If you are looking for more enduro-ready linear suspension performance out of your Fox or RockShox air fork, Diaz Suspension may have just the ticket for you. Without needing to buy an all new fork or convert to coil internals, their simple The Runt upper air spring piston drops right into your existing fork, giving it a coil spring-like ride.
Diaz Suspension’s The Runt cartridge – Coil feel in your Air fork
The Runt is a self-contained & adjustable air spring system that threads into the top air chamber of your existing fork to reproduce the more linear performance of a coil spring. Designed and produced in Colorado, Diaz says it delivers a near linear compression curve while maintaining the infinite adjustability of air suspension.
DSD’s The Runt, linear suspension performance from an air fork
Upgrading your fork with The Runt is simple as threading the cartridge into its left leg. It works by providing an additional floating air piston at the top of your fork leg that only is activated around mid way through your fork travel. (It is also reversible, meaning no damage to your otherwise stock fork.)
In doing so, it effectively flattens out the middle of your fork curve (much like adding fork tokens) providing more mid stroke support, but without excessive ramp up as you continue deeper into your travel. Diaz says The Runt gives the best balance of mid stroke support without your fork diving in corners or on descents, and without harsh, stiff compression towards the end of your fork’s travel.
They even build in an extra high pressure air chamber that can be dialed up to increase bottom out resistance if you still want some of that extra end stroke protection, while benefiting from increased mid stroke support.
Diaz Suspension’s The Runt – Tech Details, Compatibility & Pricing
The Runt will thread directly into your existing Fox 36, or to several RockShox forks, including the Lyric, Pike, Yari, or Revelation (35mm version) – as long as they are the Solo Air versions. Diaz says it is half the price of converting to coil internals, and a 1/2 pound lighter than a coil conversion too.
Machined in Durango, CO, Diaz sells The Runt on its own for $200 and you can install it your self. Getting going is literally as simple as taking the air out of your fork, threading out the entire top left leg fork air cap, threading The Runt into place, and airing it back up.
The Runt also ships with shim kits to custom tune the damper of every fork (except the Fox FIT 4 & Grip 2 which are still in development and will ship out to buyers at no extra charge when ready), following Diaz’s simple online instructions.
For $425 you can schedule and send your complete fork to Diaz, and they will re-valve your fork’s compression & rebound circuits for optimal performance for you & how you ride, then install The Runt, inspect your fork, and service it with new oil & seals. Maybe a good option if your fork is already in need of servicing after another hard season of riding.
