Hi All,

Currently running RS Lyriks 160mm but was toying with the idea of selling them and buying some Bos Devilles my chum has for sale.

Anyway, they are both 160mm travel, they even look very similar, I was just wondering if I’m wasting time and money.

What are the key differnces and any firsthand experiences would be much appreciated.

Cheers,
John.

I’m not trying to be a forum snob, but you can literally (and I am literally using the word properly) find about 20 threads just on this forum about how good BOS forks are.

Super quick summary, BOS performance = very very good, BOS weight = bit better than air lyrics, BOS servicing = much harder to get parts for BOS than anything RS. Overall coolness factor = BOS wins every time.

Get the Devilles if they’re cheap, very reliable and you’re wanting to save weight, I would.

Well that answered that haha and I will just on the coolness factor have to walk down that road 🙂

He’s still wanting £450 for the Devilles but I’ll get £250-£300 for the Lyriks, so not cheap persay but they are in really good condition.

The reviews I’ve read have been taking me in that direction, it more the real world comparison I wanted to take stock of. If they are noticably better, lighter, stronger, faster, then it warrants the cost, albeit thay I’ll only have to shell a couple of hundred.

Will have a google on the topic.

Cheers for the swift answer 🙂

Bos seem ideal if you don’t ride enough to have to service them and will never break them, for everyone else there’s Rockshox. I had a bit of deville lust but I’m going to cure that with one Pike, taken daily.

I have some Deville’s on my Mega AM. Don’t have any recent experiences with Lyrics but they are the best fork I’ve ridden by some distance. My last two bikes have run X-Fusion Slant/Trace which are brilliant value fork with excellent performance. But the BOS is just better everywhere.

It’s incredibly plush but doesn’t dive through it’s travel. It’s very stiff without being heavy. It seems to track the ground better than other forks I’ve tried, and the harder you push the better it is. I just seem to have more grip. It also takes big hits and front end casings which are a speciality of mine!

Not tried a pike tho.

A mate who rides a lot had interesting comment about BOS forks and shocks – “If you can afford only one fork buy anything but BOS, if you can have spare fork get the BOS. It is the best performing fork out there”. 🙂

I think he has two BOS forks and shocks currently, despite usual problems with servicing.

Do it.

I ditched my lovely old 36 Van RC2’s for a second hand Devilles at the end of last year and have been really happy with them. They’ve had a few issues but have been easy to sort…

They didn’t have any oil in them when I got them! The shop the chap had bought a complete second hand bike from had serviced them but hadn’t bothered to refill them. I checked in some lightweight oil based on a thread on here, but this turned out to be wrong. J Tech and the like use Motul 7.5w, which was easy to track down through my local motorbike shop and much cheaper than MTB fork oil.

One of the seals perished this month, but they were easy enough to change…I just chucked in some Fox 34 seals although I have been told that Jungle will be making BOS seals available aftermarket. Quick seal change, grease under the seals and some fresh oil and they feel super plush again.

They’re really easy to strip and do basic services yourself on. If something breaks (eg a dead damper) parts may be hard to get hold of judging by what I’ve read. Other than that, they’re easy to sort.

I find them much better than my 36’s, mainly because they support themselves better in the travel. One click of adjustment does make a huge difference. They’re really nicely made too.

Dam’it I may have to put my hand in my pocket haha

I was looking at Pikes and heard great things but everywhere I look Bos comes up trumps.

mindmap3 – do the fox seals work effectively?

Cheers for the responses by the way 🙂

I’ve just gone from a 36 float rc2 to a deville and I’m more than chuffed. They have a wider performance envelope, supple when you’re bimbling about and supportive when you’re charging. Only 3 rides in so far but two of them were at the Inners SDA, managed not to look daft on my trail bike! https://www.rootsandrain.com/photos/600973

If I could afford BOS I’d try them. Availability of parts- how often do you need parts and if you did, whats the turn around for fork servicing/warranty in summer months anyway? I was always told 1month+ by SRAM. On Pikes- at somepoint in the future I might consider them myself however a few reports on here of a ‘knock’ (like a top-out?) in the first part of travel. Described as a characteristic. That’d annoy me.

The Fox seals do work, I had to resort to them when my old Deville’s crapped themselves.

I sold my Deville’s for some Lyriks.

If you are lucky, and need nothing but servicing, then happy days. If you need parts, in short, you’re f*cked.

Performance wise? You’re not going to go any quicker, they will feel a bit different, but that’s about it.

That’s the thing Hob Nob, having gone from Deville to Lyrik is there really a huge difference with them, is this the real world comparison I’m after 🙂

If they make a world of difference and feel plusher, smoother, firmer, and all the other buzz words we use to describe the improved feeling of control then it’s game on.

If on the other hand they’re a tiny bit better, a few grams lighter but in all honesty the lay person (in this instance me) wouldn’t have a clue, then I have to ask myself if it’s a truly worthwhile investment.

Aesthetically speaking I think the Deville’s will look awesome, not sure how to put pics on here, so here’s a link:

http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/10736278/

So it’s Pitch with a fairly burly spec.

Pitch 2011
Raceface D2 stem
CraneCreek S2 HS
Hope Mono Mini Pro – 203mm Alpine Rotors
Lyrik 160mm RC2DH 2010
Kashima RP23 200BV
SRAM X0 RedWing derailleurs & shifters (2×9) PG990 Redwing cassette
TruActiv Chain Device & Hope Bash
GXP II Crankset/BB (soon to be Saint)
Stan’s Flow EX Hope Pro 2 Evo hubs, laced; DT Swiss Champ D’Butted
Hans dampf 2.35
Renthal Fatbar 780mm 20mm
Nukeproof electron pedals
Reverb
Charge spoon

Some might say stop wasting money on an inexpensive frame and I know there are ‘better’ frames out there, however I absolutely love the feel of this bike. More so than any other bike I’ve bought/rode, I sold a year old Norco Sight SE for a song to build the Pitch, having had a weekend on a friends, the love is that deep haha

So IF the Deville is going to take me one step closer to my MTB nirvana then happy days 🙂

I really wouldn’t bother to be honest, get a Pike if you want an upgrade 🙂 Easy peasy to get bits for, a lot lighter than a Lyrik (and a Deville) and they’re ENDURO APPROVED!!!

That’s the thing Hob Nob, having gone from Deville to Lyrik is there really a huge difference with them, is this the real world comparison I’m after

That’s the challenge. If you ask me, no. I’ve always said they do feel different, the Deville does feel a little different to most other forks (new Pike feels like it though).

That however doesn’t translate to any extra speed/ability/gnar/etc. I’ve said before, I never went any quicker on them, or any slower when I sold them.

However, wants can be quite irrational – if you want them, and can accept the potential issues of parts etc, then go for it.

My comparison was probably pretty flawed since they were on different bikes and I’ve put a lot of work into the setup of my lyriks, but if it’s any use…

The quality of damping is pretty equivalent imo but the intent’s different, the cliches seem pretty true- I’d sum it up like Lyriks genuinely feel like little downhill forks, brilliant chaos-taming and rock eating, and one of the most intuitive dampers I’ve ever used… while Devilles feel like big trailbike forks, more composed and controlled. Braking and steering definitely better.

I think honestly I’d be better served by the Devilles but I love how the Lyriks feel, they inspire more confidence for me but probably go a bit slower. Perhaps you could firm up lyriks to get some of that feel but I don’t think they’ll ever feel as tight. Then again the Devilles are a lot lighter too.

jskiffin – Member

Dam’it I may have to put my hand in my pocket haha

I was looking at Pikes and heard great things but everywhere I look Bos comes up trumps.

mindmap3 – do the fox seals work effectively?

Cheers for the responses by the way

I’m only one ride in, but the seals seem to be doing the job. If the likes of J Tech did the same and charged people for it, I doubt there are any draw backs.

I’m not overly concerned by parts availability – the only forks that I’ve ever had that needed more than basic servicing were some Marz AM1’s. The ATA cartridge was impossible to get get so they spent more time at Windwave than they did on the front of my bike. If they do die, I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it. They didn’t cost me much (well below what seems to be the accepted second hand value).

I agree with those that say you won’t be any faster or slower. They do feel different though – my old 36 Vans were really plush but did use a lot of travel. This could be ironed out with some compression damping, but then they lost the plushness. The BOS seem to give the best of both worlds (I’ve always hated air forks) in that they are plush and controlled. The bottom out is quite subtle whereas my 36’s were like Bombers and made a right old noise.

The only area that I don’t feel they’re as good is stiffness. They seem to get deflected more by rocks than then 36’s, but they are a fair bit smaller and lighter.

If you like them, give them a whirl. You can always sell them on if you don’t get on with them.

Cheers all.

Some great advice, and your right Mindmap3 I can always sell em if I don’t like em 🙂

Northwind – cheers very useful, my type of riding is ‘black’ trail centres and light DH (Stiniog/Cockhill/etc..) so nothing massive but testing at high speeds. Maybe the Deville’s are the perfect big trail forks…..We will see 🙂

Well justified or not the missus is gonna kell me, another £450 on the bike haha

Wish me luck!!!!!

Good lad – I didn’ tell mine and she didn’t even notice! No more poo brown 36’s for me.

Having been very anti air forks (I blame early Fox Talas forks) I was really surpised at how plush they are. I was also pleased with how easy they are to fiddle with / strip.

Mine held up fine at BPW and will be going to Antur in the summer. My Rune is bild up as a bog trail bike and they seem to suit it really well.

Get ’em bought!

They’re very very good indeed, but follow the setup instructions TO THE LETTER..!!!!

It makes a massive difference.

Antur is awesome, can’t wait to go in the summer, I’ve only ever been battered half to death by fearce wind and rain, fingers crossed I’ll catch some nice weather.

Must get my ass to BPW, looks like a top day out!

Anyway the crux of the matter…… I see BOS in my future 🙂