E-MTBs are pushing boundaries far and wide, thats why we test this fork to pass (and exceed) the industrys leading E-MTB standards. RockShox says this was a sum of its parts approach to redesigning these established models so, while theres plenty of headline-grabbing tech on show, its the detail you cant see that arguably makes the most difference. And if you can see some oil on the outside of the stanchions during the first few laps on the trail, dont worry, thats totally normal. FLOAT X2 Air Spring Volume Spacers each have a volume of 0.25in (PN: 233-00-233).Step 4. Open the damper up and RockShox has switched to using machined metal parts, which are said to be more accurate, though more expensive to produce. The shorter the travel of your fork, the more Bottomless Tokens youll ideally have in your fork. RockShox Pike, Lyrik and ZEB suspension forks get new Charger 3 damper and DebonAir+ air spring and chassis for 2023, Flight Attendant electronic suspension system, first-ride impressions of the 2023 RockShox ZEB Ultimate, 2023 RockShox rear shocks go ultra-adjustable, RockShox Super Deluxe Coil Ultimate rear shock review, Ultimate and Select+ forks will feature the new Charger 3 damper, which allows for external high- and low-speed compression and rebound-damping adjustment, All models get the new RockShox DebonAir+ air spring, Pressure-relief valves now feature on the lower legs (theyre blanked off on the lower two models of the range, but can be purchased aftermarket), The Ultimate-level forks receive a new longer bushing package to help lower friction as well as ButterCups, which reduce high-frequency vibrations, RockShox has unveiled new travel brackets for each model, with the Pike now offering 120-140mm, Lyrik 140-160mm and the ZEB 160-190mm. Next I remove the valve core. a butterlike small bump feel, increased air volume to add support throughout the travel, and higher overall ride height for more confidence when things get steep. Drop 10cc of RockShox 0-W30 oil into the bottom of each leg and slide the lowers on fully. Specifications Wheel size 27.5, 29 Color (FS) Diffusion Black, Gloss Black, Gloss Silver Fender Compatibility n/a Weight (g) 1832 Weight Based On 27.5 BOOST, 120mm, RC2 damper, Maxle Stealth. A force of nature since 2003, Pike remains the tried and true, trail-crushing staple that continues to live up to the hype it started long agoa mid-travel fork capable of handling any trail and any style of rider. With the fork setup to the correct sag, and you are still finding that you are bottoming out too easily or too frequently, you could benefit from adding a spacer or two. How much does a RockShox Pike weight? when the springs come out,watch for any parts that may come out with them. STEP THREE In 2010 he joined the team full-time and has been keeping a close eye on all things test-related ever since. Option 1: Replace air spring I've read in the docs I found on Sram's website that the entire solo-air air spring needs to be replaced with the correct shaft length, in my case 27.5 x 140mm. This is good for riders that are bottoming prematurely or need more bottom out support. To work properly, this page requires JavaScript to be enabled or to use the most recent versions of Google Chrome, Safari, or Firefox. The Charger 3 damper will only fit into 2023 RockShox Pike, Lyrik or ZEB forks (those that dont currently have one can be upgraded), or 2021 (and newer) ZEB forks. This will likely translate to less hand/arm fatigue over a longer run, which is no bad thing. If you want to improve the performance of your fork performance, you basically have two options, because the two legs of the fork perform very different tasks. Lyrik comes with 140, 150 or 160mm of travel, while the ZEB travel range includes 160, 170, 180 and 190mm. If so, we would be stoked if you decide to support us with a monthly contribution. Lower Leg Removal Place an oil pan beneath the fork to catch any draining oil. DebonAir+ air spring is built to strike the perfect balance of what riders really want: a butterlike small bump feel, increased air volume to add support throughout the travel, and higher overall ride height for more confidence when things get steep. With everything clean, simply drizzle some fork oil on the shaft of the new air spring and grease the new seals wed recommend using the purpose formulated SRAM Butter for this. Now, you can push the new air spring into the stanchion and secured it with the snap ring. STEP ONE *SAVE 50%* Get a year's subscription for just 42.99 - pay just 3.30 an issue! Review: RockShox Pike Ultimate RCT3 Fork | The Loam Wolf With RockShox, you can upgrade to this year's technology only if you own a ZEB, since its lower part - the so-called casting - is compatible with the latest damper. Use a 5 mm hex wrench to loosen both bottom bolts 3 to 4 turns. This covers everything from cross-country race machines to hard-hitting enduro bikes. 2021 Debonair Seal Head and Foot Nut Kit for 2020 forks with Debonair spring: $25 USD. I looked in Sram's parts catalog and found the part number I think would work. How to increase the travel of your RockShox Pike Make sure your fork and work space is clean. The damper cartridge determines how the fork behaves and it functions independently of the travel. 2021 Debonair Spring Kit for Most 2019 RockShox Lyrik, Pike, Yari and Revelation forks: $42. Smaller chatter is dealt with just as capably as bigger hits, and all in a very controlled and composed manner. Air spring shafts are available aftermarket to change up the travel of your MY23 fork. He has many years of racing experience as a longboard downhill skater, blasting down alpine passes on his board. Weve covered the full 2023 RockShox Pike, Lyrik and ZEB range towards the end of this story. I always take the pressure reading of a fork before I let all the air out. RockShox Pike DJ Suspension Fork - 26", 100 mm, 15 x 100 mm, 40 mm Offset, Gloss Black, A4 . Too little low-speed damping and I really felt the fork diving and riding too low into its travel, properly unsettling the balance of the bike, particularly through the turns. All three RockShox suspension forks have been designed from the ground up and feature an entirely new chassis, a whole new damper and a completely reworked air spring. While you cant upgrade older Pike or Lyrik forks, ZEB owners can buy the DebonAir+ spring as an aftermarket upgrade. All it takes is the push of a button riders could often tackle this by slipping a blunt/clean cable tie down behind the wiper seal, though this can cause damage if done incorrectly. External spring preload adjustment compresses or decompresses the spring without initiating travel. and 29er versions and varies in travel from 140-160mm. Service. Remove the rebound adjuster knob by pulling it from the bottom bolt. STEP ELEVEN Now flip the fork horizontally and remove the rebound adjuster with a 2.5mm allen key. Robs expansive knowledge of bikes comes courtesy of his passion for racing. 2023 RockShox Pike, Lyrik and ZEB suspension travel changes - BikeRadar Reducing the Rockshox Pike RCT3 Solo Air travel - Blogger Rob Weaver is BikeRadar's technical editor-in-chief. Adding a spacer does not work for solo-air forks. Weve redesigned the trail-capable legend with a new 35mm chassis equipped with podium-proven technology like the new Charger 3 damper featuring vibration-killing ButterCups. I wonder - is it possible to lower travel of RS PIKE DJ 2019 from 100m to 90mm? If you want to reduce sag, reduce volume spacers and keep the pressure the same. One of the best things about the Yari is that it delivers all of these performance enhancements without compromising the comfort of your ride or affecting any of the other dynamics at play. Reducing the Rockshox Pike RCT3 Solo Air travel <Update: I have opened up the comments. Home Travel How Much Travel In Rockshox Pike. The 2023 Rockshox Pike Fork Lineup Got Some Interesting New Tech ButterCups reduce overall . There are other variables in the stiffness of the fork such as the arch, type of dropout/axle, size of disc rotor. Hes savoured some of Europes finest trails on various road trips through the Alps. Small bump compliance issues can be from product design, over compressed suspension circuits, oil flow, fitment and more. Can you change the travel on a RockShox 35 gold? To make it unbeatable. Subscribe to MBUK and get a pair of Crankbrothers Stamp 1 pedals as your welcome reward! As well as creating a new damper, RockShox has revamped their air spring, too. How do you remove a rockshox rebound adjuster? Already proving itself on the podium with multiple wins during the 2021 season, Charger 3 is ready to meet the masses. Hes a tech nerd through and through, using the skills and know-how from his engineering degree and his attention to detail to put the latest bikes and components through their paces for our reviews. For example, you can upgrade your Lyrik Select with the damper cartridge of the Lyrik Ultimate of the same year. RockShox Pike RCT3 2018 first ride review - BikeRadar Can I increase my fork travel? RockShox says this all came in a bid to improve traction, boost control and maintain the bikes dynamic geometry, along with improving rider comfort. Step-by-step, directly following the Rockshox manual. Overall, RockShox says the switch helps the IFP to produce more consistent back pressure on the system and create a more reactive and consistent damper. And thats all theres to it; now youve got a new, smooth-running, and freshly serviced fork. Simon loves speed. This clip holds the airshaft in place. And it couldnt be easier, because replacing the damper cartridge is like plug and play. Rob manages all of the testing here at BikeRadar and across our magazines, Mountain Biking UK and Cycling Plus. Compatibility. Yes, the new fork is quieter, but I did have to do some fiddling with the adjusters to get it feeling as Id have liked. Replace the top cap and make sure to use the correct number of spacers. RockShox premium short fender compatibility. 1. A force of nature since 2003, Pike remains the tried and true, trail-crushing staple that continues to live up to the hype it started long agoa mid-travel fork capable of handling any trail and any style of rider. ButterCups arent retrofittable to older RockShox forks because they take up more internal real estate. For more information about the forks and other useful tips, visit sram.com/rockshox. As a rough estimate, each 20mm of travel added will correlate to a one-degree difference in the head tube angle. By exchanging the damper cartridge, you can get the latest Charger 3 version or upgrade from the Select to the Ultimate model. It took a fresh set of eyes to produce what became the Charger 3 damper. once this is done, push the rod back down the stanchon and put the nut back on the bottom or the rod the correct way round. Pike is an unmatched mid-travel ripper, reimagined to push what todays trail bikes are truly capable of. The 2023 RockShox Pike comes in 120mm, 130mm, and 140mm travel options. Bleed buttons, or as RockShox refers to them, pressure-relief valves (PRVs for short), have been around for a while. This effectively will reduce the air chamber size (travel decrease, spacer added) or increase the air chamber size (travel increase, spacer removed). Because of this, RockShox has tuned the lower leg volume and its effect (on ramp up) into account during the design process. That means repositioning the dimple (bypass port) again, as well as changing the positive and negative air-chamber volumes. By reducing air volume, you obtain greater ramp at the end of the suspension stroke. This makes the fork ramp up more quickly making it less likely to bottom out. Reducing volume makes your suspension firmer sooner in the travel, increasing the spring rate in the mid and end-stroke. While at 180 pounds, I didnt really need to add much more than 2 clicks from full open, I dabbled with going to 4 from open and was surprised at how manageable it stayed that indicates that its range of adjustment likely far better for a broader range of rider weights and abilities. And since the actual technology of the fork is located inside the stanchions, its easy to access, even if you only want to do a small service. RockShox Pike | Worldwide Cyclery Essentially, its a pressurised air chamber that can be compressed and thereby absorb impacts. After setting sag, adjust the rebound damper, go for a ride, and adjust again as preferred. When upgrading to the Charger 3 cartridge, all you have to do is make sure that the markings are aligned correctly. ButterCups reduce overall hand and arm fatigue and will leave you feeling fresh with more control over the trail. How to adjust travel on a Rockshox Pike - Australian Mountain Bike After many years competing on the UK national circuit (including a year attempting to race UCI DH World Cups), Rob realised his know-how and passion for bike setup, tech and writing clearly outweighed his racing ability. This creates a stronger, stiffer interface, giving you a more responsive front wheel and more control. Featuring High Speed Compression, Low Speed Compression, and a revamped Low Speed Rebound, every click is exact and meaningful. Then refinements to the surface treatments to reduce friction. The 27.5-inch chassis will be available from 120 to 160 millimeters of travel, while the 29er version will max out at 140 millimeters. However, these are generally backed by a high-pressure nitrogen charge. Is anyone able to confirm? RockShox recommends between 50 and 59psi for my 68kg weight. Ultra-versatile, super capable, lightweight on the scales, heavy on the attitudethis is the new Pike. . This is because the air spring also influences how sensitively the fork responds and how high up it stays in its travel, among other things. How do I change travel in my RockShox fork? - RockShox FAQ The most common steerer diameters are 1,1 1/8, 1.5 and tapered. VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. Slackened the head angle by about 0.9 degree. Max pressure should not exceed 163 psi. STEP THIRTEEN Pike is for riders not looking to compromise on features or performance. On the bottom of all of RockShox airshafts they will have the lengths marked on them. With the Charger 3, when the fork compresses, the IFP is pushed upwards as oil is displaced by the dampers piston. Even the switch to an aluminium rather than plastic air-spring piston (which can be made thinner than the plastic equivalent) helped the brand to maximise the air volume to the best of its abilities. $1,499 AUD Weight 1525g Positives - Impressive small-bump compliance & comfort - Ridiculously low weight for a 120mm trail fork - Tracks confidently for the most part - Simple and easy-to-tune - External damper bleed port is genius Negatives - Can bind on hard, fast off-camber impacts