Followers of Rockshox Facebook page, will have noticed a series of teaser images being posted over the last week. It’s looking like there’s a new fork on the way, the RS-1 if the images are to be believed. Obviously the name is a homage to Rockshox first ever fork. So what will the RS-1’s new role be?
We’ll have to wait and see, in the meantime feel free to speculate…
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so upside down forks are back
I guess with 3 different wheel sizes to cater for, you would only need to change a spacer inside instead of half the fork.
No, you need to change the offset too.
Still cheaper to change the offset on these as you only need different dropouts, or at most different lowers. I imagine that’s cheaper than a CSU assembly on a standard fork.
Only a matter of time, if you look at a modern sports motorbike they have had this for years, it’s far better in terms of sprung to unsprung mass.
Cyclocross fork?
Orange5 – you change the fork lowers to change the offset on normal forks.
I spot a carbon steerer but wondering if the upper is carbon too? Probably only racing models like SID but you never know, they may had had to switch to carbon to get the stiffness.
This does make sense, conventional fork seals and bushes sit with dirt on top and all the lube at the bottom. Always thought stanchions looked vulnerable down there but probably no more so and can always fit guards on the sides.
Look bloody fantastic whatever they are (hoping for fat forks!)
Full carbon?? That’d be new.
andyl – current forks have the offset difference in the crown. Pikes for example have 44 or 51 stamped on the underside of the crown to differentiate.
Back when Bontys had specific offsets, their crowns were black rather than silver to distinguish.
Been running Maverick SC32 for years zero problems with them just ham fisted tightening of clamps have been the only problem!
So why have they been the other way up for so long, if this is the way forward?
Is that a dedicated hub…. I hope not.
I have to wait a few years for the lovely upside downness to a more affordable section of the RS range.
“So why have they been the other way up for so long”
I think partly down to hub choice/compatibility – most hubs used to be qr only, so an upgrade would mean buying a dedicated hub and cost of a rebuild too. Now 15 and 20mm hubs are much more prevalent, so I guess the upgrade is easier?
Flossie – hmm, if you look at the brake side, it looks like there might be something unusual going on with the outside of the hub. Might be big interface to make up for the loss of stiffness from the missing crown. Bang goes another “standard”…
sillyoldman – you are right, I realised later on as I was thinking about some rigid forks.
Yes of course stiffer hubs…..
If the shiny slidy in and out bit is at the bottom beside the hub I wonder how they will deal with the brake caliper mounting posts which are usually cast as part of the fixed part of the fork .
I assume they are missing a bit of picture…as they look about 30mm of travel!
My son who doesn’t drive, is a qualified bike mechanic and rides everywhere he goes unless he uses public transport, said just the other day that forks would be better if upside down to the way we are used to. He hasn’t seen any bike mags recently so …… coincidence is weird isn’t it!
Wouldn’t disc brake have to be mounted on hub somehow? Maybe that’s what that thing is on the think side of the hub?
Or back to rim brakes
Just on the dropout casting Myopic
My 1993 San Andreas had USD forks, ain’t the future wonderful…
One Monday morning at a RS development meeting……
“what can we re-market now….. I know ! this will create endless debate and desire for new, it did last time round”
Pardon me for being cynical, but any chance that this is an April Fools?!