The RockShox Ultimate suspensions got more than just an overhaul, they were also completely redesigned! So everything new does May? That's how you see it at Sram and write: "Confidence Changes Everything!" on the flags...
The RockShox Ultimate products rank high in the popularity scale. This is understandable, because functionality at a very high level, a certain level of simplicity and fair prices are always popular with RockShox suspension elements. Nevertheless, I am initially skeptical when someone promises me that they have "reinvented the wheel"... I was also satisfied with the previous performance of a RockShox suspension. The RockShox Ultimate products in particular were always able to do more than me, it was more the driver than the chassis that failed. We still have to drive a bit more to be able to say if everything really changes with more confidence. That something has changed, that's for sure! Here we provide you with all the facts about what RockShox has changed in the products and provide a first test impression. We're focusing on the Lyrik and Zeb, as well as the new Super Deluxe Ultimate damper. A review of the Super Deluxe Coil Ultimate will follow, here on the channel. The Pike Ultimate has also received the updates and the dampers have practically all been given an overhaul.
New RockShox Ultimate Fork Models - What's New?
RockShox says they started from scratch. The desire was to make the ride even better. The result is said to be revolutionary. There is a new chassis with the best damping technology and newly developed air springs. Among other things, new technologies are intended to reduce vibrations and friction.
The new Charger 3
When developing the new Charger 3 damping, special attention was paid to getting high-speed and low-speed damping that can be adjusted independently of each other. With LSC set for a smooth ride on relaxed trails, the next drop can be slammed flat thanks to the independent HSC - Or the other way around: If you want a lot of support from the LSC when slowly rolling through steep and technical passages, you should still be able to rely on an open HSC absorbing an unexpected impact. The so-called "cross talk" behavior between HSC and LSC settings has been eliminated, they promise.
Among other things, this should reduce the strain on the hands. Overall, the compression damping has been increased, so the fork has to be driven less hard, which should give more control and more confidence. There is no longer a bladder, i.e. a plastic bladder, with the Cahrger 3 cushioning. An "internal floating piston" is tamed by a steel spring. Such constructions are also a tried and tested means of preventing cavitation in rear-end dampers. Not only should smacking and a perceptible background noise be successfully eliminated, the response behavior and consistency throughout the spring travel should also improve with the new Charger. Info for the drivers of the current Zeb: You can retrofit the Charger 3 cartridge in your fork!
Buttercups - the golden solution?
you were already known at the launch of the Flight Attendant products – but the electronics were the focus of attention. Small rubber pucks sit at the end of the damper and air spring shaft in the fork casting and elastically connect the lower tube unit and the stand tube unit to each other. A similar technology can be found in chainsaws or in your car, between the engine and the body. These are intended to reduce high-frequency vibrations, which works in many areas and is clearly noticeable. Buttercups reduce vibration by 20% – promises Sram. As a result, there should be less strain on the hands, which means longer driving pleasure. They are standard on all Pike, Lyrik and Zeb Ultimate forks, and on older or less expensive models retrofittable. A really good thing, because you can clearly feel that they're doing something.
New Debonair air spring
The air spring has also been properly revised. The Debonair+ is based on the well-known Debonair technology. The aim of the further development was a uniform driving experience for all three fork platforms. The spring characteristic has been refined. With the new air spring, the fork is more responsive in the top of the stroke, has significantly more support in the middle and offers improved control at the end of the stroke, says RockShox. With additional mid-stroke support, the fork sits higher in the travel, which should lead to more confidence on steep sections. The air balance between the chambers, the volume of the two air chambers and thus also the puncture protection have been revised. What makes a really high-quality impression is the lack of plastic, Sram uses sexy golden aluminum for the new spring unit.
Ultimate Bushing Package and Pressure Relief
More is (almost) always better?! With the new Ultimate forks the bushings in the lower area of the Ultimate models are 53% longer, which should significantly reduce friction. The whole thing should also have a rather positive effect on wear and stiffness, according to our assessment. Pressure relief valves - valves for pressure equalization in the casting - were already there at the flight attendant launch. But they received less attention than the electrical innovations. In practice, pressure relief valves eliminate unwanted air pressure build-up in the fork tube assembly. If you are confronted with large temperature differences or if you drive over large differences in altitude, then pressure differences between the inside of the fork tube unit and the environment can certainly occur. The forks also "pump up" when driving... This influences the performance.
Hub Cap Adapter
The Rockshox Torque Caps give the forks an additional 5% torsional stiffness. Not every hub manufacturer offers the right hubs with compatible end caps. An adapter that can be mounted optionally makes it easier to thread the "ordinary" hubs when the front wheel is mounted.
Pike Ultimate
We explained the technologies. The most important facts: There is the Charger3 damping RC2 with buttercups and the DebonAir+ air spring with buttercups and pressure relief valves. 27,5" & 29" wheels fit in. Suspension travel of 120, 130 and 140 millimeters is possible. The RRP is given as 1.139 euros.
Poetry Ultimate
All top technologies are also used here. The Charger3 damping RC2 with buttercups and the DebonAir+ air spring with buttercups and pressure relief valves are installed. Wheels in 27,5" & 29" are served. Spring travel of 140, 150 and 160 millimeters is available. The price will be 1.196 euros.
Zeb Ultimate
The Zeb is even more stable and comes with more spring travel, but technologically it follows the same notch as the Lyrik: It comes with Charger3 RC2 damping with buttercups and DebonAir+ air unit with buttercups. They are available in 27,5" & 29" with spring travel of 160, 170, 180 and 190 millimeters. Sram specifies the weight for the 180 fork with a 44 offset as 2.341 grams. The RRP will be 1.253 euros.
So much for the news at the front. As I said, the Pike is also getting an extensive update...
But what about the rear? Here, too, RockShox dug deep into their bag of tricks and changed a few things.
New RockShox damper models and new RCT2 dampers
The RockShox developers promise modern valve technology eliminates cross talk from HSC and LSC, as with the fork. HSC settings therefore do not affect the LSC and vice versa. The basic setting is adjusted by the frame manufacturer to the kinematics of the bike and that is the middle of the adjustment range. With the new Ultimate damper there is always the "sweet spot", at least according to the manufacturer's taste, and from this you have a range of 5 adjustable clicks - 2 to reduce - 2 to increase the damping, according to personal preference. Just 5 clicks? Well, the clicks are very noticeable, says RockShox, and impact performance noticeably more than you'd expect.
New Hydraulic Bottom Out/Adjustable Hydraulic Bottom Out (HBO)
The hydraulic bottom out and the adjustable variant, the "adjustable hydraulic bottom out" increase control over the bike. Especially when things really get going. If it really bangs and you use a lot of suspension travel, it happens in a more controlled way. A needle controls the flow of oil as the piston rod retracts into the damper body. The hydraulic bottom out kicks in effectively in the last 20% of the suspension travel and prevents hard bottoming out. With the air shocks, only the Super Deluxe models have such a bottom out, which is not adjustable. The deluxe models have to do without it. Super Deluxe Coil models feature the adjustable hydraulic bottom out which is üCan be set to 5 levels using a controller with an Allen key.
Debonair+ rear shock air chamber
There are two air chamber designs - Frames with a linear rear triangle design work better with progressive air chambers to increase the spring rate towards the end of the stroke and prevent bottoming out, frames with progressive rear triangles work better with the linear air chamber to get a balanced spring rate. What is new is the possibility of influencing the negative and positive air volume. This works with both air chambers.
Bottomless Tokens and Negative Tokens
The air volume of both chambers can be fine-tuned with negative tokens and positive bottomless tokens. With the option of bottomless tokens you can better control the use of the suspension travel. If you want to increase the stiffness of the suspension towards the end and achieve a bottomless feel, you can add tokens to make the last 40% of travel more progressive. The negative tokens reduce the volume of the negative chamber. This makes the bike a bit stiffer and it is easier to use the suspension travel.
Super Deluxe Ultimate
The top air shock comes as RC2T, i.e. with rebound, double compression and threshold. There is a fixed hydraulic bottomout. The DebonAir+ air chamber is available in 2 versions (Linear or Progressive). RockShox calls for a price of 2 euros.
Super Deluxe Coil Ultimate
The top steel spring damper also comes as an RC2T, i.e. with rebound, double compression and threshold. There is an adjustable hydraulic bottomout. RockShox calls for a price of 2 euros. There are another good 594 euros for the spring.
A first test impression and a video are available from our sister magazine Gravity: