Rockshox – Everything changes?

Comments (25)

mikewsmith March 21, 2014 at 11:59 pm

so upside down forks are back

kiwijohn March 22, 2014 at 12:45 am

I guess with 3 different wheel sizes to cater for, you would only need to change a spacer inside instead of half the fork.

ratherbeintobago March 22, 2014 at 6:47 am

No, you need to change the offset too.

0range5 March 22, 2014 at 6:58 am

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.

benji March 22, 2014 at 7:15 am

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.

bspoked March 22, 2014 at 8:04 am

Cyclocross fork?

andyl March 22, 2014 at 9:19 am

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.

big_scot_nanny March 22, 2014 at 10:07 am

Look bloody fantastic whatever they are (hoping for fat forks!)

rollsroyce March 22, 2014 at 11:42 am

Full carbon?? That’d be new.

sillyoldman March 22, 2014 at 2:13 pm

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.

postierich March 22, 2014 at 2:44 pm

Been running Maverick SC32 for years zero problems with them just ham fisted tightening of clamps have been the only problem!

ampthill March 22, 2014 at 5:16 pm

So why have they been the other way up for so long, if this is the way forward?

flossie March 22, 2014 at 6:23 pm

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.

oxym0r0n March 22, 2014 at 9:06 pm

“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?

mountainsofsussex March 22, 2014 at 9:32 pm

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”…

andyl March 22, 2014 at 10:17 pm

sillyoldman – you are right, I realised later on as I was thinking about some rigid forks.

ampthill March 23, 2014 at 4:05 pm

Yes of course stiffer hubs…..

michaelc March 23, 2014 at 4:42 pm

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 .

matther01 March 23, 2014 at 5:21 pm

I assume they are missing a bit of picture…as they look about 30mm of travel!

slofox March 23, 2014 at 5:45 pm

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!

myopic March 24, 2014 at 10:55 am

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

veedubba March 24, 2014 at 12:18 pm

Just on the dropout casting Myopic

oomidamon March 24, 2014 at 1:01 pm

My 1993 San Andreas had USD forks, ain’t the future wonderful…

simonm March 25, 2014 at 1:37 pm

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”

ravenrider March 26, 2014 at 10:55 am

Pardon me for being cynical, but any chance that this is an April Fools?!