Suntour Axon RLD fork review

Budget forks are increasingly competent but still generally too heavy for competition use. Suntour buck the trend with this tight-feeling £250 race fork

Chunky magnesium lowers and alloy upper architecture drop weight remarkably low for its cost, and the Axon doesn’t wander or flex like many other lightweight forks.

We’ve even got a 15mm version on test at the moment with a neat expanding bolt-through axle that locks down any twist.

The suspension is well matched to racer tastes too; relatively stiff over small stuff to reduce morale-sapping sogginess and good in saddle climbing stability. There’s a remote handlebar-mounted lever to lock out the fork when you’re sprinting.

The rebound-adjustable damping is adequately controlled and consistent on the descents too, making this an excellent lighter weight cross-country/trail fork for the money.