BOS Returns With the Deville 35 - First Ride

Apr 20, 2017 at 16:28
by Mike Kazimer  
Rumors had been swirling for the last year or so about the future of BOS Suspension's mountain bike division due to the prolonged period of radio silence from the French company. Were they scrapping the bike side of things to focus solely on their rally car and motorcycle suspension? There was no shortage of speculation, but according to Olivier Bossard, the company's owner, he never considered disbanding the mountain bike side; instead, he says that the pullback was done in order to allow them to regain focus and decide exactly what path they wanted to take.


BOS Deville 35 Details

• 160mm travel
• Air sprung
• 35mm stanchions
• Boost spacing
• Wheel size: 27.5"
• Externally adjustable rebound, low- and high-speed compression
• Adjustable negative spring volume
• Price: TBD
• Weight: TBD
www.facebook.com/BOSsuspension/


That path still involves manufacturing high-end suspension, and the new Deville 35 serves as BOS' announcement that they're back in the mountain bike world. The Deville 35 is aimed at the all-mountain / enduro crowd, with 35mm stanchions and 160mm of travel, but it's the fork's internal workings that sets it apart from its competitors.
BOS

A 27.5” version is expected to be available in May, with a 29” model scheduled to debut by the end of the year. Final pricing will be determined within the next week or so, but it's expected to be in line with other new forks hitting the market.


BOS
Low and high-speed compression can be adjusted externally, and there's also a lever to quickly increase the compression damping.
BOS
A look at the damper assembly.

What's Inside?

The Deville uses a mono-tube damper; rather than relying on an expanding bladder design similar to what RockShox and Fox use, BOS went with a coil sprung internal floating piston, citing that design's reliability and ability to withstand temperature changes without altering the feel of the fork.

The Deville's high and low-speed compression adjusters are now located on the top, rather than the underside, of the right leg, a welcome change from the previous version. There's also a lever that can be used to control the flow of oil through the compression needle, providing a firmer platform for climbing or smoother sections of trail.


BOS
The Frequency Control Valve is designed to quickly open when a bump is encountered from below.

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Frequency Control Valve

BOS' Frequency Control Valve (FCV) is an inertia valve that relies on a weight perched atop a spring to control the flow of oil through the damping cartridge. The spring-loaded weight remains in place when a rider pushes down on the handlebars, but when the wheel encounters a bump it moves downwards, which lets the oil flow freely, allowing the fork to soak up bigger hits. Keep in mind that in the closed position it's still easy to move the fork through its travel – this isn't an inertia valve that fully locks out the fork, and while the difference between the open and closed positions is noticeable, it's not overly drastic.


BOS
Strategic cutouts in the crown and the arch are designed to shave weight without sacrificing strength.
BOS
The Boost thru-axle is secured with a pinch bolt.


Air Spring

Rather than using spacers or oil to alter the volume of the positive air spring, BOS figured out a clever way to easily change the volume of the of the negative air spring. Once the air is let out of the fork, unthreading a bolt on the bottom of the fork allows the rod-shaped spacer to be removed, and then replaced with a different size (at the moment there are three options). Rather than changing the fork's bottom out resistance, swapping spacers changes the feel of the beginning part of the fork's travel. This makes it possible to choose between having an extra-soft beginning stroke for increased grip, or a firmer, more supportive feel that works better for aggressive riding.


BOS
BOS
The negative spring's air chamber volume can be changed by swapping out the spacer that resides in the Deville's lower left leg.


Ride Impressions

I was able to get in a few hours of riding on the new Deville, riding the same loop three times in a row in order to try the three different negative spring settings. The test track was moderately steep, with several rougher straightaways that led into compressions, a good way to get an initial feel for the fork. The air pressure was set to 54 psi for my 160 lb weight, with the compression dials clicked into the middle of their range.

The Deville has a very 'open' feeling, tracking every little nuance of the trail and providing excellent traction even on slippery, off-camber sections. It's remarkably close to the sensation you'd expect from a coil-sprung fork, delivering loads of grip without diving or getting sucked into holes.

I tried a different length negative spring rod on each lap and found the difference between the three options to be very noticeable. With the shortest rod in place, which produces the largest negative spring volume, the fork's travel was extremely easy to initiate, allowing it to suck up even the smallest of obstacles, although there wasn't as much support, which made the fork feel a little too soft for my liking. Reducing the negative spring volume provided the support I was looking for, and both the medium and long spacers felt very usable, creating an outstanding plush-yet-supportive feel.



bigquotesIt'll take longer runs and rougher trails to really see how the Deville stacks up against its competitors, but its initial performance was extremely impressive – now we'll just have to see if BOS can provide a level of customer service and support to match. Mike Kazimer





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Member since Feb 1, 2009
1,719 articles

102 Comments
  • 63 5
 BOS was being closed out at or below dealer price last year, and many still wouldn't touch them purely for after-sales reasons. Fox, RS and XFusion bring so much to the table and someone actually answers their phone & emails.
  • 4 5
 Contact QBP for BOS service. they're the U.S. distributor and service center. Not sure if they only deal through shops though.
  • 8 1
 @Buggyr333:
QBP is a wholesale distributor for bike parts/accessories, so, yes. NO retail sales
  • 6 0
 @YoKev: as far as warranty support/service though.
  • 15 1
 @YoKev: so what youre saying is people have to go into an actual bike shop?!?!? Blasphemy. (insert loads of sarcasm here)
  • 2 0
 Liking my rv1 except I'm running the xxfirm spring and I'm only 160lbs so the rebound circuit is nearly full max. Otherwise it soaks every small undulation while also being supportive from the twin tube damping.
  • 14 2
 Great product, rubbish company
  • 8 1
 @shakeyakey: Couldn't agree more. Have a Deville and a Kirk, they are hands down the best fork/shock combo I've ridden and they destroy every Pike/Lyrik/36 I've tried at demos. Jungle (UK distributors) are pretty awesome too, but if they have to send something 'back to France' all bets are off. They even say it with the same kind of tone a Vet uses when they say they have to take your dog away...
  • 2 0
 @Fix-the-Spade: I had the Deville and vip'r back when surf sales were importing them and they were by far the best suspension I've ridden but the after sales was non existent. I know the guys from jungle have taken over import duties and although they are a great bunch of guys they are ultimately still stuck dealing with BOS who are rubbish.
  • 1 0
 @immacaroni: careful. They want to make blasphemy a crime
  • 6 5
 BOS are the worst company I have dealt with from a customer service standpoint - especially their HQ in France. INCREDIBLY rude and have an attitude where they would rather blame the customer than work with them to solve obvious product problems. Beyond this, I found the products pretty on the outside but to have very basic and antiquated designs inside - particularly in terms of pistons and valving. Pull out one of their shock pistons and compare it to any Fox item (even low-end) if you want to see what I mean.

IMO the only thing they have going for them is a good visual design team and a solid ability to design low-friction sliding interfaces. The damping leaves something to be desired, and the company and customer support experience were enough to make me never buy their products again.

So basically, buy BOS if you want to support the worst company ever. Smile
  • 1 1
 Very interesting, I remember few years back BOS being really active on french forums to help customers setup their forks/shocks. Always advising even providing a lot of knowledge in order to help people understand suspension, how to set them up and so on. Only company to offer 1 shock with multiple setup for different suspensions systems too. Either they don't like foreign customers who assume everybody should speak english, or their service quality went shit all together.
  • 36 1
 After over a year of using bos deville fork on my enduro bike (I almost ride everyday but definitely in every condition) I decided to open the fork.... I was simply amazed, grease on seals was like a new, the oil in both lower legs too... never seen something like this after six months in my fox or Rock Shox forks. For me the Bos suspension is second to none (how they are made and how it generally works) but the customer service sucks, even now their mtb page doesn't work..
  • 4 1
 Agree. Everything just feels quality with tight tolerances.
  • 3 0
 @ibishreddin: Have to try it out. I wish I tried forks out before I bought mine, you never know until you try it yourself.
  • 16 0
 Customer service is the WORST service I've EVER experienced my entire life with any company.-- no exaggeration. And this is multiple complications and interactions with BOS. Awesome fork, but their service is so bad that it trumps their quality product. I've since sold all my BOS suspension and vouched to never touch their stuff ever again, and same with all my riding buddies. It's just a shame. BOS, if u read this, why can't u just offer at bare minimum decent service??
  • 14 0
 @diggerandrider: Welcome to the French mentality of customer service. I have to deal with multiple French brands, and it is a super common trait they all seem to share...
  • 1 0
 True, I ride BOS Deville and Kirk, great products, although I have some problems with my Kirk ... I am 93 kg (yeah like Richie Rude) and I neem 250 psi in my shock.. It might be a little too much haha...

But in the end.. the Deville is awesome... riding for 3 years and no problem at all...
Works like new... and the sucking sound of the full oil bath when hitting root/rock sections... love it!!
  • 2 1
 @ka-brap: Very true... sad but true...
BTW I had positive experiences with the service of BOS... needed them 3 times... all was arranged quick and even out of warrantee they still helped me for free.
  • 9 0
 @Trailstunter: Dude, buy a lottery ticket!
  • 2 1
 @Fix-the-Spade: Haha... I will ..
Anyways.. I just took the action I thought was needed... just called BOS and it all went well...
  • 2 0
 This is such a shame, as customer service is the one thing that's not that hard to get right. On top of that their North American distributor, QBP, isn't great in the service department either. Might be a nice fork, but I'll never know.
  • 15 0
 I would like to have one to, but I hear they have the best performance and the worst service/warranty support.
  • 4 0
 Bought a new bike had a faulty fork so i ve sent it back to them for warranty ( broken seal ) and after 2 weeks they sent it back to me... and it had the same issue it had before like they didnt even touch it...
  • 2 0
 @kingpin2607: I had the exact same experience, had the faulty BOS product sent back to me untouched with a claim that there was nothing wrong with it and "the World Cup riders were happy with theirs so I should be happy with mine". I would avoid the brand like the plague.
  • 2 0
 I have had a BOS kirk and Deville for two seasons now...the fork was recalled by YT and they replaced it wirh a Lyrick free of charge on their own w/o help from BOS. Now my Kirk is having issues and is noisy as hell. Sent it out to have it serviced and it sounds the same and feels the same as before I sent it out...I am pretty much done with this company. I will stick with tride and true Fox or RS from now on...never mind the fact that you cant get your local shop to work on them for you.
  • 15 0
 My eyes say yes. My wallet says no.
  • 17 2
 A cruella move if I ever saw one...
  • 10 0
 I've ridden old and new fox 36s, pike's, lyrik and Manitou. The best feeling fork I have ever had was a 170mm deville. When the CSU started creaking it was sent back to France and I never saw it for 3 months. If only the service was as good the engineering, I'd love to buy again.
  • 7 0
 Agreed. If they cared half as much about their customers as they do about their product design they'd be a viable option.
  • 2 0
 Me and a mate sent them back to YT with the same problem and never saw them again! ended up getting sent a new lyrics. Olivier Bossard must be a total nobend as he reckons that a creaking CSU is not a warranty job..!!!!
  • 7 0
 So much prettier than the new RS forks! Not that looks should be your first priority when buying a fork
  • 2 3
 Yeah, not top priority but... let's face it, their stuff has been awful in recent years. Fox's new stuff at Sea Otter is looking good, DVO is cool, Manitou's Mattoc has some style too. But on a RS fork, the first thing I do is peel those decals off and bin them.. utter trash.
  • 3 0
 @mikealive: MRP ribbon looks rad.. (ducks & runs.)

Seriously though, the reverse arch has grown on me.
  • 1 0
 @groghunter: Haha.. yeah, that arch is a bit of a buck tooth Big Grin Graphics *still* better than RS though! In my opinion, only X-Fusion has forks with as lame/lamer graphics than RS right now.
  • 4 0
 I had a problem with a Deville few month ago (creaking CSU) ; It took them 2 month to send the part to the service center : All I was doing was swearing I would never buy a BOS again ! I started to look for a replacement : I tried suntour, fox and RS.
And then one day, my fork was fixed (under warranty, at NO charge), and came back on my bike : WOW ! I'm so glad I waited !
Hopefully, QBP will help them fix their customer service issue ; I can't imagine riding anything else !
  • 7 3
 So many people bitching about BOS and for some reason Manitou Mattocs here. As an owner of both Deville 160 TCR's and Mattoc's (Dorado sprung) I don't get it. Both forks are freaking incredible and service and aftercare is easy to find. I swear most people who complain about Manitou haven't ridden a Manitou fork since about 2001 they are great now. Anyone who can't get their BOS serviced (If it ever needs it) must surely be lazy if they cant even type "BOS DEVILLE SERVICING" into google. SMH
  • 1 3
 There you go Dave! So true... never had any trouble finding their Service Department...
  • 10 0
 I had a set of 170 Devilles that came with my YT, had them nearly 2 years with no issues. Then one day I got the dreaded CSU creak so sent them back to YT, before they even received them back they contacted me to say they were just going to send me a brand new set of Fox 36s. When I asked why the guy on the phone said they weren't going to send them to BOS anyway as they couldn't guarantee when I would get them back. Think it definitely says something when a company is that pee'd off with a supplier that they would rather send a brand new item to replace one I have had for nearly 2 years. Would love to know what YT did with all the BOS forks they had returned to them lol
  • 1 0
 @Dave2183: wow. Sounds similar to every story I've heard.
  • 3 0
 oh yeah, 6 weeks to get my crown replaced, that was the whole summers worth of sunshine, no response to emails, phone calls, why would i want to bitch about that ?
  • 4 0
 I googled "BOS DEVILLE SERVICING" and found a defunct bos website and lots of threads about warranty problems
  • 5 0
 @Dave2183: good on YT. That's a company to get behind. Doing right by the customer; probably one reason they're killing it right now
  • 2 4
 Nah Manitou forks still suck, wouln't ever buy one over the classics. Sure they cost a little less, but they aren't worth that money anyway, they won't ever beat bigger companies because they need to make more profit so they produce either worse quiality products or sell them for more, in this case they made them worse. Economies of scale, look it up.
  • 1 3
 @dzembi: my 2005 manitou is still working well with no service.. the mattoc rules too nowadays.. for the money no better fork.
  • 1 0
 @Trailstunter: "Work" what does that describe. It can work, but dosen't have to be good and you gotta be preatty dumb not to service a fork for 12 years :/ How is that even possible.
  • 1 2
 @dzembi: it is possible
Not riding that bike so much... why would I wanna service it...
Calling me dumb is not really smart as an assumption... Wink
  • 1 0
 @Trailstunter: Still, you might not ride it alot, but its been 12 years? Well what can I say if you "think" that fork is still working fine. You would know if you gave it a service. Its like I'm hearing my friends bragging that it is fine and then hearing their tank you after I serviced their fork and its 20 times better ...
And don't tell me a 12 year old fork is good, because you can buy any semi-decent fork from even from 2009 and it would be miles ahead in performance. Old technology from a company that was preatty terrible back then, still kind of is.
  • 2 3
 @dzembi: You are so right man... I am sorry for this ... I will change my life from now on!!
All forks, wheels, shocks and my momma will go for service right away!
  • 1 0
 @dzembi:

Talking nonsense. The structure of the mattocs mc2 damper is superior and more solid than a charger. Besides the mattoc has along the Bos the best rebound damper on the market.
IRT is the best upgrade for air springs you can get, like chikadehill awk. Nothing like that cheap TOKEN RUBBISH other companies use. I have tested many of that systems and geberally look at the internaternals to get a picture , have you? Or do you simply have an opinion based on theory and imagination.
  • 5 0
 First thing I noticed was that the fork lower decal isn't straight. Probably not worthy of contacting their service department though..
  • 8 1
 Those fork and crown cutouts look simply incredible!
  • 3 0
 I have BOS on both ends of my Rocky Mountain Maiden. I had a fork seal go out soon after getting it, and QBP did an excellent job of getting it rebuilt (both sides!) and returned to me in time for a B.C. trip. Good performance, supposed to be long service intervals, no problems here. I do worry about service if it needs parts, but it looks like it isn't a problem right now. QBP hasn't said that they don't have parts or service abilities. Yes, the BOS website is down currently, so I hope they get it fixed and get running like they should.

I just took my Fox Float shock off another bike tonight to send it in to get rebuilt for the 3rd time in 4 years. This time it's just under a year, so I sounds like they'll warranty it. They work, but I think reliability could definitely be better. I would have hoped that Marzocchi's legendary reliability would have bled over to the Fox side of things. I rode Marzocchi for years with no problems and no service and only changed fluids because I felt guilty!
  • 2 0
 If you liked the Marzocchi stuff, you can always try DVO! Same-ish dudes, and holy hell they make a good fork in the Diamond. Feels great, lots of adjustment (for people who aren't afraid to take the time to dial in their equipment) and all around have been impressed.
  • 7 0
 Their service sucks, or it does not even exist.....
  • 8 0
 A lot of people with the same complaint. Unfortunately, I don't think they'll be reading this, or anyone's emails, or letters, or phone calls...
  • 2 0
 I ask them some questions at the booth at Sea Otter. Answers with only 2 words: Yes and no. Meanwhile the Cane Creek guys are happy to answer any questions and then some. Bossard went to the Cane Creek booth checking out their Helm Fork. The guys asked him if he was having a good time and he said "NO! I hate trade shows." Lol.
  • 5 0
 ''there's also a lever to quickly increase the compression damping'' Automatically activated by random flora whilst riding.
  • 2 0
 @Mike Kashima: May I ask for a specific bit of information? Did you run the three neg spacers with the same pressure in the main chamber? Because normally you'd have to adjust pressures when you play with neg volumes to achieve the same Sag. And on same Sag the bigger neg chambers should have more mid stroke support, not less. So basically what racers want :-). Yeah, I know, racers want coil, bring it on I say. I mean I have not seen the parts in detail, but the approach is cool to use the spring shaft as additional neg volume and make it adjustable. Quite clever, I think, I like it...Thanks in advance for an answer...
  • 3 2
 www.bos-suspension.com

Bos' new mtb web site - the old one has been discontinued. Their facebook page is also updated pretty regularly.

Hopefully the CS will improve in the time to come, to match their product which is stellar. It sounds like the new fork is adaptable to fit the none-race crowd - meaning setups that are a bit more on the plush/comfortable side of things rather their usual primary focus on grip/traction over comfort.

i dunno. I love Bos, and i will continue to run bos products in the time to come.
  • 6 1
 Goddammit I better see a coil single crown fork from sea otter
  • 11 0
 Don't worry, you will.
  • 3 0
 @mikekazimer: Will it be a fork made by PUSH?
  • 1 0
 @mikekazimer: best news in some time
  • 1 0
 I know Tftuned in the UK are looking to unveil their coil Pike conversion at SO. There's also some alternative options, such as Crconception. Not sure about over in the US/Canada but there must be some options...
  • 2 0
 @slimboyjim: i know, i was talking about a complete fork, not aconversion. btw crconception has a killer usd coil in the works
  • 1 0
 @mikekazimer: wooooooooooohhoooooooooooooo
  • 1 0
 @slimboyjim: i have looked into crconception a little but there isn't enough info out there for my liking
  • 2 1
 UK is fully set up now for both service AND warranty (initially you still had to send warranty back to France which caused crazy delays). Plenty of spares in stock, service kits, seal, oils, even replacement decals.
There's service pricing listed here too www.jungleproducts.co.uk/warranty/returns/bos
  • 1 0
 Most people are underforked. Fork companies sell through lightweight claims. Bos has to play that game too. It turns a practically maintenance free item into a warranty and service nightmare. Keep those things simple and sturdy and half a pound heavier.
  • 3 0
 Is it me or do the compression knobs remind me of a Mattoc. Not dissing the BOS. I'm eager to see the price!
  • 1 0
 Yes, but the crown assembly as a whole, not just the knobs. Last years was anodized cnc,ed aluminum, this looks more like a cast .
  • 5 4
 I really feel like BOS fell of the face of the planet once they stopped supporting the worlds best rider and for those that dont know who I'm talking about I mean Remy metallier
  • 2 0
 I have a Deville on one of my bikes and love it. Never any issues with it. I'm glad Bos are not out of MTB game. More choice is a good thing.
  • 1 1
 The customer service is getting better. At least I contacted them a few times and I always got what I asked. But it can be largely improved. If they just supply parts and knowledge to the service centers things will change. Since I started to ride their products, forks and shocks, I got stuck. They are so, so, good!!
  • 6 4
 What good is a product if there is 0 after purchase support? I wouldn't pay $1 for a BOS fork...
  • 7 0
 For a dollar each you could just throw on a fresh fork every ride and likely still save money over the competitors' offerings in the long run.
  • 1 0
 The tower of adjusters looks almost like the one from the mattoc pro.especially when it was proto the hbo adjuster had the same star form : -D
  • 6 2
 BOS....never again.
  • 5 0
 lol me and you both
  • 1 0
 Where's the blue compression knob how will anybody in the mountain biking world ever be able to tune this Fork without a Blue Knob
  • 5 3
 Would love BOS if it was widely available and had lower priced products.
  • 3 0
 Wait: TBD
  • 1 0
 35mm black uppers are so last year darling

Surely we should be on 45mm slippery slip-Shima silver by now?
  • 1 0
 Joking aside, they should have gone 37 to set them apart. How many 35mm forks are there? I don't know but it is too many.
  • 2 0
 BOS Returns with the DEVIL! Hell Yeah!
  • 2 1
 Welcome to pop copy. Yo I am the manager b. Youre done son
  • 1 0
 So, a modern-day freeride terralogic fork. Very cool.
  • 1 0
 What is the axle diameter? Is it 15mm or 20mm?
  • 1 0
 Boost only?
  • 1 0
 BOS F35-x
  • 1 1
 outstanding product, horrible customer service!!!!
  • 2 2
 BOS Mattoc?
  • 1 2
 God damn it ! When are you gonna make a 29er long travel ?
  • 1 0
 End of the year Wink
  • 1 0
 @tsuful: Yeah, saw it when reading a second time Smile
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