SR Suntour Aion RC Fork - Review

Nov 24, 2015
by Mike Levy  

SR Suntour says that their Aion fork is all abut big performance for a not so big price, and with a $550 retail price it comes in at $150 less than their top tier Auron fork. In order to achieve this cost savings the Aion's chassis doesn't get all of the special treatment that the Auron receives, but the two forks do share the same sealed damper cartridge.

There are six different versions of the Aion available, three that fit 29'' wheels and three that fit 27.5'' wheels, along with different levels of damper adjustment throughout the range. The model tested here has their RC damper inside of it that offers external low-speed compression and rebound adjustment, and can be run anywhere between 130mm and 160mm of travel in 10mm steps.



Aion RC Details

• Intended use: trail / all-mountain
• Travel: 150mm (adj. between 130 - 160mm)
• Wheel size: 27.5"
• Stanchion size: 34mm
• Steerer: tapered
• Spring: air
• Damper: sealed cartridge
• Adjustments: low-speed compression, rebound
• Tuneable air volume via trimmable spacer
• Weight: 4lb 9oz (w/ 7.5'' steerer)
• MSRP: $550 USD
Suntour Aion review test

Construction

SR Suntour was able to save a big chunk of money by going with a solid fork crown that has material machined away from its underside, whereas the more expensive Auron sports a hollow crown that likely saves some grams. For the same reason, the stanchions are straight gauge tubes rather than being butted, and the fork is also only available with a tapered steerer tube. The arch is flat, wide, and with none of the honeycomb lattice work to its backside that is seen on pricier options, although there is loads of tire clearance for anyone who likes to run the big meat. The disc brake caliper bolts on via a post mount that will accept 160mm rotors, and SR Suntour says that you can use adaptors to go all the way up to a 200mm rotor if you feel the need.


Suntour Aion review test
The Aion's arch is flat but wide, and there is a ton of tire clearance.
Suntour Aion review test
SR Suntour has removed material from the crown's underside, which is a less expensive process than manufacturing a hollow fork crown.


There are all sorts of clever quick-release thru-axle setups out there, but SR Suntour's is the only one that doesn't require threads on one side of the fork. Their patented Q-Loc 2 thru-axle quick-release system employs a small split wedged section on the opposite side of the lever that expands once it's through the dropout, after which the quick release lever is closed to secure the wheel. Wheel removal requires opening the QR lever just as you would with any other axle, but then you push in the nut on opposite side, which forces the wedges to contract to allow the axle to slide through and out. No spinning of the axle is required as there are no threads.
Suntour Aion review test
The clever Q-Loc 2 axle doesn't thread into the fork lowers, instead using an expanding wedge system to hold it in place.

What's Inside?

Our Aion test fork came equipped with SR Suntour's RC damper that, as you probably deduced from its name, allows the rider to adjust low-speed compression and rebound. The former can be tuned via an aluminum knob on the top of the right-side fork leg, and there twenty clicks of adjustment. Rebound can be adjusted with the red dial at the bottom of the same leg, and there are twenty-four clicks of range. The cartridge itself is a sealed unit that SR Suntour does not want users to open, but the idea is that if there is a problem, they will send out a replacement that can be installed in only a few minutes. And while SR Suntour doesn't encourage you to disassemble the damper, there are countless service videos on their website that cover pretty much everything else you'd ever need to do.


Suntour Aion review test
Low-speed compression is adjusted with this knob.
Suntour Aion review test
The rebound knob is held on via an interference fit with an o-ring.


The opposite fork leg is home to the Aion's air spring and a simple coil negative spring that helps to ease the fork into its stroke. Air is adjusted via a schrader valve at the top of the leg, which is simple enough, but volume adjustments on our early 2015 test fork required trimming an elastomer spacer that's located on the underside of the fork cap - easy to do, but not as slick as thread-in spacers. SR Suntour knew that had to change, though, so all Aions now come with a much nicer puck-style system that sees the spacers snap into place on top of each other. Travel is altered 10mm at a time between 130 and 160mm by way of a spacer system that is much more streamlined than SR Suntour's older push-pin setup.


Riding the Aion

Air Spring Performance - The Aion's stroke isn't quite as supple and smooth as much pricier forks, but it's hard to fault the Suntour slider for its action relative to its $550 USD price tag. Sure, it doesn't have the special coatings and friction reducing efforts employed inside of forks that cost twice as much, but it's as active as any more expensive fork from just a few years ago, which is to say that I doubt any rider but the most perceptive would notice the difference if you were to aim them into a swatch of roots with a blindfold on. Side-by-side, yes, you might note that the Aion just isn't quite as eager to slip into its travel as a brand new FOX or RockShox fork that costs nearly a thousand dollars, but the difference in the real world, where so many people don't even wipe the grime away from their fork's dust wipers, let alone perform a rebuild on a semi-regular basis, is negligible.

It is that sort of real world setting where the Aion surprised most, though, as the fork felt as slippery and smooth after months of use as it did when new. The Aion's general lack of neediness has to be one of its greatest strengths. It just works, day in and day out, without a change in its abilities. No stickiness, no loss in damping capacity, and no creaky noises from the fork crown and stanchion tube junction.

The fork's air spring is also well-tuned for most riders, providing neither too much nor too little ramp-up through the later stages of its stroke. You do have the ability to alter this by way of snap-in spacers, and the Aion comes with two installed and another in the box if you need more progression. However, our early production test fork featured a trimmable volume spacer that was meant to do the same job, but anyone considering an Aion will find the new spacer system used instead. This is a very good thing as the trimmable spacer is a pretty rudimentary way to go about it.
Suntour Aion review test
All Aions now come with a much nicer snap-in volume spacer system rather than the trimmable elastomer that was used inside of our test fork.


Chassis Performance - The Aion's 34mm stanchions and 15mm thru-axle make for a fork chassis that's going to be more than torsionally rigid enough for pretty much any rider. A FOX 36, with its burlier chassis and added heft, has it beat, but that's to be expected. It does compare well with the FOX 34 that is more in line with the Aion's intentions, though, and anyone looking for a fork in this travel bracket won't find the SR Suntour slider to be a noodle in the slightest. Unless the scale is telling you that you're deep into the 200lb range, I doubt that you'll have anything to complain about when it comes to flex.

Suntour came up with their own 15mm thru-axle design that they've christened Q-Loc 2, which is a pretty slick setup as long as you know how to use it. We struggled for awhile because the expanding wedges would get caught on lips inside of the hub and keep it from sliding out, but it turned out that we weren't locking the wedges into place before trying to remove the axle. To do this, you simply push the nut in to contract the wedges as per normal, but the missing step was to rotate the nut 1/4 turn to hold them down. That step wasn't obvious at first, but SR Suntour will be applying a sticker to aftermarket forks that explain how the Q Loc 2 axle works.


Suntour Aion review test
The wedges are expanded in this photo, locking the axle in place.
Suntour Aion review test
Pushing the knob at the end of the axle and rotating it by 1/4 turn contracts the wedges and allows the axle to slide out.


Damper Performance - You don't need to go to an expensive restaurant to find great tasting food, and, as it turns out, you also don't need to spend a thousand dollars to get yourself a fork with respectable damping abilities. Sure, the Aion's sealed damper isn't a RockShox Charger or FOX FIT unit, and discerning riders who are coming off either of those might note that the SR Suntour fork doesn't quite offer the same ground-tracking performance, but it is bloody close. Close enough, in fact, that I'd argue that the large majority of average riders wouldn't feel the difference between the two if they weren't allowed to know what they had on the front of their bike. They might have to wear earplugs with their blindfold, though, as the wheezing sound of the damper is going to be a dead giveaway.


Suntour Aion review test
  The sealed damper performed very well, and it can be removed and replaced in mere minutes if there is a problem.


There's plenty of low-speed compression to keep the fork under control, and the useable range from full-open to full-closed is wide enough to keep any rider happy, no matter how aggro you think you are. The non-adjustable high-speed circuit didn't feel like it would need to be adjusted anyway, so it'd be grasping to say that this tuning feature was missed. Fade isn't an issue, and the Aion's damper offers 8/10ths of the performance of forks costing twice as much, which is a pretty darn good price-to-performance ratio. The noise, which is the oil passing through the damping circuits, is a little annoying, but I've also said the same thing about FOX's best in the past.




Pinkbike's Take:
bigquotesIt's not quite as polished as more expensive forks, but it's hard to fault the Aion when talking strictly about its on-trail manners. The damper performs well and its air spring doesn't do anything it shouldn't, but, more importantly, it proved to be extremely reliable. Those that play the name game will be missing out if they only consider the more well-known competition at this price point.- Mike Levy



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Author Info:
mikelevy avatar

Member since Oct 18, 2005
2,032 articles

143 Comments
  • 293 5
 I love to see less expensive stuff reviewed
  • 38 3
 AMEN
  • 7 29
flag mhoshal (Nov 25, 2015 at 8:25) (Below Threshold)
 I like how you use "less expensive" as opposed to cheaper. Honestly though they are still too expensive for what they are. Id rather spend the 150 to 200 extra just for the quality aspect. These just look cheap!!!
  • 30 3
 @mhoshal some of us don't have the money to get a "expensive looking" fork. I have this on my bike, and while it may look cheap I can ride knowing that my money has been wisely used. And I have never had a problem staying near the front of my group of friends, this fork rocks! Its people that are willing to pay 200 extra just for looks that are making mountain biking such an expensive sport.
  • 17 2
 Hi All.

Thanks for all the great comments everyone. Yes the Aion is a pretty great fork even without talking about the price and comparisons to all the other great product that's available now. What a great time to be into MTB.

We are offering these forks and others at a discount currently and for this weekend we have an additional 10% off for the Black Friday Madness.

Just use promo code BFDEAL at the time of checkout.

emarket.srsuntourna.com/collections/enduro-all-mountain

Cheers, SR SUNTOUR NORTH AMERICA
  • 3 14
flag pimpedupmonkey (Nov 25, 2015 at 13:03) (Below Threshold)
 Totally aggree I'm riding a £300 full suspension l bike (B-twin rockrider 500s) and I'm riding all the local trails in the Peak District and been very competitive on Strava, hell the other week I took it down Steve peats local DH trail and it was brilliant only draw back it the mechanical discs are a bit soggy and the shocks are a tad soft as it is fitted with a 450lb Spring and I'm 240lb. I plan on fitting a airshock out back and a air fork up front and upgrade the brakes and it will be fine
  • 9 1
 I once bought a fork with Kashima on it. It felt terrible so I stripped it down and found out the seals were completely dry. For their high price tag I couldn't believe Fox forks are not ready to roll out of the box. Fancy coatings are no match for keeping the seals clean and lubed.
  • 5 13
flag mhoshal (Nov 26, 2015 at 3:46) (Below Threshold)
 I wouldn't say 550 is a good price for a fork that's worth 300 tops. Hell id rather pay the same price for a used 36 off of here than waste my money on a brand thats proven to be garbage. They can't even design a crank that doesn't fall apart lol
  • 4 0
 I have a 4 year old Epicon that rocks, a 2-year old Pike, and a 1 year-old Auron RC2. All my forks kill it. I maintenance them and they perform spectacularly. My next fork will be a Durolux r2c2.
  • 1 0
 @SSNA-WERX: Are there any damper upgrades or air chamber upgrades that can be done to this Aion fork? my bike did not come with volume spacers. Wondering if you would be able to ship out at least some of those and get me ripping out on the trail sooner rather than later??
  • 129 6
 No mention of "enduro". That's a new record I think.
  • 111 0
 And we could've kept that going, if it wasn't for you. : (
  • 2 10
flag madmon (Nov 25, 2015 at 9:51) (Below Threshold)
 replace the word Endure with heavy and it might make sense to an XC rider.
  • 58 2
 Two paragraphs in and I already know what half the comments are going to be about.

Bangin' fork, though. Sure, everyone'd like to have top-notch gear, but 80% of the performance for half the price doesn't sound... ahem... half bad.
  • 15 4
 Maybe people cool enough to still ride 26" will be too cool to use a Suntour fork anyway... probably not... cue the complaining.
  • 12 2
 You know, there might be some truth in that. In my experience, many of the people committed to 26" are function-minded and prefer to splurge on suspension and brakes by settling for "good enough" in other places. Fox and RS aren't likely to dump 26" anytime soon - hell, you can still get both the SID WC and the 32 Factory in 26", let alone beefier models - so maybe there isn't much demand for a 26" Aion. Also, Suntour is still overwhelmingly OEM compared to its competitors, and we all know there's zero demand for 26" forks there.
  • 7 16
flag chyu (Nov 24, 2015 at 22:35) (Below Threshold)
 Poor thing about this fork is even if you bought it brand new, people would think otherwise.
  • 41 1
 Yeah and it really sucks how what people think of your bike effects how fun your ride is too.
  • 8 1
 RS and Fox are also big in OEM though indeed also aftermarket. X Fusion used to be mostly OEM but in recent years they've pushed into the aftermarket and seeing that they're also putting ads on the Pinkbike website, they also want to grow in the aftermarket.

I actually think it would make sense for them the release a 26" version as well and this doesn't have anything to do with trying to be cool. People telling you this probably are on bigger wheels and keep their minds busy about what's cool and what's not. More so than those just riding 26" as that's what they have. See, if you're getting a new bike or frame now it will probably be designed for 27.5" or 29". And with all these new standards, chances are people just get a complete bike. Bikes nowadays come with pretty good suspension. No need to swap it out unless you're really particular about your suspension and still bought that complete bike. But then if your are, are you actually going to replace the OEM fork for a Suntour fork? On the other hand, someone riding an older bike and willing to upgrade (or simply destroyed the fork beyond repair) is going to need a 26" fork. Those are more likely to go for a Suntour rather than a more expensive Fox fork.

That said, does it make such a huge difference in fork length (axle to crown and offset) to get a 27.5" fork instead of 26"?
  • 7 1
 You try finding a 1 1/8" straight streerer Rockshox or Fox 26" wheel fork these days new!! Yes, second hand I may, but will prob then have to spend the same again getting said fork up to scratch. Therefore, Im stuck at the mo running my On One 456 Evo II with its current fork thats prob performing at 80% ish of one of the current two leaders, Suntour Epicon, and not too bad a job its doing thankfully!! Now, if On One would fit a 44 head tube to there 456 like they do with the 45650b (not keeping it simple anymore On One) then Pike here i come!!
  • 4 2
 The typo in the first line was the one that got me. At least proof read the first paragraph...
  • 1 0
 Not exactly overlapping, but as long as they make Durolux I guess the 26 people will be happy. @ballardski I'm on a steel hardtail with 42 headset too, looking for a new fork... there's float 36 and lyrik rc2dh, not really easy to find online but I guess any dealer would be able to order one with straight steerer. Then there's 55 CR, Suntour Durolux, anything else? the real problem is that being a niche market it's really hard to find bargain prices...
  • 1 1
 uhm nope, new durolux 26 doesn't come with straight steerer apparently, and the revamped version doesn't come in 26...
  • 4 1
 @ballardski "You try finding a 1 1/8" straight streerer Rockshox or Fox 26" wheel fork these days new"

Fox do their 36 in straight steerer and 26, I got my son a RS SID RCT3 straight steerer 26 brand new.
  • 1 1
 @poah, yes Fox 36, but may be to portly for what I want, and a SID goes the oposite way. A couple years ago I could have got a Sector for next to nothing new. OK, so if I look and am willing to pay Im shore I could get Mojo to sort out something (two min drive away) or get my LBS to order from Rockshox, but Im not loaded. But, to be honest that Epicon if doing just fine for now!!
  • 2 0
 Ha, just found a Revelation 26" RCT3 with 1 1/8" steerer on Merlin!!!!
  • 11 2
 don't run a 27.5 specific fork on your 26 bike with 26 wheels. You'll die....
  • 2 0
 Running a 26 hardtail and looking for a new fork, looking at 650b. Very little difference in forks.
  • 2 0
 Fox still produces every single model of their forks in a 1.125 steer option. Walk into any shop and they can order on up for you!
  • 1 1
 they don't do the new 34 in 26 or 1 1/8
  • 1 0
 And as I've said, Fox will charge you for the pleasure as well! I do like operating on a limited budget, mind having said that (and moving away from forks) ive had some dam good deals from Mojo on ex demo Fox shocks, £119 with bushes for a CTD adjust factory shock! But also, at the same time this was all started with a test of a Suntour Aion fork, and to be honest with you all even though I would love to plug a pike or something into the front of my 456 the Suntour Epicon I already have pluged in is not at all that bad!
  • 1 0
 Thanks Lagr1980, for figuring that out for me. Magura also still does a few forks with 1 1/8" steerers. This adds up to a fair number of options if you're looking for a fork to fit the 456evo2, doesn't it? I doubt the quality fork makers will stop producing such forks as long as you can still buy a quality frame with such a narrow steerer tube. Indeed it will stop at some point. I recall Magura still offered their 2006 Rond/Magura forks with a 1" steerer tube until they revised their complete fork line up in 2007. And frames with a 1" steerer were pretty much extinct by then and definitely didn't come with proper geometry by todays standards. This is not the case with a frame like that 456evo2, so there should still be forks to go with that.
  • 1 0
 @vinay: late to this party. But yeah. I would swap my one forks for Suntour
  • 34 1
 I wonder how it compares to value offerings from the other brands, such as the:

Manitou Mattoc Expert
Marzocchi 350 R (assuming it isn't being discontinued under the new bosses)
Rock Shox Yari
Fox 34 Performance line

etc.

It would be cool if Pinkbike did a mtbr.com shootout type article with value oriented forks, possible multiple riders riding the same set of bikes mounted with a selection of forks over a weekend in Whistler.
  • 16 0
 yes !.... also X-fusion Sweep should be on that list
  • 10 0
 I've been wanting shootout articles from PB for years as it's pretty standard fare in many other industry / hobby publications, but they will never do them. The excuse is something about not wanting to directly compare products to each other and it not being fair (even though they end up indirectly comparing them anyway - see above). My suspicion is it might be more related to not wanting to soil relationships with various companies in this relatively close knit industry.
  • 3 0
 I have a 350 R, and it is really good! Although I can not compare it to a Pike or a 36, since I have never spent too much time on them, the 350 feels awesome! The rebound could use some refinement and have more clicks, but it's not that much of a deal. I rode Top of the World on it, and can't complain about it at all!
  • 3 1
 the 350r is a badass.
  • 3 2
 also owned a pike rct3 160---wouldn't go back to it.
  • 14 0
 We run Suntours (Raidons and Epicons) on some of our hire bikes, reliability is key, and also the level of abuse they can withstand (ride it like you hired it)... For the price there is nothing that comes close.. performance is definitely on a par with other brands commanding double the price, and service spares are readily available at a decent price... Yes, they do occasionally let us down, mainly due to rider error (lets let all the air out of the spring, like to ride it sloppy ?) and then ride down a set of steps... pull the adjusters off (very easy), get confused over the q-loc and end up using a rock to smash the QR into the fork leg because it wouldn't tighten... (i love my customers)...... I know that no other fork would survive this abuse, yet the Suntour after a little TLC comes bouncing back...
  • 6 0
 Reliability is under rated. Love to hear some brands are not over looking this aspect.
  • 15 3
 SR Suntour makes really good forks, It's just that everyone (industry people included) just remembers the stuff they put on $500 and under bikes. I had a duralux (26") for a year or so. Sold it to go fox 36, NOT much difference at all. And I KNOW that the fox is going to need to be serviced at least 3 times as often. I work on peoples bikes everyday, I like to avoid working on mine as much as possible. I'm not Aaron Gwin, But i am one of the faster cat 2 DH guys who spends trail riding time on the front OR rear wheel more than both on the ground..I'm going on the record..SR Suntour mid-high end stuff works...
  • 4 1
 Love my Durolux RC2. Put it on my Sinister Shenanigan, and I've used it for everything from trail shredding to lift access riding. It's light, sturdy and active. The adjustments make a tangible difference in ride quality. The fork is easily serviced (and internals are all metal- no plastic, as with other brand).

I've ridden RS, Fox, Marzo and Manitou. SR Suntour is right there with them, especially if you consider the value of the forks as a whole.Those who write off Suntour based on name alone are fools, frankly.
  • 15 0
 Call me crazy, but I don't want to be aimed at a swatch of roots with a blind fold on
  • 10 1
 Too poor to play the name game. My SR Suntour Durolux is a champ. I ride pretty burly stuff often, and at 6'3 & 230 lbs, I can put a hurtin' on a fork, but that Durolux has taken it all in stride! Couldn't be happier, and I'll definitely be sticking with Suntour.
  • 3 1
 I also have a Durolux and I am more than happy with it.
  • 2 0
 Suntour is pretty solid for the price. I dont ride fox or marzocchi but have ridden them at one point or the other. Now im just riding an old kowa because it performs like a dream still but before that, I rode Suntour. just as plush as anything else. the little stuff in more expensive forks is what is missing.
  • 6 1
 This would be a legit oem fork for bikes in the sub $2000 range. Pikes and Mattocs can be had for about $700 online so many will be hard pressed not to spend a little more for a better product.
  • 5 0
 Once these hit the secondary market, they'll be the better buy by a large margin, I'd wager. I got my Durolux RC2 second hand, a never used OEM take off, for 295 shipped. Amazing value.
  • 14 8
 3 ... 2 ... 1 - Why do you print stroke in mm, but weight in pounds and oz ? Come one, be USA patriot, do not use this metric European bullshit :-)
  • 2 0
 ahahahaha top!!
  • 5 0
 but at the same time they are talking about saving some grams lol
  • 5 7
 And how do you want to refer to stem length? Seatposts sizes? All those metric bolts on your bike? Don't be a wank...
  • 5 0
 @gtrguy : Ikubica was being sarcastic. Because they put everything in metric except for the weight of the fork, so many of us have no idea how much it weighs. Pretty silly mistake not to mention it in kg aswell, because it is an important aspect of the fork.
  • 3 0
 I missed the sarcasm... besides I'm old enough to remember imperial when it was the standard in Canada so I can relate to either... lol
  • 4 0
 I don't know about the rest of the world but I think about light things in grammes and complete bikes in pounds. If you tell me a stem weighs 3 ounces I have no idea how much that is, equally if you tell me a bike weighs 13kg I have to convert to pounds to work out whether it is light of heavy. Forks are on the tipping point where they could be weighed in either for me.
  • 1 2
 I'm assuming all of you realize that no one (even in Europe) makes a 31.6mm ID tube for your seatpost to drop into. If they just called it 1.25" and didn't convert for the bike people - imagine the confusion. Those 25.4mm handlebars, the 22.2mm grips, etc. I guess you've got axle sizes and fork stanchions.
  • 2 0
 good good will be price in € and after you pay in $
  • 2 0
 can we purchase these in the uk, the only sr suntour forks ive found that i can buy are the raidons, the epicons, the duro lux and the rux dh forks and thats through greyville. is there another sr suntour distributor in the uk??
  • 2 1
 That would be Moore Large
  • 2 1
 Thanks dude
  • 4 2
 another pointless bike part part, not 26 and no 20mm. what! am i to do? diss-respect my components (20mm, 1 1/8th, 26", 9spd) and trash it to the landfills just because companies are bigger then me and bully me to get the new stuff? meh, ill kick you square in the nuts mr profit company man.
  • 2 0
 @nfa2005 yup. Then go get coffee that's not as strong as it used to be, and bitch about how you can't get leaded gas anymore. I ride those same old standards. My newest bike is a 2004 hardtail. The other an 03 yeti. But stuff changes man. I also have 780mm atlas bars on both my bikes. So new isn't all bad. Ride what you've got, have fun while lasts, and move forward. It'll be ok.
  • 1 0
 i know, yup! and the best part is i found a coffee place that has organic 2% lactose free mike the same price as starbucks.
  • 1 0
 Jackpot!
  • 1 0
 @nfa2005, get the suntour durolux rc2. They still make them for 26. 20 mm thru axle too. Mine is 1 1/8th but i got it in 2013 check the website if they still make straight steerers.
  • 8 3
 Get a Manitou mattoc for the same price and be done with it
  • 6 1
 I'll say it again no 26 version booooooooooooooo
  • 3 1
 27.5 should fit 26 wheels. Maximum tyre width can either be huge or just very narrow, depending on the design of the fork. You will get an extra 15mm in the a2c though, without getting any extra suspension for it in return
  • 1 0
 Mattin Said It. Duralux comes in 26, Epixon as well, or use a 27.5 fork as long as your frame can handle the axel/crown distance. One of my winter front tires is an old Conti Diesel 2.5 that fits in the 26er Epicon with room for a fork fender, a 27.5 isn't really that much bigger anyway.
  • 2 1
 Yeah! Ride the sun tour fork and smoke everyone on a pike or fox fork. Great thoughts. Yeah advanced riders want the more progressive fork but I know pros sponsored by Sun and are faster then the local pros here in CO that run modded Fox/RS
  • 1 0
 Oh forgot that sun tour I'm sure tunes them with prototype parts and seals that we can get for there racers
  • 6 1
 The past two seasons I raced the whole North American Enduro Tour on the Auron RC2 and Durolux RC2 completely stock. The only tuning we really did was with the clip on volume spacers they mentioned in this article, and we would eventually replace the stock oil with a full synthetic 5wt or 10wt oil when it was time for service. This actually helped quiet some of the damper noise as well as helping with consistency. 5wt worked great for me and my teammates really liked the 10wt. We were able to win 2x NAET overall championship titles in a row on 700 dollar retail forks. I think its so cool that you can have a more affordable fork that outperforms a lot of the higher end models from other brands. Plus there is a new damper option on the way that is going to really open some peoples eyes to how good an 800 dollar fork can be. Keep your eyes peeled in the next few months!
  • 2 1
 I can't believe forks cost so much, they're really high quality now compared to back in the day, but damn! Also, the crown on that fork looks kind of weak to me, but good for it's intended purpose probably, especially since the weak point in single crown forks seems to be the stanchions. (that based on a guy who snapped my DJ2's from landing flat off of a dirt jump)
  • 2 1
 Also, I really like the through axle concept, seems like it would be strong, and secure.
  • 4 1
 The q-loc system is pretty tits. Tool free, super solid , never backs out, quick and easy removal. Would be nice to see some sweet little innovations like this throughout the industry. You know, instead of just !@#$% constantly changing standards.
  • 3 2
 The damper looks exactly the same as a Marz TST damper. Which was made by suntour.
See the places to put on a wrench? It looks like a threaded two piece damper. Probably with a compression shim stack and a rebound shim stack. So it can be tuned to ones riding style. Comes with spacers so you can change how the air spring ramps up. Bonus.
I have to Live with the fact that most modern forks will be tapered and not fit my old frame. Personally i bloody hate tapered head tubes. I have never seen a fork rip off a head tube. Remember gusset ? Did the job just fine .
You can't say this fork performs looks ke a thousand dollar fork nope. But you did say that blindfolded you probably would not notice the difference.
I have a Durolux rear shock. It works awesome on my vintage spesh enduro.
  • 1 0
 Great article. It's nice to hear about stuff that doesn't cost a million bucks for a change. My only gripe is that it is only offered with tapered steerer. At this price point it would be a good quality replacement fork for a lot of perfectly good older bikes with 1 1/8" head tubes. I have a couple of bikes that I'd want to put this fork on if it only had a 1 1/8" steerer. Oh well.
  • 1 0
 Just got back from CO and rented a Process 153 equipped with this fork. Amazing fork for the money, I have a Pike, Magnum Pro, and an Aurion at home and this one didn't didn't disappoint on some pretty rough trails like the downhill sections on Monarch Crest.
  • 2 2
 Dear Pinkbike.... please review the photos once more before going live....

I quote: "...solid fork crown that has material machined away from its underside..."

No it ain't... that is a stamped crown, no material was machined off. And in case you might be thinkin' that they were referring to their own stuff: they have to fabricate / weld / install a boss to make that shape that would would also not be machined away... I'm jussayin...
  • 1 0
 I think I trust SR Suntour for my info more than you
  • 2 0
 Distribution is getting stronger. US and Canadian bicycle retailers can order the Aion thru QBP. Thanks for the support everyone.
  • 4 3
 Did some research, that is 2.09kg. Funny you mention all the sizes in mm, talk about saving some grams, but don't let anyone outside if the USA know its weight (most of the world uses kg)
  • 3 1
 It's a Canadian site and a lot of the time we still use pounds to measure weight, can be very confusing here too
  • 4 2
 That must have been some tough research @Mattin do you have your own lab or something?
  • 4 1
 Nope, I had to call the CIA.
  • 2 0
 the only thing i don't like SR Suntour is the distribution.

It's a pain in the *ss find these forks to sell online. Here in Brazil, almost impossible.
  • 1 0
 In a situation like this, you wonder if they'd be better to launch a sub brand instead of under the SR Suntour brand. Would love to be able to split test it and see which sold best.
  • 1 0
 i like the part where the fork works day and night and works without any change in sensitivity, what kind of lube Sr suntour uses on their forks???
  • 1 0
 We use a lube with very similar properties to Slickoleum and for all service work we use Slickoleum.
  • 4 2
 Can we expect a kashima coat version soon?
  • 8 1
 Yes, it will include the charger damper as well
  • 5 1
 Dude it's dumpin in Tahoe, let's go
  • 2 0
 Getting my pow skis mounted tomorrow, so down.
  • 7 2
 So down for the pow shreddage bro! Do you have room in your car for everyone else on pinkbike too?
  • 2 0
 fatcat 6 on the top and 8 seats - lets go!
  • 1 0
 Take the pilot, or even the runner brah! I'm goin Friday
  • 2 0
 The pilot is getting a makeover on thursday!
  • 1 0
 Woah what are you doing to it?
  • 4 0
 He's getting a 20" suspension lift and solid axles
  • 2 1
 That is certainly a superior QR system, way better that anything RS has put out and comparable to Fox
  • 1 1
 it says...push button at the end and rotate 1/8th inch......ya sure when its coated in trail crud and might be seized up. I would be leery of a new magic solution.
  • 1 0
 My new Scott HT has a Suntour fork. I was hesitant about it at first but I've had good luck with it and I like it.
  • 1 0
 For me, surely better than a fox. But, understand me... I had the talas fit 2012 kashima. I cannot stand them anymore ????
  • 4 2
 There's just something about it that doesn't tickle my shammy
  • 2 1
 Why wouldn't if ruffle your jimmy?
  • 5 0
 ^ Rustle your jimmies?
  • 2 1
 and the service on suntour fork is so easy to do at home, compared to fox for example.
  • 3 2
 If they made this fork in 26 with an 1/8th inch steerer it would sell out in a heart beat.
  • 1 1
 Well it probably wouldn't since they're not making them. Sorry but it's a fact that not many people would buy 26 forks. It's sad
  • 2 1
 there are a plethora of 264lifers out there like me who WANT new forks but they are SOLD OUT at all mail order outlets on lust worthy 1/8th" steerers with 5" travel +........the makers are missing the point. The 3rd world countries including Cuba and Jamaica do not have 650B or 29ers and they require parts....lots of demand.
  • 1 1
 Yes, but it doesn't make financial sense for these big companies to invest so much money into something that they can only sell to a small niche market (compared to 650b and 29er market). The sad fact is that if it really would sell out in seconds, they would be making it.
  • 1 0
 an untapped market with huge demands and the manufacturers are only looking into their own yard....whatever.....nice try....
  • 1 3
 I'm sure this fork is great. I'd love try it. And hopefully this kind of market brings down prices too.
But.. deals are out there all the time on the "big" name brands too. I just bought a 15' fox 36 float rc2 brand new from backcountry for 499$ shipped. I think they are selling pikes right now for 550.. I was seeing the x fusion sweep for 3/400 bucks a while ago.
  • 1 0
 looks great and i've seen some serious riding on Suntours over the last few years
  • 1 0
 I have an Auron Rc2 29 and it is the best for I have ever owned.
  • 1 0
 Can we see it on a bike?
  • 2 2
 Pretty sure the test bike had a 1 1/8" head tube and it didn't fit lol
  • 1 1
 Still no fender mount? Opportunity lost suntour!
  • 1 0
 SR 29er forks?
  • 1 0
 SR Suntour has a 29er Epicon, Axon and Raidon
  • 1 0
 and Aion and Auron
  • 1 2
 "Weight: 4lb 9oz" Use metric please, all the fuking world used!
  • 5 6
 fox...rockshox...rockshox...fox... my next fork....
  • 1 1
 Pike or poverty.
  • 9 11
 would you rather pay for a fox fork or be sponsored by sr sountour?
  • 21 4
 Sponsored for sure. Put the hurt on them, ride them hard, don't give a shit. Free servicing. Fox isn't my favorite anyways
  • 4 1
 God yeah, sponsored by them every day of the week! I have a soft spot for them as they seem rather under appreciated at the higher end of their fork range for some reason.
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