Pinkbike Awards - Suspension Product of the Year Nominees
A wise man once said that geometry is the most important factor when it comes to how well (or how poorly) a bike performs, followed closely by its suspension. That's never been truer than today, and as geometry has evolved to allow us to ride quicker than ever, suspension has also had to develop in order to keep us in control. 2015 saw RockShox debut their new Lyrik, a single crown fork that can be had with up to 180mm of travel and controlled by their Charger damper, while Fox made big changes to their 34 range that gave the sub-four-pound Factory Series Float heavyweight performance. At the other end of the bike, the new Float X2 is a major departure from the architecture that Fox has used for their previous shocks, and the change has proven to be a revelation.
The question is: which of these three deserve the title of Suspension Product of the Year?
RockShox Lyrik RCT3
Long-travel, single-crown suspension is back
More riders than ever are ditching their downhill bikes in favour of long-travel, heavy duty all-mountain machines, a trend that's true even for those who spend much of their time in the bike park. This shift in thinking has brought back something that many of us never thought we'd see again: long-travel single crown forks. RockShox's Pike tops out at 160mm of travel, which is where the Lyrik takes over, with options ranging from 160mm to 180mm depending on wheel size. RockShox says, somewhat predictably, that the Lyrik is actually stiffer than the Pike because of the fork's thicker walled 35mm stanchions (the same diameter as the Pike) and stouter lowers. There's also the new, oversized Torque Caps that are designed to increase the amount of contact between the hub and the fork legs, a concept that echoes what Specialized introduced many years ago. Standard 15mm axle caps can also be fitted, but there is no 20mm option. Sad face.
Internally, the Lyrik uses the same bladder-based Charger damper employed within the Pike, but the rebound shim stack can now be adjusted as well, an option that was previously only available on the BoXXer. A 27.5'' compatible Lyrik is claimed to weigh 4.42lb, whereas a 27.5" Pike is said to come in at 4.10lb, and the Lyrik's MSRP ranges from $1,005 to $1,110 USD.
Long-travel, single-crown suspension is back
More riders than ever are ditching their downhill bikes in favour of long-travel, heavy duty all-mountain machines, a trend that's true even for those who spend much of their time in the bike park. This shift in thinking has brought back something that many of us never thought we'd see again: long-travel single crown forks. RockShox's Pike tops out at 160mm of travel, which is where the Lyrik takes over, with options ranging from 160mm to 180mm depending on wheel size. RockShox says, somewhat predictably, that the Lyrik is actually stiffer than the Pike because of the fork's thicker walled 35mm stanchions (the same diameter as the Pike) and stouter lowers. There's also the new, oversized Torque Caps that are designed to increase the amount of contact between the hub and the fork legs, a concept that echoes what Specialized introduced many years ago. Standard 15mm axle caps can also be fitted, but there is no 20mm option. Sad face.
Internally, the Lyrik uses the same bladder-based Charger damper employed within the Pike, but the rebound shim stack can now be adjusted as well, an option that was previously only available on the BoXXer. A 27.5'' compatible Lyrik is claimed to weigh 4.42lb, whereas a 27.5" Pike is said to come in at 4.10lb, and the Lyrik's MSRP ranges from $1,005 to $1,110 USD.
Fox Factory Series Float 34
Trail bike fork that packs a big punch
While the Lyrik is nominated for bringing back long-travel, single crown suspension, the latest Fox Factory Series Float 34 gets the nod for taking mid-travel suspension performance to new heights. The new 34 features much of the same DNA as the burlier 36, a fact that gives the 34 snot-slippery action, as well as a more traditional low-speed compression adjustment when the fork is set to the Open mode. Twenty-two clicks of the LSC dial go from nearly overlapping the Medium mode to offering extremely light damping. And speaking of damping, the much maligned CTD system has been replaced by Fox's new, three-position FIT4 damper that performs to a whole other level.
Complementing the FIT4 damper is a dialed air-spring that can be tuned by way of clip-on volume spacers, and the fork's travel can be adjusted (although not as easily as on the 36) to suit a rider's needs.
The $875 USD Factory Series Float 34 offers damping performance on par with Fox's much heralded 36 RC2 fork and RockShox's Pike, but in a sub-4lb package. I'd also argue that, as good as it is, the 36 is overkill for many riders, and that's where the 34 should come in - the FIT4 damper is a thing of beauty in action, and it's an overall lighter weight package that just makes sense for so many riders.
Trail bike fork that packs a big punch
While the Lyrik is nominated for bringing back long-travel, single crown suspension, the latest Fox Factory Series Float 34 gets the nod for taking mid-travel suspension performance to new heights. The new 34 features much of the same DNA as the burlier 36, a fact that gives the 34 snot-slippery action, as well as a more traditional low-speed compression adjustment when the fork is set to the Open mode. Twenty-two clicks of the LSC dial go from nearly overlapping the Medium mode to offering extremely light damping. And speaking of damping, the much maligned CTD system has been replaced by Fox's new, three-position FIT4 damper that performs to a whole other level.
Complementing the FIT4 damper is a dialed air-spring that can be tuned by way of clip-on volume spacers, and the fork's travel can be adjusted (although not as easily as on the 36) to suit a rider's needs.
The $875 USD Factory Series Float 34 offers damping performance on par with Fox's much heralded 36 RC2 fork and RockShox's Pike, but in a sub-4lb package. I'd also argue that, as good as it is, the 36 is overkill for many riders, and that's where the 34 should come in - the FIT4 damper is a thing of beauty in action, and it's an overall lighter weight package that just makes sense for so many riders.
Fox Float X2
A next-level air shock for downhill and all-mountain use
It's not all about the front of the bike when it comes to hopefuls for the Suspension Product of the Year. Fox's latest X2 shock features a new-for-them twin-tube design, a layout that's been proven in motorsport (and cycling) through years of use, and is also the company's most adjustable mountain bike shock to date. You need some common tools to tinker with it, but the X2 allows you to adjust high- and low-speed compression, as well as high- and low-speed rebound, and the air-sprung Float model nominated here comes with Fox's new EVOL air sleeve that makes for extremely slippery action.
The $595 USD Float X2 doesn't get the nod here just for its number of adjustments (Cane Creek, anyone?), or the fact that it's been used on the World Cup circuit with much success (so has RockShox's Vivid Air). No, it is because of its coil-like feel, consistency over extended descents, and ability to take the edge off of high-speed chatter like only a shock with a metal spring should be able to.
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At the end of the day, fox and RS make great products, but RS has far superior customer service and simpler easy to service internals.
Anyone recall how well received those 2013 fox forks were in the media, only to be universally trashed by the consumers and then later by the press? Soft mid stroke dampening etc? So hold your horses. Fox bows to shareholders, not riders.
Why is the Lyrik here??? Slightly stiffer chassis, absolutely nothing else new compared to the Pike... They even neg-propped it on this article noting no 20mm axle!
Fox 34, same thing, possibly a slightly updated chassis and a different damper tune, but nothing groundbreaking whatsoever, just incremental improvements.
Neither of those forks have anything new beyond what we've already seen on the Pike and Fox 36 in the last couple years.
The X2 shock at least qualifies at is new engineering compared to the past (with respect to negative air chamber and damper).
PUSH Elevensix has opened the door for a climb-switchable coil and now other companies are scrambling to catch up (Cane Creek, Fox, Stendec).
My only issue with the Remedy as bike of the year is it's a 2015 model, there are only 2 sizes left, and the 2016 model is different. That should have been pointed out. Why wouldn't the 2015 Nomad still be considered then?
forums.mtbr.com/knolly/knolly-bikes-now-partnering-push-industries-996914.html
Lyrik is a joke and I was a huge fan of the 26 model. It is nothing more than a marketing exercise on the Pike. If you want a really stiff fork with adjustability, buy a 36.
Fox 34 is a fork without a market. Trail riders buy the Pike and Enduro riders buy the 36 or Pike. XC guys buy the 32. Who buys the 34?
X2 is a great shock, but it is also a straight up ripoff of the CCDBA. I would buy one over the Cane Creek just based on my experience with the Cane Creek Inline, but there is not much original about it. Japanese engineering from the 70's and 80's, take a good product, make it reliable and sell a ton of them.
I've ridden one, there is a lot of fawning over it. As a non owners more subjective opinion, it was a really good shock. Is it twice as good as a DHX2/Float X2 (based on price)? No, not at all.
With the CS addition to the new Fox shocks that difference reduces further. Still it's good products like this exist, it pushes (no pun intended) others to improve and develop.
I do like the feature of being able to rebuild it to another bikes stroke/i2i though (subject to fitting). Thats a great idea.
Nobody else above has really gone into the performance aspect of the shock, but more focused on so many of the other things you wont find anywhere else. The reality is that the all-around performance is something you wont find anywhere else as well. They developed these for longer travel bikes, and not for DH bikes, I believe because the exposure to a huge number of variables in speed and terrain and application is where this shock really stands apart. Its a shock for the mountain biker. Not for the DH racer, or the xc racer, or even the almighty Enduro racer. Its meant to go with you anywhere at any speed and in any terrain and just keep working in a predictable and quiet way.
The funny thing about the performance is it just goes about it in a very subtle way. Is it twice as good? lol. Well that depends on what specifically you are measuring. Is it twice as good as the Monarch that came on my Nomad? In some ways and terrain more than twice as good, and in others maybe just a bit. But it is better in very many ways than the Monarch would never be able to achieve. Its kind of a shock without the normal compromises we have become accustomed to. It manages to be unbelievably plush and active and responsive, while still providing support and pedaling efficiently. Kind of have your cake and eat it to. Combination of the bike and the shock for sure, but damn the Monarch and any other shock I have ever tried previously has Never been able to come close to accomplishing that feeling. It was Always a compromise in every setting. Good here, bad there, even worse over here.... Change... Ok here, better there, unrideable over here... Change... Change... Change... Always with compromises. I'm still scratching my head sometimes about how good the 11.6 feels Everywhere. Its a conundrum. You just leave it alone, or tweak a setting to achieve a better feeling somewhere specific. Change from one circuit to the other, and the shock completely changes, because it is in fact now valved like a completely different shock, but those magical "without compromise" properties remain in tact.
Climb switch, CTD, Lockout, Shapeshifter, Pro Pedal, Travel Reduction, bar mounted remotes? LOL.
Not justifying. That's what I try to do with my wife. lol.
Just sharing my own experiences with fellow mtb'ers that obviously have similar interests.
THE 11/6 WORKS SO GOOD YOU FORGET IT'S THERE. and honestly, IMO that the best thing to can say about a suspension product.
for me, it turns my nomad into a literal quiver killer, switch in valve 1 for uncompromising grip and technical descending, switch to valve 2 for firmer pedal platform without losing sesitiving so i can ride xc laps, hell i've maxed out the firmness and hit bmx dirt jumps on it just to see if i could, and i just turned back a few clicks right to my old settings, without tools.Try that with anything else on the market
it's also changed the game of customer service. if i have a question about tuning, i can call and talk to the tech who built and dyno'd my shock and get an answer or advice.
That bike came with a way under spec'd 140mm 32. That fork blew donkey-d
34 made the bike way more capable and steering much more precise. The cost was a few hundo less than a pike because the pike gets fanboi love*.
The 34 is a good fork. With the updates i bet it's a great fork.
*disclaimer: currently ride a pike and give it fanboi love
None of the above products deserve the title "Suspension Product of the Year". In my opinion the 11-6 does.
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Review of Habit: 1200$
Positive footnote Pinkbike take: 500$
Deduction for delivering high end build: - 100$
Deduction for supplying Richard Cunningham with premium beard oil: -230$
Shipping back of the bike (UPS economic): 75$
Ad in the banner above (125$ per day): 2250$
Positive comments from fake PB user accounts (50$ per comment -deducted after a month): 3450$
Product of the year nominee: 25000$ (10% loyalty discount)
Product of the year prize: Ebay bidding ended at 348400$
Pinkbike Awards 2015: Rules and Guidelines:
"Nominated suspension products should be ...previous models that have been significantly modified or improved in such a way as to provide a clear and recognizable performance advantage."
www.pinkbike.com/news/pinkbike-awards-2015-rules-and-guidelines.html
I guess the X2 should win because it's taken the crown as the top air shock. Despite being the new top trail fork, the 34 doesn't really offer anything revolutionary.
Despite all this, i'm underwhelmed. I guess this shows that there hasn't been alot of progress in suspension technology this year.
Lyrik? Again? Its like bringing back frogskins. How is this innovative?
It would be an interesting review to see what other bikes and parts are still holding their own a decade later. For the amount of money a new or even reasonably recent bike costs, it would be good to have an idea what companies have established a record of quality and forward compatibility...
Done & Done