RockShox 2005: Pike, Reba and Ario

After a few tepid years and integration under the SRAM umbrella, suspension pioneer RockShox is showing a powerful sign of life: two new fork families with reinforced stanchions, stanchion tubes and fork crowns as well as the new "Motion Control Damping" technology are coming onto the market in 2005. With this technology, RockShox offers a wide range of compression and rebound adjustment options as well as the "Floodgate", a mechanism that allows the forks to react to individual bumps even when locked out. This works because the entire housing of the damper is basically nothing more than an extremely hard spring. If the fork receives a shock when locked, the damper housing is compressed quickly and minimally - this is enough to allow the oil to flow and the fork to work.

All of these innovations are available in the "Reba" series, which offers 70 to 115 millimetres of infinitely adjustable suspension travel with air as the suspension medium and, thanks to its low weight, is also an issue for the marathon audience. With 100 to 145 millimeters of travel, the "Pike" series is aimed more at the growing enduro community as well as dual and 4Cross riders. The "Pike" is optionally available with the clever Maxle thru-axle, thanks to which wheel changes are quick and effortless. All "Pike" models are actually equipped with steel springs, but those who like it lighter can opt for the "Pike Air", which offers plenty of travel and high stiffness reserves at a lower weight. This fork will probably be particularly popular with 4Crossers.

A lot is also happening with the shock absorbers: RockShox is sending the SID shock absorber into well-deserved and overdue retirement ? it is being replaced by the "Ario" shock absorber. This also works with air as a spring medium to keep the weight low. Unlike the SID shock absorber, however, the "Ario" only has one valve to adjust the spring rate. The "Ario" is fitted with a polyurethane element as a negative spring: This idea has already proven itself in the SSD shocks from DT Swiss. With a lockable compression stage and a rebound stage that can be adjusted over a wide range, the shock should be adaptable to most requirements.