RockShox adds long-travel 650b fork options and new features

Published April 1, 2014

by BRAIN Staff

CHICAGO (BRAIN) — RockShox is offering more 650b fork options at the long-travel end of its product line, adding 650b versions of its Domain Dual Crown fork and for its redesigned Boxxer model.

Besides the long-travel 650b options, the SRAM-owned brand announced several new products, features and options for its forks and shocks on Tuesday. Some of the new features will be available as upgrade kits for earlier fork models.

New Boxxer

Boxxer has long been RockShox’s premier DH racing fork. The newest version of the 200-millimeter-travel fork will be available in three models: World Cup, Team and RC; all three models will be available in 650b or 26-inch versions. The Boxxer includes several new suspension features, some of which are available on other models and as aftermarket upgrade kits. Those features include the Charger damper, Solo Air spring and Rapid Recovery rebound. The new Boxxer is lighter than last year’s model, as well.

The Charger damper was initially developed for the Pike fork but has trickled up to its longer-travel siblings. It’s a sealed damper with a rubber bladder and is almost 100 grams lighter than the Boxxer's previous damper. Beginning-stroke rebound and low-speed compression damping are externally adjustable. Internally, shim stacks can be re-tuned for light or firm compression and rebound settings. The Charger damper now comes with the Boxxer World Cup and Team models. The Boxxer RC model retains the Motion Control IS damper.

RockShox also is promoting a new suspension feature called Rapid Recovery, which is said to prevent fork “pack-up” on successive bumps. That preserves the ride height, allowing the fork to work closer to the top of its travel.

Solo Air is a revised air-spring design with a more linear spring rate. It’s tunable with new “Bottomless Tokens” that thread in to fork top caps (the tokens also will be available as aftermarket products to fit Pike and Boxxer forks).

All three Boxxer models will be available in 26-inch and 650b sizes. Retail prices range from $865 to $1,735.

The Domain Dual Crown is now available in 650b.

Domain Dual Crown in 650b

RockShox will make a 650b Domain Dual Crown RC fork available in June for $768. The Domain Dual Crown R will also be available for OE in both wheel sizes. The Domain Dual Crown is otherwise unchanged.

DebonAir and upgrade kits

DebonAir is a new spring system designed to add a plush riding feeling to rear shocks. It will be available as an option on the Monarch RT3 and Monarch Plus RT3 shocks and as the standard configuration on the Monarch Plus RC3 model.

DebonAir has a more linear spring rate than previous springs, reducing chop and improving traction and rider comfort by reacting to smaller bumps.

A DebonAir upgrade kit will be available for model year 2014 Monarch/Monarch Plus and  2013 Monarch RT3 shocks. The upgrade kit will retail for $115.50.

RockShox will make Charger damper and Solo Air upgrade kits available to fit any Boxxer Race, Team, RC, R2C2 and World Cup fork from 2010 to 2014. The combined upgrade kit will retail for $379.

A Solo Air spring upgrade kit (without the damper upgrade) will be available for $188. It is compatible with Boxxer World Cup forks from model year 2011 to 2014.