The 2020 Durolux EQ is SR Suntour’s updated enduro and freeride fork available for both 29″ and 27.5″ wheels. The travel range is wheel size-dependent, at 150mm-170mm for the 29″, and 160mm-180mm for the 27.5″ fork. For this model year, the Durolux is updated with the Equalizer (EQ) system, utilising an air negative spring, a new concept for SR Suntour. The Durolux is a 36mm stanchion fork, designed to meet the stiffness and durability demands of enduro, freeride and e-MTB.
Feature Image by Winter Bike Connection – Luigi Sestili
2020 SR Suntour Durolux EQ Enduro Fork
We caught up with the SR Suntour guys at Winter Bike Connection, where they were armed with two new forks for us to test; the Axon Werx 34 XC Fork and the 2020 Durolux EQ Enduro Fork. Time and bike availability was not on our side, thus we only managed to get a first ride on the Axon Werx. A test on the 2020 Durolux EQ will have to wait until this pandemic has blown over, and we can get back to riding the GNar at full pelt. Until then, we shall have to be content with the tech info only.
The main update for the 2020 Durolux is the air positive and negative spring equalizer system. SR Suntour say it perfectly equalizes the rider’s weight to the spring curve resulting in exact positioning and support. This is new for SR Suntour who have until recently relied upon coil negative springs. With only three different spring rates available, this limited the range of rider weights they could accommodate.
SR Suntour say the Air EQ system on the 2020 Durolux creates a customized feel for each rider, optimizing proper sag and volume control in conjunction with the external damping adjustments of their sealed piston compensator system damper cartridges.
Testing the coil negative spring and air negative spring forks back-to-back revealed a 30% improvement in fork performance. Briefly, using two accelerometers, SR Suntour’s engineers measured forces experienced on the fork lowers, as compared to forces experienced at the handlebar. In between these two points is the damping, so these are the parameters they measured to evaluate what forces they could filter out using the two systems. They used the same casting, same rider, same tracks, varying only the type of negative spring used.
With the Durolux coil negative spring, the engineers measured forces of 4-7 m/s at the handlebar, an average of 5 m/s with peaks at a very rapid 8 m/s. With the air negative spring and equalizer system, forces measured at the handlebar were massively reduced with a range of 3-5 m/s, an average of 3.5 m/s, and peaks of 6 m/s. This is the 30% improvement SR Suntour refer to. We felt the benefits of the EQ system on the Axon Werx 34 XC fork. Read our first ride review here.
On the damping side of the 2020 Durolux is the Piston Compensator System (PCS) cartridge. SR Suntour have three options available. At the top-end is the R2C2 PCS wherein the low-speed and high-speed rebound, in addition to the low-speed and high-speed compression are all externally adjustable. In the middle of the range is the Durolux with RC2 PCS damper cartridge.
It offers high and low-speed compression adjustment, and rebound. Both of these forks feature a hollowtech magnesium crown. The entry-level 2020 Durolux with RC PCS damper has a heavier solid magnesium crown, but also offers external adjustability of low-speed compression and rebound.
The 29″ Durolux EQ is offered with two fork offsets; 51mm and 44mm, while the 27.5″ version is only available at the shorter 44mm offset. The 36mm stanchions are aluminium alloy, black anodized across the range. Of course, the axle spacing is the modern boost spacing of 15mm x 110mm. SR Suntour offer two axles; the R2C2 and RC2 damped forks feature the QLOC titanium, weighing just 72g. The entry level RC PCS Durolux fork features the heavier 15QLC32 axle, which weighs a claimed 122g.
The 2020 Durolux damper cartridges are fully serviceable, thus it falls into SR Suntour’s Quick Service Products (QSP) range with grease and pressure ports. The fork comes with tokens for the positive air chamber, which allow the rider to change the air volume thus tuning the progressivity of the fork. As we saw on the Axon Werx, the 2020 Durolux features mounting points for a neat-looking integrated fender.
Pricing & Availability
Weight of the 2020 Durolux EQ starts at 2120g. It is available in Matte Black, Gloss Black, Gloss White colorways, as of May 2020. The top-end R2 C2 PCS fork is priced at €759, the mid-range RC2 at €739, and the entry-level RC at €639.
