SOURCE REWARDS
BMX Forks and Headset Buyers Guide
Your front-end setup determines how your bike feels and performs. BMX forks support the front wheel, helping to absorb impacts from jumps and influence the responsiveness of your steering. BMX headsets sit inside the headtube - helping your handlebars spin smoothly while keeping your steering tight. Whether you’re building a new setup or looking for the best BMX forks to handle your riding style, this guide covers everything you need to know before buying.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT BMX FORKS
Not all BMX forks are the same. Picking the right one can make your bike stronger, lighter, and easier to ride.
Offset
Fork offset affects how fast your bike turns and handles. For park and street setups, short offsets are preferred (15mm-25mm); for trail riding, longer offsets are preferred like 30mm+.
Offset
Fork offsets primarily range from 15mm to 30mm. Shorter offsets provide quick and responsive steering, great for street and park riding. Offsets between 20mm - 25mm are a great middle ground for all-around riding. Longer offsets give stability and control, ideal for racing or trial riding.
Steerer Tube
Threadless (Integrated) steerer tubes are the modern standard on BMX bikes; these work with integrated headsets, making it easy to maintain. Butted steerers are lighter weight while maintaining durability.
Fork Materials
The top choice for all freestyle riding is 4130 Chromoly steel. These BMX forks are lightweight and durable. Hi-Ten steel is another option, perfect for first-time riders or kids. Hi-Ten steel forks are more affordable, perfect for people on a budget. Some forks are also heat-treated, which helps strengthen them further.
BMX race forks are made from chromoly or Carbon fibre. This makes them super lightweight, perfect for high-speed BMX racing. BMX race forks sometimes use a larger size headset than normal which is called tapered or 1.5" headsets. Note these will only work with frames made with tapered 1.5" headtubes.
Brake Mounts
Brake mounts on BMX forks are very rare and only available on a few models.
Dropout sizes
Freestyle forks are nearly always designed for 10mm axles although 14mm are available in limited numbers. Race forks however are available in 10mm and 20mm thru-axle standards.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT BMX HEADSET
The headset lets your handlebars and fork turn smoothly. A good one keeps your steering tight and easy to control. When choosing a headset for your new BMX build, there are a few key factors to keep in mind.
Types of Headsets
BMX bikes typically run either integrated or push-in "A-headsets". both types do the same thing with the integrated versions having the bearing cups built into the frame and the push A-ahead types have cups that need pushing into the frame. Nearly all after-market BMX frames have integrated types nowadays. There are 3 headset sizes on BMX bikes listed below:
1-1/8" :this is the most popular size and nearly all freestyle BMX bikes use this size.
1-1/8" - 1.5" tapered : Popular on pro sized BMX race frames. uses the same 1-1/8" top size with a larger 1.5" bottom size both integrated into the frame. offers more strength and a cleaner look with carbon forks,
1" : A smaller version of the standard -1/8" size found on small mini and expert size race frames and some childs freestyle frames
Spacers
Headset spacers are small rings used on the steerer tube between the headset and stem. By adding or removing spacers, you can easily raise or lower your bars, allowing you to fine-tune your handlebar height and giving you more control over riding position.
