Although we've already had a brief ride on
DVO's new fork with 38 mm stanchions, the SC D1 with its (relatively) skinny 36 mm chassis is still a key part of DVO's lineup and very much an enduro fork. It's been raced at EWS and EDR World cups, is available with up to 180 mm of travel, and tips the scales at 2,327 g - that number slots in between a RockShox Zeb and Fox 38. Despite the chassis dimensions, those are its natural rivals due to the weight and travel range.
The name (Onyx SC D1) is a bit of a mouthful. The SC stands for single crown while the D1 denotes the D1 bladder cartridge damper which it shares with the (dual crown) Onyx
DC D1. DVO's new 38 mm chassis single crown fork is simply called the Onyx D1 38; it appears to be primarily designed for e-bikes.
DVO Onyx SC D1 Specs
• Intended use: enduro
• Travel: 160-180mm (internally adjustable)
• Wheel size/offset: 27.5" – 42mm | 29" - 44mm
• Adjustments: High- & Low-Speed Compression, Rebound, OTT, air pressure (no volume spacers)
• Pressure relief valves
• 36mm stanchions
• Brake mount: 180mm direct
• Weight: 2,327 grams (actual, 215 mm steerer)
• MSRP: $1,074 (29" version)
•
dvosuspension.com
Technology & featuresSomething that sets DVO's forks apart (aside from the polarising colourways) is the spring. Most air springs have air above and below the piston, with a transfer port strategically positioned to automatically allow the air pressure on both sides to balance out so the fork requires minimal force to start moving into its stroke, but still fully extends to allow access to all the travel. Crucially, if you increase the air pressure, the pressure in both chambers increases by the same percentage. This ensures the forces still balance at full extension, meaning the spring force goes to zero at 0% travel.
But in DVO's case, they use a coil negative spring below the piston, with a single air chamber above it to support the weight of the rider. If the rider increases the pressure in the air chamber, they'll need to increase the preload on the coil spring by turning the "OTT" (Off The Top) dial clockwise. This increases the force pushing the fork into its travel, helping to offset the extra force from the air side, so the forces balance out nicely as the fork reaches full extension. The idea is that the rider can adjust the preload on the coil negative spring such that more preload causes the fork to sit deeper into its travel with a softer initial stroke, and less preload makes the fork sit higher with a firmer initial stroke. As we'll discuss below, it doesn't necessarily turn out that way, and it certainly adds complexity to the setup procedure because the air needs to be released before the OTT adjuster can be adjusted.
So, if you want a stiffer spring rate, you first need to measure the air pressure, release all the air, increase the OTT preload to match the higher pressure you're about to set, and then pump up the positive chamber to the new pressure. If the fork is too soft or too firm in the beginning of the stroke, you have to repeat the whole procedure but return to the same pressure after adjusting the OTT.
Fortunately, DVO has a comprehensive setup guide on their website (there isn't a pressure chart printed on the fork itself). Below are the recommended pressure and OTT settings by rider weight.
SetupBased on the charts above and my 187 lb / 85 kg weight, I started with 83 psi and 12 turns of OTT (from fully counterclockwise). With these settings, I first tested it on a spring dyno to measure the force-travel curve of the fork. This machine compresses the fork a few millimetres at a time while measuring the force required. It's a static measurement so it has nothing to do with the damper settings, but it measures the force to compress the whole fork, not just the spring. Unfortunately, it can only measure the first 100 -120 mm of travel, but it gives an objective measurement of the forces involved in the beginning and mid-stroke. Thanks again to Mojo Rising for the use of the equipment.
Looking at the results above, it's clear that the DVO requires substantially more force to get it moving into the first 5 mm of travel when compared to the Fox 38 and even the RockShox Zeb. After around 5mm of travel, the spring force increases more-or-less linearly with travel, and after around 70 mm travel, the 38 is generating more spring force; this shows the DVO is not simply set up too firm, but is actually lacking mid-stroke support compared to the Fox 38 even at 83 psi.
Looking at the force curve of the RockShox Zeb and the Fox 38 in particular, the force builds smoothly from zero force at zero travel (you can see the same thing for the Fox 34
here). It's hard to see how DVO's OTT system could significantly improve on this.
PerformanceTo avoid the problem of simply "feeling what I expected to feel", I started riding the fork
before analysing the data from the spring tester above. Nevertheless, I could immediately feel that the fork was too stiff at the start of the stroke; it wasn't engaging its travel easily, resulting in poor sensitivity, predictability and inconsistent traction. I soon adjusted the OTT dial to maximum sensitivity (which turned out to be fourteen and a half turns from fully off). This helped a little, but the sensitivity still wasn't great, so I dropped the air pressure incrementally to as low as 75 psi. Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance to re-measure the fork at these settings, but the off-the-top sensitivity still wasn't as smooth as I'd like, though much improved.
More to the point, I had to compromise between sensitivity and support. With 80 psi, the fork was harsh at the start of the travel, leading to poor traction and predictability, but with 75 psi, the fork lacked support and dived too readily when braking or cornering.
I even tried pressing the lower leg bleeder valves while the fork was compressed in order to create a vacuum in the lowers, which I hoped would improve initial sensitivity, but this didn't make much difference. The best setup was to set the air pressure to 75 psi with the compression damping almost fully closed (low- and high-speed) to help add support. I also needed to run the rebound fairly slowly (15 clicks from closed) to stop the fork from topping out.
This video was taken with the fork set to 83 psi, with maximum OTT sensitivity and rebound fully open. Obviously, I reduced the pressure and slowed the rebound for testing, but it illustrates how much top-out force the fork is generating at and near full extension even with maximum OTT preload and recommended air pressure.
But ultimately, this is a band-aid solution. The OTT system just doesn't work for heavier (or average weight) riders as the coil negative spring simply isn't strong enough to balance out the force from the air spring with more than about 75 psi. (Remember, DVO recommends 80-85 psi for my weight and up to 100 psi for the heaviest riders).
Could it work for lighter riders? Probably. The range of damping adjustments is ample and intuitive, and even with the compression nearly fully closed, there was no hint of spiking or excessive harshness despite noticeable hydraulic support. Friction and sensitivity once into the travel appears good too, although it's hard to be sure with such a compromised setup, and I had none of the random vagueness or jarring sensations you can get with a flexy fork. I had no issues with undue bottom-outs despite having to run less air pressure than ideal. That's arguably a good thing as there are no plastic volume spacers available to make it more progressive (although you could add oil to the air chamber to achieve a similar effect). But on the other hand, it may be
too progressive for those able to run the recommended air pressure.
But I am not an unusually heavy rider - in fact, my weight is right in the middle of DVO's setup chart - so there's no excuse for it not working properly. And even at 75 psi with maximum OTT, the off-the-top sensitivity was only so-so. You may need to go below 70 psi before the OTT dial delivers the promised initial sensitivity and the possibility to adjust it away from fully clockwise if it becomes
too soft off the top - which is the main selling point of the OTT system. Looking at DVO's setup chart, pressures that low may only work for riders up to a maximum of 72 Kg / 159 lbs.
How does it compare?I've tested a lot of enduro forks and, for my weight and riding style, the DVO ranks near the bottom of those I've tested recently. The blend of sensitivity and support was far better with the
Ohlins RXF 38,
RockShox Zeb and Fox 38. In terms of performance, I'd put them in this (ascending) order: DVO, Ohlins, RockShox, Fox.
For sure, the Fox 38 Factory and Zeb Ultimate are more expensive ($1,249 USD for the Fox 38; $1,159 USD for the Zeb and $1,074 USD for the DVO), but the Performance and Performance Elite versions of the Fox forks are just as good and can be picked up for a lot less. The
Marzocchi Bomber Z1 ($699 USD) is a great option too.
Pinkbike's Take | DVO appears to have done a good job with the damping tune and chassis. But the OTT coil/air spring system is a shortcoming, not a selling point. Even with the "sensitivity adjuster" set to maximum, the sensitivity at the start of the stroke is poor if there's more than 75 psi in the air spring, creating a lack of traction and predictability. But at 85 kg or 187 lbs, I needed 80-85 psi to provide enough support, so I had to choose either adequate sensitivity or support. That's disappointing considering my body weight sits bang in the middle of DVO's setup chart. It could work for lighter riders (under about 72 Kg / 159 lbs). For everyone else at least, there are better options. — Seb Stott |
However I’m also wondering why he’s only now reviewing a 3 year old fork when a new fork is almost ready? Weird timing.
That said I'm stoked to try their new dual air stuff that they talked about in their press release last month.
The timing of the review does seem a bit suspect, DVO just launch a new fork which on paper looks a serious contender to the current Zeb and 38, so Pinkbike bike dust down a fork which they have had for over a year and give it a bit of a slating without talking to DVO, if they ever found fault in a Fox or Rockshox product I’m sure they would have been straight in the phone to get resolved.
Sugar coat maybe not, but the amount of exposure given given to the two big suspensions brands does suggest a degree of bias in my mind
Sure, we do spend plenty of time reviewing suspension from the bigger players, largely because that's what the vast majority of bikes are spec'd with. That said, we also try to get in options from smaller brands to see how they stack up.
We’d be very interested in reviewing the new 38mm Onyx as well, we just haven’t spent any time on one yet.
I asked that same question to DVO last month about a new 36mm fork (as I don’t need a 3 and they said a completely new 36mm fork is in production as we speak. Your facts are wrong and this is mediocre journalism at best. Do better
And by the way: with Manitu, DVO is the only fork in the market that let the end user easily change shims, and come up with a perfect set up for their weight and style. Commenting that the fork "might not be appropriate" for a heavy weight is just silly.
I’m 200lbs and my DVO forks have been easily set up to be super plush and sensitive to start the stroke with plenty of air pressure in the air spring to have plenty of support and bottom out resistance.
In general I actually like Pink Bike reviews, but in all honesty, I roll my eyes when a Seb review comes up. Massive, massive bias is oozing from his reviews.
You wouldn't borrow your neighbors weed eater and not return it for almost 2 yrs now would you, unless they moved the next day or died or something whack???
Surely the rivals are the lyrics and 36s and then compare with consideration for the fact these are a wedge heavier.
Why are people so upset that a company like fox or rockshox, who have decades of experience, massive r&d budgets, hundreds of pro athletes and multiple race teams to deliver feedback, and (in the case of fox), multiple motor sports with longer histories than mtb to draw from, should make a better product than some small company operating with a fraction of the budget? Dvo have some great ideas, which can be refreshing as a consumer, but it’s no surprise their products don’t compete with the big boys. Sure, Fox and Sram have had plenty of qc issues over the years, as any large scale manufacturer will, but from a pure performance standpoint it only makes sense that a professional reviewer, who has ridden more frequently and a more diverse product range than any non -industry person ever will, should find the bigger brands make a superior product.
All this is to say, if dvo products were significantly cheaper than performance level, I think they could get a free pass on a few performance issues. But they are expensive, (and green), so we must judge them accordingly.
I replaced current model Fox Factory forks with DVO forks and that's when I was blown away with how good they are. I also know several other riders who have had the same experience going from $1,100 Fox factory stuff to DVO. One of my buddies summed it up pretty cleanly after his first ride on his Diamond; "Fox should be embarrassed by their forks compared to to this thing".
This review pisses a lot of DVO owners off because it's also soooo far off the mark from what they have experienced. Then add to it that DVO made clear that they tried to discuss this with Seb, even wanting to do video calls, and evidently Seb ghosted them. If that is true, that is extremely unprofessional and honestly calls into question if there ever was an issue with the fork to begin with.
This is not an honest review. It might reflect some of his experience with the fork, but it conveniently leaves out a lot of very pertinent information.
To add, poor data is worse than no data. We have no idea how the testing was done.
One run each?
Multiple runs each and averaged?
Did all the forks have the same amount of hours on them?
It's useless data if the other 2 forks have 80+ hours on them and freshly serviced and the DVO was fresh out of the box, after a long time on a shelf.
It's entirely possible the OTT system was malfunctioning or was broken, especially if someone accidently made adjustments while the fork was under pressure. Maybe someone didn't realize the OTT system doesn't work off of "clicks" but full rotations...
Truth hurts
My experience with most "off brand" (in a bike shops words) suspension products is that they fall into this category. My DVO products in the past were great with both forks I had, but it seems like around the time the Giant OEM deal fell through, something changed and they started having more QC problems. I know it's a small sample, but everyone I know who has had a DVO fork since then has had major problems and you can find well publicized coverage of bushing problems from DVO in recent years. I doubt this applies to every fork made, but that's the issue with QC problems...you don't know. It might be great, it might not, and that's frustrating as a consumer.
So I have no doubt there was likely an issue here, you could probably verify it if you threw a working one into a dyno and compared spring charts to the above. There are enough riders on this fork to know that if you are concluding a 180lb rider shouldn't be the rider weight limit, so something is clearly amiss.
That said, PB isn't perfect either and if they reached out to DVO, then didn't bother to respond to DVOs reply, that is poor form as well. Despite my concerns about their QC, I've spoken to them on the phone numerous times and they were incredibly helpful every time, so if a customer had this problem then I'd have no doubt they would solve it, even if it is frustrating and shouldn't have happened in the first place. There are plenty of other reviews here, as well, where they followed up with vendors after something didn't work right and then gave them another shot (obviously documenting the failure in the review) with a working product, so not doing so here is poor even if there has been a record of problems.
Was this intentional? I don’t think so. At least I Reallly hope not. I think this is a result of the review being rushed due to being lazy. Which is punctuated by the fact that your team have sat on the fork for how long? And now that this fork is literally at the end of its lifecycle you publish a review? So there really isn’t much surprise that the reviewer didn’t respond to DVO when they tried to work with him because this review was already sooooo late. There was no time left. It’s like he waited until the last possible moment to hand in his homework, but instead of someone else grading his work, he is grading someone else’s.
I can't guarantee that the air spring is the same from my old fork to yours, but it may be worth looking into.
Or as they are correctly called "bottom out bumber from a Fox DPX 2"?
From my recolection it can only be purchased with the full rebuild kit, so asking the local suspension tech if he has any old ones would be your best bet.
Again, im not sure of the exact part, but I know it was a bottom out bumper from a fox shock.
It’s really not uncommon to get Rock Shox forks with uneven bushings and barely any lube. Or Fox forks with the negative air chamber half full of grease.
My new 38 needed service out of the box. With the right pressure it felt harsh af and if you lowered the pressure to get it a bit more sensitive it dived like Neymar.
After I removed enough grease for 100 forks out of the negative chamber it is like night and day.
A shame that so expensive products have so bad QC.
Totally agree.
I will still throw out my two cents that when I first got this fork, within a few weeks I was noticing stiction at the beginning of the stroke.
After reading a bunch of forums (that included a lot of helpful suggestions from mammal) I dropped the lowers, poured out the four drops of completely black factory oil, greased the h*ck out of the seals, and put 2x the amount of Fox Gold recommended by DVO into the legs. It's run like a dream since then (with semi-regular maintenance).
Again, I agree that it's a HUGE disappointment to receive such an expensive item in a subpar state, but I want people to know (especially people who have ended up with this fork as part of their build kit) that if you work out a couple kinks this can actually be a really awesome fork.
Take a drink every time lukazy says “burnish the bushings”
You shouldn't pay $1100 for something that requires a $120+ set of tools and specialized expertise to make it work properly or require immediate service. You shouldn't have to remove air spring grease, you shouldn't have to add bath oil, and you shouldn't have to burnish bushings on a fork you just bought. This should be done properly to begin with.
Consumers in the mountain biking industry need to expect and demand more from manufacturers. I generally agree that, in the past, PB fork reviews have been lacking in some cases, but this isn't one of the reasons why. Doing something to a fork that most consumers don't have access to just so it works properly shouldn't be part of a review. Pulling something off the shelf reflects the experience the general public will have.
It did suck to box it up and ship after the first 3 rides. I've seen the Fox over-grease issue as well. At least that can be fixed at home. Neither issue should be something that we have to deal with.
Fox forks shouldn’t need the air shafts wiped off since they’re over greased. RockShox and DVO shouldn’t need bushings honed or replaced.
And yet………….
Totally agree but it’s seems every single manufacturer have had QC issues of some sort or the other on recently released products, it seems the norm that new forks need stripping down and setting up / servicing before use, considering the cost of these products it’s a joke.
It seems the best way is to buy is from an independent tuning company who do this before sending out
or
Manitou Mezzer Pro = $1,099.99 (2032 grams)
Both on sale right now Expert $509.99 and Pro $659.99
I just picked up the Pro and have 1/2 dozen rides on it, Its a very good fork with crazy adjustability.
Maybe he forgot to put a drop of thread seal on the hose clip?
I like it, but then again who knows maybe I ride like a spaz and my monkey arms give me a weird riding stance.
Bit biased here admittedly as my Onyx @180mm is an absolute gluten for punishment (on the big bike, most rides have 15’ drops, hucks to flat etc) and just keeps taking it and feels miles better than my new fox factory 36 I got on close out for the b bike. The OTT has been a game changer for me at 175lbs and super aggressive riding, the thing just tracks in the blown out socal blacks I’m hitting.
I bet Pinkbike have never left a Fox or Rockshox product sitting about for over a year before reviewing…..
It also doesn't help pb doesn't cast a wider net with testers. They need to find some people in a WIDE range of weights from 100 to 250 lbs to test the same products. The products may feel like trash to a 150lb rider but it may be gold to a 120 lb lightweight like myself. New fox forks simply don't work for me. The old Fox 32 I had was great (despite the compression settings being useless) but both of the 36s I had were awful. I did a full avalanche conversion on one which was better. Then on my newest bike I switched to a lyrik ultimate which is miles better for me. The other commenters, and the review, make me think this DVO would also be great.
I never had a whole lot of trust in pb reviews to begin with considering the positive comments on many 'bad' products they've reviewed. This review in particular makes me question if I can trust them at all, especially for suspension.
"Similarly, if you've been reading the comments under some of the Shock Week articles, you're probably wondering how many times the Fox X2 shock exploded. For what it's worth, I've had no issues with the shock on the Canyon, or any other X2 since the 2020 update."
What seal for the Onyx?
Can you specify the quad seal for the damper?
Thanks!
Thanks!
I’m 145lbs and my Onyx is just a few turns away from max OTT. When I had a Diamond I ran it just a few turns from *minimum* OTT.
Luckily, since I’m lighter, my Onyx works perfect for me. Best fork I’ve ever ridden, totally opposite the reviewer’s experience here.
No, the Zeb (reb) line really doesn't it's mostly hidden by the other lines, but it definitely starts very steep, almost as steep as the DVO, it just levels off sooner.
How do you explain the large flat spot in the DVO curve around 80mm? What this just one single test? Or did you do it properly and run a bunch and take the averages?
If you think about how those valve operate, you'd realize that won't really work. They will hold higher pressure from inside, as would occur when the fork is compressed. But they're not going to hold much when the pressure outside is higher, not with just the little tiny spring that would fit in there holding them shut. You very likely didn't end up with any "vacuum" (or even lower pressure, which is what you meant, because it was never even close to "vacuum"), because they valves would be pulled open and let air in.
It's brilliant, loads of support, but super supple off the top. It's the only fork I've ever ridden that I could set up for my weight without having to revalve. It's kind of the opposite situation for me to what is described in the review
I'll put my tinfoil hat away shortly, but I'm +1 on the really odd timing. I thought my feed was mistakenly giving me something from the archives.
I'm 175lbs and run my Onyx at 160mm travel, 83 PSI, OTT 9 turns, rebound 12 clicks from closed, 2 clicks HSC, 3 clicks LSC. I have absolutely NO stiction or issues getting the first bit of travel.
At 175lbs I consider myself to be to be on the lighter side of the middle of the bell curve for normal riders and would have really like to see how this compared to the 38mm offerings for someone my size. I have not tried the 38 or Zeb, but can say my Onyx offers the best traction and support out of any fork I have ever tried.
I have had a couple onyx’s, they do not compare well at all.
They’re perfectly functional in a trail bike sort of way, but a 38 in particular blows them away for aggressive riding.
The 38 Onyx is meant to compete with the Fox 38/Zeb.
But absolutely great forks! Maybe reviewers should be given a fresh fork thats already bedded in?
Good:
As far as initial sensitivity goes the DVO is far and away among the most sensitive (owned fox evol grip and grip 2, lyric b1, c1 air springs charger, ultimate, rc2). The Lyric with the b1 air spring was pretty similar and just like the dvo was so sensitivity off the top the fork would sag 2-3mm into its stroke. Multiple friends that I ride with have purchased DVOs for the same level of intial sensitivity and grip. So, I would say I have an N of about 5 at this point that would all be in direct disagreement with what Seb found in his "testing". The hsc controls on teh damper is great since you can really dial in your mid stroke support with nice initial sensitivity, also really like the LSC lever to adjust on the fly vs. the many clicks you have to count for grip2 and ultimate/rcr.
Bad: My 27.5 fork needed the bushing replaced about 100 hours of riding in, the 29 after about 150 hours needed a CSU replacement for creak (on par with my fox forks previously). At really high speed and repeated hits the damper does seem to get a little more overwhelmed vs. Rockshox's high end (honestly better than charger 1, grip, and even grip2 in my opinion).
When I buy my next fork, I may be leaning towards a Rockshox again but my DVOs have been and continue perform excellent. This review seems half-a__ed and reminds me of why I have never cared for Seb as a reviewer either here or at bikeradar (especially with the pseudo-scientific N=1 articles).
The X2 can be the best in the world, and it is verry good, but if it was from any other brand other then FOX or RS it would be garbege. Just my opinion.
I´m dont even have DVO, but it's always easier to hit on the little guys.
Really? Even though the linked "brief ride" on it was a stock build non-e-bike?
Pinkbike has a lot to lose here. If prevailing sentiment is that the crew is bought and paid for then why even read it?
Fwiw - i think fox is absolute dogshit and people who like it are blind sheep. I also think a luftkapped charger 2 zeb is the best fork on the market. I think a charger 3 zeb is dogshit. I also had a dogshit charger 2 zeb that sucked until the bushings were redone. The point is - there is a lot of variability in this shit. You cant do this one and done stuff.
Static friction, as a matter of fact, is independent upon rider weight. Air shock springs are usually adjusted according to rider weight/sag preferences. Thus a weight-independent negative spring makes all the sense in the world.
HOWEVER, i do agree with some of the criticism in the reviee. To begin with, the lack of volume spacers to tweak the curve is a bit of a bummer for serious tweaking. Secondly, the ott isn't hassle free- with little ott, the fork is real harsh, like a rockshox/fox with a defective neg chamber. Secondly, ott dials have a mind of their own and seem to unwind themselves over time, an issue that's difficult to address.
I suspect this fork might've had either ceized bushings/tight seals or a defective ott, because with maximum OTT the top os buttery smooth! It does however seem to lose its effect at higher pressures (85psi), which is something i felt as well whe exploring higher pressures. I weigh 80kg geared up, and have zero complaints about plushness.
As for @DVOSuspension1 - guys, i think you make great nifty products and have stood behind issues in the past, but your response here is a bit of a miss. Feels like you're admitting the onyx was a flop tbh.
Don't stop @DVOSuspension1
Your right.
Did you serviced a 5 years old fork bf testing it?
LOL
2016
Except it's at the top of the OTT chart. Have to wonder why you didn't reach out to DVO and inquire why the pressure chart and the OTT chart don't line up. Perhaps they would have a solution, maybe a stronger OTT spring in testing, or a spacer to add preload and shift the OTT chart towards the higher end of the pressure chart, but they haven't heard of a need for it yet.
Especially as one of the very biggest mountain biking websites around, you guys do surprisingly little communicating with the industry side of the thing you're representing.
Sure, you want to present the existing out-of-the-box experience for regular customers, but that can still exist alongside some effort to actually address any issues that are found. You guys like to praise certain companies for having very accessible support services, and then others you don't even try to utilize any available support (or at least don't write about it).
Manufacturers don’t offer anything for heavy guys . Gotta lol to the aftermarket
20T/A isn't coming back. it never should have left. Using my 36 w/ 20T/A until it implodes.