Rockshox have announced lots of changes to their 2016 range of forks from entry level XC30 forks in 27.5 sizing to the more contentious new Boost 110×15 upgrades to their high end forks.
For more info on how the new Boost ‘standard’ is affecting things at the back of your bike see our SRAM Boost story here.
The premise that a wider hub (wider distance between flanges to be more accurate) leads to a stiffer wheel is very much true – there’s little to argue with there. And so is the premise that what is good for the rear wheel is good for the front too. Whether the total cost of changes required to make these particular incremental gains in wheel stiffness are actually worth it is a lot more contentious. There’s a lot going on in the bike industry right now and a lot of changes are taking place that for some equate to more choice and for others more unnecessary ‘standards’. Whichever way you lean on that score, you will not be surprised when we tell you that Rockshox have joined the Boost party with a selection of their higher end forks.
The forks concerned are the SID, Pike and Reba forks, all of which are now available in the new 110×15 hub widths. It’s not just the hub that needs to fit in there though as more riders are turning to fatter and taller 27+ tyres too. All forks will still be available in standard (what the hell does that word even mean anymore?) 100 hub widths too, so unlike at the rear, you aren’t being ‘forced’ into replacing a whole heap of anything if you don’t want to and you can even buy a new Boost rear ended bike and put your old forks and wheels on the front. At least until the headtubes gets ‘Boosted’, whatever that will entail.
Anyway… lets relax and look at some pretty pictures of new forks.
As far as prices go you can pick up a Boosted Reba RL 110 Solo Air for £496 and a Boosted SID RL 110 Solo Air for £624. We have no price info on the Pike models as yet.
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so basically a design to overcome the shortcomings of the 29″ wheel . And another way to increase sales.
Will most rides actually notice any difference?
“as more riders are turning to fatter and taller 27+ tyres too”
Can you even buy these yet? Who are all theses riders? I haven’t seen anyone on a 27.5 bike yet let alone 27.5+
How about making the damn things affordable?!
I guarantee you have seen some 27.5 bikes. But they look so much like 26″bikes you won’t have noticed.
And of course manufacturers are trying to find ways to increase sales. If they don’t make sales they go out of business.
Nice forks, shame they haven’t used the new 1.75 inch semi-tapered steerer standard 🙁