I remember a few years ago the Fox 15mm QR was much slagged by the STW intelligensia for being inferior to the RS 20mm maxle. Main complaint was a lack of lateral stiffness, and a pointless new standard. Seemed to make sense 20mm is always going to stiffner (but may not be perceptibly stiffer) than 15mm. The power of Fox/Shimano was always going to drive the market.

Now for 2012, RS are producing both 15mm and 20mm Revelation forks, but only importing 15mm forks into the UK. Why is the case if 20mm is better? Why upgrade to the new fork when the older is better? The Revelation is probably the benchmark trail fork, along with Fox Floats by which others are judged.

Is it a hub compatibility issue, and hence driven by the market demand? Hope Pro2 convert very easily to 20mm, but maybe the others, Mavic etc, are not so straightforward.

There is the Pro2 bearing and 20mm shaft tolerance issue, leading to be a bit of play, that is a bit pants.

It’s still a pointless standard (they could have put the same gubbins in a 20mm axle).

Now for 2012, RS are producing both 15mm and 20mm Revelation forks, but only importing 15mm forks into the UK. Why is the case if 20mm is better? Why upgrade to the new fork when the older is better? The Revelation is probably the benchmark trail fork, along with Fox Floats by which others are judged.

They’ve been making 15mm lowers from the begining, no one bought them so the usualy end up in the sales at on-one as most people either already have a 20mm fork and wheel and need to replace one or the other, or they were buying all new kit and didnt see the point of the (marginaly) less stiff 15mm standard.

It’s all irelavent anyway, what makes you faster is riding up grades, not riding upgrades.

Ive got a bike with a straight through inch and an eighth steerer/20mm bolt thru.

The other bike with a tapered steerer and a 15mm bolt thru. The girth up top seems to make the real difference.

Not sure about the different axles on the same steerers,though :O/