What the bend in the fork does.
Monsoon Cycles, Colorado Springs · Updated August 21, 2026
Fork rake (offset) is how far the front axle sits ahead of the steering axis. On most road forks it is between 40 and 55mm, built in either as a curve in the blades or an angled dropout.
Rake exists to adjust trail. More rake means less trail, which lightens the steering; less rake means more trail and a steadier front end. That is why builders pair slack head angles with long rake: the slack angle adds trail, the rake takes some back, and the steering stays in the family riders expect. Our 1972 Italian Stage Racer runs 73 degrees with 45mm; the Expedition Tourer runs 71 with 55. Different personalities, related trail.
Rake also buys toe room. Every millimeter of rake moves the front wheel a millimeter further from your foot, which matters on small frames and fendered bikes: see front-center.
The practical warning: swapping a fork with different rake changes how the bike steers even if everything else stays identical. A 43mm fork in a frame designed around 50mm adds 7mm of trail, and you will feel it in the first corner.
Drag the rake slider in the Frame Lab and watch trail and front-center respond together.