First Look: RockShox, American Classic, KS - Taipei Show

Mar 21, 2013 at 4:13
by Mike Kazimer  
RockShox 30 Gold
RockShox had their new 30 Gold suspension fork on display, and while it might not be a showstopper like some of the new, high end forks that have been unveiled at the show, the 30 Gold is a prime example of trickle-down technology. Six or seven years ago, a fork with the features of the 30 would have been at the higher end of any suspension company's lineup. Now, RockShox is able to offer an air sprung fork with aluminum uppers, a lockout, up to 120mm of travel, and a weight of less than four pounds for the reasonable price of $330 USD. In addition, RockShox will be producing a fork to fit all three of the currently available wheel sizes - 26", 27.5", and 29" versions are available. It would be nice to see the 30 Gold available with a thru-axle option (it has 9mm open dropouts), but for now, it's impressive to see such a well-spec'd fork at this pricepoint.


30 Gold Details

• Travel: 80, 100, 120mm
• Wheel size: 26", 27.5", 29"
• Solo Air
• Turnkey Lockout
• Price: $330 USD



• 30mm stanchions
• Magnesium lowers
• Weight: 1660 grams (26" version)
• Adjustable rebound

RockShox 30 Gold fork
The 30 Gold has magnesium lowers with a bolt on brake housing guide, as well as a remote compatible lockout.

www.rockshox.com


American Classic

After 31 years in the wheel business, Bill Shook, American Classic president and founder, knows a thing or two about wheel manufacturing. Shook was at the show to go over the company's new offerings, as well as explain design features behind their wheels and rims.

photo
The American Classic All Mountain 650B wheelset uses a 3 cross, 32 spoke lacing pattern on rims measuring 28mm wide and 23mm deep. A wider rim profile lets riders run a narrower tire and still gain the traction and control offered by wider tires without the associated weight. The wheels are available in almost every spacing configuration imaginable, and come with American Classic's tubeless tape already installed. Weight for the pair is 1673 grams. MSRP: $875 USD.


r
The patent form on the left was recently granted to American Classic for the unique cam plate system found in their hubs. Six pawls with two teeth each mesh with the 24 ratchet teeth on the cassette body. The aluminum cassette body has a steel face, which makes for easier cassette removal.

photo
American Classic's driver for use with SRAM's XX1 cassette is now available for $85. 9mm and 10mm thru axles save weight versus a bolt-on thru axle. $35 USD. Red anodized tubeless valves feature an oversized o-ring to ensure the seal between the valve and the rim is air tight. MSRP: $12.50 USD.

www.amclassic.com



KS Lev Carbon

photo
While intended for cross country (or even cyclocross) usage, KS's new dropper post is unique in that it is constructed from carbon fiber. With only 65mm of travel, this won't be finding its way onto any bikes intended for aggressive downhill usage, but it is interesting to see dropper posts making their way into different areas of the cycling world. The LEV Carbon will be available in 30.9 and 31.6 sizes - KS found that the carbon was too flexy to make constructing a 27.2mm version feasible. The post's weight hasn't been finalized, but the goal is to have it in the low 300 gram range. Final price hasn't been determined either, but it will be less than $600 USD.

kssuspension.com

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94 Comments
  • 276 3
 less than $600 for a seatpost... what a relief.
  • 46 9
 People complained about carbon frame prices too when they were first released saying they were too expensive and they'd never catch on but now everyone wants one and they are much more affordable. This Carbon Lev is the first of it kind so its going to be expensive. Given time the prices will drop, the technology will trickle down and everyone benefits from the advancements being made by KS so stop being so surprised and annoyed when products like these are announced with high prices.
  • 84 5
 And we don't even have to be in the top 3% of World Cup Athletes !
  • 20 2
 Well I paid $300 to upgrade my bike to a reverb and it was worth every penny. No more gettin off the bike and putting the post down no more nailing my nuts on the seat when I don't get off and move it down. I luv it I am constantly adjusting the height for different terrain and it works like a charm. Also makes getting on and off the bike really easy. I will never go back. Don't slam it before u try it!!!
  • 9 0
 Just wait a couple of years to see an affordable carbon seatpost ! But it's nice to see a seatpost about 300g !
  • 5 0
 And don't forget that KS made an affordable seatpost : the eTen.
  • 3 1
 KS post is nearly twice the price of a RS aluminum legged fork!!
  • 2 0
 Its not commonly realized anymore, but KS's first dropper seatpost was a variant of a suspension post. It had travel for suspension as well as adjustment height. Pricepoint used to sell them for under a hundred dollars.
  • 3 0
 Deelight, that just goes to prove that they charge what the market will bear.
  • 9 1
 We all knew what we were gettin into when we chose Mountain biking!!! If you want a cheaper passion there's always Origami!
  • 2 0
 I do like my nuts...
  • 39 0
 The gold illustrates what RS does well: simple straight forward affordable suspension.
  • 6 0
 agreed, I had a simple tora sl solo air and it was reliable, smooth and had good rebound damping. It was on the heavy side, but overall a very nice fork. That's why i got a 120mm recon gold rl with motion control damping for my new bike. It is more adjustable, weighs 1650g with alloy steerer and if it's as reliable as the tora, I don't need anything better.
  • 2 0
 If it is reliable, that is one heck of a deal. I am still riding my Revelation from years ago and I love it. KISS
  • 7 3
 Well they had to do something with the XC30 since it was such a poor seller even at the OEM level. I know they have a long history of completely replacing model names rather than update them, but they really have to stop trying to act like SR Suntour and filling up the catalog with useless models that nobody wants to use. There was no reason to replace the Darts with XC28s, or the Tora's with XC32s... and then bring in the XC30 as well. Better to have just kept the names, and dropped the 28.6mm stanchions finally and made the Darts a 30mm stanchion model instead.
  • 4 0
 rock shox make great lower spec kit as well as all their higher spec stuff. they make stuff that you just couldnt get from fox, at a good price thatll get you riding on fairly good kit.
  • 5 0
 It's pretty clever on RockShox part to make this thing 30mm. This means that the high end dampers from their 32mm forks won't fit and they'll avoid cannibalizing sales.
  • 1 0
 like the low weight... next.. tougher and lighter !
  • 1 2
 I would think its a nicely painted pogostick Razz
  • 4 1
 I think Rockshox make the best forks on the market at any price range. I sold a Revelation RCT3 cause the steerer was too short for my bike. For the short time I used it I loved it, it was buttery smooth super stiff, hardly any brake dive, masses of adjustment and looked superb. ive now got a Fox CTD and its the complete opposite for many of the attributes I just mentioned for the Revelation. I am very disappointed with it. I took it to Mojo they did a few things to "sort it out" and while the service was good its still the same as before. The next fork Ill be buying is a Rockshox for sure.
  • 3 1
 I really like the idea but I won't ever buy a 9mm dropout fork again...
  • 1 0
 You think they'll ever test and review it on here though Smile ..not too many $5000 bikes are gonna have one of those on them
  • 1 0
 That GOLD30 is going straight on my wife's ride! Thanks again RS!
  • 3 0
 I'm looking forward to future iterations of the short travel Lev. I never need the full drop on my post, even for the toughest parts of enduro races, and have been waiting for something lighter with less travel that I can use for racing. Less weight is great, and I'm expecting that less travel may mean fewer problems with the post and less shimmy. Just waiting for the cost to drop a few nickels more. Smile
  • 2 0
 ya, i also feel that this whole longer drop seat posts thing is getting silly. I have 4 inchs of drop and honestly i could get away with just 3 for AM riding. If it made them lighter and sturdier i'd get an 80mm dropper over the 120mm droppers anyday.
  • 5 0
 Good to see that American Classic still has their patented freehub design. Now I know for sure that I will still not run their hubs.
  • 1 0
 @seraph, I agree totally. I had nothing but troubles with my AC freehub that I eventually tossed the hub. AC was very good at helping me out by replacing the hub and internals several times (even paying for a wheel rebuild) but it still kept on failing. It is a terrible design!
  • 1 0
 American Classic at Tapei

"The patent form on the left was recently granted to American Classic for the unique cam plate system found in their hubs. Six pawls with two teeth each mesh with the 24 ratchet teeth on the cassette body. The aluminum cassette body has a steel face, which makes for easier cassette removal."

Novatec at Tapei

The hubs on the Factor wheelset use an oversized driveside bearing to deal with the loads generated from pedaling. To create the quick engagement riders look for in a high end hub, each of the six pawls on the freehub has two teeth that mesh with the teeth on the hub body - it only takes four degrees of movement to get the hub to engage. The aluminum cassette body has a steel insert to make cassette removal easier, which means no more struggling with a punch and a hammer to take off a stuck cassette.

Spot the difference?

Great Minds think alike, or Novatec make American Classic hubs to AC's patent which isn't as strong as Novatec's because the teeth ingage on a small diameter?
  • 1 0
 The American Classic hubs use a cam plate system that is much different than the Novatec, and they don't use an oversized bearing. There are similarities, but if you look close they are completely different designs.
  • 1 0
 Odd choice to display the patent as if it's some kind of marketing. The only other places I've seen a patent used as marketing material are in people selling little pills you put in your fuel tank to magically make your car more powerful.
  • 6 2
 XC30... Heavier than a Manitou Minute Expert, guaranteed flexier than a Minute, inferior damper to the Minute, costs the same. If only Manitou had RS's marketing presence.
  • 3 0
 "guaranteed flexier than a Minute, inferior damper to the Minute"

It would be good to read your ride reports for both forks.
  • 6 0
 You dont need to read a ride report. Manitou uses shimmed dampers on both compression and rebound. Turnkey is port orifice only and is full of plastic. Its not even a contest, the Manitou wins hands downs.
  • 3 0
 The Minute Pro would most certainly be better, the manitou Minute expert weighs more than the 30 Gold which is sub 4 lbs whereas the minute expert is 4.1 in the 80mm version. the Minute Pro only weighs 3.65 lbs in the 120mm version which is more compareable to the 30 Gold. The minute pro is definitely gonna be stiffer as it uses the Manitou Reverse arch and has 32mm stanchions verses the 30 Golds 30mm stanchions.

However, the Minute Pro costs $90 more than the 30 Gold and also has the option for 9mm and 20mm axles. If you went with the Minute Expert it would still cost $20 more and would weigh more but would definitely have better damping and be stiffer.

It is really a matter of what the rider in question needs, if they want to stick to RS then let them, if they plan to ride hard and want bang for buck, then go with the Minute. Each fork has its respective strenghts.

Just my .05 Big Grin
  • 1 0
 I've always had much better results with Manitou than Rockshox.
  • 2 0
 With only 65mm travel this won't be finding it's way on to any bikes intended for agressive downhill usage???? what? Yeah because you definately want to run your seatpost really high for downhill. 65 mm of adjustment is about all you'd want on a dh bike. Also 65 mm adjustment is not nearly enough for all mountain. Who is this marketed for? the most usefull place for a dropper post is all mountain because you go up agressively and then you go down agressively. If you only ride cross country you more or less leave your seat post high and if you ride only downhill you more or less leave you seat post slammed. I like the lighter weight but 65mm of adjustment is not enough adjustment for all mountain. KS, the majority of people riding with dropper posts ride all mountain, because of the combination of up and down riders don't want to stop and constantly adjust their seatpost. Instead of 65mm of travel and extra weight I'd sooner keep my regular seatpost in the middle and save some weight and money, or buy a dropper post with 5 inches travel. Rethink this one and come out with the same lighter weight post, with a minimum of 5 inches travel and market it for all mountain riders who are the number 1 consumer of dropper posts.
  • 3 0
 30mm stanchions?! Did they learn nothing from the SIDs? At 120mm travel that thing is going to twist and bend like the 100mm SID used to! I disapprove.
  • 7 2
 Likeing the carbon dropper post
  • 2 1
 The "patent form" shown for American Classic is just a published patent application. Except in limited circumstances, every patent application publishes automatically. It's not a patent, and having a published application doesn't mean you will get a patent.
  • 2 0
 Earlier this year , the UK distributor for KS pulled out due to "unacceptable warranty backup " !!! No replacement company yet !
  • 2 0
 A CX bike set up 1x10 with the LH gear shifter connected to the dropper post, that's what I want to do with that post!
  • 4 2
 Why the hell 30mm stanchions? It will be too flexy especially for 29" wheel usage.
  • 25 1
 This is a startup fork. People just getting into riding can get a great fork at a cheap price. Not bad. plus they won't know what "flex" is and will most likely not push that fork the way a more advance rider would.
  • 7 1
 still you would think it would be easier to offer a 32mm fork since many of there castings, seals, bushings, internal hardware are designed around a 32 mm platform. I think the 30 gold is sweet. but its pretty much a sektor 30mm stanchion, so its a little redundant in there line up.
  • 4 13
flag beast-from-the-east (Mar 21, 2013 at 4:59) (Below Threshold)
 I read the story hoping that RS had finally revealed a 34/35mm 29er fork with 20mm TA, so you can imagine my disappointment. I know its a start-up fork, but seeing RS cater to the low-end OEM market isn't encouraging either.
  • 13 0
 summit800 - exactly. I don't think it would cost them more to use 32mm stanchions, probably it's a case of 'protecting' the sales of their higher end forks. If it had bigger stanchions and perhaps a Maxle there would be less reason to go for something like a Reba.

Which is one of the reasons I don't like SRAM as a company. Shimano on the other hand offers most of the features of high end productions at an affordable price. Take a Deore brake for example: power and modulation are the same as an XTR, only in a slightly heavier and bulkier package. This is a good incentive for picky guys to still buy XTR or XT without letting beginners ride cr*ppy products.
  • 27 1
 Reading these comments lately really makes me worry about how close minded many of you have become. The fork is too cheap the post too expensive, Helmet's look like helmet's bikes look like bikes..... everything is a plot by the mountain biking industry to get rich and screw us over....sigh ....

Listen, there are big bikes with little wheels, little bikes with big wheels, there are medium sized wheels. There are cheap parts and there are expensive ones. There are bikes that's look like a Trek Session.... other's that don't Wink . Lot's of OPTIONS..... Just enjoy the ride fella's.
  • 7 1
 Joseph -Kony, I agree about Shimano product. In fact, it prob does not make great business sense to offer such performance in their XT line... but you are right.. there still is incentive to go for XTR because it's lighter and drop dead gorgeous. As far as SRAM goes, I think their low and mid range stuff is outright shi**y compared to Shimano ... high end like XO is very attractive and performs well. The Rock Shox suspension on the other hand I am a huge fan of. Not the most buttery smooth stuff Ive used (Marzo retains that distinction) but it't reliable, easily serviced and performs very well- usually coming in lighter than all of the competition. Their Vivid and Monarch shocks are stellar. In regards to this fork, I think it's huge that they can offer such features at that price. That was a pipe dream a couple years ago. 30mm ? Yeah, prob a bit to do with keeping the appeal of higher end- but more likely to save weight- because it's more important than stiffness at that price point, for a novice rider that is an outstanding piece of equipment.
  • 6 0
 nice to read different point of views here. whatever rockshox is doing, the price point looks spot on for their intended market. for us who knows the difference, all we need to do is look the other way and find something that works for us.
  • 1 4
 @darkstar: One issue is that most of it is just generic and very boring taiwanese tube, mill and anodize work.

It took 10 years to get a seat dropper to work propperly for more than 1 month of use.

Products dont get tested, taiwanese design engineers are out of touch as ever. Koreans, Mainlanders, Taiwanese are not part of the global leisure society as we are. Japanese are.

The other thing is cheap sweatshop items now cost as much or more than the genuine article and most are just lookalikes.

I for myself took the plunge and now own a western made bike with 8 parts made in Asia. I will shortly reduce the taiwanese parts count to just 4.

Does it cost an arm and a leg? No, surprisingly not. Does it look good - yep - its not a generic "Session". The engineering of parts and frame is really evolutive and progressive and meaningful. Do I want to make a point? Definitely.
  • 2 0
 Gravity Dropper is made in the USA, one of the first dropper posts, and I have never heard of reliability issues with it. Not trying to nitpick or be argumentative just curious if you have heard of them?
  • 1 0
 Yeah only prob is they look like a pogo stick. But I have heard nothing but good things and many continue to use them despite more and more options on the market...
  • 1 0
 I don't thing it is much cheaper to make fork with 32 stanchions. Even I think if it is in this moment their only fork with 30mm stanchions they make, it is more complicated.

To get to the point I want to say, it is nonsense for me, because marketing tries to tell us we all need bigger tubes on forks and bigger axles and then they will come with fork which seems just oposite to their marketing (does'nt matter it's low-end). No doubt it will find buyers, but I thought age of 30mm stanchions was over.

Imagine typical user of 29" bike. High and usually not lightweight dude. 30" stanchions will be flexy and will wear seals nad inners of fork. That fork will be maybe cheaper but won't work for years.


Just my opinion, I didn't want to start flame war. Smile
  • 4 0
 The reason for 30mm stanchions is simple. Rock Shox had to deal with people putting higher end dampers into your 32mm cheapos and that resulted in lost sales of their higher end offerings. With 30mm tubes, the high end dampers don't fit and they can make a cheap fork that will stay cheap and not take a bite out of sales of their higher end forks.
  • 1 0
 That has some logic!
  • 1 0
 @wakaba,
Recently I have noticed you seem less than enamored with Asian bike design judging from some of your comments. You mention you have 8 parts made in Asia (Taiwan ?) on your bike, soon to be four. Could I guess they may include Novatec Hubs?

Anyone with experience of working in the bike Industry in Taiwan for example, may be able to tell you horror stories about the agent they had overseeing their product manufacture, or the assembler, or the tolerances from the factory being outrageous, however, there are also a great number of excellent products coming out of Taiwan, and other countries in Asia, Novatec being one of them and of whom you have deemed fit to comment on before.

I might suggest also that Polygon deserves a little more credit than having their product caned by people who appear on paper at least, to be no more than generally very ill-informed wannabe know-it-alls like us. If Hutchinson have chosen them for their WC frames, they must feel confident about the product at least.
  • 2 0
 Genericmk has hit the nail on the head.

Ive done it many a time, find a sweet deal on a sector or recon R, find a nice damper for £50-£70 rebuild the fork off the bat with the new damper, jobs a good un and ive probably saved £100-£150 for all of around 30mins or so work. Not only that ive made sure that all the internals are fine and ive got the right oil levels and oil that i know is of a good quality. Thats not to say RS oil isnt just that ive had a few occasions where a new fork hasnt had the correct amount in there or seals and orings have been installed dry.

Currently working on a sektor which now as a rev RLT damper in is £270 for what is essentially a rev RLT that retails at £400. doesnt have the dual flow rebound but i can still buy that and still have saved £60. 2 years ago i got a lyrik DH coil and converted to solo air, total cost £460. To buy a prebuilt solo air £750, its a no brainer.

If i had the choice of a 30 gold or a recon silver id take the 30 tbh.
  • 1 0
 Didn't know RS parts were so cheap. I once f*cked up a Fox damper and buying a replacement one was more expensive than getting a second hand donor fork.
  • 1 0
 @genericmk, RS could have kept with the 32mm stanchions and still made the fork incapable of using a higher end damper simply by hanging the damper and stanchion threads so that the RCT3 damper does not it. End of story.
  • 2 1
 yeah neat looking post but astronomical cost..when is someone going to make one at an average joe cost but with super joe looks???
  • 2 3
 Another over priced "dropper" that needs to be rebuilt after every ride ,
My Origin 8 vert. Dropper is 6 yrs. old and has never seen a problem
It's funny how fast the affordable adjustable posts disappeared as soon as they
Figured out they could rip u off on them.
  • 1 0
 I'm just waiting for Sr suntour to release a budget post for £120 that is as fluid as a reverb, and as reliable as a gravity dropper.
  • 1 0
 Now the regular LEV looks like an absolute bargain at $300 - $400! The carbon black LEV does look cool though.
  • 7 7
 The 30 Gold has......... with an bolt on brake housing guide, as well as a remote compatible lockout.
So does my £30 suntour lol
  • 2 3
 Same as my Velvet. Weird.
  • 2 0
 No updates on that pro level Vivid yet...
  • 5 0
 well, since we arent good enough to ride it, we sure as hell arent good enough to hear about the technology used in it... Wink
  • 2 1
 Why on earth no 20 or 15mm axle? Cant we just abandon 9mm for serious mtb products besides maybe xc.
  • 3 0
 You answered your own question, for "serious mtb products"

This fork isn't aimed at serious users. Its aimed at the cheap buyer that wants the cheapest fork possible while still getting a brand name and not a fork from "yo-sung" or "bing-tai" etc etc
  • 1 0
 Like @johan90, I am a little baffled here. The same Joe-Bob customers that don't know high-speed compression from rebound aren't going to give a toss about thru axles, so why offer them the former at all?

If I was getting started and bought a mid-grade bike, I'd likely be upgrading wheels. Bummer that I'd have to buy a new fork to go with a modern set of 15QR wheels if this fork was fitted.
  • 1 2
 The lack of a 15QR dropout is a dealbreaker for me on that fork. Come on, fancy dials and stuff and there's no option (yet) for a modern front hub? I'll pass.
  • 6 0
 If you're complaining about lack of 15mm thru-axle on a 30mm stanchioned fork, you're looking for your stiffness in the wrong place. Also, it's aimed at the low-end market that is likely to have more basic wheels with regular QRs on them. Finally, you have to have features to differentiate your low-end forks from the mid-range and the premium models (the more obvious the better). Thru-axles are one of those features. Your average consumer might not know the difference between turnkey, motion control, or mission control, but they know a thru-axle when they see one.
  • 1 0
 30 Gold details
"Damping: Solo Air Spring"
?
  • 1 0
 $600 for a seat post? Yikes. U guys bored?
  • 4 4
 Goody! The KS Lev Carbon will be retailing for only $599.99 USD!
  • 1 0
 That is cheap for something incredibly hard to tool up for and manufacture. It is aimed at high end xc racing and maybe (hopefully soon) Enduro racing.
I can see this post being a huge hit for the xc guys. I would love to see an 85-95mm carbon version. I for one would buy one in a heart beat. Saving weight at the furthest point from the centre of gravity while still having the dropper benefits, yeah bring it on!

Cudos KS - you are heading in the right direction.
  • 1 0
 ^^this^^
  • 1 0
 @lahar72, are you kidding me!? I can buy a full Rock Shox Revelation fork with a remote lockout for hardly more than that Lev post. I realize that it is a high end product but the sales margins are huge - likely to pay for warranty costs.
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