2007 RockShox Argyle 409 Review

It’s no secret that the SRAM RockShox lineup has been tearing up the downhill and freeride scene with the Boxxer and Totem series, but what about the lowly dirt jump fork, intended for bikes that get ridden hard every day on all types of terrain from dirt jumps, to street, to skate parks, to pump tracks?

SRAM’s offering for this market segment is the Argyle series. At the top of this lineup for 2007 is the Argyle 409, an air sprung fork with a sweet “punishmint” color scheme, burly mechanicals, intelligent design, and useful technology to keep you rolling.
The 409 deviates from the traditional coil spring design for forks aimed at this market segment in favor of an air spring system. SRAM calls the system “Solo Air”, and it has two main advantages over coil springs:

-The stiffness of the fork is adjustable to suit rider weight and preferences using only a shock pump. This means no extra spring sets or messy disassembly to get the correct setup.

-The fork is light! At 2381g (5.25lbs) the 409 is about 191 grams (0.42 pounds) lighter than the coil sprung 318 Argyle, and about 239g (0.53lbs) than a 2007 Marzocchi DJ1.


To make an air adjustment, you thread off the nicely machined cap from the top of the left leg, and attach your shock pump. SRAM made life easier by decaling the recommended pressures on the left leg. I found the pressures slightly high, but overall they are a good starting point and an example of great product planning for customer ease-of-use.

Damping for the 409 is handled by SRAM’s Motion Control system. Both rebound and compression are externally adjustable, a rare feature on products aimed at this market segment.


External rebound adjustment is one of those things you usually only use once – when you first setup the fork. However, having the external feature allows you to tune on the trail without packing your pockets full of tools…a definite plus. You can dial from Tortoise (slow) to Hare (fast) by turning the red knob on bottom of the lower right leg.

For controlling the feel of the fork on the way down, the 409 features external compression adjustment. This is by far my most used feature on the 409. Ripping the park, commuting, or pump track? Crank it on full compression for a stiff response and maximum efficiency. Cruising the dirt jumps or trails? Dial it somewhere between min and max compression to suit your wrists and how fast you want to pin it. The adjustment detents feel definite and have a nice satisfying click.


The floodgate system on the 409 is SRAM’s solution to tuning the “threshold” or pedaling efficiency of the fork. Essentially you can control the amount of low speed force which begins to actuate the fork. This let’s you tune to exactly the performance you want – no compromises. Although the floodgate is internally adjustable with a hex key, you won’t need to pack any tools in your back pocket. SRAM thought this through and made the rebound knob on the right leg removable to expose the correct hex key for the floodgate adjustment…yet another example of the intelligent design prevalent is the 409. I have heard of some people’s rebound knob falling off, but so far mine has stayed in place.

An advantage of the 409 (air sprung) over the 302 or 318 (coil sprung) Argyle is the ability to make a travel adjustment. I had the good people at [L=http://www.martysmountaincycle.com]Marty’s Mountain Cycle[/L] install the travel reduction kit, bringing the travel down to around 80mm (3.1”). I wasn’t there for the event, but apparently it’s a simple removal of the lowers and installation of two spacer blocks. The kit is inexpensive and the labour costs should be minimal – this is a good thing.

To be clear, a fork can have all kinds of gadgetry, but if it’s always broken down in the shop or away for warranty it’s not going to be of much use. Even though the 409 is light, it’s designed to handle the rigors of day-to-day riding with a forged 6061 aluminum crown, 32mm diameter 4130 steel uppers, and magnesium lowers.


In the axle area, all Argyles feature the Maxle QR. This 20mm axle requires no tools for disassembly. To remove the axle, flip the lever into the notch and use it to unthread the axle from the lowers. Really easy and very quick. This is great when you’re unloading your bike from the back of someone’s van which smells of wet dog, and you want out of that situation as soon as possible!

When you reinstall, the Maxle lever can be snugged down then rotated to a convenient position to avoid damage…all while maintaining the correct tension on the axle. You’ll have less chance of getting snagged on the upholstery in the back of your friend’s cars, or skewering yourself or a small animal in a crash.

Early this summer, I sprained the MCL in my left knee which meant I spent lots of time cruising on the hardtail, and less time out in the mountains. The good news is that I got lots of hours on the Argyle, with no major problems to report. All the seals are keeping the oil inside and nothing has come loose. I spent a day out exploring a zone for new trail options and was surprised and impressed with the performance of the Argyle on roughish trails, especially since I hadn’t changed the tuning at all.


I’ve been running the 409 both with and without a front brake, and the performance has been excellent in both scenarios. The combination of the deep crown, steel stanchions, burly arch, and Maxle results in a rigid and responsive fork that you can really lay into with confidence. I’ve managed to get a manual to nose-manual line dialed at the local park, and I’m sure it’s partially to do with the ample front to back stiffness of the 409. The only complaint I have is when tightening the front caliper the paint chipped off the mount. Not a big deal, but room for improvement.


At 2381g (5.25lbs) the 409 literally shaves pounds off the competition without making a compromise on strength and durability. The light weight is a huge benefit for technical features like tight pump tracks or manuals up, over, and around things. In the air, the extra maneuverability will only improve your riding.

We’ve been having some sweet chainless pump races in Victoria, and the light weight really helped to put the hurt on the competition. Although the 409 is not marketed as race fork, the weight, damping adjustment, and stiffness aren’t going to put you at a disadvantage. Check out the pump race posters:


Pricing wise, the Argyle 409 has an MSRP of around $800-ish Canadian. This seems high for a product aimed at this market, but at the same time you’re getting a light weight, air sprung, highly adjustable fork. Internet pricing might be lower, but the best bet is to hook up with your local bike shop…take care of the people that take care of you!

Pros:
-Light weight
-Great adjustability
-Stiffness
-Durability
-Color options (white or mint)
-Travel adjustment possible
-Adjustment tools and pressure guide built into product.

Cons:
-High-ish MSRP
-Paint chips on brake mount

Overall, I would highly recommend the Argyle 409 if you’re looking for great quality product with useful features. Now that I’m almost 100% healed up I’m looking forward to putting even more time on the Argyle 409 as we really get into the summer season.

www.sram.com to learn more about the RockShox Argyle Series.

- Strahan Loken