Press Release | Rockshox product announcemeNt my23
MAY 27th 2022 – SRAM/ROCKSHOX
CONFIDENCE CHANGES EVERYTHING
Our new suspension started from a blank sheet of paper. We set everything aside and started with one question: how can we continue to elevate every ride? The result is a revolutionary system designed
to deliver unprecedented control, muscle, and performance. New chassis designed with industry-first damper technology, reinvented air springs, a host of new technologies to mute trail chatter and win the fight against friction. Suspension that has the confidence to meet the demands of riders today and empower them to take the sport somewhere new tomorrow.
FORK TECHNOLOGY
NEW CHARGER 3 DAMPER
NO GUTS, NO GLORY
What sets Charger 3 apart from other dampers is the truly independent High Speed Compression (HSC) and Low Speed Compression (LSC) damping. With a reimagined valving design, Charger 3 is a complete revolution in damper tunability. Every rider can find their sweet spot within the precise and meaningful range of adjustments. We promise.
With Charger 3, our end goal was to reduce harshness that makes it to the rider’s hands, leading to full rider control and confidence. That means adding compression damping and more control to the fork. It also means that adding damping just adds damping—not harshness, not feedback, no shaking your hands out at the end of the run because those braking bumps nearly got you.
We eliminated HSC and LSC cross-talk—that overlap in adjustment functionality that ties HSC and LSC adjustments together, making truly independent tuning previously impossible. No more mental gymnastics to perform on the fly, no compromises between clicking the dial on HSC and affecting LSC or vice versa. The ability to add HSC or LSC without having to make the sacrifice of taking additional feedback and harshness means gaining more control, confidence, and comfort to enjoy the ride. Tuning your suspension to your desired ride style and trail has never been more precise or more personalized. Welcome to the future of riding.
All of this was made possible because of a new damper design featuring an Internal Floating Piston (IFP). The coil spring opposite the piston allows for unparalleled responsiveness on impact and enhanced consistency through travel. This well-oiled machine is ready to react as fast as you are when the trail gets dicey.
No distractions, no noise pollution—it’s a completely silent damper design—no confusion. A damper designed to give you the opportunity to get out of your head and tune the exact combination of damping settings for your ride style, and the trail you’re on. Dial in your perfect ride experience without a second guess. No sacrifices and no hesitation. This is Charger 3.
THE GOLDEN SOLUTION
Little gold-packaged rubber pucks live at the end of the damper and air spring shafts and fit into the lower leg of the fork. Similar technology is found in off-road vehicles, chainsaws, and most devices that transfer high-frequency vibrations into the hands and arms of the user. Like a rubber mount on the handle of the chainsaw, ButterCups dampen high-frequency vibrations before they hit your hands and arms and lead to an early end to an otherwise good day.
While Flight Attendant stole the spotlight back in October 2021,
it was the new technology, ButterCups, that had journalists all gossiping. Allow us to formally introduce to the masses ButterCups. Featured in all Ultimate models and upgradeable in the full line up of Pike, Lyrik, and ZEB.
NEW BUTTERCUPS
THE PROBLEM YOU NEVER KNEW YOU HAD…
Trail Chatter. We’re talking about the frequency domain—finding a solution to block the high-frequency vibrations that reverberate from the trail, through your fork, straight to your gripped hands. Think fast sections full of roots or small rocks. ButterCups take the initial sting off to greatly reduce the chance of fatigue.
THE RESULT?
ButterCups measurably eliminate trail chatter by on average 20%. Proven by data acquisition over thousands of trail miles and confirmed by riders. Riders benefit from precise handling, added grip at the handlebar, and more connection at the wheel as the front-end tracks precisely with the trail—you’re safe to push the limits harder than ever before.
ButterCups are the tiny gold package you might not even realise was there, if it weren’t for the undeniable impact they make on your ride.
NEW DEBONAIR+ AIR SPRING
CAN’T STOP PROGRESS
Why change a good thing? To make it unbeatable. DebonAir+ was born out of our tireless obsession to optimise performance. The dimple, the top out bumper, the volume of the positive and negative air chamber—every single detail was meticulously poured over, assessed, and reassessed to find opportunities for making our already great air spring even better.
The new DebonAir+ builds on everything you know and love about DebonAir technology, and then some. The goal was a consistent feel across all three fork platforms with tuned positive and negative air volumes to tailor each spring to excel in each rider use case.
By focusing on refining the shape of the spring curve, we created an air spring that’s plusher off-the-top, with a supremely supportive mid-stroke and improved end-stroke ramp up. We zeroed in on details to improve small bump absorption to be extremely reactive over every inch of trail. We added mid-stroke support allowing the fork to sit higher in travel and utilize every millimeter of travel, giving riders more confidence when terrain gets steep. The new DebonAir+ offers a supreme ride
feel and consistency you can trust.
ULTIMATE BUSHING PACKAGE
Our team of RockShox engineers dug deep to develop new bushing packages that ensure your fork’s performance can withstand the elements, beating, and trail hours you are ready to put it through. Optimised bushings allow the upper tubes and lower legs to perform together and glide smoothly through travel. We maximised the internal bushing overlap in all models to minimise friction throughout our lineup. New Ultimate models feature lower bushings that are 53% longer than before to further optimise friction reduction. When the trail bites back attempting to send your wheel sideways, the new Ultimate Bushing Package found in our highest performing models keeps your fork confidently in control.
MAXIMA PLUSH DYNAMIC SUSPENSION LUBE
Everyone loves an iconic collaboration. What manifested from our continued relationship with Maxima Racing Oils is the new Maxima Plush Dynamic Suspension Lube—a proprietary blend created in partnership with the foremost experts in performance lubrication and designed specifically for the new RockShox lineup. The goal was to create the perfect lubricant blend that keeps your suspension feeling fresher for longer, enabling every component in our forks to work together seamlessly in all temperatures. The obstacle was minimising the inevitable resistance that moving parts incur. Working close with Maxima, we found the gold medal recipe to complement our forks.
PRESSURE RELIEF VALVES
New Pressure Relief Valves eliminate unwanted air pressure build-up in the fork lower leg caused by variations in altitude or temperature. With the press of a button, Pressure Relief Valves restore premium fork feel throughout the travel.
HUB END CAP ADAPTERS
Using RockShox’s Torque Caps add an additional 5% torsional stiffness to our forks. But if you aren’t interested in “free stiffness” all Pike, Lyrik, and ZEB forks now make it easy to run a standard hub end cap via a new bolt-in adapter.
THE NEW PIKE | BUILT FOR THE NEW SCHOOL TRAIL RIDER
As mountain biking zeroes in on the ultimate trail bike, a certain formula comes together: super-capable, shorter travel, aggressive geometry, lightweight on the scales, and heavy on the attitude—Pike is the ultimate solution. Not afraid of the rooty chutes. Unintimidated by the calf-crushing climbs. Pike is an unmatched mid-travel ripper, reimagined to push what today’s trail bikes are truly capable of.
PIKE ULTIMATE
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Ultra-versatile, super capable, lightweight on the scales, heavy on the attitude—this is the new Pike. Not afraid of the rooty chutes. Unintimidated by the calf-crushing climbs. We’ve redesigned
the trail-capable legend with a new 35mm chassis equipped with podium-proven technology like the new Charger 3 damper featuring vibration-killing ButterCups. A fork designed to level up your trail game. Experience the legend.
THE NEW LYRIK | UP FOR EVERYTHING. DOWN FOR IT ALL
Fine-tune your ride and queue up the playlist. Like the words to your favorite song, Lyrik is ready to rock wherever you ride, from familiar home trails to alpine explorations. Built on a deep foundation of adventure, Lyrik is likely the most versatile fork in our lineup. With the perfect range of travel for an all-mountain workhorse, Lyrik prioritized weight while maintaining that all-critical stiffness and prowess on the descents. Time to press play.
LYRIK ULTIMATE
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Faster. Stronger. Ruthlessly efficient. The new Lyrik is up for anything and down for it all. The most versatile fork in our lineup features a hyper-focused new chassis that’s lighter while still critically stiff to deliver on Lyrik’s legendary performance and party attitude. Lyrik Ultimate packs an orchestra of industry-leading tech like the new Charger 3 damper, ButterCup technology, and the new DebonAir+ air spring. Let Lyrik sing with a fresh signature colorway we call “Heavy Meadow”, inspired by our favorite alpine sufferfests. The new Lyrik Ultimate is here.
UPDATED ZEB | SINGLE CROWN ROYALTY
The next evolution of single crown awesome is here. We created a whole new breed of fork, designed to challenge the limits and take on the world’s toughest enduro tracks. ZEB’s stiff yet versatile 38mm
chassis and machined good looks pack a punch and deliver a clear tactical advantage to win races.
ZEB ULTIMATE
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Long on travel, short on excuses, ZEB Ultimate is a whole new breed of fork designed to challenge the limits and take on the world’s toughest enduro tracks. An updated stiff 38mm chassis includes the new Charger 3 RC2 damper with vibration-killing ButterCup technology. Our highest performing, athlete-proven technologies matched with premium style plays. This is ZEB.
REAR SHOCK TECHNOLOGY
NEW RC2T DAMPER | FIND YOUR STRIDE
It’s time to ride to your own tune—literally. Meet the RC2T Damper, our most precisely-tunable shock damper yet. RC2T sounds like a mouthful, but the name says it all. Rebound. Compression: 2 separate adjustments—High Speed and Low Speed Compression.
And Threshold. Every aspect of how the damper performs is up to the rider to decide.
Cutting edge valving design allowed us to eliminate High Speed Compression (HSC) and Low Speed Compression (LSC) cross-talk— that little overlap in adjustment functionality that ties HSC and LSC adjustments together. Riders can fine-tune High Speed Compression damping to a tee without having any residual impact on how Low Speed Compression performs, and vice versa, for unprecedented customization.
The RC2T base tune is set by the frame manufacturer to suit their exact kinematics, which falls right in the middle of the tuning range. Set it and forget it, or dial it in to find your perfect fit. RC2T features a spectrum of 5 adjustable “clicks”—2 to decrease and 2 to increase both High Speed Compression and Low Speed Compression damping. Each click is so meaningful, you might swear you changed your tune.
NEW HYDRAULIC BOTTOM OUT / ADJUSTABLE HYDRAULIC BOTTOM OUT
SOFTEN THE BLOW
Think of the new Hydraulic Bottom Out and Adjustable Hydraulic Bottom Out as the soft catch you hope for when taking a trust fall with a friend.
Hydraulic Bottom Out and Adjustable Hydraulic Bottom Out are the extra reassurance that can make the difference between hitting big
air or bailing last minute. Knowing you’re not setting yourself up for a harsh bottom out gives you one less thing to worry about. So go ahead and commit—you’re in for a soft landing.
Utilizing a needle that blocks the flow of oil as the piston moves through the stroke, Hydraulic Bottom Out kicks in within the last 20% of travel, sparing you the pain of that harsh clanking bottom out after impact without sacrificing reactivity or traction. Found in our Super Deluxe lineup, Hydraulic Bottom Out plays nice with our Bottomless Tokens, allowing riders to fine-tune their air spring without worrying about bottoming out.
The new Super Deluxe Coil features Adjustable Hydraulic Bottom Out. It functions just like Hydraulic Bottom Out—kicking in to increase compression damping within the last 20% of travel—but how much damping you desire is all on you. The key component is an adjustable dial offering five different compression settings to customize the cushioning you experience on impact. Leave it completely open for the same amount of ramp and resistance you’re used to, or close it off, click-by-click, to dial in your preferred amount of bottom out control.
NEW REAR SHOCK DEBONAIR+ AIR SPRING SYSTEM
CHANGING TUNE
Engineered to strike a chord, the new DebonAir+ air spring system was built on the idea of tuneability. Designed to meet the needs of all types of riders, DebonAir+ offers two different air cans to augment each frame’s particular kinematics. New with DebonAir+ is the ability to fine-tune the positive and negative air volumes with the addition of negative Tokens alongside the well-loved positive Bottomless Tokens. Whatever bike you ride, whether you prefer to hit big air or big epics—the new DebonAir+ is here to help you go further than ever before. Go on, dial in the perfect ride.
DUAL AIR CAN DESIGN
Frames with linear leverage rates pair best with Progressive air cans to allow the air spring curve to ramp up toward the end of the stroke and prevent frequent bottom outs. Offering more negative volume to enhance that playful feel, the Progressive air can has more mid-stroke support—ideal for those looking to go big.
Frames with progressive leverage rates go hand-in-hand with Linear air cans to maintain a linear air spring curve and utilize every millimeter of travel. Emphasizing small bump compliance to take the sting out of rough trails, the Linear air can carries speed over rugged terrain to maintain that all-day momentum.
BOTTOMLESS TOKENS
With the option of 0-4 Bottomless Tokens, you can choose to make the most of your travel by leaving volume reducers out completely. If you’re looking to ramp up spring rate and achieve that bottomless feel, just add tokens to further increase the spring rate within the last 40% of travel. Bottomless Tokens are compatible with both the Linear and Progressive air cans.
NEGATIVE TOKENS
Negative tokens reduce the volume of the negative air chamber. Leave the negative token out of the mix to make it easier to initiate travel and harder to bottom out. For a firmer feel off the top and to make it easier to use full travel, add in the negative token. Negative Tokens are compatible with both the Linear and Progressive air cans.
NEW DELUXE ULTIMATE
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Light on ounces and heavy on capability, Deluxe Ultimate adds a touch of luxury to the latest uber-capable trail bikes. From the new DebonAir+ air spring that offers more volume tunability than ever to the damper’s independent Low Speed Compression and Rebound adjustments—every aspect was carefully designed to maximize tunability into a streamlined, minimalist package. The power is in your hands to dial in the perfect-for-you, perfect-for-the-trail-ahead settings. A custom-tailored ride, every time.
MAKING (SHOCK)WAVES
An easy access point into the world of coil, the Deluxe Coil is built on the overachieving performance precedent set by Super Deluxe Coil— packed into a smooth operating inline package that makes fitment challenges a “non-issue.” E-MTBs and smaller frames rejoice, Deluxe Coil isn’t only friendly on the wallet, it makes an easy match with tough-to-fit frames.
NEW DELUXE COIL SELECT
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Say bye-bye to fitment challenges with the all-new Deluxe Coil. An inline coil shock that takes cues from its podium-dominating cousin, Super Deluxe Coil. Deluxe Coil brings to the table the same stiffness, controlled mid-stroke support, and buttery off-the-top feel you love, in a compact package with a friendly price tag. A match made in heaven for E-MTBs, hard-to-fit frames, and anyone ready to dip their toes into the world of coil shocks.
NEW SUPER DELUXE | ROCK THE RACES
After blazing the trail to mass podium domination in the 2021 Enduro World Series, the Super Deluxe family, once again, comes in hot with first-of-its-kind technology built for the highest-end of aggressive all-mountain and enduro bikes. Debuting a revolution in damper technology, the RC2T damper allows for the most precise compression tuning ever seen – the kind that makes the millisecond’s difference between winning and learning. Tunability’s the name of the game – now you can fine-tune shock feel throughout travel from top to bottom out – or bottomless – it’s up to you to decide. Super Deluxe stakes its claim as the premier performance technology required by riders gunning for the crown. Let the winning legacy live on.
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In it to win it? Super Deluxe Ultimate is the smart bet for the podium. Packed to the hilt with fine-tuning adjustments that meaningfully improve suspension performance, it’s the most advanced shock we’ve ever made. Pioneering one of the most impactful innovations in damper history, the new RC2T damper allows for 100% independent High Speed and Low Speed Compression adjustments. The arsenal of elite technology rounding out Super Deluxe Ultimate is grounded in the philosophy that, at the highest level of capability, the extra ounce of performance and customization is what it takes to capture the crown.
NEW SUPER DELUXE COIL
CHANGING THE COURSE OF COIL
Hooked on the unmistakable feel of coil? There’s a reason why it stands the test of time. Rugged, reliable, and ready to put down serious speed records—now tack on impressively adjustable.
The podium-proven Super Deluxe Coil family introduces the next generation of coil shocks. Enter the new RC2T Damper with 100% independent High Speed and Low Speed Compression adjustments, optional Adjustable Hydraulic Bottom Out resistance, an ironclad redesigned chassis, and the same no-nonsense performance you love. Let the old schoolers and the young guns come running.
SUPER DELUXE COIL ULTIMATE
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Performance to match the most demanding riders out there. The ground up, all-new Super Deluxe Coil Ultimate is a work of art with no feature spared. Equipped with an entirely new chassis, 100% independent High Speed and Low Speed Compression adjustment, increased bushing overlap for improved small bump performance, and optional Adjustable Hydraulic Bottom Out to tailor that bottomless feel. It’s the unmistakable feel of coil, evolved. A coil shock packed full of premium technology that gives you a hand in painting the experience of how you ride.
SUPER DELUXE COIL ULTIMATE DH
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Performance to match the most demanding riders out there. The ground up, all-new Super Deluxe Ultimate DH Coil is a work of art with no feature spared. Equipped with an entirely new chassis, 100% independent High Speed and Low Speed Compression adjustment, increased bushing overlap for improved small bump performance, and adjustable Hydraulic Bottom Out resistance to tailor that bottomless feel. It’s the unmistakable feel of coil, evolved. A coil shock packed full of premium technology, designed to lock in lines and reach mach speed on the steeps.
UPDATED | TRAILHEAD
Take the mystery out of setting up your rear shock. The RockShox Trailhead App now includes metric rear shock setup and tuning information, available at your fingertips. Enter your serial number and get air pressure and coil spring rate recommendations, Rebound setting suggestions, tuning and service manuals, part numbers, and details about your specific rear shock. All individualized to you. All based on your particular setup. Rear shock personalization has never been easier.
FEATURES
Jump right to your perfect settings: enter your ride weight, desired sag, and rear wheel travel to get your suggested air spring pressure or coil spring rate, and Rebound settings
Includes info for MTB or E-MTB
Discover other information about your rear shock, such as eye-to-eye, stroke, current tune, etc.
Easily find maintenance and tunability options for your specific rear shock through our Service + Upgrade Kits.
Quickly search for any service or user documents related to your rear shock, including the RockShox Setup and Tuning Guide.
Learn more about the new RockShox range here.
