For model year 2023, RockShox is rejigged the Pike, the Lyrik, the Zeb, the Deluxe, the Deluxe Coil, the Super Deluxe and the Super Deluxe Coil. Below are the details of, amongst other things, the new Charger 3 damper and optional hydraulic bottom out.
Here’s the edited highlights from the 80-odd page PDF!
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.
What sets Charger 3 apart from other dampers is the truly independent High Speed Compression (HSC) and Low Speed Compression (LSC) damping.
That means adding compression damping and more control to the fork. It also means that adding damping just adds damping—not harshness, not feedback.
New damper design featuring an Internal Floating Piston (IFP). The coil spring opposite the piston allows for unparalleled responsiveness.
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.
ButterCups measurably eliminate trail chatter by on average 20%. Proven by data acquisition over thousands of trail miles and confirmed by riders.
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.
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 maximized the internal bushing overlap in all models to minimize friction throughout our lineup. New Ultimate models feature lower bushings that are 53% longer than before to further optimize friction reduction.
New Pressure Relief Valves eliminate unwanted air pressure build-up in the fork lower leg caused by variations in altitude or temperature.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Hydraulic Bottom Out plays nice with our Bottomless Tokens, allowing riders to fine-tune their air spring without worrying about bottoming out.
The key component is an adjustable dial offering five different compression settings to customize the cushioning you experience on impact.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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Any news on whether bits are going to be available to upgrade older forks to newer spec as they did with the C1 spring? Though perhaps I’m not going to be drilling holes in my forks for a pressure release valve!
The cheapest versions don’t even get a Charger damper now. They get a “Rush” damper which I would wager is a reworked/renamed Motion Control damper.
The cheapest versions don’t even get a Charger damper now. They get a “Rush” damper which I would wager is a reworked/renamed Motion Control damper.
Need clarity on that, but it’s weird that they drop down to a different damper on the basic OE models. Cheapens the name. Why not just drop to a Yari / Rev / Domain with MoCo?
Pressure Release Valves. How has it taken Rockshox this long to get them on their forks? We’ve all been shoving cable ties down own wiper seals for a decade.
Welcome change, but it would be nice if they were more reactive to the real changes we need, rather than all the see-sawing changes we saw through the how Charger2 damper era (too soft, too hard, too soft, too hard, not enough adjustment ad finitum).
We were told the new air springs and damper can only be fitted in the A1 Zeb not the older Pike or Lyrik.
“… a standard hub end cap via a new bolt-in adapter…”
Please please tell us more. When tou say ‘standard’ hub, do you mean a hub like was being used for 30 years sort of standard ? With a 100mm spacing ? Or is this yet another bike industry incompatibility fhuckfest with a Boost+something-else NOT standard new standard ? Please tell me I can fit my wheels with their Hope Pro 3 hubs that are a STANDARD (ie 100mm width) and a hole for 15mm through axle !!!
Looks like good progress- was never a fan of the charger damper and they’ve fannied around with the debonair trying to make it work well for so long, maybe they’ve finally got it?
@robertajobb, Could be wrong but I think those are to give better compatibility with and without torque caps. Which if so, is a Good Thing- torque caps might be “free stiffness” but they mean the wheel fit isn’t as good without them. Plus, i give it 10 seconds before someone gets a boost adaptor out that bolts into the fork.
Any news on whether bits are going to be available to upgrade older forks to newer spec as they did with the C1 spring?
That’ll be a no (apart from the most recency zeb)
Pretty comprehensive look from GMBN
Very disappointed to see rider choice reduced. Pike used to be available up to 160mm travel, Lyrik up to 180mm. Now they top out at 1400mm and 160mm. Being forced to go up a class in fork, adding unnecessary weight, to get a 150 or 170mm travel fork is very annoying.
How long before I can snap up some bargain 2021 Pike Ultimates in 29er from some serial upgrader?? Want!
We were told the new air springs and damper can only be fitted in the A1 Zeb not the older Pike or Lyrik.
Very disappointed to see rider choice reduced. Pike used to be available up to 160mm travel, Lyrik up to 180mm. Now they top out at 1400mm and 160mm. Being forced to go up a class in fork, adding unnecessary weight, to get a 150 or 170mm travel fork is very annoying.
All new RockShox… everything, pretty much
Apart from a 200mm reverb AXS. ?
Yep, I’m still banging that drum. It’s been 3 years since it was released and zero updates in that time… Meanwhile we’ve had GX AXS, new forks, a gravel AXS reverb, flight attendant, etc etc.
“Very disappointed to see rider choice reduced. Pike used to be available up to 160mm travel, Lyrik up to 180mm. Now they top out at 1400mm and 160mm. Being forced to go up a class in fork, adding unnecessary weight, to get a 150 or 170mm travel fork is very annoying.”
Their reasoning is that the smaller range of travels allows them to make the bushes longer for greater stiffness and reduced friction under load. When I’ve experimented with changing fork travel I noticed that the air springs didn’t seem to work as well at the extremes of travel – too short and you were in the wallowy section too much, too long and the ramp-up was too extreme near bottom-out.
Can’t wait to see how they have massively improved these next year.
2023 models are rubbish next year man.
Diagrams on their website now: https://www.sram.com/globalassets/document-hierarchy/service-manuals/rockshox/front-suspension/2023-zeb-lyrik-pike-service-manual.pdf
Looks like Rush damper is an IFP design.
Air piston looks a lot like the luftkappe design
Bit late to the party, just wondering on the Raaw, which stroke shock you used, 60 or 65,and which air can is on the shock, the linear or progressive. When I spoke with Ruben at Raaw, he said a 65mm stroke Rock Shox shock didn’t work as the air can fouled the lower shock mount. Wondered if that is different with the new shape air can.
Very disappointed to see rider choice reduced
the opposite argument is that Pikes at their extreme travel option are disappointing. I’d much rather see forks built specifically for a narrower range that can accommodate their travel better. Zeb weighs a few hundred grams more than a Lyric, it’s not going to be a deal breaker for most folks.
I’ve not seen much beyond first ride reviews of the 2023 RockShox. I thought there would be loads of interest with all the changes (damper, narrower travel range, buttercups, air bleed) but maybe it’s all a bit meh?
Looks like Rush damper is an IFP design.
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