Video: Desert Dreaming - Riding the RockShox RS-1

Mar 27, 2014 at 8:39
by SRAM  
The life of a professional cross-country rider allows precious little extra time to look around and soak up the surroundings. Even if you’ve got your priorities straight and make a daily effort to “stop and smell the roses,” the demands of the job all too often get in the way of pure off-road enjoyment.

So, in the late-winter months—before the world becomes confined to anaerobic laps alongside a hundred or so fellow racers, and between course-marking tape that acts both as a pathway as well as a barrier to the cheers (and jeers) of spectators—it’s good to get away and remember the point of riding mountain bikes in the first place. Before the first flag dropped on the 2014 racing season, we invited Kate Courtney and Russell Finsterwald to join us in Palm Springs, California, for a bit of desert singletrack that was completely free of clocks, coaches and competitors.



Basecamp was a mid-century modern masterpiece complete with a pool, grill, backyard fireplace and enough grass to set up our 10-dollar croquette set. Not wanting to subject our non-racer hours on Kate and Russell, however, we found them both rooms at Palm Springs’ legendary Ace Hotel—a design student’s dream and no doubt a welcome departure from the second-rate ski-town condos and run-down two-star hotels that are par for the course for a bike racer.

Relaxing
Lifestyle
Tech

And as much as we wanted to overwhelm them with good food and soft beds, we wanted to give them a ride to remember, so we chose the Palm Canyon Epic. The Palm Canyon Epic is a cross-country-rider’s downhill, a 6,000-foot descent that also calls for more than 2,000 feet of climbing over the course of nearly 30 miles. Without number plates, the XC stars were able to relax and enjoy the massive desert vistas and cactus-lined Southern California singletrack.

Desert dreaming
Desert dreaming
Desert dreaming
Desert dreaming
Desert dreaming
Desert dreaming

It is, as they both agreed, about experiencing new places, new trails and different adventures, after all. That’s the reason they started riding in the first place—and it’s the reason they’re both lifelong mountain bikers.

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93 Comments
  • 35 2
 Okay I might not be the über mtb guru but what exactly did this video show us about the RS-1? Seemed more like a video edit or a product commercial. If anything I want to kick back and Q up some hot dogs with Kate lol.
  • 1 3
 This product has show us RS-1 or specialized 29cer wheel size? ))
  • 5 0
 reminded me of a super pretentious apple commercial.... not good Razz
  • 32 1
 were they on a date or what? it was like rock shox was trying to hook them up or something
  • 4 0
 Really glad I'm not the only one that thought that
  • 5 10
flag siruz (Mar 27, 2014 at 18:58) (Below Threshold)
 I bet she was sucking on his hose at the top... as there was only 1 bag for the 2.
  • 2 1
 that does sound true airsoftesneeto`
  • 23 0
 Funny when I was watching the vid, looking at the stanchions move to see how supple the fork was. Took me half the vid before I realized there is no movement up top there.
  • 19 0
 Cialis commercials on Pinkbike? Are we the viewership really aging that quickly?
  • 4 0
 The guys that need Cialis and have fat saving accounts will be the only ones who can afford this fork, SRAM clearly know their market.
  • 16 0
 first the pic tease then sell me on the lifestyle with the pretty pics & edit then sell me the product. well done. seriously, well done.
  • 5 0
 Shut up and take my money!!!!
  • 3 0
 If this truly works well across different wheel sizes, it might be worth looking in to.
  • 2 2
 The main question is : Is it wiggly giggly? (probably is).
  • 2 2
 The shorter travel should help minimize the wiggly giggly issues…. btw, what is the travel?
  • 6 1
 Not to mention selling me the sexy. MTB has a few of those now I see. That one there's right up there with Emily Batty. Mmmm, Razz
  • 1 0
 @thinkbike: I was expecting 80 to 100mm, as it seemed sharply angled at XC. On second viewing, however, Emily Courtney is riding a Spesh Rumor (110mm) and I believe Russell Finsterwald is on a Fuel EX (120), so it looks like the RS-1 is going into lightweight trail bikes too. Not a bad call; there are plenty of 120mm Fox 32s specced these days and that's all the stiffness most riders in that category need.
  • 2 0
 Yes, I was going to guess it was running at 120mm too… maybe adjustable down to 80mm for the xc thoroughbreds
  • 11 0
 Looking at the video from my mobile and it doesn't seem like there is any guards for the stanchions. And after looking at the lowers on my bike, it would take me a season to destroy those that new fork.....
  • 8 0
 Logic is strong with this one.
  • 1 0
 I had the exact same thoughts. Smile
  • 10 0
 Wow look at all the new things you can do with the RS - 1! You can ride down a trail, AND climb up the trail! But wait, there's more. You can even ride with your friends! Get it while supplies last.
  • 1 2
 The all-new revolutionary XC fork standard is here! Ignore the fact that inverted forks have been used on MX bikes for years! Forget about the original Dorado! This shit's new so buy it!
  • 9 0
 i try to be fairly open minded re: wheel sizes, but cmon, she looks ridiculous on that 29er! The wheels are bigger than she is!
  • 3 0
 Im curious how this fork does really perform Smile I think I won't buy it because the stanchions are endangered to be damaged by rocks and I'm really happy with my Rock Shox SID... but the inverted thing for XC makes me really curious.

And: Kate is really beautiful Smile
  • 4 0
 Can we talk about the chef on the grill using a fork for the brats. I thought everyone knew not to puncture the brats....hipsters.
  • 2 0
 This will be the replacement to my SID rct3 if/when it craps out.

I've been seriously impressed with my rockshox stuff over my fox 32s (2011, so people say they're the bees knees)

The rockshox definitely took longer to set up, but once it's set I haven't had to tinker with it.
  • 5 0
 That dudes legs were tiny, girls was bigger
  • 1 0
 I feel like I should probably know this - But can someone explain to me the advantage of an inverted fork? I always imagine there would be issues with rocks etc denting the stanchions after a short ride?
  • 7 0
 Lower unsprung weight and constantly lubricated seals are the most often quoted benefits.
  • 1 0
 Makes sense - thanks!
  • 1 2
 Why would rocks dent your fork, after a short ride?
  • 3 1
 with guards maybe without ....really? those wouldnt last a week for the BC common folk.
  • 1 0
 @hllclmbr - With your stanchions being lower to the trail I figured there was a greater chance of rocks flying off the trail and denting/scratching them up. Once your stanchion is scratched up it would be easier for oil to pass the seal etc. This was at least my train of thought
  • 3 0
 i think nearly everyones train of thought is on the same track bobo
  • 5 0
 Why after the short ride, though?

To me, It seems like it would occur during the ride.
  • 1 0
 there are TWO forks i would not use on this vid....
2:28 Fail! you never grill sausage with a fork, gotta let the juices cook inside until they burst on their own. tongs all the way.
  • 4 1
 So the fork is not an April Fool's joke and is actually a thing. Looking forward to actually learning something about it.
  • 4 1
 It is just a very elaborate one...
  • 1 0
 Although it's just a turnabout face and we've been through the upside down road, I'm excited to see what Rockshox are bringing to the table this time around.
  • 2 5
 I don't know -- there's only one photo above where you can see the actual fork on the bike, and it's on a bike stand. I can't really tell in the actual riding photos if they're using the fork or not.

UPDATE -- OK, so just watched the video. They seem to be using the forks. Who knows?
  • 3 0
 We never said it was the best, lightest or fastest… it merely IS

RS-1
  • 2 0
 This fork makes sense to me - RockShox is totally dominating the longer travel segment right now with the Pike. If they can do the same thing in XC they'll be sitting pretty.
  • 3 1
 That was a pretty weak product intro to a new product... and it just bugs me all the fluff they put in, romanticizing biking in general is a real eye roller for me.
  • 3 0
 I think Hipsters made the end of that video, still good though!
  • 1 1
 I think it was made by Vaseline - rubbed all over the lens.
  • 2 0
 "Looking forward to actually learning something about it." Exactly.

Sweet jesus, slowest press release campaign ever...
  • 3 4
 OK, assuming this isn't an elaborate April Fool's joke, what is the advantage to these forks over the non-inverted models? It seems to me they wouldn't be any lighter or stiffer, and you risk damaging the stanchions. Also, they're kind of ugly (or at least funny looking). I can't think of an advantage.

I'm not writing this to be a troll. I honestly just want to know, what performance advantage do these have over others?
  • 3 1
 Better lub (gravity make the oil go down so having the seal at the bottom makes more sens) => less stiction => better sensivity on small bump to name one...
You can also check motorbike forums, have you ever seen a motorbike with a non-inverted fork ?
  • 6 1
 also, less unsprung weight at the bottom. smoother action. like drugs, you just have to try to see what people are talking about.
  • 2 5
 I believe the unsprung weight is a myth. With an inverted fork all of the damper oil and spring are now at the bottom of the fork and "sprung". Imagine pike taken apart, the lower casting or sprung portion of the fork is a lot lighter than the sliders, damper oil, and spring.
  • 2 0
 Have you already taken apart a fork and weighed all the parts ?
  • 1 1
 have you ever ridden an inverted fork?
  • 1 0
 I agree with TheR maybe the perform well and all that but they are just so damn ugly. And I could imagine the stanchions getting scratched more easily is a problem too. They should add some sort of protection shield like the manitous, dvos, x fusions have.
  • 1 0
 Benefit is also in fore/aft stiffness. With so much beef up top it shouldn't be a noodle under hard braking like regular 32mm forks.
  • 1 0
 @cuban-b : Yes, a Manitou Dorado
  • 1 0
 ^ i was referring to forceyoda
  • 1 0
 Sorry Wink
  • 2 0
 Wow! Neg repped for asking an honest question? Tough crowd.
  • 1 0
 @TheR, I brought you back up one rep. Honest question.
  • 1 0
 Sorry we were talkin about fork ooohhh shit i was kate dreaming!!!! Why dont we have nice girls like u kate in france who shred hard!!
  • 2 0
 An inverted pike would be sick
  • 1 0
 Maybe its all the loose gravel or the fact that they were on XC bikes but it all seemed sketchy
  • 2 0
 I want that for my road bike.... can i have a classic QR?
  • 1 0
 The rocks in Palm Springs are sharp and jagged. I’d be ‘riding on egg shells’ with exposed stanchions like that.
  • 1 0
 How does "able to relax and enjoy" and "2,000 feet of climbing" go together?
  • 1 0
 Because RS-1 superior product. Buy now or die. Have nice day.
  • 1 0
 That was about as romantic as it could get for a mountain biker. I need a bowl of ice cream...
  • 2 0
 Nice Big Grin
  • 1 0
 Those are good-looking people. Nice fork, too.
  • 2 0
 THOSE ARE MY HOME TRAILS
  • 1 0
 Put some turns in for me, please. You are lucky.
  • 1 0
 wtf this is a 29ers comertial... by the way she is real hot
  • 1 0
 Nice bikes but NO dropper seat post?
  • 1 0
 Looks like a good time, i'm down with that...
  • 1 0
 150mm please
  • 2 2
 worst video I've ever seen
  • 4 7
 XC ride, climbing, descending, new RS-1, perfect for the new Troy Lee Designs ACE kit and A1 Helmet, that Russell is wearing in the video.
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