Hi all,

So, right now, I have two 160mm 29 forks in my possession:
– the Fox 36 Rhythm, 44mm offset currently on the bike
– a RS Yari moded to Lyrik spec with Debonair airshaft and Charger RTC3 damper, 51mm offset

Both are roughly in the same condition, same number of hours

I want to mess around with some 170mm travel experiments and am wondering which fork to change travel and to keep. The new RS airshafts sound like a good upgrade and are relatively cheap, while the Fox Rhythm ones are hard to find and twice the price. But I’m a little hesitant to go back to 51mm offset.

What do you guys think

My first thought is, after seeing the bumph on the Mezzer fork, that the Yari is a stiffer chassis than the fox.

If you can feel a difference between offsets and have a clear preference then that should be the deciding factor.

You won’t notice the difference in offset. But if you’re really so princess and the pea about it I suspect you’ll appreciate the better damper in the Rockshox enough to balance it out.

I can’t really comment on the RS’s 51mm offset, haven’t used it for an year, but I’m not adamant about it. I’m perfectly aware that the offset discussion is greatly exaggerated.

Also curious on people’s opinions on the Charger2 RCT3 Vs GRIP dampers

sell both and buy a mezzer lol

The understanding I have is that there was some harshness in the charger 2 which quickly lead to the release of the 2.1

The compression circuit in the RCT3 is significantly firmer than the RC2 so as to facilitate the lockout option. On a 160/170 fork, I’d imagine you might be better served with an RC2.

The charger 2 is better than the bottom of the range grip damper. If you had a grip 2 damper in the 36 then I’d say go with the 36. You need the rc2 / ultimate charger damper to be on a par with the grip 2.

As to offset I’m not sure if I’d notice the difference or not – I’ve had one fork at 42mm and the other at either 44 or 46 (I forget which, and I’ve had the fork legs painted now!).

My next fork is probably going to be 37 for what it’s worth.

I would definitely sell them both and buy a Mezzer or Zeb, but the one I’m not using is promised as a giveaway to a friend. Also not willing to spend any more £ besides the 170mm airshaft, I put myself on a strict “consumables only” diet to the end of the year…

So for me the question comes to which one has the better chassis, 36 Rhythm or Lyrik, and which one is the best damper, GRIP Vs RCT3.

Picking the RS would mean I have matching forks and shocks, but that’s just next level vanity…

Also, on the RockShox side of things, does anyone have experience upgrading from the regular Debonair to the new “C” spec airshaft?

“So for me the question comes to which one has the better chassis, 36 Rhythm or Lyrik, and which one is the best damper, GRIP Vs RCT3“

According to everything I’ve read, the Lyrik is stiffer then the 36. And the Charger 2 RCT3 is a better damper than the GRIP damper.

I know my Lyrik RC2 is a bloody good fork!

If you’re on a self set “consumables only” diet, why upgrade the moco damper in the Yari?

Give the Yari to your mate and run the fox yourself.

Fox might not be the stiffest chassis but it’s plenty stiff enough for most folks. The basic grip damper is better than moco.

It seems like you’re choosing between two forks, but one is a fork you don’t have.

He’s already upgraded the damper.

The Charger damper is better than the Fox. The new air shaft is dead easy to fit. Go with the RockShox – there’s jo question that it’s a better fork in the guise you have it.

JP

Sport, you’re right. Seems like I was aware of that is discussions yesterday and had forgotten by the time I’d woken up again.

Lyric for sure.

Isn’t the Fox Rhythm a rather basic damper? if so another disadvantage.
One of my pals just had the Push coil mod done on his 180 275 Lyric RCT3 by Sprung in the forest of dean and he absolutely loves it. They eased the compression damping a bit whilst servicing the damper.
I like my 160 29 Lyric RC2 (not 2.1) fine when well lubed, no need for coil at the moment.

BUT, yeah, shifting back to a longer offset will not be a great move IMO, you could try it though, some folk like longer offset and I am sure its bike length and head angle dependent.

It always interested me that Fox had to make a new uprated crown to make the 36 e bike compatible whereas the Lyric is fine on ebikes as is I am told.
So Lyric is a better chassis.
Charger RCT3 isn’t the best Lyric damper, that’s the RC2.1 AFAIK, but Jake at Sprung can open up the compression a bit on that whilst servicing.
The Lyric debonair air spring is a thing of beauty.
Lyric is stiffer

You are literally the only person who can know whether the shorter offset is important enough to you.

If you’re really not sure, pop the Yari back on and see how it feels.

Thanks for all the answers.
I’ll go with the Lyrik, worst case scenario it’s not worse than the 36 Rhythm. Also the longer offset should moderate a bit trail increase caused by the longer travel.

Now only need to decide between a “old” Debonair 170mm airshaft or a new C1 unit

Anyone with experience with both the original and the new C1 Debonair airshafts?

I saw Jake from sprung testing the transition spur on YouTube over the weekend. There was a blink and you miss it comment about choosing to run the B1 air spring over the C1.

Ok, so time for an update

Slapped the Lyrik into the AM9, 3 rides in now.
3 issues:
1 – I didn’t realize, but there’s a scratch on the Lyrik’s right stanchion. It went through surface treatment and can’t feel it with my finger or the more sensitive skin on the back of my hand (understandably, as I have hams for hands) but can feel it with my fingernail. Turned the bike upside down for 30min and then compressed the fork several times, there’s a very tiny trace of oil on the wiper seal where the scratch passes. What do you guys think of this? A bit uneasy about it.

2 – while it’s definitely a very, very smooth fork, I’m having trouble with setup. It dives a lot, even with 10 extra psi Vs the 36. Playing with pressure and LSC seems to have little effect on this, just starts to make it rougher, also little success with tokens. Maybe I just need time to adjust to the different behaviour.

3 – I’m under the impression I have less front wheel traction. Could be related to no2 or, but I’m skeptical of this one, the different offset

If the scratch goes into the stanchion and there’s no raised material, it will be fine. It might lose a little oil but you’re doing a regular lower service anyway so won’t be a problem. It only becomes a problem if it’s big enough to ingest a large amount of dirt, or if it’s raised and therefore damaging the seal and/or bushing.

1) probably isn’t going to be a huge issue – how often do you leave your bike upside down for 30 mins and then actuated? I’ve got a scratch on one stanchion of my Yari that happened when I stone got jammed between the stanchion and the fork arch. I got very very fine wet and dry and smoothed the thing out then put a hint of black hammerite on it. I’ve dropped the lowers a number of times since and the foam rings don’t seem to be getting very dirty still so I figure it’s fine.

Mine is now running at 140mm travel with 3 bottomless tokens (it’s also originally a Yari, now with a charger 2 rct3 damper and 2019 debonair spring / skf seals) and I think it feels perfect. You can’t really compare the psi between the Lyrik and 36 as they’re different forks.

I’d set the sag at 25-30% then add bottomless tokens until you’re not quite bottoming the fork out – and then use the lsc adjustment in the open mode to control dive.

Also worth thinking about rebound – is it coming back quickly enough – it could be packing down over bumps.

Funnily enough I sent the lowers from my Yari off to get them sprayed red and rode my bike with the Pikes I had on another bike and was finding it more fun / poppy. When I got the Yari/Lyrik back on I wound the rebound off a bit and it’s made the fork even better.

I only put the bike upside down for that period to assess the wiper seals condition. There was not sign of oil from the 3 previous rides.
I reckon the scratch is a “negative” impression, no burrs.

I think you’ll be alright. Just a correction to the above, it wasn’t hammerite I used it was humbrol enamel paint in black that I put on with the tiniest of brushes. Just made me less angry when I looked at my bike as much as anything else!