The better is the enemy of the good. According to this principle, our suspension elements become obsolete every year. Manufacturers deliberately pack their innovations into their products in small chunks - this may make sense as a business model, as progress and better performance are the main reason for new purchases. However, the short model cycles often lead to frustration for customers - when the newly acquired test winner is overtaken by its own successor a short time later.
The Rockshox Pike is a classic. In 2017, you would have thought the fork was fully developed: fairly light, fairly robust. Good response behaviour, linear characteristic curve, very effective Charger compression cartridge. Perhaps a little sporty and firm, but on the whole, rightly a perennial favourite and repeated test winner. What more could you want? The Pike 2018 perhaps? What could be better about it than its predecessor? The answer was given by the BIKE test in issue 06/2018. The new casting is lighter, stiffer and offers a larger DebonAir negative air chamber for even more sensitive response. The Charger 2 compression cartridge makes the fork more forgiving AND more dynamic at high speeds. It is rightly the test winner in our test - and noticeably better than its predecessor. But the top version also costs over 1000 euros (RRP). So get your wallet out and head to the shop? Once there, you will realise that in addition to the expensive new purchase, there are also inexpensive tuning alternatives for the 2017 model: the AWK system from Chickadeehill costs 130 euros, and the Vorsprung suspension air cap including installation tool costs 89.95 euros. Your wallet is begging you to buy the tuning part, but your technical mind is sceptical: does the air chamber alternative really offer a noticeable advantage in terms of spring performance? And is it so great that the older Pike can keep up with the current model?
THICK AIR
Two manufacturers, two technical approaches, but the same idea: At Vorsprung, a larger negative air chamber, which can also be customised, is intended to make the "old" pike more powerful. AWK relies on two positive chambers in series with a floating separating piston. However, Vorsprung Luftkappe (1) and AWK (2) promise better response and a more linear characteristic curve in the same form. Both are significantly cheaper than a new purchase. However, the cheaper air cap (89.95 euros incl. special tool) requires a high level of screwdriver skills. The AWK is a simple tuning part for everyone and, at 130 euros, is still in the green zone.
The test procedure
Two 2017 Pikes RCT3s are pimped with AWK kits and air cap tuning. The set-up is initially based on the manufacturer's specifications and is then adjusted during the test. In trail use and on several comparison rides in the bike park, they compete against the current top model Pike RCT3 2018. For the test rides, the forks are installed in standardised bikes (Trek Remedy) with an identical setup. The first step, the actual fork tuning, takes just a few minutes with the AWK kit. Unscrew the old cover, insert the new air chamber unit, tighten, done. Any minimally skilled hobby mechanic can do this without any previous knowledge using a suitable socket. Only the inflation is a little more complicated than with the standard version, because you have to fill two chambers in the correct order with different pressures. This takes a little time, but is not a problem. For many, tuning via the air cap projection is more of a problem. You can't avoid completely dismantling the fork for this. If you want to do this yourself, you should have no inhibitions about loosening snap rings, filling in oil and generally taking apart and reassembling a fork that consists of many parts - otherwise the air cap is the wrong product. After all, there is only one valve here, but the air cap also requires a "tactic" when inflating: the air chamber must be replaced manually in individual steps - but the instructions on the importer's homepage are clear and comprehensible for everyone.
Tension before the first descent
The first few metres are particularly promising for the Vorsprung fork: it works noticeably more sensitively than the standard version from 2017. A lower breakaway torque is also confirmed later in the test bench test. The AWK also feels a little more dynamic, but only after we lowered the recommended air pressure in the two positive air chambers by 10 psi compared to the recommendation. However, the initial enthusiasm quickly gave way to disillusionment on the rough and steep sections of the test track. At high speeds, the 2018 Pike remains a whole class better than both tuned challengers. It quickly becomes clear that air chamber tuning alone can only bring advantages at a leisurely pace. As soon as the compression damping is required, the old Pike feels firmer and demands more from the rider. The arms tire sooner. The Charger 2 compression cartridge in the new Pike performs completely differently. It moves the fork almost to Lyrik level, i.e. into the swallowing range of an enduro fork. The management of the oil flow is so successful that hardly any load peaks are passed on to the hands. So the good news is that the air chamber tuning makes the old Pike a bit better. The bad news is that even the current Pike will no longer be the measure of all things in 2-3 years. Progress is unstoppable.
Conclusion from Christian Schleker, tester
Manufacturers are still managing to bring noticeable performance improvements to the market that literally make the predecessor products look "old". Unfortunately, air chamber tuning alone does not turn a 2017 Pike into a competitor for the current 2018 version. Although the response behaviour can be improved, the compression damping alone makes the difference on fast hits. It absorbs obstacles effectively and keeps the fork high in its travel - or not. The Charger 2 cartridge is simply better.
Setup: Pump, turn, press
On the test bench, the front air cap looks particularly good: More travel, lower breakaway torque (at 2018 level) and a linear curve over the entire suspension travel are noticeable when travelling slowly. However, the laboratory values do not show the behaviour on fast bumps when the compression damping is required. Here, the performance of both tuning forks drops significantly compared to the new '18 Pike. For sporty riders, air chamber tuning is therefore not enough for an effective performance gain.
You can read this article or the entire BIKE 10/2018 issue in the BIKE app (iTunes and Google Play) or buy the issue in the DK shop reorder:
