Suntour RUX - Review

Jan 8, 2014
by Mike Kazimer  
After a three year development period, including extensive input from factory riders Garett Buehler, James Doerfling, and Brett Tippie, Suntour's RUX dual crown fork is now available to the public. With 200mm of air sprung travel and 38mm stanchions, the RUX is meant to take on the biggest hits and gnarliest terrain around. As soon as the fork arrived at our doorstep we wasted no time getting it installed and heading to the hills to test its capabilities.


Suntour RUX Details
• Intended use: downhill / freeride
• Travel: 200mm
• Air sprung
• Wheel size: 26"
• External adjustments: rebound, low-speed compression, high speed compression, air pressure
• 38mm stanchions
• Colours: black, white
• Drop or flat crowns available
• Weight: 6.3lb (with axle)
• MSRP: $1,200 USD


Construction / Adjustments

The RUX's 7050 aluminum stanchions slide into butted magnesium lowers, which have a post style disc brake mount and accept Suntour's tool-free 20mm thru axle. The arch that joins the fork lowers has less vertical thickness then what we're used to seeing, but it makes up for this in horizontal width. It's clear that the RUX is designed with DH width tires in mind – there's enough clearance between the fork legs to run the meatiest tread around. One advantage of this arch design is the lack of nooks and crannies for mud to pack itself into, a benefit for riders who find themselves running mud spikes for a good part of the year.

The right stanchion houses the RUX's damping cartridge, a sealed aluminum unit that is part of Suntour's QSP (Quick Service Product) initiative. The premise of QSP is that if an issue ever did arise, the cartridge could be swapped out within a matter of minutes, reducing the amount of time the fork is in for service. Suntour recommends changing the oil in the cartridge every 100 hours to keep everything running smoothly. The RUX's air spring resides in the fork's left leg, and uses a coil negative spring below the lower air seal similar to what is found on Suntour's Auron all-mountain fork. This coil negative spring is designed to help with small bump sensitivity, reducing the amount of force needed to compress the fork in the beginning of its travel.

Suntour RUX 2014 review test
Spacers can be added or removed to increase the end-stroke ramp up of the fork (left), while rebound along with high and low speed compression can be adjusted externally.

As far as adjustments go, externally, the fork's high speed and low speed compression can be changed at the top right of the fork, with rebound adjusted by turning the red knob at the bottom of the same leg. In addition to being able to adjust the fork's air pressure via a Shrader valve at the top of the left leg, there are five spacers that can be added or removed to the shaft that sits under the top cap. Removing spacers makes the fork feel more linear throughout its stroke, while adding spacers has the opposite effect, making the fork ramp up more towards the end of its travel. After trying different set ups we ended up running four out of the possible five spacers for the majority of our testing.

2014 Suntour RUX review test
The RUX has plenty of room for the widest tires available, and the arch shape works well to prevent mud build up.

The best part of an air fork is the ability to make changes trailside. Is your fork feeling a little harsh, and not using all of its travel? Let a little air out and get back after it – no more waiting until you get home to mess around with grease coated springs while trying to remember which color equates to what stiffness. Plus, the use of an air spring greatly reduces the overall weight; the RUX comes in around one-third of a pound lighter than comparable coil sprung forks.

On the Trail

Once the air pressure was adjusted to our liking and the compression and rebound were dialed to a reasonable starting point, we hit the trails. Where some forks tend to have a break in period before they start feeling good, the RUX's action was smooth and stiction free right out of the box, making it easier to quickly find the settings that would work best for us. The RUX's external adjustments all make a noticeable difference in the feel of the fork – those dials aren't just there for show – with enough range (12 clicks of HSC, 10 clicks of LSC, and 14 clicks of rebound) that the vast majority of riders should be able to get the fork set up exactly to their liking with minimal fuss.

Many of our local downhill trails are crisscrossed with roots that do everything in their power to sap all forward momentum, and it was in these sections that we came to appreciate the RUX's excellent composure throughout its entire stroke. The fork stayed high enough in its travel to keep from getting bogged down in the spaces between roots, allowing us to maintain speed and keep blasting ahead, while at the same time taking the edge off of potentially jarring impacts. No matter what we threw at it – roots, chunky rock gardens, big stepdowns, it took it all in stride, unfazed by lap after lap of hard riding, and we never once found ourselves wishing for a coil sprung fork.

The chassis stiffness of the RUX felt right on target, and while it may not be as stiff as a FOX 40, the fork that tends to set the bar for overall stiffness, the RUX tracked well through blown out sections of trail and under hard cornering. Even on long, non-stop, obstacle filled runs the RUX's action remained consistent and predictable, with no strange spiking or erratic behavior. We did notice that the fork was a little noisier on the rebound stroke than what were used to, but this didn't affect the performance - it's simply the noise the lower shaft makes as it travels through the oil in the cartridge. When trail features were encountered that used up all 200mm of travel – picture steep rock rolls into abrupt transitions, or drops into chunder filled landings – the fork ramped up smoothly at the end of its stroke, preventing any harsh bottom outs. The RUX behaved itself on slower speed terrain as well, and whether we were creeping down steep rock faces or inching down a rutted fall-line trench there was no undue diving or flexing.

Suntour RUX tool free axle review test
The RUX's tool free axle wasn't quite as user friendly as we would have liked.

Issues

As far as the actual performance of the fork goes, we have no complaints; the RUX performed admirably in all conditions. The only minor gripe we have relates to the RUX's tool-free axle. There's a red portion that slides out and rotates to form a handle for tightening or loosening the axle. When we went to take the front wheel off after a number of rides we weren't able to pull this portion out by hand – it seemed that the mud and grit we'd subjected the fork to had made the handle reluctant to slide. Luckily, there's a small slot that a flathead screwdriver can be slipped into in order to free up the handle, but that doesn't really fit our definition of tool free. We'd rather just tighten the axle down with a hex wrench – the fewer moving parts the better, and needing to take out a multi-tool once in a while doesn't phase us.


Pinkbike's Take:
bigquotesSuntour's debut into the dual crown market is a solid one, offering the adjustability and performance of forks that cost hundreds of dollars more. While it might be a tiny bit less refined, as it lacks the end stroke rebound damping and exotic stanchion coatings that those very top tier forks possess, the RUX still packs a punch. When you combine the cost savings (enough to buy a season's pass at a bike park) with the RUX's high grade performance, this fork starts to make more and more sense. There's something to be said for its relatively simple internals as well, which should go a long ways towards eliminating the amount of down time needed for maintenance. Less maintenance means more time to ride, another factor that makes the RUX an excellent contender. - Mike Kazimer


www.srsuntour-cycling.com

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198 Comments
  • 89 2
 Glad to see a review on this, seems like a great fork for a reasonably good price (comparing it to something like a boxxer, 40, dorado, 888 etc.) nice to see suntour stepping it up a bit and entering more into the dh/fr market
  • 26 11
 You can get a Dorado Expert for the same price.
  • 15 4
 In Euros, not in USD.
  • 17 36
flag viatch (Jan 8, 2014 at 4:15) (Below Threshold)
 you can get Dorado Experts's for $1000 USD shipped from ebay and pricepoint. Thats what i did. but now im trying to find where i can buy one of these to replace my new dorado Smile
  • 40 3
 @viatch

Envy speaking here but.... if you can afford 2 sets of forks why not just get a set of 40s and be done with it!? Razz
  • 13 0
 MSRP is $1200 and here in the US Dorado's MSRP is around $1600. I'm sure you could snag one of these for $900 on sale at some point. Looks great but wanted to see Suntour come under the $1000 mark to help cancel out the $2200 forks coming out now ;p
  • 3 0
 isn't it the same price as an RV1?
  • 4 2
 www.vitalmtb.com/product/guide/Forks,33/Manitou/Dorado-Expert,11885

MSRP according to Vital is 1200 bucks as well.

Viatch - what's wrong with your Dorado?
  • 9 2
 I love it when someone says "I can get the high end stuff for the same price" as if it was apples to apples. In 4 years you will be able to pick up a used one of these for the same price as a used dual crown Domain with lower weigh and higher performance. That is the real big deal here. You get choices and costs come down.
Suntour is on my list for good contenders when i buy a new fork, or a used one.
  • 5 32
flag smgishot13 (Jan 8, 2014 at 8:17) (Below Threshold)
 Man if you people want cheap, brand new dorado's check out my ads and shoot me a PM
  • 9 4
 Maybe the folks want something better than a dorado? If all you're going to do is use a suntour fork review to do is plug your sales, perhaps you should go to another site, like ebay.
  • 70 0
 Every suspension company has their design principals they strive for. There are a lot of good options on the market and SR Suntour recognizes how competitive things are for us.

The Quick Service Product (QSP) principle is at the core of who SR Suntour is and we have been working on these cartridge based systems for approximately the past 12 years. Bottom line for the crew here who develop products is we like to ride more than work on our bikes and recognize that is important to a lot of riders out there.

With the Rux we have tried to make a balance of good performance, long service life, ease of maintenance, stiffness, weight, easy to tune, and tried to deliver at the most reasonable cost we can.

Thanks to all who are fairly comparing the features, weight, price etc. We hope the next time you need a new fork you'll give us a try.

For fans of tool type thru axles we will offer this in the future. It is convertible so if you buy the Tool Free type now you can easily swap it out to the tool type later.
  • 8 3
 who says a Dorado is any better? It might not be.
  • 7 2
 I may be giving the Durolux a shot in the near future, Suntour's ebay account has them for sale for a reasonable price. And seeing as Suntour has the most advanced mountain bike suspension production facility in the world, I anticipate not being disappointed. These guy's know what they are doing, there's a reason brands like DVO use their manufacturing facilities.
  • 5 1
 I didn't, someone mentioned the Dorado as one of the more expensive forks out there and all I said was it's the same price as the Suntour. Pure PB logic to get neg repped for that.
  • 7 0
 A dorado pro off of crc is $1800cad at 6.55lbs, you can get an expert for around $1300cad at 6.82lbs, the tux is $1200usd at 6.3lbs (for those who care about weight). The prices look similar between the rux and an expert, but the rux really hasn't really gotten into circulation yet. Once it has you'll be able to start finding them on year end sales and start being able to pick up one of maybe $700-$900 even less when they start hitting pb. You can't go and compare a sale price of a fork that has been around for a few years to a new fork on the markets MRSP.
  • 1 0
 Side note, anyone notice those black box bars that they had? Idk if they are boobars with a fancy paint scheme or maybe something new.
  • 8 6
 It does look like a decent fork for the price. SR Suntour, I made a comment that I thought the fork would sell more if it had a 210 mm travel and it was deleted. I should have provided more context. Maybe not make it stock 210mm but at least an option. I think some DH riders would be interested in trying out a little bit more travel on the front especially if they had a bike with 9 or 10 inches of travel in the rear like some do. No other company has tried it in many years and it would set you apart from all the competition.
  • 4 2
 Mr. Suntour. Since the axle was the only issue in the test you could say that you will be working on a better tool free axle and also the axle with allen. But is so nice that you made a good product like that congratulations!!! Dorados here in Brazik are dead since they are flexy and expensive and no one is riding DH with 27.5 wheels.
  • 2 3
 I have to agree with Protour. I would also like to see forks with over 200mm travel come out. 210-220, heck 250mm would be nice!
The lowers do look like they have enough clearance for a 27.5in wheel...wonder if pinkbike is going to review that status as well?
  • 3 0
 Possibly another reasonably priced bike review? Zee brakes, van rc shock and suntour fork. And ya, a 210mm or more fork would be dope.
  • 1 0
 the bars in the image say steve and then something else, but they're not bars ive ever seen before, i like the design.
  • 1 0
 I think they say stevie smith, as well as blackbox and truativ.
  • 5 0
 The handlebars are the Truvativ Steve Smith Blackbox Bar (www.sram.com/truvativ/products/truvativ-stevie-smith-blackbox-bar). We reviewed the Status in the past, the one pictured has been serving as a test sled for various components.
  • 1 0
 ^I would assume those are Steve Smith Blackbox bars. SRAM has so many protos and Blackbox parts now its getting confusing who's running what.
  • 5 0
 Protour & SintraFreeride: 250mm of travel?
I've got no problems with something new, but didn't we try 10 inch forks in the late 90's and find that they suck?

Mind you, most things sucked in the nineties.
  • 2 1
 2 of my buddies had dorados during the summer of 2013. when i hoped over their bikes because i was jealous of the forks i noticed something. the forks are misalligned to the left of the handlebars. meaning it is not perpendicular or at 90* to the bars. and that goes for both their forks. mine was brand new when i bought it and voila, its the same misallignment. im surprised nobody has brought this up before. anything thats not straight bothers me, and im sure it will when your going downhill. just my 2 cents.
  • 2 1
 I had a stem like that, they bar bore was cut missaligned, and I road it for a year or so before I figured out why I could never get my stem aligned to my wheel and the ends of my bar at the same position (you notice it more with a larger back sweep when one end is an inch further back than the other end). Since stems tend to be cut on CNC machines, that meant every stem in the batch mine was made in was probably equally screwed up. Same would go for fork production batches like those dorados.
  • 1 3
 its a blackspire das stem btw, direct mount. i had a 2009 fox 40 before and it was dead straight so i know everything was lining up. if you still doubt my observation, go and look down someone's dorado equiped bike and look for yourself-youll see what i mean. my theory? the front brake is mounted to the left and when you brake its holding the "left" side of the wheel casuing the fork to "twist" more to the left. dont get me wrong i love the look of the dorado, i just cannot tolerate any misallegnment especially when it comes to your steering.
  • 2 1
 viatch my dorados are perfectly straight so... i think deeight is right that they might just be a bad batch, no one can be 100% perfect and im sure they still perform just fine just a weird look
  • 2 0
 Yes I've heard of Avalanche. Have been dreaming of those forks since the Brooklyn Machine Works TMX/masterplan days.
What I was saying was it would be cool to have more options.
10in forks didn't fail they were just heavy it was the shocks that were too short and would blow up. With current technology a decent 10in fork could be built.
  • 2 2
 A NOS 2004 Marzocchi Super Monster located in edmonton sold on ebay 2 days ago for $1525USD. Bidding started at $100 and the auction only ran for 7 days. Went to $500 after the first day, $1500 the day after and then was snippered five days later at the last minute for $1525.

I just put a used 2002 Monster T up on ebay at 4am this morning (EST) and it already has its $100 opening bid met. I'm interested to see where it ends up in a week.
  • 2 1
 Lots of Dorados will be twisted when you look down the fork. Perhaps more often to the left due to braking issues, but i think mostly due to crash damage. USD forks are inherantly flexy when twisted. This is the price you pay for improved fore/aft stiffness and low unsprung weight. This means that in a crash situation it is very common for USD forks to twist so much that the upper legs spin slightly in the crowns, or the axle in the dropouts, causing the fork to remain twisted until the tension on the part that slipped is released. If you whip the allen keys out and loosen all axle, dropout and crown bolts (maybe leave one crown bolt done up on the spring side to stop the fork dropping through the crowns completely) then give the fork a bit of a wiggle and do all the bolts back up again, the fork should then be straight and active as hell. Till your next crash at which point they will become twisted and stictiony again. Or just buy some Right Way Up forks (there must be a better name for them than that surely?) as until carbon or some other technology improves dramatically, they are just the better performing design on mountainbikes where weight is still too much of an issue for USD's to be competetive.
  • 1 1
 Much as I don't like fox, i had to respect when they opted to keep it right side up. If a company with that kind of R&D said it couldn't be done without making it too heavy I had to figure they weren't lying. The DVO is heavy, which, might be worth it for riders of special tastes, but fox wants to sell to the unwashed masses, and we, as a rule, don't like weight.
  • 2 0
 Looks like the boxer and the 40 had a baby. Haha, i have a feeling this will be commonly seen on specialized's within the next year or so...
  • 1 0
 Although I was actually forgetting Manitous sweeeeeeeeeet Hex-Lock system, that pretty much rules out you axle slipping. Meaning your crowns are almost certainly the culprits. If only they could hex-lock them too.....Probably mean the fork would just snap instead of twisting or something, but maybe when the materials improve, hex-lock could make twisted forks a thing of the past.
  • 19 0
 "While it might be a tiny bit less refined, as it lacks the end stroke rebound damping and exotic stanchion coatings that those very top tier forks possess"

The reality is that the recreational rider probably doesn't need any of those high end features anyway. I know that in my case, my riding is not nearly consistent enough for me to notice the very subtle changes that these micro adjustments offer.
  • 11 2
 that's total bs especially the part about the coatings. Ka$hima & Co. are just clever marketing but they don' let a fork feel more or less smooth. Bushings, damping, seals and lubrication have a way bigger impact on that.
  • 6 1
 I find my kashima 36 to have noticeably more stiction than my 888, I take care of my 36 with the teflon oil and everything, my 888 has a snapped off compression knob and it's leaking oil and I don't take that much care of it, if the 888 has less stiction then that says alot imo
  • 6 0
 @finnrambo my 888 is the plushest and smoothest fork I have ever owned. No fancy coatings. Just good engineering. I'm game to give the Rux a try though to shed a bit of weight.
  • 1 0
 The 888 is plus but you don't need the ti-nickel stancions. They are lighter and the nickel-coatin is claimed to be more long-term resistant to wear but if you scratch or dent the stanctions between the crowns (that happens easily htrough the rubber-dampers if you crash mildly because they are tapered) you need to seal it because oxygene will cause the coating to wear off the whole stanction. I'd go for the other coatings makes no difference plush-wise.
  • 1 0
 mine came stock on the commencal so it has the boxxer type coating on it, works fine
  • 1 0
 yeah that's better. I had to replace one stanction after a small crash because the dent caused the nickel coming off the aluminium much worse than in a regular ano-stanction. It was covered under warranty but after that a stanction is like 200-300€
  • 1 0
 I gouged a hole in the nickel coating on my 888s about two inches above the seal when the fork is fully extended. Took the nickel right off leaving bare ali exposed for a good few mm of the scratch, all because a small pebble bounced up and stuck between the stanchion and the arch joining the lowers during a muddy run. I was pretty pissed off as you may imagine. I rubbed down the affected area with a small, extremely fine sharpening stone till it was as smooth as i could get it, running a finger tip over it to check for sharp edges. Once I got it as smooth as I could, I went back to riding it. It has been like that ever since. Must've happened two years ago at least. I haven't had to change the seals yet despite a couple of oil changes, and the scratch has got no worse. Perhaps I've just been lucky and got a good coating on my stanchion.
  • 1 0
 As for zocchis vs foxes, the reason there's such a thing as zocchi-smooth is simply oil, not coatings. Most foxes usually don't have much more than 100cc of oil, while zocchis often has more than 5 times that amount. That's a lot of lubricant! There's a reason why the old zocchi-techs who co-founded DVO chose to use similar amounts of oil. It works! No matter how much I service my 40 (changing oil once a week, complete rebuild once a month), they never get as smooth as my old 888. Just bought a Emerald now, and I can't wait to see how it stacks up to my old forks.
  • 1 0
 That conserves the smoothness long term but the bushings (sliced, therefore slight play without moving fork) and seals (best seals on the market don't know why they change to skf now). It also helps to remove the foam-rings and put in some good grease instead.
  • 13 0
 Good stuff. The high end suntour dampers are very easy to work on, and seem to be good quality. My old epicon and the durolux are easy to service and keep smooth...certainly easier to strip down than fox forks. Simpler damping? Maybe. But it *will* end up at a better piece used or blowout than say the wc or other air forks. Sick of people saying "yah but I cn get da fawx fowties for 1000" and comparing that to the msrp. Thanks to suntour for adding some more competition in a market where there's only a few high end options! Push the options up and prices down...nobody can argue with that.
  • 11 2
 It's about time a dh fork came with a qr set up. your far more likely to take a dh bike apart to fit it in the car and drive to the trails than you are to take the wheels off an xc bike which you could ride straight from your front door
  • 6 1
 I know what you mean but id want the stiffness and certainty of a tool set up and QR doesn't allow you to fine tune the torque. The 40s and 888s pinch clamps are far too much faffing around. The best option in my experience is a Boxxer DH Maxle. Unfortunately they charge £50 rip off price for a replacement when its effectively a plastic tube with a QR skewer running through it
  • 5 1
 I think that fox's qr 20 is a godsend. Tight, stiff, and easy to hand torque into place. So fast to remove the wheel, and really stiff. However, all the axles are rather pricy, it's true.
  • 4 0
 just leave your hex keys in the car... works for me
  • 2 1
 I run a Fox 36, and i ended up removing the qr levers and Just using the bolts 'cause i needed a tool to open the qr anyway !
  • 14 0
 The Tool Free QR is the first option out on the Rux. SR Suntour will offer a tool type system in the future so we can please fans of tool free and tool type.
  • 2 1
 I'd rather use an allen wrench to take off my axle. I don't get why the industry feels the need to go to a tool-less system when there are generally more things to go wrong.
  • 1 0
 @freerabbit I was running my levers at way too high a torque, my lbs put it to spec and it worked wonderfully after that. Haventouched the screws for tightness, I've been happy with my 36 .

@drsanchez I don't see why it's a problem. I haven't had any problems with my axle...brushed the knobs on some rocks but nothing terrible. I don't get why industry wouldn't...it's faster, and easier to get off, and you can make it plenty tight. I carry Allen keys on me on pretty much every real ride, but I like having the qr system.

@srsuntourna Good to hear we get options that keep everyone happy. Big Grin
  • 1 0
 Its just a personal preference of mine, that's all.
  • 2 0
 "finnrambo (1 days ago)
just leave your hex keys in the car... works for me"

Quoting cos pinkbike won't let me give +100 props

Qr is pretty much the most pointless gimmick in the sport. Good for speedy wheel changes during a road race and speedy bike theft outside a pub.

If you want to sacrifice performance in order to save 30 seconds in the car park then go right ahead, but I think its crazy that the bike industry is geared to cater for that sort of thinking/customer.
  • 8 0
 A fork that retails for $400 less than a comparable new model from other companies. Good overall features that allow for fine tuning and quick adjustments. Low overall weight. Easy to service and good parts availability. A stout and heavy duty chassis. These all seem to be the right boxes to check on any quality item that I would want to purchase.

These comments about buying non comparable forks don't make sense The people complaining here about price and performance are the same ones crying about how they can't afford the high end product from other manufacturers. A company comes along and provides a value to an end user and all they get is comparing there product to others that don't have similar prices or features?????

Also the QSP system that Suntour has used here is a win win situation for just about any rider that wants to ride his/her bike more than have it in the shop. Job well done Suntour as this is a fork for the everyday rider that is looking to enjoy what MTBing is all about.

Good overall review. Would like to see a recent review of the Auron and Durolux. Suntour seem to be on top of there game. Maybe they will even win the Pink Bike award for come back of the year.

Peace!
  • 3 0
 @pdxmech13 Thanks for the nice words.

A short term test on the Auron came out a short while back. I believe Mike Kazimer has a long term review for it to follow up. www.pinkbike.com/news/SR-Suntour-Auron-First-Ride-2013.html

It's been a couple years since Pinkbike got to review the Durolux but overall it was well liked. Since that review the Durolux has received upgraded seals, bushings, damper, and thru axle.
www.pinkbike.com/news/SR-Suntour-Durolux-RCA-Fork-Tested-2011.html
  • 2 1
 Durolux, Epicon, Xcr, Xct user here. For the price you pay, you gain so much. what more u could ask for? Price to performance ratio is just outstanding.

Most of the riders here uses Epicon. Most use it for bike commute/leisure everyday and trails in the weekend. Rain or shine for two years or more. The Fork just works fine even if not serviced for that long. 2008 Epicons still survive the trails to this day. I wonder if they have been serviced, maybe not. Riders here just wanted to ride with less fuss.

And for Durolux. What more to say? i rather ride it than talk about it.
  • 2 0
 I will speak for myself but i have tried Rockshox for my DH and AM bike(boxxer and sektor), then tried the Dorado for my DH bike, was not disappointed compared to the boxxer, amazing for the price you pay(expert version). But then i bought a Suntour Duro for my DJ bike instead of my DJ1 i was not sure at this point of what i was going to get for this price and i was amazed at how it performed,then i sold my dh rig to get a Freeride bike and i ordered the Durolux RC2 fork for it instead of a totem or a lyrik(cant speak about fox i have not tried any). Im pretty sure it will be amazing like the duro and if i would still own a DH bike, i would go for the Rux.. why ? because the 2 srsuntour i tried yet are as good if not better than any big other brand i actually tried on my bikes and for that price, i mean its amazing. I just want to say Good job to SRSuntour to make this kind of quality product for this price.
Cheers to you guys and to anyone who is giving it a shot you won't be disappointed!
  • 6 0
 I don't really get why people don't like tool free systems? Is it because it's harder to accidentally unlock/untighten?
Went from a RS Totem SoloAir to a BOS Idylle RaRe, and I must say that I miss the convenience of a tool free assembly.
  • 5 1
 I think they are trying to say the tool free system can get gummed up in mud and need a tool to work in those muddy conditions because it's a bit fiddley.
I have the Lyrik on my big bike which has the tool free maxle system and it's the future (well present). I say it every time I use it, all forks should be like this.
  • 5 1
 I agree, rockshox has the best tool free system ever.
  • 1 0
 I have to constantly check to see if the QR on my Totem fork is coming loose when I'm riding at a resort, that thing comes loose all the time and its really annoying.

I will not make the same mistake next time and will definitely be getting a tool system, I don't care how complicated. You should be carrying tools with you anyways. Whats ~5 minutes to take off a tire? It only takes 5 minutes to take the rear tire off my demo 7.
  • 2 0
 the tool free axle on the durolux is a thing of beauty... i guess they wanted some more beef on this and added complication? version two will rock, (thats what happened with the durolux QLOC 2)
  • 4 0
 @Tek-8 - something isn't right there, is your expansion QR not tight enough, or maybe the plunger needs greasing, or the thread is damaged at one end. I have the same system on my old Pike and I've never had it try and come loose. Don't judge a million forks by 1 odd one out. If it's in warranty ask for a new axle and the get forks internal thread checked, that doesn't sound safe, if not take it apart and rebuild using the manual for reference ensuring all the parts are fine, and if there is still issues go speak to a lbs.
  • 3 0
 Yeah, i've had 2 RS tool free 20mm axle systems and neither ever came loose. You should check that out.
  • 2 0
 Should have read "Is it because it's EASIER to accidentally unlock/untighten?" in the original post, obviously..

Anyway - I had my Totem SoloAir with the 20mm. Maxle QR system for three years. Never came undone, never unscrewed, incredibly easy and quick to work with... I really miss that thing.
  • 2 0
 I'm running Lyrik(2011) with 20QR and had having the same problem.
Since I tightened up a tiny bolt in QR lever slightly, it won't come loose after every shred.
This will make it slightly harder to actuate the QR lever but increases the expanding force to stop turning axle.
You should try this method first.
  • 1 0
 @ SupraShin: Had the same problem and solved it the same way. Smile
And the Fork looks nice, Mrsp of 1200$ is pretty nice and keeps the competition up.
Love the lowers.
  • 1 0
 The Maxle-lite spec'd on the Domain is spot on perfect for my needs. Three turns around, and a snap-closure to tighten. Never had an axle come even a little bit loose with it.
  • 2 0
 Thanks for the replies and info, I will look into it. I doubt its within the warranty period as its and 2010 fork. If I'm the only one with the problem then chances are that I am the problem.
  • 1 1
 Used to have a Manitou Nixon that required 4mm and 6mm allen wrenches for the axle. As I carried the thing in my car frequently and needed to remove the wheel to do so I hated it and eventually got a Marzocchi 55 with a tool-free front axle (2011 model). The Marzocchi setup works excellent and has never given me any problems. Concerning the Rux fork, here, I'd rather use my pocket knife or the screw driver blade on my multitool to pry out the lever than use wrenches. Ultimately, Suntour needs to make the thing gunk-proof, but I am no fan of having to use wrenches if I have a tool-less option.
  • 2 0
 @ Tek-8 I hope you get it sorted. I'm sure you know and I may be explaining how to suck eggs but as it's 2010 grease may be missing from where it should be.
Pull out the rebound adjuster (or use a 2.5mm allen key) with the QR axle loose unscrew the bolt that's in the centre. Pull the bung out, clean it and the inside of the axle up and apply a light amount of grease to it. Put a little bit of chain lube on the QR lever at the bottom and occasionally apply a light amount of grease to the axle as a whole (reduces scoring when installing/removing and improves the seal between the axle/wheel bearings and the outside elements). Another tip is that if your wheel bearings are stiff it does add more twisting force to the axle, so check them and replace if necessary.
After that screw the QR on several turns, install the axle without tighening the QR and tighten the bolt then try the QR lever, repeat until the QR lever is pretty solid once it's in place, but not so you're needing excessive force. If it ever feels looser you may need to retighten, and possibly put a touch of thread lock in there.
If that doesn't resolve the issue than something is not right with your axle or dropout thread for sure.
  • 1 1
 I don't really get why people like tool free systems. They weigh more, are more complicated, easier to brake/wear out, generally don't work as effectively as a tooled system. Sometimes they are as effective as a tooled system, but these cases are few and far between. The way I see it, no-one with a tooled system ever really wishes they could leave their allen keys sticking out of their forks while riding, even if they could be sure of them not falling out. QR allows for speedy wheel swaps. seeing as a puncture can be repaired without removing the wheel they don't even help with that. Who on this forum has ever had to swap out a wheel in a race situation? a very small % if any I bet. Who has had a QR screw up on them buggering up a ride? Still a small % probably, but faaaaar higher than the first....
  • 2 1
 i have to take the front wheel off my bike to fit it in my car... therefore tool less saves a lot of faffing about, it's just convenience!
  • 6 0
 Been on one for about 6 months. To say the least, I have been very impressed with it. Great small bump compliance. Stiff chassis without the deflection problems I felt with the 40 in super rough and off camber sections. Remember, a little flex is actually a good thing in some aspects.
  • 1 2
 Deflection problems with the 40? what were they? Not enough deflection? I get what you say about a little compliance being a good thing, but i think at the moment a 40 is only too stiff for the lightest of riders. 38mm stanchions are prob a very good middle ground. 35mm boxxer chassis not quite stiff enough for big guys. Anything USD is just not stiff enough to go fast. no matter how little you weigh. And yes some people go fast on USD. They would prob go a lot faster on a boxxer
  • 8 0
 Doerfling and Tippie approved!
  • 6 0
 You know what? I'm keen to give these a go. Seem like a good fork for its price nice work SR Suntour!
  • 6 2
 awesome to see suntour releasing a product that can compete with the premium suspension brands, hopefully with suntour, xfusion and dvo entering the game we will see some more competitive pricing without sacrificing quality
  • 11 1
 Dvo isn't the pricepoint fork you're looking for...
  • 3 1
 And Dvo forks are made by Suntour.
  • 2 1
 my point was that with new brands entering the market the established names would be forced to lower prices to compete, for example with the dvo costing not much more than 40's maybe fox will have to lower the price to keep some customers. And while DVO are made by suntour they arent owned by them, theyre still seperate companies competing with eachother.
  • 1 0
 Public prices are not important. How much brands like specialized or trek buys theses forks is important. So maybe they are cheaper than the other in oem prices.
  • 3 0
 Suntour for some strange reason has always been regarded as the underdog of suspension but honestly they make really good stuff. And the stuff they make is reliable which is a big plus in my book. I'd like to see a review of some of RST's offerings. I checked out their website and some of their forks look pretty impressive.
  • 3 0
 Its because they make the cheaper stuff too. People see the low end stuff on the crap bikes and the brand gets a stigma about it.
  • 2 0
 trek and specialized dont get that, and almost all the people I know started riding on a trek or specialized walmart bike, ...well huffy for me but ignore that
  • 1 0
 My first bike was a Huffy Smile Awesome little machine. It could jump over 7 kids lying down and the wheels would only be a slightly different shape after landing! Very low maintenace as whenever it got bent I just had to get my dad to stand on it till it was straight (ish) again. I loved that bike.
  • 3 0
 This is on my list of potential next forks if I ever get tired of my 888 RC3 WC. I dont see the lack of end stroke rebound as a major issue and I like that Suntor has taken an approach towards user compression curve adjustment yet utilizing a system simple enough that the average joe can understand what he's doing. Cause lets face it, shim stacks can be tough to get right.
  • 4 0
 Looks like a great fork. Is there a possibility that the red axle tool thingy gets hit on rocks? Because it clearly sits outside of the edge of the lower.
  • 2 0
 Looks really nice and glad to hear SR are back. Someone in a product related video stated the damper will be customizable for end users (if they know what they are doing) . Thats what im hoping for. There should be more competition among the brands, because noone wants to blow his hard earned money on a poorly damped fork with dialed finish.
  • 2 0
 lightweight and low service intervals are certainly attractive. Currently on a 40 coming from a 888rc3. Certainly notice better damping, but service every 30 hours gets annoying. I may go back to a 888 or this suntour just for lower maintenance and I'm just a weekend warrior hanging out at the bikepark in the summer.
  • 2 0
 Interesting to hear about the issues with the axle. I built up a new Giant with a Suntour fork the other day. Hard to tell if their 20 mm is the same as the 15 mm I was working on but the 15 is indeed sketchy IMO. The expanding red portion got stuck either fully in (therefore offering no resistance to the axle sliding out) and then had multiple issues with it only expanding half way out and therefore giving only half the contact with the dropout that it was supposed to. Seems unnecessarily complicated and prone to malfunction to me.
  • 3 0
 sounds like you have the first generation Qloc that the collet doesn't lock down for hubs without solid axles. Suntour has a new model that keeps this from happening. Very smooth and fast.

www.srsuntour-cycling.com/service/tech-videos
  • 1 0
 seconded for qloc 2. awesome.
  • 1 0
 You cant expect a company to get it all right first time! Personally i think Suntour have made a very valiant effort on this fork, however there will be criticisms which is good because they can change these thing or add these thing in for there next for.
  • 2 0
 You have to remember SR arent making a fork "for the first time". They make a large % of all the suspension forks on the planet...If they release something, it should be 100% spot on flawless. Remember, a lot of suspension forks are more expensive, but $1000 for any suspension fork isn't exactly cheap. most non-cyclists think $1000 on a complete bike will get you a carbon fiber/solid gold rocket ship with built in drinks dispenser. And maybe they aren't as crazy as we think. $1000 for an "entry level" fork is a bit mental when you step back and think about it...
  • 2 0
 Suntour's reputation definitely seems to be improving. I'm thinking of getting the Suntour Durolux RC2 as a back up fork instead of risking buying some 2nd had Lyriks, anybody have any experience of these?
  • 3 0
 Been running Durolux's on my enduro bike for about 9 months and cant fault them to be honest. A little heavier than the Lyrik dual air's they replaced but had endless issues with those. So far the Suntours havent missed a beat, I'd reccommend them
  • 1 0
 Nice one. Are you running the 160 only version or the 160-180 adjustable ones?
  • 1 0
 just the 160mm RC2 version
  • 1 0
 good to see another player in the game/ competition only makes for better products,$$$ savings.hopefully rebuild kits-parts will be available unlike others who want $50. for an oil seal that must be had from oem manuf.(starts with an M).good luck Suntour.
  • 2 0
 Maybe a downhill bike isn't that expensive as I thougt...cause seeing this makes me definitely want one!

vimeo.com/73756332
  • 5 5
 I've had my eye on this fork for a while now as I'm in need of a new fork... I really wish the guys who test these could give a short comparison to other products. I've been stressing out over which fork to get, had they said this feels (Better, more plush, easier to set) in comparison to say a Boxxer, consequently it may persuade me to take a step foreword and purchase this.

Still think I'm going to go with a new Boxxer WC. Great looking fork regardless!
  • 12 4
 sounds like you need to read a few more marketing brochures, they have all those interesting, easy to understand, decision clinching statements that you need.
  • 2 0
 Boxxer WC? Get the R2C2, it is, in your own words..."Better, more plush, easier to set"

Yes it weighs a little more. But its not exactly heavy.
  • 2 0
 Suntour is assembling DVO in their factory. I hope they can share suspension techs and set this price and performance benchmark that everyone can afford. Thank you Suntour!
  • 1 0
 Oil or grease in the lowers? This is the most important question IMO since most Suntour forks use grease and not bath oil. Could be a great fork, especially if the answer is oil.
  • 4 1
 All SR Suntour forks can use oil in the lowers even if they do not come this way. It is actually mentioned in their tuning guide to add oil as it will improve forks sensitivity.
  • 1 0
 Of course you can. But do the bushings have oil slots to allow the oil to make it up to the upper bushings and seals? I have heard of people doing it on Durolux forks, but they leak oil out the lower bolts and have heard of the upper bushing still wearing our fast. I havent taken one apart on my own to look for slotted bushings. Anyone know for sure if they are or not?

Either way, Suntour is stepping up and getting real close to being a player in aftermarket sales. Good for them.
  • 2 2
 Slotting a bushing will not effect the lubrication functionality any differently than a non slotted bushing. The upper bushing generally require the oil ring below the wiper to help keep it lubricated and functioning properly as well as to reduce overall wear. With longer travel forks the oil from the splash bath down in the lowers will never see the upper bushing regardless of a bushing being slotted or not because it is just to high in the lower case not to mention the lower tolerance from the bushing to the stanchion tube would keep the majority of fluid from reaching that point. Also gravity plays a role in this circumstance. The lower bushing will get a sufficient amount of lubrication when the oil touches the side wall of the stanchion during compression and rebound to decrease friction and wear on it with such a splash bath.
  • 3 0
 A lot of forks do not use foam rings at the dust seals. That alone is enough to prove your theory wrong. Add in the fact that when seals go bad, bath oil can pour out of the seals until the lowers run dry, and the fact the most fork seals include an actual oil seal. Its very apparent that bath oil makes it up to the upper bushings and seals or you wouldnt need an oil seal, and they would never weep oil when a seal goes bad. Foam rings hold very little oil, and they run dry very quickly. If the upper bushings relied on them without the foam ring getting constantly re-lubed, it would run dry and the upper bushings would only last a few months of riding before being trashed. The stanchions would quickly be ruined as well.
  • 2 0
 The primary function nowadays for a wiper is simple. It eliminates any type of contamination from entering the inside of the fork where the glide rings or bushings (whatever they are coined) would become damaged. This is their primary function.

The auxiliary function would be the keep lubrication inside the fork be it grease or wet lubricant. Simple as that. Forks are not the open bath design that they were 10+ years ago so wipers are just that...wipers. As for you stating the reason that some manufacturers do not use oil rings at the top is because these are also the companies recommending to lubricate the wipers with oil periodically to allow some of the lubrication to actually make contact with the upper bushing or glide ring. Obviously for forks with oil rings at top this will help keep them working well too!. It can also help to moisten a dry wiper but this takes severe weather conditions to dry out and an overall lack of any maintenance over and extended period of negligence. but the majority of fork manufacturers recommend wiper lubrication almost after every ride or every 10 hrs minimum.

Also you will notice that almost every fork manufacturer recommends lower casting removal, cleaning and lubricating at 50 hours of ride time. Some even recommend 25 hours.....obviously this needs to be addressed more frequently if the fork is subject to bad weather condition with lots of moisture.

Those are the facts. I know as I have worked with the majority of fork manufacturers at one capacity or another in the last 17 years, servicing and performing R&D. Everyone has a design principal in place and for the most part there truly isn't a terrible product on the market right know and consumers have never had so many options to choose from be it RS, Fox, SR, XF, etc....anyway this was a fun discussion.
  • 2 0
 You are right, most forks are no longer open bath, although a few still do exist. They should be, but they remove the majority of the oil to save weight, making weight more of a concern then long term function. Most fork now are semi bath, using 15-25ml of oil on each side. Semi bath still works great, but the low amount of oil is the main reason for the short service intervals. Personally, I pull the lowers on all my forks once a month reguardless of miles. even after only a few rides, the oil is sometimes pretty dirty.

When manufactures recommend oiling the seals after every ride, which is becoming more common, its not to to get oil into the internals. The want you to get oil on the seal, cycle the fork to lift the dirt away that is starting to get under the wiper lip, and wipe that dirt away before it makes it past the wiper into the lowers.

One thing we can both agree on, is that its a great time to buy bicycle suspension. All manufactures are making great products. Even the lower end products have pretty good chassis. More shim based dampers are showing up and they are showing up in forks that can be had for $250! Great time to be a mountain biker.
  • 1 0
 Looks awesome, and for the price It may well be my next DH fork... f*ck you fox, you have shit the bed too many times for my liking . Still loving my 2007 888 Rc2x, too bad marz went downhill Smile
  • 1 0
 haha...downhill...I get it
  • 1 0
 Besteht price vs. performance fork I,ve ever ridden.
They are dirt cheap here, bought two of them ,each for under 350€.....new.... and thinking about a third one!
  • 2 0
 To me, they nailed the number of clicks on each adjustment, and the price of course!
  • 2 1
 Do fox have a patent on 40mm stanchions? Just wondering why no other company chooses to use a 40mm measurement for upping the stiffness, or UTS as I like to call it??
  • 13 0
 Perhaps 'cos there's no need for it? Fox's last generation actually reduced the stiffness noticeably, because of people complaining about it being too stiff.
  • 4 0
 RS totem has 40mm stanchions.
  • 6 0
 The wider your stantion diameter, the more surface area you have contacting between stantion and seals. More contact = more friction. 40mm is stiffer yes but it takes more work to keep the extra surface area friction free and a little bit of compliance is actually a good thing in choppy terrain. Makes it easier to track straight.
  • 2 1
 some fore and aft flex is good, as long as it is done right. A fork that's too stiff will tire you out faster.
  • 2 0
 Could see no reference to steerer tubes in the article. 1 1/8th? Tapered? 1.5? I wonder what options are available?
  • 1 0
 Suntour's catalog says only 1 1/8th available. They plan to release tapered steerer and a high and low speed rebound system for the next version. So maybe next year...
  • 1 0
 Currently the Rux is 1-1/8" steerer only. Most headset companies offer a reducer crown race that allows you to run a 1.5 bearing / cup and a 1-1/8 steerer.
  • 3 0
 I love the Kashima colored axle release lever.
  • 3 0
 nice step up suntour!
  • 1 0
 I also hope to see SR Suntour look into developing some coil shocks to compete against the Vivid and RC4 ect.
  • 4 1
 aaaahhh thank you Smile
  • 1 0
 I'd love to see someone like Hill or any top ten world class downhill rider on this fork...
  • 1 0
 I like the 38mm stanchion option a nice inbetween of boxxers and fox 40s, might have to put these on my wish list!
  • 1 0
 888?
  • 1 0
 the fork looks great been waiting to see a review about it for a while i wonder if they will make a rear shock to go with it
  • 2 0
 dat arch tho
  • 1 0
 26"? DO they still make bikes in that size?
  • 3 0
 Yes. For people that like to go fast in the twisty bits, and don't mind a bit more pedalling effort on the straights...I call this strange breed "moun-tain-bikers"

For us sensible people who dont like pedalling, and don't mind slowing down a bit for corners, those tiny little wheels don't make a lot of sense, but hey-ho, each to their own....
  • 1 0
 Sorry, but you pretty much asked for that....
  • 1 0
 (y) very nice Big Grin
good one!!!!
  • 1 0
 This fork looks great. Now where's the matching shock?
  • 1 0
 Air whats next! Great price.
  • 1 0
 in khob hamun boxxere :madder
  • 1 0
 indeed
  • 1 0
 nice
  • 1 0
 Wow!
  • 1 1
 Crown looks easier to chop off! Smile
  • 4 0
 But it fits 650b Big Grin
  • 2 0
 Does it? Looks wide and low, like a 275x2.4 would come very close.
  • 1 0
 With that much clearance. Old Durolux could fit a 2.3 tire, and this has butchers as far as I can see, which are pretty big. So I think a 2.4 will fit just nicely.
  • 1 1
 my 2012 durolux fits 2.4 maxxis ardent tires. with much clearance.
  • 1 0
 The 26" Durolux could fit a 27.5" 2.4 tire?
  • 1 0
 There is a pic of the 27.5 Carver ICB (or something like that) with big tires. Just google around.
  • 1 1
 FINALLLYYYY now i can buy one,....hopefully
  • 1 0
 SICK! Go Suntour!
  • 1 1
 Yeah right get yer sel a piece of wood and that'd work better
  • 1 2
 A piece of wood with rockshox or fox written on would work better than that
  • 4 5
 looks alright but what an odd name
  • 37 0
 "RUX = Are you experienced ?" In reference to Jimi Hendrix first album. It is written in Suntour's catalog.
  • 3 0
 That is so. freaking. cool.
  • 3 0
 I love it even more now!
  • 1 3
 The fox says it looks cheap and shitty!
  • 1 3
 Statues looks sexier
  • 2 1
 yup they got chiseled abs and sculpted thighs!
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