A bicycle fork is the portion of a bicycle that holds the front wheel and allows one to steer. A fork consists of two dropouts which hold the front wheel axle, two "blades" which join at a fork "crown", and a steerer to which the handlebars attach allowing the user to steer the bicycle. The steerer of the fork interfaces with the frame via a headset.
On some mountain bicycles, the fork contains a set of shock absorbers. The suspension travel and handling characteristics vary depending on the type of mountain biking the fork is designed for. For instance, manufacturers produce different forks for cross-country (XC), downhill, and freeride riding.
