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Rockshox Revelation U-Turn Spring Swap - Follow Up
So, it's been over a year and about 700 miles of singletrack since I swapped out the U-Turn spring cartridge from my 2010 Revelation in favor of the more simplistic dual-air system. I thought I would provide a follow up post to let readers know how the fork has performed since the swap.
![photo]()
For reference, check out my description of the spring swap process, Part 1, and Part 2.
My biggest concern going into the spring swap was whether or not the inside of the upper tubes would be smooth enough to support the seals that are used in the standard dual-air system. The U-Turn system uses a cartridge type air spring that does not make contact with the upper tubes of the fork. I had heard multiple reports that the U-turn and Coil spring versions of Rockshox forks used upper tubes that are not "honed" on the inside, and would therefore not be smooth enough to create a sufficient seal to hold air.
Well, at this point, I can say with confidence that these concerns were completely unfounded. I've put over 700 hard miles of riding on the fork with absolutely no problems. If anything, the fork is more plush and better performing than it was when it still had the U-Turn cartridge. I'm sure at this point, Rockshox' service intervals would tell me that it's time to service the fork again, but that will probably wait until the end of the season. Just so everyone is clear, my fork is a 2010 "Team" Model. I'm not sure if that makes a difference as to which upper tubes are used, but mine were apparently plenty smooth to support the air seals.
I tend to check my air pressure every other ride or so, and both the positive and negative chambers consistently hold air for months at a time. The only time they've ever been low was when the bike sat for several months over the winter without being ridden. The fork's performance has also been consistent, with no evidence that air is passing the seals between the positive and negative chambers.
Well, there you have it. This was a very successful experiment, in my opinion, though it probably hurt the resale value of the fork since the upper tubes still have "U-Turn" printed on them despite the fact that there is no U-Turn adjustment remaining. If you're looking for a way to simplify your fork, or like me, you had a U-Turn air spring failure, swapping the U-turn cartridge for a standard air spring is a great way to go.
-Spencer Jacobs
For reference, check out my description of the spring swap process, Part 1, and Part 2.
My biggest concern going into the spring swap was whether or not the inside of the upper tubes would be smooth enough to support the seals that are used in the standard dual-air system. The U-Turn system uses a cartridge type air spring that does not make contact with the upper tubes of the fork. I had heard multiple reports that the U-turn and Coil spring versions of Rockshox forks used upper tubes that are not "honed" on the inside, and would therefore not be smooth enough to create a sufficient seal to hold air.
Well, at this point, I can say with confidence that these concerns were completely unfounded. I've put over 700 hard miles of riding on the fork with absolutely no problems. If anything, the fork is more plush and better performing than it was when it still had the U-Turn cartridge. I'm sure at this point, Rockshox' service intervals would tell me that it's time to service the fork again, but that will probably wait until the end of the season. Just so everyone is clear, my fork is a 2010 "Team" Model. I'm not sure if that makes a difference as to which upper tubes are used, but mine were apparently plenty smooth to support the air seals.
I tend to check my air pressure every other ride or so, and both the positive and negative chambers consistently hold air for months at a time. The only time they've ever been low was when the bike sat for several months over the winter without being ridden. The fork's performance has also been consistent, with no evidence that air is passing the seals between the positive and negative chambers.
Well, there you have it. This was a very successful experiment, in my opinion, though it probably hurt the resale value of the fork since the upper tubes still have "U-Turn" printed on them despite the fact that there is no U-Turn adjustment remaining. If you're looking for a way to simplify your fork, or like me, you had a U-Turn air spring failure, swapping the U-turn cartridge for a standard air spring is a great way to go.
-Spencer Jacobs
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Member since Nov 29, 2011
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2 Comments
- 1 0
mudmurph
FL (Aug 29, 2013 at 3:41)
glad to hear its works, iv just bought the same forks as you and i'm slightly worried about the u-turn breaking on me, so i may be in the same situation as you were. Hopefully my mechanic skills can cope with the swap if the u turn breaks. Did you find it hard to do?
- 1 0
srjacobs
(Aug 29, 2013 at 5:16)
No, it wasn't too bad. The hardest part is keeping track of the small bits and pieces. For the most part, it's just a matter of following the instructions from Rockshox in their tech manuals, and they lay the process out pretty clearly. If you have any sort of mechanical skills at all, you should be fine.
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