RockShox drops new rear shocks and 29plus forks

Last week RockShox announced new sizing for rear shocks, which it dubbed Metric Sizing. This has create some confusion among consumers, but the idea is to consolidate shock sizes into fewer options, while improving performance and longevity. RockShox isn’t alone here, with many other OE manufacturers following suit.

The Deluxe and Super Deluxe are the first offerings to take advantage of the new shock sizing. New scraper seals promise less maintenance and improved durability. Increases bushing overlap reduces internal friction under load. Combined with a new Counter Measure coil spring working to counteract the pressure of the IFP, and the built-in Debonair air can, new levels of plushness are said to be achieved.

Also quietly released are 29plus suspension forks at both the Pike and Yari level. These are Boost only forks, with all the same performance and features as the the previous models. We are happily surprised to see this, as the 27plus juggernaut was looking like it might steamroll the 29plus wheelsize into niche status. We’re guessing a 29plus full-suspension trail bike is in the works from a major manufacturer, as it is rare to see a new fork like this get made without a serous OE commitment. Sea Otter will probably tell us if our hunch is true.

 

Get your fill of info at sram.com.

 

Below is the text of RockShox press release about the new shocks for those who want to dig deeper, because this stuff gets real deep, real fast:

ROCKSHOX DELUXE | SUPER DELUXE
EMBARGO: APR 07, 2016

AVAILABILITY: OEM SPEC – SUMMER 2016

A NEW APPROACH IN REAR SHOCK DESIGN
INITIAL QUESTIONS
How did we get to the current stroke and eye to eye offerings?
As frame manufacturers pushed the limits of frame design new rear shock sizes were created without broad consultation within the industry, resulting in a complicated offering with many overlaps and performance compromises.
How did we get to the current hardware and mounting options?
Same process described previously. There are currently almost 90 varieties of rear shock hardware being used in the industry.

How are frame designers interfacing with rear shocks?

Bushings, bearings, proprietary mounting systems.
How much performance are we leaving on the table as a result of these compromises that have accumulated over the years?
A lot. This is why we adopted a new approach to rear shock design.

GOALS
Starting from a blank slate allowed us to establish ambitious goals:
Performance

How do we build the best possible rear shock?
Integration

How do we improve the integration of rear shocks into frame designs?
PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE ACHIEVEMENT 1:

BUSHING OVERLAP
Starting with a blank slate allowed us to extend bushing overlap between the moving elements of the shock. This greatly reduces system friction under load. Riders benefit from this with:
BETTER TRACTION
RESPONSIVENESS
INCREASED DURABILITY
AIR CAN BUSHINGS – 33% more overlap
PISTON/SEALHEAD BUSHINGS – 90% more overlap

PERFORMANCE ACHIEVEMENT 2:

IMPROVED SCRAPER
Seal consistency is critical for rear shock performance and longevity. The increase in eye-to-eye per stroke created through Metric Sizing allows Deluxe and Super Deluxe to feature an improved scraper seal resulting in the following benefits:
LESS MAINTENANCE
INCREASED LONG TERM DURABILITY
BETTER PERFORMANCE IN COLD TEMPERATURES

PERFORMANCE ACHIEVEMENT 3:

COUNTER MEASURE
Introduced in 2013 on Vivid and Vivid Air and highly acclaimed for its effects on shock performance at top-out, the Counter Measure spring works to oppose the effect of the IFP pressure, effectively lowering the initial breakaway force.

PERFORMANCE ACHIEVEMENT 4:

DEDICATED DEBONAIR CHASSIS AND BETTER TUNING SYSTEM
Introduced in 2014, the DebonAir air can option for Monarch and Monarch Plus was a stepping stone in improving the performance and feel of air shocks on all kinds of bikes. Deluxe and Super Deluxe take this to the next level by incorporating DebonAir in the air can design without any added weight or complexity.

The air volume tuning system on Deluxe and Super Deluxe capitalizes on RockShox’s Bottomless Tokens technology, adapting it to its rear shock platform in a clean and easy to use format.
INTEGRATION
INTEGRATION ACHIEVEMENT 1:

MOUNTING SYSTEM
“TYPICAL” VERTICAL MOUNT
Higher rotation at shaft eyelet (70-120 degrees)
Recommend use of Trunnion mount or shaft end bearing mount
Shaft end bearing mount is recommended to reduce overall suspension friction
Trunnion mount can reduce overall length by 25mm to allow for lower top tube height
“TYPICAL” HORIZONTAL MOUNT
Higher rotation at body eyelet (70-120 degrees)
Recommended use of body end bearing mount to reduce overall suspension friction
The Trunnion mount allows for a shorter eye to eye length while maintaining a specific stroke size (25mm overall length reduction over standard or bearing mount). Benefits are significant for smaller frame sizes, women specific models and bikes that are designed for low standover height.
Designed to be used in conjunction with frame mounted bearings at the mounting bolts.
Bearings eliminate friction caused by pivot rotation.
Smoother shock action resulting in better traction and responsiveness.
Available at both body and shaft ends.

INTEGRATION ACHIEVEMENT 2:

METRIC SIZING
SO…IS THIS A NEW REAR SHOCK STANDARD?
No. It’s a new set of sizes for rear shocks, developed and agreed upon by suspension and frame manufacturers, starting from a blank slate and with the sole purpose of allowing suspension manufacturers to create better rear shocks and frame designers to build better bikes.

SUPER DELUXE
CHANGING EVERYTHING
The directive was simple. Engineer a shock that does for rear-suspension performance what Pike did for forks. Simple? Don’t bet on it. A gamble? Absolutely. It required a complete change in the way we approach shock design. It meant focusing on performance first and leaving old constraints behind. And it gave us a clear path to develop the world’s lowest-friction shock — Super Deluxe. Metric sizing gives Super Deluxe significantly increased bushing overlap, which, together with a sophisticated new bushing profile, virtually eliminates friction in the shock. A new damper holds the shock high in its stroke and offers unparalleled traction. Unshackled from the old obstacles of shock design, Super Deluxe is free to tackle new ones — on the trail. This changes everything.

THINGS TO REMEMBER
Metric sizing and a sophisticated new bushing design allows this to be the lowest-friction rear shock we have ever made.
Super Deluxe has three independently tunable compression settings.
Increased bushing overlap allows for better sealing and decreased friction.
Mounting options: Trunnion mount, bearing mount, Standard DU.

FEATURES AND BENEFITS
Features increased bushing overlap and new bushing design which decreases friction, also increasing on-trail performance and overall durability.
New scraper seal technology increases durability, improves performance in colder temperatures and lengthens the intervals between required maintenance.

TECHNOLOGIES
Solo Air™

Rapid Recovery™ System

Sag Gradients™

METRIC SIZING™

DELUXE
REDEFINING A KING
How do you improve on the success of a rear shock that has received critical acclaim for its stellar performance and supple feel? It’s Simple. You rewrite the rules, throw existing design constraints out the window and focus solely on the best possible performance solution. We took the proven damping performance of our popular Monarch series and introduced it to our new metric-sized chassis. The result is truly Deluxe. With the incredible feel of DebonAir as its standard-bearer and three new mounting options, our new Deluxe is ready to redefine your ride.

THINGS TO REMEMBER
Metric sizing.
Incorporates proven damping performance of Monarch.
Mounting options: Trunnion mount, bearing mount, Standard DU.

FEATURES AND BENEFITS
Increased bushing overlap and sophisticated new bushing design decreases friction, which increases performance and durability.
New scraper seal technology increases durability, improves performance in colder temperatures and lengthens the intervals between required maintenance.

TECHNOLOGIES
Solo Air™

Rapid Recovery™ System

Sag Gradients™

METRIC SIZING™