Linkage suspension forks aren't a new concept, with the idea being trailed in all sorts of two-wheeled sports throughout the past. Fans of motorcycle road racing still talk about the legendary ELF Honda NSR500 and its wild chassis and linkage front-end that was raced in the 1980s, and mountain biking has also seen a handful of different linkage forks over the decades, from AMP to Whyte and a few others. None of those designs ever caught on, however, and traditional bushing-based suspension forks are obviously still the norm... but should they be?
Structure Cycleworks wants to change that with the 150mm-travel SCW-1 and their linkage fork that's integrated into the bike's carbon fiber chassis. The company knows that they're going to have an uphill battle and that the bike's polarizing looks will be an instant turn-off for many riders, but Structure Cycleworks' Loni Hull says that they're aiming to win people over with its performance, not its appearance.
