 millimeters typically and are made to cushion heavy landings without too much front-end compression, enabling the rider to right away recover and continue riding. These are stable forks whose weights are directly in proportion to their durability. These suspension forks are the most sturdy.

Freeride Lite or Mountain suspension forks travel more than cross-country forks, with movement up to around 6 inches at maximum. These forks are expectedly heavier than other fork types, rendering lockout even more serious. With these forks, most riders tend to go with coil-sprung forks vs air-sprung ones. The coils do make the forks heavier, yet less at the mercy of damage once the subject of powerful impacts.

Freeride or downhill forks are 'double-crown' suspension forks which can move up to ten inches re travel. Plenty of the forks with this technology have coil springs for more durability. Freeride forks also enable the user to customize their ride by changing the springs, and thus changing travel, which influences handling also. However downhill forks should not be employed in cross-country bikes, as these bikes are not developed to withstand the pressure these forks give. Freeride forks can snap the frames of cross-country bikes.

XC cross-country forks sometimes have low degrees of travel, and are built for light weight. These single-crown suspension forks have, on the average, from 80 to one hundred millimeters of travel. Forks built for cross-country bikes now increasingly utilise air springs, wherein air pressure takes the place of elastometers or springs. Since these previously mentioned components are no longer present or required, the bike's overall weight is lighter. These types of suspension forks are also better to adjust. However some riders and manufacturers still use elastometers and coil-sprung forks as these need less maintenance and take more punishment than XC cross-country forks.

Cannondale Lefty's and Headshocks have more recent suspension fork technology, which integrates all mechanisms inside the frame of the bike. The fork is reasonably trustworthy, with some top-end variants coming with lockouts for simple adjustment. These forks generally result in more responsive handling, with active suspension and better traction.