Hi all,
I have been looking at fork options for a new build 29 hardtail, (probably a Solaris). My Soul has some ancient Reba’s with a remote lockout – I use it all the time on any drawn out easy climbs.

However, it looks like modern forks don’t seem to lockout like that anymore – is that right? I can see that the X-Fusion McQueen Roughcut that Cotic offer is (relatively) good value but no lockout, same with the Revelation and Yari? Incidentally, I didn’t really want to spend £500+ anyway, but as I probably won’t get the wheels ’til next year, I figure spend a bit more now and get something decent for my favourite rocky chutes that will last.

Is it just not an issue these days – if I don’t lock the Reba, it moves quite a lot when I’m out of the saddle, do modern shocks just deal with that better?

Any guidance gratefully received as ever…

I never lock mine out anyway with modern forks. You can still lock them, but they won’t be completely rigid as they will stil move somewhat – useful if you ‘forget’ (this idiot did at least half ‘The Beast’ at Coed y Brenin with the rear shock locked – wondered why it sounded wheezy.)

Many of the modern Fox forks can be locked out, either with a remote or a knob on the crown. I have two Fit4 dampered forks which have a very solid lockout.

The normal trade-off is a bit less adjustability.

Sometimes you can get something pretty close to a lockout on a non-lockout fork – for example, on the Xfusion you mention, cranking the LSC all the way up pretty much locks it out. It’s just not easy to turn it on and off on the fly.

Generally ‘Lockout’ nowadays is actually ‘ramp up the compression damping as high as it will go’. Most forks in the budget you’re taking about have this facility, but not from a remote.

I’ve Pikes, 34s & 36s and tend to just leave them in the open setting. Doesn’t feel any less efficient than my rigid fork tbh, just heavier.

All air forks have a lock out. My Suntour Raidon on my Voodoo Bizango has a lock out and it won’t budge more than a couple of mm when its locked.

No fork I’ve tried has had a proper lockout for the last 8 years or so. They go stiff, but not properly locked out. And the stiffness of the highest level of compression damping can vary from fork to fork with Rockshox – I’ve had Pikes that almost lock and ones where the compression dial did essentially nothing. Which is annoying.

My DT Swiss F535 have a two stage remote lockout.  First stage is partial lockout and second is full lockout with minimal movement.

My Fox forks have CTD, and the C setting (climb) is good enough for long spinny climbs and road. It’s not completely locked out though and if you stand up to pedal they do move.

Thanks for all the info everyone – gives me more food for thought. I’m erring towards getting the frame (before they all sell out again!), and taking a bit more time to find the right fork for me – might be a few bargains to be had in the run up to Christmas anyway.

All air forks have a lock out.

Slightly odd, and totally incorrect, statement

linusr

Subscriber
All air forks have a lock out

Yes this is incorrect information they simply don’t
I’ll repeat Chris porters comments though =why would anyone want to lockout a fork.even on fire rd most compression tunes are enough
Your asking for small intreciate parts to keep a lot of weight from compressing what has been designed to do the absolute opposite the best it can .
And even forks that claim they have lockout will as you say move somewhat but honestly if you need lockout for more than 10% of your ride something is wrong .there is rigid forks available that will offer some compliance if that’s what your after .
I never use Lockout or damping i prefer to run everything open and improve my pedaling technique

Slightly odd, and totally incorrect, statement

i dunno, stick 300 psi in there…

my new bike came with rockshox judy forks on it. they have lock out on a remote on the bars.
i run my forks pretty hard anyway, with being heavy. when locked they dont move much. a couple of mm at most.
i lock em out for road stuff and flip the switch offroad.

useful if you ‘forget’

Nearly all modern forks have a blow off safety feature so that if you are riding locked and hit a big enough bump they’ll ignore the lockout setting and compress anyway, don’t they?

Shame none of the blow offs act like the old pace design that disengaged the lock out with a big enough hit. Makes it turn on.and forget.

Thought I would give some feedback on this as it troubled me for quite a while!

Eventually I went for 2020 Pike Select (the basic Charger model, Debonair damper) – no lockout. This is on a large Solaris Max.

The difference to the medium ‘26 Soul (8 year old Rebas) is night and day. Now I get why everyone was saying don’t worry about the lockout!

Not sure if it is the more modern fork that is the difference or the geometry differences – or bit of both but the fork movement is really not a problem. On the Soul it was very pronounced but it feels like I was putting a lot more weight through the forks on climbs out the saddle compared to the Solaris.

Anyway thanks for all the advice – it paid off in the end!

Forks are SO much better these days, especially the proper separation of low and high speed damping… far better controlled… bar mounted lockouts are all but gone for trail forks.

This thread now needs a bike photo concrete24…

Still tidying to do – but just getting used to it and trying to enjoy it right now. Due to living in a big town and not wanting to drive to ride – I’m restricted to ‘urban mountain biking’ at the moment – still managed to find a few bits of off road and a couple of hills to try it on – relieves to find it is quicker everywhere than the Soul – can’t wait to get it off road properly!

Finished

+ 1 on what fozzy commented

Noice!

Nice love that colour on the Solaris. TBH I’ve liked all the colours apart from the yellow and the new red dwarf.

Is it just not an issue these days

Yup, a pointless function IMO.

Whoooaaa! I couldn’t really care less about the lockout but that is a good looking bike!

Whoooaaa! I couldn’t really care less about the lockout but that is a good looking bike!

Thanks – it’s the first bike I’ve had in a while where I’m slightly worried someone might nick it! I’ll stick some mud guards on it in the winter – that’ll help devalue it! 🙂