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Over the previous 4 years, Rockshox has made main strides in lowering friction, enhancing spring charges, and making their mountain bike suspension forks each plush and supportive. These modifications got here incrementally over a number of mannequin years, first with Charger 2.1, then a revised air spring design, adopted by a DebonAir airspring of their forks.
Now, they’re revising the internals but once more, introducing new damper and air spring designs, and altering the chassis and mannequin org chart, . The aim? Even higher forks, in fact, and quite a lot of the brand new tech transfers to new rear shocks, too!
2023 Rockshox Pike, Lyrik & ZEB
The modifications come for the Pike, Lyrik and ZEB forks. Till now, these fashions’ journey ranges have overlapped, with the Pike being the whole lot from a light-weight path as much as full path mannequin, and the Lyrik stepping in alongside the way in which to take issues a bit additional earlier than the ZEB made sense.
Now, the Pike is proscribed to 120-140mm journey, the Lyrik handles 140-160, and the ZEB handles 160-190mm journey. No extra overlap, however with the choice to maneuver to a burlier possibility on the high finish of the journey vary.
This let Rockshox optimize the chassis, damper, and air spring for a really slender vary, relatively than having to overbuild one or add vary for one more. Conveniently, this new vary picks up proper the place the SID SL (100mm) and SID (120mm) forks go away off, giving Rockshox very particular fashions for each class of motorbike.
Internally, the massive modifications are:
- Charger 3 damper with actually impartial Excessive Pace Compression (HSC) and Low Pace Compression (LSC) changes
- Silent rebound damping
- ButterCups to dampen high-frequency vibrations
- DebonAir+ air springs for a constant really feel throughout all three fork platforms
- Strain Reduction Valves remove undesirable air stress build-up within the fork decrease leg
- Maxima Plush Dynamic Suspension Lube
New Rockshox Charger 3 Damper tech
There are two large modifications to the Charger damper – impartial high- and low-speed compression damping, and a coil-sprung IFP.
We’ll begin with the IFP (Inside Floating Piston), as a result of it’s a key a part of making the brand new damper work. Lately, Rockshox has used a bladder-based (Charger 2.1 RC) damper of their larger finish forks. And a bladder based mostly answer is nice at conserving air and oil from mixing, however doesn’t do as a lot to push the oil again by means of the rebound circuit (which maintains correct again stress to forestall cavitation) – it’s extra sucked again by means of, which supplies you that squishy sound. This design eliminates the squishy sound.
RELATED: Learn extra about bladder vs IFP damping in our Suspension Tech articles.
With an IFP, they’ll construct a bleeder port into the IFP, so if seals put on out and permit a small quantity of decrease leg lubrication fluid, and any extra fluid can purge itself by means of that port. And it doesn’t actually matter in the event that they combine a bit, Rockshox has examined that particularly and the damping fluid and lubrication oil are the identical weight, however… in the event you preserve your 200-hour service intervals, all of that is mainly a non-issue.
The brand new Charger 3 damper makes use of a coil-backed IFP relatively than a bladder (similar because the Charger RC), which doesn’t require as tight a seal (much less friction) down within the backside of the stanchions to forestall decrease leg lube from moving into it. Much less tight seals imply much less friction, which suggests smoother efficiency.
All that mentioned, the principle purpose for the IFP is to permit for enlargement of the house holding the damping fluid, and the 1:1 forces present in a fork are vastly completely different than the leveraged (larger) forces in a shock, and even nitrogen backed IFPs in forks aren’t going to have as excessive of a stress as in a shock. However you continue to want an IFP (or bladder) to forestall air and oil from mixing.
Illustration on the left exhibits distinct low (inexperienced) and excessive (blue) velocity oil move paths for the separate compression damping circuits. Low-speed damping is dealt with by ports, excessive velocity with shim stacks.
You’ll discover 15 clicks of low-speed compression damping, 5 clicks of high-speed damping, and 18 clicks of rebound adjustment. And Rockshox says every click on has a extra distinct impact, with a variety, letting you actually tune the fork to your fashion of driving and terrain.
The brand new Charger 3 is discovered within the MY23 Final and Choose+ forks. The Choose and Base forks carryover the present Charger RC damper. The bladder-based design shouldn’t be utilized in these MY23 fashions.
The brand new twin circuit design routes the oil by means of the excessive velocity circuit first, then the low velocity. Regardless of how a lot you modify the excessive velocity damping, there’s all the time sufficient move attending to the low velocity circuit for it to be efficient.
So, what’s “Low” versus “Excessive” velocity compression?
By way of what they’re damping, “low velocity” refers to 0-15 inches/second shaft velocity impacts, which is especially rider imputs like transferring your physique round or grabbing some entrance brake.
“Excessive velocity” impacts are 80+ inches/second shaft speeds, that are most “hitting a rock” or “working over roots” impacts. Shaft speeds typically run between 80-300 inches/second, however common riders are most likely maxing out round 200-240 inches/second.
Every part in between high and low is a “mid velocity”, the place each damping circuits are energetic and the changes are blended, so that you’ll use each concurrently. So, these separate circuits assist you to create the specified response in your “window of happiness” in anticipated circumstances, whereas nonetheless performing effectively in between them.
Soften up, ButterCups
Taking a cue from moto (and chainsaws), Rockshox has added small rubber cups to the bottoms of the brand new DebonAir+ air spring and Charger 3 dampers. They soak up 20% to twenty-eight% of excessive frequency “path chatter” vibrations, serving to to make the experience “buttery clean”, therefore the identify ButterCups.
By damping these vibrations earlier than they attain your palms and arms, Rockshox says you’ll really feel more energizing and experience longer with out fatigue. Solely the Final mannequin forks include ButterCups put in, however you may add them to decrease degree MY23 forks (and prior ZEB forks).
What’s new within the DebonAir+ air spring?
With tuned constructive and damaging air volumes made particularly for every journey possibility, Rockshox was in a position to get the precise air spring curve they needed for every particular person journey.
Which means, if you wish to change the journey in your Pike from 130mm to 140mm, you’ll should swap air spring shafts. Every journey size has it’s personal shaft, with its personal constructive and damaging volumes and dimple place designed particularly for that journey.
In addition they switched from a plastic piston to aluminum, which might be made thinner, permitting for a really slight improve in total air quantity…which generally equates to a plusher fork.
For MY23, all ranges of forks (Final, Choose+, Choose, and Base) get the brand new DebonAir+, however solely the Final degree forks include ButterCups pre-installed.
For the Pike and Lyrik, the brand new journey ranges are shorter than earlier than, extra tuned for path and all-mountain driving, respectively. Not solely have they got new air springs, in addition they get…
All-new purpose-built lowers
To additional optimize every fork for its meant use and additional cut back stiction, all three forks get fully redesigned lowers. Inside, the Final degree forks’ new lowers have 53% longer bushings. This maximizes bushing overlap with the stanchions, and mixed with an all-new customized Maxima Plush Dynamic suspension lube, it helps the forks slide rather more freely all through your complete vary of journey.
The brand new lowers are additionally lighter and stiffer, with as much as 30g financial savings whereas getting 13.5% (Pike) to twenty% (Lyrik) extra torsional stiffness. And people financial savings are regardless of the ButterCups including as much as 39g per fork!
LEFT: Bolt-on Torque Cap spacers allow you to run commonplace 15mm via axle hubs, too. RIGHT: Inside view of bushings in decrease leg, with for much longer overlap than prior fashions.
The forks have bolt-in Torque Cap adapters, letting you run appropriate or regular hubs.
The Pike and Lyrik Final lowers are completely different sufficient that the brand new air spring and damper are solely appropriate with these MY23 fashions.
The ZEB’s lowers, nevertheless, are related sufficient to make the brand new DebonAir+ air spring backward appropriate to it’s MY21 launch. So, if in case you have an older ZEB, you may set up the brand new air spring with ButterCups.
Strain Reduction Valves, too
Modifications in altitude can convey modifications in your fork’s perspective, in order that they added new stress reduction valves for fast decompression of the lowers brought on by large climbs, descents, and even simply temperature swings. They’ll come inventory on Final and Choose+ fashions, and different MY23 fashions might be upgraded so as to add them.
2023 Rockshox Pike
Aimed on the path bike class, the brand new 2023 Rockshox Pike delivers light-weight mid-travel efficiency.
2023 Rockshox Lyrik
The 2023 Rockshox Lyrik turns into their all-mountain fork for aggressive riders pushing a bit previous the norm.
2023 Rockshox ZEB
The 2023 Rockshox ZEB sees solely inside modifications with the brand new Charger 3 and DebonAir+ tech, making it the fork with essentially the most backward compatibility for the brand new internals. It’s the selection for enduro and long-travel eMTB.
There’s some retail availability globally now, on-line and in shops, however precisely what and when is a query greatest answered by your favourite store.
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