What's does everyone think of Seb's top ten? Has he got it right, or should something else have won? And, let us know about your experience these suspension forks in the comments!
To bad the Formula Selva was not included but I would say good test as always from Seb . Would love to see the same test with the new DVO Onyx SC when they are ready.
Man, I've heard great things about the Ribbon. Really surprised you put that at that bottom. It almost sounded dismissive. Any chance you didn't give it a fair shake or call MRP for setup suggestions?
The Formula Selva would have easyly taken one of the top spots. Also: Why are there two rs/fox forks for the same use case in the test? You dont really surprise anyone with the Lyrik being better than the yari. Seeing the Suntour Durolux would also have been intresting.
No it isn't. It's purely objective. No numbers or actual lab results. Just personal opinions on how each fork "feels". A hardtail would have been a much better choice to isolate each fork. The rear shock might need to be adjusted when switching between forks to maximize the effectiveness/feel. Slow motion video from the same angle showing how every fork reacts over specific obstacles would have also been much more subjective than a single rider describing how each fork feels. At least a panel of 5-10 riders voting on each fork would have mitigated the personal preference for feel skewing the results. This is completely unscientific..
Ohlins needs to go back to the drawing board and learn more about the differences between mountain bike shocks and motorcycle shocks. They are the presumed kings in performance motorcycle shocks, almost all world-class race bikes from MotoGP, World Superbikes, and many others use Ohlins shocks. I've had them on four of my motorcycles, not the top-spec versions, but I have absolutely no complaints about them. I think if they would invest more in developing their mountain bike products, they will be formidable.
John S I was a little surprised to see this as well. They are the the masters of the black art of suspension tuning with everything on wheels and skis. Wonder if they bought out another company and rebranded to get their name into the market.
Problem with the Cane Creek Helm fork is, that Cane Creek uses Racing Bros wiper seals, which are crazy tight. I switched over to Rock Shox Pike seals from SKF, which run much much smoother, which increases small pump sensitivity and simplifies finding a proper setup.
Where did get that info from? I use RB Modi wipers in my Totem and Fox 36 and they are by far the best performing seals I have used that far, putting SKF to shame actually.
And when you try to remove the wipers from the lowers. You need a lot of force to do that. If you don't like SKF wipers, you can go for those from Push: www.pushindustries.com/collections/rear-shock-components/products/push-ultra-low-friction-fork-seal-kit
@@leomolloy5067 Very interesting. Maybe it differs with batches and / or the product lines for different stanchion diameters. I need to research this closer :)
Jesus Seb where'd that growth come from lad!!! Good comparison and good to see the likes of Cane Creek, DVO and DT Swiss in there against the big boys, there are too many comparisons of RockShox X vs Foxs Y. People need to see there's way more options out there, If you have the pennies to spend of course.
Years ago Dt swiss bought out pace and rebranded as their own fork. I owned a pair of pace rc 40s and they spent more time being serviced than ridden. Pace, latterly dt swiss forks were right up there in price point so was not impressed at all with their constant failure. Maybe I should get over it but for this reason I would never consider a dt swiss fork. Never had a bad experience with fox so dont look anywhere else these days.
I really appreciate the care that was taken in doing this comparison. It seems that a lot of effort was made to remove the effects of personal bias and setup errors as well as day-to-day variability of the rider. Anyone can do a review. Not everyone can do one correctly. Well done.
Agreed. I upgraded my 2018 Yari's air spring to a Debonair one and it feels like I have a new fork. Much more supple and more supportive. The ultimate budget solution is to get a Yari Debonair and upgrade the damper so that you get a Yarik. Or Lyari? You'll even lose Yaris excess weight by dumping that 180 ml of oil inside the damper.
but the damper upgrade is quite expensive. buy an old yari, still plenty in stock for cheap and upgrade just to the debonair spring you have the best performance for the least money i think. if you upgrade the damper you might aswell get an lyrik, price difference is minimal
Adding Vorsprung Luftkappe has made a big difference on my old Yari, before that I was not happy with it but after adding Luftkappe it has become acceptable fork. I suppose the new debonair spring has a similar effect.
Even better upgrade albeit pricey. PUSH industries ACS3 coil spring and HC97 damper conversions. I’ve not done it yet but have parts ready (except for needing a Charger 2 damper). Can’t wait to try it. Rockshox has always been my go-to fork company. From the first Boxxer in 1998 to my first Lyrik in 2007 (?) they’ve proven to me to outperform all else
Chuck Finley i have a bomber 66rc on my 2005 Kona Stinky lol. Marzocchi and Manitou were the biggest names in suspension in those days. I havent rode much in the last decade, stuff has sure changed.
Dude Thanks for taking the time and effort to do this test ! The information you provided is valuable and VERY useful . I am upgrading my forks and this is information that I can use . Thanks again and keep up the good work !
Really nice review, taking the time to switch out the fork on the same test bike on the same trail must have been tedious but really makes it a fair comparrison
Great review. This is the most comprehensive suspension review I've seen, and I agree on the forks I've ridden. You were particularly spot-on with your review of the Fox 36 Grip 2. I can't seem to get it to use 100% of the travel (I haven't removed the stock volume spacer yet) on any of my rides. It feels super supportive in the mid-stroke, but the first bit of travel does feel very supple. For me, it's a great fork, but once in a while I do think they could have improved the deep-in-the-travel suppleness to suck up larger impacts with a little more gentle feel on the hands.
One of the best "shootout" style reviews I've ever seen.. so much specific detail with regards to the rankings and great insight on how the different systems actually work. Thank You!
Great test Seb! Best forks comparison ever!...and I actually like all of your tests, it seems like you're really putting an effort to make the comparisons as objective as possible.
I really appreciate the REASONING for the resulting opinions. Sharing that technical information as to WHY a certain fork acts a certain way has helped me understand how to differentiate between a fork's characteristic and a fork's adjustment. Thanks‼️ 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽
Seb, you make absolutely the most valuable tech reviews found, even today, almost a year post publication. Super detailed comparison and explanation of the nuances. I have a 2018 Fox Performance 34/150 e-mtb 51mm fork using (8cc blue VS same as in Fox 32) that I haven't been able to setup to my liking. It is the OEM spec for my Scott Genius XL. My fork feels mechanically stiff enough for my 230lbs. Binding doesn't appear to be the problem because at lower psi I can get full travel but it then lacks mid stroke support with excessive diving. Scott claims it to be lighter and comparable in stiffness to the normal 36/150. I'm now running it with 20% sag/120 psi (max recommended psi) and one Volume Spacer. Two VS and 105 psi makes it hard-spike, well before (never) bottoming. I'll try a few more changes of -5 psi then -10psi with one VS and eventually one VS /120psi readjusted with -5 or-10psi. If these changes fail me I will be off to a shop near me for a new or used 44mm offset Lyric 2.1 or 36 Performance Elite. The larger internal air volume of these forks is a tuning feature I can't compensate for with current fork even if I attempt cutting a VS in half. I could also adjust the travel on the new forks too, if 10mm more travel is in my future. I'd be happy to hear your comments. Thanks for the awesome tech reviews you continue produce.
No, it's interesting that they are listed here as better, while in fact they are not, just shows that the test is very biased. The most money that way I suppose.
Seb your reviews are the goods! The info is detailed and well thought out. Camera work is excellent. Cheers for that. Wondering if you'd comment a bit about the peddling feel/efficiencies you experienced with these forks. Would that impact any "overall" opinions about the forks? Thank you.
Hi Seb, I love your reviews, and think this was a top tier review. With that said, I have to say that people shouldn't read too much into this because, as you alluded to, I feel that forks can be sensitive to rider weight and aggressiveness/style without custom valving/springs. What works really well for you, might not work so well for someone else. Also, I'm a bit unsure about placing the Marzocchi and Yari so highly but I'm probably biased because I have a DVO Diamond haha. I also feel like some of the differences you pointed out, particularly between the Lyrik and the 36, could have been tuned out by changing the setup of the fork, or at least made closer.
As you say, how the fork perrforms is highly affected by setup. But in this test i've tried to get the forks set up optimally for me, and then talk about how they compare. Obviously you could make a Lyrik perform worse than a MRP if you set it up badly, but I'm trying to judge the forks on their potential here.
Thanks for another, great test with scientific approach! I wish there were more than one testers and you had a timed enduro-esque segment where you confront the subjective feeling with the clock (e.g. in DH 29 bikes subjectively feel slower than 27.5, but the clock shows otherwise).
Thanks for going thru all this effort dissecting the strenghth and weeknesses to this level. Excellent work, thoroughly enjoyed it. As a suggestion you could do more of the conclusions or applications, like if you are not that agressive this may work well for you also covering more riders. If you are a 50kg lady this might be best because this dosen't open any more. Still the best most comprehensive fork test I've seen.
Amazing, detailed review - and yet understandable :) Thank you! Would love to get a review of shocks next. Bonus would be to mention which shock is recommended for the heavier rider.
Seb - you're one of the most analytical, succinct and honest tester/reviewer out there. There is a level of respect for nuance in products others don't have. Huge kudos 🤙.
Super test!! I like too much these comparisons also becouse you say all the negative part of the parts tested (in this case the forks) and is really what I want to hear from a group test, not only that are all good product and dipend on what use do you want to do of it. Ah, finally a good real test! Well done!! 👍👌
Extremely well done test . Thank you for the very detailed reviews. I was looking into the CaneCreek Helm and not so much . I have a 2013 fox 36 . It doesn’t have that mid stroke support. It goes into it and sticks there . I need a fork that is supple in the corners and pushes out of the mid stroke on steep down hill compression and breaking. I feel as I’m always about to go over the bars.
The uncluttered way Seb talks and describes things gives me an idea of how clear his thought process is. If that's any indication of how these forks were tested, then it would've been methodical and reliable - with as little of the subjective element remaining in the testing soup, which is a good thing. So refreshing to see a product test done meticulously but with only the right amount of words... without long winded introductions and mansplaining gibberish. I didn't sense any sponsorship politics bias either. More tests and product reviews from 'the Seb' please.
Surprised at your thoughts about the MRP. It's been my favorite that I have ridden even compared to the 36. You didn't mention adjusting the negative air chamber at all. Did you guys mess with that much? Also suspension is personal and everyone has their own preferences. Definitely a comprehensive and detailed video.
This guy has the best understanding and vocabulary of any suspension reviewer I've ever seen. More than that, he offers actual criticism of products, instead of just jerking off the bike industry.
My 2019 Lyrik has been great! I haven't had the pleasure of really comparing forks back to back on the same bike like this, of the bikes I have tried with various suspension, the Lyrik is my favorite feeling fork especially for the super techy- rocky rooty trails we have here in New England USA.
I ride a rigid fork. Listened to every word and understood about 75% mainly because it was such a thorough and interesting review. (I'm getting old so a review on shorter travel trail forks would be great too, as I'll need suspension soon enough.)
I also choose to ride a rigid fork on my single speed just for fun though. A suspension fork is not just about comfort, it is about extra traction and control of your bike everywhere, especially when braking into corners. It is not just something you need when you get older...
Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for watching! We'd love to do loads of these tests, but as you imagine they're A LOT of work if you want to do a thorough job, and there's only so many we can do. Hopefully we've got some more planned over the summer, so keep your eyes on the channel. Cheers, BikeRadar
I have no clue about mountain biking (I prefer roadbiking) but I enjoyed your video and I could literally feel how passionate you are about testing the forks. Seems you have found the right job for you. Rock on!
Seb, some of your reviews are silly (Cube Stereo 160 C:62) but in this one you seem to know what you're talking about. I gave the effort a thumbs up. The range of forks tested was impressive.
sad not to see any formula fork in here (Formula selva ultra violet) or any suntour either (Durolox). What about intend bc? hope to see them one day.. great review anyways
@@willshawyer7280 Google Suntour Durolux its not XC or Trash i guess this misunderstanding comes down to wallmart bikes having those brands. But Suntors are Great value and their higher end forks like Durolux and Rux holds up quite well against the more expensive Fox and Rockshocks
@@DemonSLZ Some dude on my lake trail asked if my black rockshox fork was a suntour, and I literally pissed blood. Suntour forks are trash, which is why you don't see them in reviews such as this.
Yeah Seb! 2 months of testing - no shaving required! Thanks for doing this awesome review. Your characteristic delivery is great to listen to. Riding soon?
I'm looking at the Ibis Ripmo (carbon) for my next bike. There is an option to upgrade the dvo onyx d1 (160mm) to a fox 36 factory (160mm) for 290 dollars. I have heard that the DVO has very good off the top sensitivity, but some forum posts said that it wasn't a good fork. I weigh 126 pounds and I'm concerned about the damping on the Fox 36. What would your suggestion be between the two forks? Or should I get the DVO Onyx D1 and then upgrade to a better fork later on?
ACETM Zhong Ze i think that the available damping, aftermarket and service availability for the fox are strong selling points. You can always get a different tune for it. The Onyx is burly, has tons of adjustment and also offers good post-sale support. Having ridden both, and i think i’d go with fox just for the ease of service. Both are going to be awesome on thag bike. Otherwise, the dvo is a great fork, just hard to find a shop to work on it, even in a bike town like bend.
@@vivek_v try to demo the forks if you can. I have a feeling because you are very light a fox 36 will always be a little too firm. Maybe if you don't like whichever fork you choose you can sell the fork and buy a lyrik / yari. I bet they would both feel more comfortable to you.
@@FlyEaglesFly333 I got a SC Hightower (Carbon S build)instead of the ripmo. I talked with a guy in the bike shop who happens to be my exact same height and weight, and he didn't have a problem with the damping on the Fox 36 Performance, so it should be fine for me. Stoked on getting the bike although I have to wait 4 months because of corona.....
Thanks for watching! This test took Seb a long time and was a lot of hard work, but if you ask him really nicely he might do something similar for next year with the Formula Selva fork. Cheers, BikeRadar.
Great test. I would love to see at test and maybe comparisons between the top two here and the new Manitou Mezzer. Cheers and keep up the excellent work.
I have a lyric rc2. I hated it at first, until I realised that it had shipped with the LSC fully closed. The crossover between high and low speed compression damping is significant. Set up correctly is awsome.
hey danny i also have the öhlins rxf evo ... im havin a lot of trouble with the setup :-( do you have some tipps for me ? for my bike 15% sag is recomented ... the fork feels too harsh. if i setup 25-30 % sag the fork feels to soft ...
Thanks for watching and good to hear you found the video useful. We have more in the pipeline, but as you'd expect these take a lot of time and effort, so keep your eyes on the channel. BikeRadar.
BikeRadar it is great to see a review which isn’t based on sales material and press release packs rushed out to be first for clicks & hits. The time taken to put this together was evident and a welcome change. Credit where credit is due.......
i have a fox 36 rc2 for a year now in a yt capra pro 29 er. And 2 weeks ago i have ridden in the maribor bike park 4 days. And i newer bottomed out my fox. I dont know the grip 2 damper but the rc2 is pretty good too, for a world cup level track and for the illegal tracks too 😎. Anyways this test was one of the best when i saw in the yt congrats man nice work.
BikeRadar Not quite but almost, I have the fox 36 performance elite. I’ve been very impressed with it, never had a better performing fork over high speed chattery stuff, it just glides over it as though it’s not there. It’s had a tonne of abuse and has been very reliable. Saying that I haven’t tried any of the others in this test over any length of time and properly set up (have ridden the lyric on a demo day).
awesome and thorough review, im running a 2017 lyrik rct3 solo air fork and love it but i would love to be able to try the rc2 debonair or the new ultimate and see just what everyone is raving about! would like to see a DH version of this video if possible including the new boxxer and the formula nero r, so much awesome tech around at the moment
Again, love the way you test and explain what and what not to like on the products. Thanks for all the work! :D I am running a Marzocchi 350CR 2016 and don't feel the same lack of support you mentioned on the Z1. But I tested a few 2018 Fox36ers and love their sensitive way of support on all kind of tracks. It made me fall that much in love with them, that I'm hoping to can afford one one day ;) But I'm really curious to test out the new Lyrik, as I haven't done so yet. Thanks again, cheers and ride on! ^^
This was a very informative, in depth, and quite pleasant review! The only thing I can “nit-pick” about would be, I wish the prices would’ve been mentioned on each fork so we can get a better idea of why the expensive Fox brand forks work better than the other brands and cheaper forks.
I'm a pretty heavy rider and I ride an MRP on my FS. They say to multiply your weight by 40% for upper chamber psi and a 5% difference for the lower chamber, which I did. But then I heard from MRP to knock off and extra 15%, which I did as well, also adjusting the lower chamber accordingly. Then for my personal preference, I went another 5%. Set rebound and Ramp to the middle and only fiddle with the compression knob. Absolutely perfect for me and compare the feelings to a Mezzer Pro.
What's does everyone think of Seb's top ten? Has he got it right, or should something else have won? And, let us know about your experience these suspension forks in the comments!
To bad the Formula Selva was not included but I would say good test as always from Seb .
Would love to see the same test with the new DVO Onyx SC when they are ready.
Mattoc?
Great review 👌. I love my lyrik
Man, I've heard great things about the Ribbon. Really surprised you put that at that bottom. It almost sounded dismissive.
Any chance you didn't give it a fair shake or call MRP for setup suggestions?
The Formula Selva would have easyly taken one of the top spots. Also: Why are there two rs/fox forks for the same use case in the test? You dont really surprise anyone with the Lyrik being better than the yari. Seeing the Suntour Durolux would also have been intresting.
Most comprehensive side by side review I’ve ever seen. Outstanding job!
Thanks for watching! We're glad you think so.
adamelida19 agreed
Agreed. Seb should test everything!
And has a great, clear voice with excellent detail in the review!
Hands down, the best 🙌
No it isn't. It's purely objective. No numbers or actual lab results. Just personal opinions on how each fork "feels". A hardtail would have been a much better choice to isolate each fork. The rear shock might need to be adjusted when switching between forks to maximize the effectiveness/feel. Slow motion video from the same angle showing how every fork reacts over specific obstacles would have also been much more subjective than a single rider describing how each fork feels.
At least a panel of 5-10 riders voting on each fork would have mitigated the personal preference for feel skewing the results. This is completely unscientific..
10: Mrp ribbon err
9: ohlins rfx evo
8: x fusion 36 trace hli
7: cane creek helm air
6: dvo diamond
5: dt Swiss f5
4:marzocchi momber zed one
3: rockshox yari arcee
2: Fox 36 kashima
1: rockshox lyrik rc2
Ohlins needs to go back to the drawing board and learn more about the differences between mountain bike shocks and motorcycle shocks. They are the presumed kings in performance motorcycle shocks, almost all world-class race bikes from MotoGP, World Superbikes, and many others use Ohlins shocks. I've had them on four of my motorcycles, not the top-spec versions, but I have absolutely no complaints about them. I think if they would invest more in developing their mountain bike products, they will be formidable.
John S I was a little surprised to see this as well. They are the the masters of the black art of suspension tuning with everything on wheels and skis. Wonder if they bought out another company and rebranded to get their name into the market.
Fox 36 are crap...i will never bye on again
@@shanebrady1071 what happened bro?
Shane Brady what’s your choice?
This is the best rundown ever. Thank you guys!!
Glad you found it useful and thanks for watching!
Didn’t even know DT Swiss made suspension forks
Right?? I only ever seen rims by them
No one knew until now
Nino Schurter’s previous fork :)
They have for years, just never broken through to challenge the big 2.
DT Swiss forks are really high quality built, finish and technology and priced to match that.
Why am I watching a test about forks where even the cheapest cost more than my entire bike lol
Problem with the Cane Creek Helm fork is, that Cane Creek uses Racing Bros wiper seals, which are crazy tight. I switched over to Rock Shox Pike seals from SKF, which run much much smoother, which increases small pump sensitivity and simplifies finding a proper setup.
@Thomas I just increased the travel by 10mm and gave it lots of negative giving it the same travel but significantly more supple
Where did get that info from? I use RB Modi wipers in my Totem and Fox 36 and they are by far the best performing seals I have used that far, putting SKF to shame actually.
@@maximilianlindner it's pretty easy to tell when you go to take the lowers off
And when you try to remove the wipers from the lowers. You need a lot of force to do that. If you don't like SKF wipers, you can go for those from Push: www.pushindustries.com/collections/rear-shock-components/products/push-ultra-low-friction-fork-seal-kit
@@leomolloy5067 Very interesting. Maybe it differs with batches and / or the product lines for different stanchion diameters. I need to research this closer :)
Jesus Seb where'd that growth come from lad!!! Good comparison and good to see the likes of Cane Creek, DVO and DT Swiss in there against the big boys, there are too many comparisons of RockShox X vs Foxs Y. People need to see there's way more options out there, If you have the pennies to spend of course.
Years ago Dt swiss bought out pace and rebranded as their own fork. I owned a pair of pace rc 40s and they spent more time being serviced than ridden. Pace, latterly dt swiss forks were right up there in price point so was not impressed at all with their constant failure. Maybe I should get over it but for this reason I would never consider a dt swiss fork. Never had a bad experience with fox so dont look anywhere else these days.
SEB, you truly are The best reviewer, reporter, "how to" person in The mtb scene, i really hope @BikeRadar known how fucking awesome you are.
I really appreciate the care that was taken in doing this comparison. It seems that a lot of effort was made to remove the effects of personal bias and setup errors as well as day-to-day variability of the rider. Anyone can do a review. Not everyone can do one correctly. Well done.
Thanks for watching! Seb worked really hard on the review and we're glad you found it useful. BikeRadar
Agreed. I upgraded my 2018 Yari's air spring to a Debonair one and it feels like I have a new fork. Much more supple and more supportive. The ultimate budget solution is to get a Yari Debonair and upgrade the damper so that you get a Yarik. Or Lyari? You'll even lose Yaris excess weight by dumping that 180 ml of oil inside the damper.
Agreed. A Yari can always be upgraded to the Charger 2.0 or 2.1 damper and SKF seals when you can afford to and you have a Lyrik with Yari stickers.
but the damper upgrade is quite expensive. buy an old yari, still plenty in stock for cheap and upgrade just to the debonair spring you have the best performance for the least money i think. if you upgrade the damper you might aswell get an lyrik, price difference is minimal
Adding Vorsprung Luftkappe has made a big difference on my old Yari, before that I was not happy with it but after adding Luftkappe it has become acceptable fork. I suppose the new debonair spring has a similar effect.
Even better upgrade albeit pricey. PUSH industries ACS3 coil spring and HC97 damper conversions. I’ve not done it yet but have parts ready (except for needing a Charger 2 damper). Can’t wait to try it. Rockshox has always been my go-to fork company. From the first Boxxer in 1998 to my first Lyrik in 2007 (?) they’ve proven to me to outperform all else
Such a hard work to compile all....months of work condensed into 19minutes! Kudos!
Thanks for watching and glad you enjoyed the video!
Your hard work paid off!! Thank you Seb! You're an asset to the biking community. Nowhere else are you going to see this kind of comparison.
Seb always puts a lot of work into these tests, so we're chuffed you find them useful!
He puts so much effort, every video with him he just prove how much time and thinking he must have done
Yes been waiting for the Marzocchi to get some attention it deserved. And clear up my thoughts on other forks. How they compare
I have a Grip damper 36 and it's stellar.
@@Atomb I own a 2018 fox 36 factory with rc2. And a fit 4 2015 fox 36. They both perform pretty good
Hate to be cringe nostalgic guy but my 66sl ata was awesome
Chuck Finley i have a bomber 66rc on my 2005 Kona Stinky lol. Marzocchi and Manitou were the biggest names in suspension in those days. I havent rode much in the last decade, stuff has sure changed.
Chuck Beef heck yea! ive been trying to find a stinky cheap to fool around with
Most comprehensive fork test I've seen for ages. Thx.
Dude Thanks for taking the time and effort to do this test ! The information you provided is valuable and VERY useful . I am upgrading my forks and this is information that I can use . Thanks again and keep up the good work !
Really nice review, taking the time to switch out the fork on the same test bike on the same trail must have been tedious but really makes it a fair comparrison
My bike is equipped with the lyrik and your analogy is spot on accurate. Plush fork.
Great to hear you enjoyed the test and good to hear you're enjoying the Lyrik fork!
So much work devoted to this test, I'm impressed. Great video!
Thanks for watching, Seb put a lot of effort into the test, so we're glad you found it useful!
Great review. This is the most comprehensive suspension review I've seen, and I agree on the forks I've ridden. You were particularly spot-on with your review of the Fox 36 Grip 2. I can't seem to get it to use 100% of the travel (I haven't removed the stock volume spacer yet) on any of my rides. It feels super supportive in the mid-stroke, but the first bit of travel does feel very supple. For me, it's a great fork, but once in a while I do think they could have improved the deep-in-the-travel suppleness to suck up larger impacts with a little more gentle feel on the hands.
Very good review / test. Well thought out, very thorough details and just overall great insight to how the forks actually work. Well done.
One of the best "shootout" style reviews I've ever seen.. so much specific detail with regards to the rankings and great insight on how the different systems actually work. Thank You!
Thanks for watching!
Why am I watching this, I have 2 road bikes?
Because you know you wana come to the dark side ;).. moreover, most MTBers have several road bikes
@@joshuacanfield93 but we obviously never mention that we own road bikes
I also have 2 Road bikes (not if someone asks) and I'm a very passionate mountain biker
Because your hypnotized the more you watch this test!! It can be a blast.
Joshua Canfield that they ride anymore
Great test Seb! Best forks comparison ever!...and I actually like all of your tests, it seems like you're really putting an effort to make the comparisons as objective as possible.
Thanks for watching. Seb puts a lot of work into these videos, so it's great to hear you've found them useful.
The best presentation of the comparitive information I've seen. Makes the most sense. Thank you for putting this together.
Thanks for watching and glad you found it useful!
I really appreciate the REASONING for the resulting opinions. Sharing that technical information as to WHY a certain fork acts a certain way has helped me understand how to differentiate between a fork's characteristic and a fork's adjustment.
Thanks‼️
👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽
What a great review. No wasted time. Extremely concise.
Fantastic review, Amazing job articulating the differences between the fork and putting into meaningful words!
Seb, you make absolutely the most valuable tech reviews found, even today, almost a year post publication. Super detailed comparison and explanation of the nuances.
I have a 2018 Fox Performance 34/150 e-mtb 51mm fork using (8cc blue VS same as in Fox 32) that I haven't been able to setup to my liking. It is the OEM spec for my Scott Genius XL. My fork feels mechanically stiff enough for my 230lbs. Binding doesn't appear to be the problem because at lower psi I can get full travel but it then lacks mid stroke support with excessive diving. Scott claims it to be lighter and comparable in stiffness to the normal 36/150.
I'm now running it with 20% sag/120 psi (max recommended psi) and one Volume Spacer. Two VS and 105 psi makes it hard-spike, well before (never) bottoming. I'll try a few more changes of -5 psi then -10psi with one VS and eventually one VS /120psi readjusted with -5 or-10psi. If these changes fail me I will be off to a shop near me for a new or used 44mm offset Lyric 2.1 or 36 Performance Elite. The larger internal air volume of these forks is a tuning feature I can't compensate for with current fork even if I attempt cutting a VS in half. I could also adjust the travel on the new forks too, if 10mm more travel is in my future.
I'd be happy to hear your comments.
Thanks for the awesome tech reviews you continue produce.
Quite interesting that the two budget forks from the big guns still preform better then the super expensive boutique forks.
I liked my Yari. Doesn't even compare to my Ohlins though. But it is a coil and not a part of the test.
No, it's interesting that they are listed here as better, while in fact they are not, just shows that the test is very biased. The most money that way I suppose.
Incredibly well put together test. Must have have taken a lot of time & effort, well done guys
Thanks for watching! Seb put A LOT of work into the test, so we're glad you found it useful.
Seb your reviews are the goods! The info is detailed and well thought out. Camera work is excellent. Cheers for that. Wondering if you'd comment a bit about the peddling feel/efficiencies you experienced with these forks. Would that impact any "overall" opinions about the forks? Thank you.
Ini tutorial testimonial yang mantap banget juragan....
Hi Seb, I love your reviews, and think this was a top tier review. With that said, I have to say that people shouldn't read too much into this because, as you alluded to, I feel that forks can be sensitive to rider weight and aggressiveness/style without custom valving/springs. What works really well for you, might not work so well for someone else. Also, I'm a bit unsure about placing the Marzocchi and Yari so highly but I'm probably biased because I have a DVO Diamond haha. I also feel like some of the differences you pointed out, particularly between the Lyrik and the 36, could have been tuned out by changing the setup of the fork, or at least made closer.
As you say, how the fork perrforms is highly affected by setup. But in this test i've tried to get the forks set up optimally for me, and then talk about how they compare. Obviously you could make a Lyrik perform worse than a MRP if you set it up badly, but I'm trying to judge the forks on their potential here.
Great forkin review!! Very well done and appreciate the work that was done. So many choices so glad to see someone test them against each other.
Thanks for another, great test with scientific approach! I wish there were more than one testers and you had a timed enduro-esque segment where you confront the subjective feeling with the clock (e.g. in DH 29 bikes subjectively feel slower than 27.5, but the clock shows otherwise).
Finally someone did this video, thanks lads.
This has been the best fork review to date! Thank you!
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for going thru all this effort dissecting the strenghth and weeknesses to this level. Excellent work, thoroughly enjoyed it. As a suggestion you could do more of the conclusions or applications, like if you are not that agressive this may work well for you also covering more riders. If you are a 50kg lady this might be best because this dosen't open any more. Still the best most comprehensive fork test I've seen.
Amazing, detailed review - and yet understandable :) Thank you!
Would love to get a review of shocks next. Bonus would be to mention which shock is recommended for the heavier rider.
Seb - you're one of the most analytical, succinct and honest tester/reviewer out there. There is a level of respect for nuance in products others don't have. Huge kudos 🤙.
Great review, not surprised at the top two but very surprised at how the boutique “high end” forks scored so low!
Super test!! I like too much these comparisons also becouse you say all the negative part of the parts tested (in this case the forks) and is really what I want to hear from a group test, not only that are all good product and dipend on what use do you want to do of it. Ah, finally a good real test! Well done!! 👍👌
Extremely well done test . Thank you for the very detailed reviews.
I was looking into the CaneCreek Helm and not so much . I have a 2013 fox 36 . It doesn’t have that mid stroke support. It goes into it and sticks there . I need a fork that is supple in the corners and pushes out of the mid stroke on steep down hill compression and breaking. I feel as I’m always about to go over the bars.
Troy Phillips sounds like you need a proper setup and a service.
you present it in a way that I think I can feel the different forks while sitting on my desk - great vid!
Thanks for watching and great to hear you found it useful!
#mancrush ?
This is by far the most detailed reviews and comparisons between branded forks.
The uncluttered way Seb talks and describes things gives me an idea of how clear his thought process is. If that's any indication of how these forks were tested, then it would've been methodical and reliable - with as little of the subjective element remaining in the testing soup, which is a good thing. So refreshing to see a product test done meticulously but with only the right amount of words... without long winded introductions and mansplaining gibberish. I didn't sense any sponsorship politics bias either. More tests and product reviews from 'the Seb' please.
Surprised at your thoughts about the MRP. It's been my favorite that I have ridden even compared to the 36. You didn't mention adjusting the negative air chamber at all. Did you guys mess with that much?
Also suspension is personal and everyone has their own preferences.
Definitely a comprehensive and detailed video.
also have a mrp, I love it
Exactly. I added +5 psi to the positive chamber. Set the rebound to the middle and fart around with ramp control. You'll get there.
This guy has the best understanding and vocabulary of any suspension reviewer I've ever seen. More than that, he offers actual criticism of products, instead of just jerking off the bike industry.
My 2019 Lyrik has been great! I haven't had the pleasure of really comparing forks back to back on the same bike like this, of the bikes I have tried with various suspension, the Lyrik is my favorite feeling fork especially for the super techy- rocky rooty trails we have here in New England USA.
Thanks for this, so much detail, so informative. Great work!
Kudos for doing such a detailed and relevant test
I really enjoyed this. I had the same thoughts with the Fox Grip2 and Lyrik when I rode them. Thanks for doing this. Look forward to more videos!
Thanks for watching!
I ride a rigid fork. Listened to every word and understood about 75% mainly because it was such a thorough and interesting review.
(I'm getting old so a review on shorter travel trail forks would be great too, as I'll need suspension soon enough.)
I also choose to ride a rigid fork on my single speed just for fun though. A suspension fork is not just about comfort, it is about extra traction and control of your bike everywhere, especially when braking into corners. It is not just something you need when you get older...
Liking this review format, would be awesome to see a similar group test for more trail oriented forks, pike, 34 etc.
Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for watching! We'd love to do loads of these tests, but as you imagine they're A LOT of work if you want to do a thorough job, and there's only so many we can do. Hopefully we've got some more planned over the summer, so keep your eyes on the channel. Cheers, BikeRadar
I have no clue about mountain biking (I prefer roadbiking) but I enjoyed your video and I could literally feel how passionate you are about testing the forks. Seems you have found the right job for you. Rock on!
Seb, some of your reviews are silly (Cube Stereo 160 C:62) but in this one you seem to know what you're talking about. I gave the effort a thumbs up. The range of forks tested was impressive.
Bar has been set for fork shootouts! Excellent job!
Thanks for watching and great to hear you found the video useful! BikeRadar
thanks man, really appretiate all the effort you put in to make this video happen, super entertaining and helpfull!
Great, thorough review/comparison!
sad not to see any formula fork in here (Formula selva ultra violet) or any suntour either (Durolox). What about intend bc? hope to see them one day.. great review anyways
제가 쓰는 Dirt RST는 없네요 흑흑
Yeah because those fork brands are entry level xc trash. This is the *top of the range* suspension
@@willshawyer7280 Google Suntour Durolux its not XC or Trash i guess this misunderstanding comes down to wallmart bikes having those brands. But Suntors are Great value and their higher end forks like Durolux and Rux holds up quite well against the more expensive Fox and Rockshocks
Alpha Demon nah not Walmart bikes just general entry level bikes. I don’t like them and they don’t feel good
@@DemonSLZ Some dude on my lake trail asked if my black rockshox fork was a suntour, and I literally pissed blood. Suntour forks are trash, which is why you don't see them in reviews such as this.
Yeah Seb! 2 months of testing - no shaving required! Thanks for doing this awesome review. Your characteristic delivery is great to listen to.
Riding soon?
Just whacked a 2020 Lyrick on my 2018 transition patrol and it’s amazing, love it. Great review.
Holy Molly. I'm just a beginner but this review is so insanely well done. Thanks!!
Absolutely loved this review. I’m shopping for a fork and the detail you provided is really helpful. Thank you!!
Started watching this and thought "better say good things about the diamond fork because I have one" XD
Outstandingly comprehensive! Great job!
It would he interesting to see how DVO’s onyx fork compares. I have one on my reign. It’s arguably one of the best feeling forks i have ridden
I'm looking at the Ibis Ripmo (carbon) for my next bike. There is an option to upgrade the dvo onyx d1 (160mm) to a fox 36 factory (160mm) for 290 dollars. I have heard that the DVO has very good off the top sensitivity, but some forum posts said that it wasn't a good fork. I weigh 126 pounds and I'm concerned about the damping on the Fox 36. What would your suggestion be between the two forks? Or should I get the DVO Onyx D1 and then upgrade to a better fork later on?
ACETM Zhong Ze i think that the available damping, aftermarket and service availability for the fox are strong selling points. You can always get a different tune for it. The Onyx is burly, has tons of adjustment and also offers good post-sale support. Having ridden both, and i think i’d go with fox just for the ease of service. Both are going to be awesome on thag bike.
Otherwise, the dvo is a great fork, just hard to find a shop to work on it, even in a bike town like bend.
@@vivek_v try to demo the forks if you can. I have a feeling because you are very light a fox 36 will always be a little too firm. Maybe if you don't like whichever fork you choose you can sell the fork and buy a lyrik / yari. I bet they would both feel more comfortable to you.
@@FlyEaglesFly333 I got a SC Hightower (Carbon S build)instead of the ripmo. I talked with a guy in the bike shop who happens to be my exact same height and weight, and he didn't have a problem with the damping on the Fox 36 Performance, so it should be fine for me. Stoked on getting the bike although I have to wait 4 months because of corona.....
Best review yet! I had a feeling rock shock and fox would come out on top. It's all I've ever used
Great test! Agree about the fox 36 being a firmer fork in general. It's good to see a lot of the alternatives tested.
Good stuff.
Awesome review Seb, very detailed but fully understandable for the average rider.
Good to hear you found it useful!
Good review,Would love to see a review of the formula selva fork.
Thanks for watching! This test took Seb a long time and was a lot of hard work, but if you ask him really nicely he might do something similar for next year with the Formula Selva fork. Cheers, BikeRadar.
@@bikeradar and mattoc pro please
Always really good testing and explanations from Seb.
Wow, really impressed with the thoroughness of this comaprision/review - this is how it should be done imo.. Thanks!
Can you All at Bikeradar please do this with XC forks
Fox 32 SC Factory =)
Lefty
Yes
We need it..
Please!
Thomas Kam im on the 34 factory SC. Its rad.
Great test. I would love to see at test and maybe comparisons between the top two here and the new Manitou Mezzer. Cheers and keep up the excellent work.
I have a lyric rc2. I hated it at first, until I realised that it had shipped with the LSC fully closed. The crossover between high and low speed compression damping is significant. Set up correctly is awsome.
I have the ohlins and absolutely love them, maybe i need to change to find out how good other forks can be
hey danny i also have the öhlins rxf evo ... im havin a lot of trouble with the setup :-( do you have some tipps for me ? for my bike 15% sag is recomented ... the fork feels too harsh. if i setup 25-30 % sag the fork feels to soft ...
I’m sure a lot of work went into this review, BIG Thanks BikeRadar!
Thanks for watching!
You guys do great tests and reviews ! Double thumbs up !
Thanks for watching!
Amazing test! Clearly A HUGE amount of work. Thank you!!
Really great informative, descriptive in depth review. Deffo more in this format, top job👍🏼
Thanks for watching and good to hear you found the video useful. We have more in the pipeline, but as you'd expect these take a lot of time and effort, so keep your eyes on the channel. BikeRadar.
BikeRadar it is great to see a review which isn’t based on sales material and press release packs rushed out to be first for clicks & hits.
The time taken to put this together was evident and a welcome change. Credit where credit is due.......
great job, very informative, I almost didn't watch because of length of time of video, but very glad I did, thank you
i have a fox 36 rc2 for a year now in a yt capra pro 29 er. And 2 weeks ago i have ridden in the maribor bike park 4 days. And i newer bottomed out my fox. I dont know the grip 2 damper but the rc2 is pretty good too, for a world cup level track and for the illegal tracks too 😎. Anyways this test was one of the best when i saw in the yt congrats man nice work.
Wow incredible job
Do this with shocks as well!! Great video
This video is perfect!
Brilliant review! Thank you.
Very good reviews. Thanks for the solid rundown.
Very comprehensive review/comparison. Good video!
Thanks for watching and glad you found the video useful! Do you own any of the forks on test? What has your experience been like with them?
BikeRadar Not quite but almost, I have the fox 36 performance elite. I’ve been very impressed with it, never had a better performing fork over high speed chattery stuff, it just glides over it as though it’s not there. It’s had a tonne of abuse and has been very reliable. Saying that I haven’t tried any of the others in this test over any length of time and properly set up (have ridden the lyric on a demo day).
really good review ..... we usually never see this kind of review. Good work Seb , more of the same please.
Thanks for your comment and for watching! We are looking forward to more mega group test reviews in the future. Cheers, from all at BikeRadar!
Marzo-KEY is the right pronunciation
noted.
Mar-ZOKK-ee
Gabriele D'Alessio nope. It’s pronounced shitfork
fra si dice marzocchi e basta
awesome and thorough review, im running a 2017 lyrik rct3 solo air fork and love it but i would love to be able to try the rc2 debonair or the new ultimate and see just what everyone is raving about! would like to see a DH version of this video if possible including the new boxxer and the formula nero r, so much awesome tech around at the moment
Again, love the way you test and explain what and what not to like on the products. Thanks for all the work! :D
I am running a Marzocchi 350CR 2016 and don't feel the same lack of support you mentioned on the Z1. But I tested a few 2018 Fox36ers and love their sensitive way of support on all kind of tracks. It made me fall that much in love with them, that I'm hoping to can afford one one day ;) But I'm really curious to test out the new Lyrik, as I haven't done so yet.
Thanks again, cheers and ride on! ^^
Been waiting so long for this! Great job Seb!
This was a very informative, in depth, and quite pleasant review! The only thing I can “nit-pick” about would be, I wish the prices would’ve been mentioned on each fork so we can get a better idea of why the expensive Fox brand forks work better than the other brands and cheaper forks.
Miss my 66, i always liked my plane jane 36 van
I'm a pretty heavy rider and I ride an MRP on my FS. They say to multiply your weight by 40% for upper chamber psi and a 5% difference for the lower chamber, which I did. But then I heard from MRP to knock off and extra 15%, which I did as well, also adjusting the lower chamber accordingly. Then for my personal preference, I went another 5%. Set rebound and Ramp to the middle and only fiddle with the compression knob. Absolutely perfect for me and compare the feelings to a Mezzer Pro.
nice review bikeradar, can u include also suntour durolux and the rst forks that wont break the bank.cheers