While it is usually their marquee products that get all the buzz, RockShox is very good at making sure their more affordable options benefit from trickle down tech. To kick off their MY19 product launch, RockShox has dropped a number of updates on everything from the very entry level 30, to the high end Pike DJ. Regardless of the intended use or the price level, the new forks will offer better performance and a better ride.
For some of the biggest improvements, look to forks like the Sektor RL. Not only doe the fork now include a Boost chassis, but the addition of a DebonAir air spring should improve the performance quite a bit. Matching the clearance and axle to crown measurements of the Pike and Revelation, the Sektor offers a more affordable option with 32mm aluminum Fast Black upper tubes and Motion Control RL damping. Compatible with Bottomless tokens and OneLoc remotes, the fork will sell for $429-499 and will be available in March.
The Recon is another fork that sees some improvements in the form of new fast black finish on the steel upper tubes, new compression knobs and air caps, and a cable remote spool that is compatible with the OneLoc remote. RockShox says that the combination of the crown and lower legs that are borrowed from the Revelation and the steel upper tubes means the fork lost some weight in the process of the redesign, and the Recon RL sells for just $249-319 with Motion Control damping.
The RockShox Judy Gold and Silver follow suit with an all new chassis which opens up the fork to 2.8″ plus tires in a dedicated 27.5″ and 29″ platform. The fork even sees Torque Cap Compatibility for increased stiffness out of the Boost specific platform and new compression knobs and air caps. Judy Gold features a Motion Control RL damper with OneLoc compatibility, and aluminum upper tubes, and sells for $349-449.
Judy Silver is still the same Boost chassis, but uses steel upper tubes instead of aluminum, and runs a TurnKey lockout with PopLoc compatibility to get the price down to $299-329. Both forks will be available in March.
Even the most basic RockShox 30 gets some big improvements with a new Gold edition that features Motion Control Damping, Fast Black aluminum upper tubes, new compression knobs and air caps, and a new cable-remote spool that works with OneLoc. This one will sell for $349-439 in March.
The fork will still be offered in a Silver edition as well which uses steel upper tubes, a TurnKey lockout that is PopLoc compatible, and feature updated compression knobs and air caps. Without all the bells and whistles of the Gold version, the Silver sells for a very reasonable $169-209 this March.
While the biggest changes are all geared towards the more entry level models, some of RockShox’ higher end models see updates as well. However, for the Reba RL, Pike DJ, and Bluto RL and RCT3, it’s mostly graphic changes to freshen up the looks. In line with the rest of the forks, the Reba RL and Bluto RL are OneLoc remote compatible so you can keep your hands on the bar.
The Reba RL will sell for $499-569, the Pike DJ for $849, Bluto RCT3 for $689, and Bluto RL for $719, with all four available in April.
