New gravel fork features 40mm of travel for $450

By Nick Clark

Published: Wednesday, 27 September 2023 at 13:00 PM


State Bicycle Co has released the All-Road Suspension Fork, featuring 40mm of travel, a crown-mounted lockout and a stealthy appearance, all for just $450.

The 1.6kg suspension fork is the first from the brand, which is better known for its gravel framesets and affordable singlespeed bikes.

Suspension is a growing trend on gravel bikes, and the All-Road Suspension Fork looks to be one of the cheapest on the market.

Affordable air-fork

State Bicycle Co All-Road Suspension Fork
The State Bicycle Co All-Road Suspension Fork is only available in black.
State Bicycle Co

The All-Road Suspension Fork uses an air spring, providing 40mm of travel. This is similar to the RockShox Rudy XPLR fork, and like the Rudy, the All-Road uses 30mm stanchions.

State Bicycle Co says it has incorporated a minimalist design and “robust functionality” into the All-Road. The fork features a stealth black finish with 6000 series and 7075 series aluminium in the fork’s construction, which should give it high corrosion resistance.

State Bicycle Co All-Road Suspension Fork
The majority of gravel and road disc brakes are flat-mount.
State Bicycle Co

The fork has a flat brake mount, making it compatible with most gravel groupsets. Brake hoses are routed externally via a clip on the bridge of the fork.

The 12x100mm thru-axles should make it compatible with a host of the best gravel wheels.

State Bicycle Co All-Road Suspension Fork on bike
An O-ring features on the stanchion to set sag.
State Bicycle Co

The crown of the fork features a turn-key lockout on the right-hand side and an air valve on the left.

We haven’t been told what other adjustments the fork features, though it’s common to see rebound adjust on air forks.

State Bicycle Co says the fork has clearance for a 58mm-wide 700c tyre or a 2.3in-wide 650b tyre.

The brand claims its new fork tips the scales at 1,600g, which is about 350g heavier than the claimed weight of RockShox’s Rudy Ultimate XPLR at 1,250g. Considering the RockShox fork costs $779, that’s impressive.

Slacker geometry

State Bicycle Co All-Road Suspension Fork
State Bicycle Co says the fork will raise the height of the head tube, making your head angle slacker.
State Bicycle Co

State Bicycle Co says its All-Road Suspension Fork will slacken the head angle of most bikes, providing greater stability on high-speed descents, with a rake of 52mm.

It should be mentioned that you should always check with your frame manufacturer for suspension fork compatibility, or you could be at risk of voiding your warranty.