Rockshox Lyrik Ultimate: Red Baron - the (old) cult fork after 10 months of use

The Rockshox Lyrik was big for a long time - but for some years now it has been living in the shadows. The big brother ZEB with its thick 38 mm stanchions is to blame. It pushed the Lyrik enduro fork into the all-mountain category without further ado, and suddenly manufacturers were only fitting the ZEB in their enduro bikes.

Incidentally, the competitor Fox did the same with the 36 and 38. Thick replaces thin - it's as simple as that.

Rockshox Lyrik 160 - better than its big brother ZEB?

The Lyrik is a few hundred grams lighter and therefore better suited if you want to build your bike light and trim it more in the direction of a conventional enduro bike - rather than a baller machine.

With its thick stanchions, the ZEB offers more rigidity and therefore a more massive look. It should be common knowledge by now that stiff is not always better. This is also proven by the upside-down fork trend - after all, these forks are known for their low stiffness values.

We have not made a direct comparison between Lyrik and ZEB - at least not on the same bike. Both forks perform at the highest level and even share some of the same inner workings.

The bike and the fork - why?

For my Propain Sresh SL endurance test bike, I had the choice in the online configurator: the fat ZEB with 170 millimetres of travel or the Lyrik with 160 millimetres. The decision was easy for me, because A) the Lyrik with its 160 millimetre travel fits better with the 150 millimetre rear end. B) it's lighter - important for a minimal-assist bike like the Sresh SL. And C) it annoys me how the ZEB has overrun the segment.

Now I could add point "D": I don't want a stiffer fork - stiffer is not cooler. But I don't. Why? Because I've misjudged stiffness too often. In the past, my popometer often had a completely different judgement than our BIKE test lab. So much honesty is a must.

The Lyrik Ultimate - setup and riding behaviour

Setup is easy, even with the top model. The sticker on the dip tube helps, even if I don't agree with the specifications. In other words: I estimate my operating weight (with shoes, clothes, helmet, pads etc.) at 81 kilos. Rockshox recommends 90 PSI here.

The note: "Add 10 PSI for e-bikes". Never! Even 90 PSI is far too tight for me. I ride 80 PSI, sometimes even 78 PSI - according to the table, that corresponds to a body weight of just 70-72 kilos with helmet and pipapo. I do the same with Fox, by the way. Only with the cheaper models from both manufacturers does the idea not work. Danger of puncture!

Back to the setup: I turn the high-speed and low-speed compression stages in 3 clicks each. Then adjust the rebound by feel. The front wheel should just lift off during the classic car park press-and-release test.

By the way: Thank goodness there's only one wheel here, unlike the Fox top versions. Nobody needs separate high and low-speed compression damping! Done.

In practice, I appreciate the smooth response behaviour. The Ultimate achieves this particularly smoothly. The Lyrik parries hard impacts with ease and keeps the tyres on the ground even on small, fast braking bumps. Top performance - but also a top model with a corresponding price.

Defects: What's shaking so loudly?

After around five months, it rattles on rough descents. The test: Place your index finger between the stanchion tube and the fork bridge, pull the front brake and jerk - this provides information. Bushing play. Not wild at first, but annoying because it's loud.

The rattling constantly bothers me on downhills because I think: something is loose. A colleague said that you would also feel a loss of performance with such significant bushing play - but I didn't notice any.

After a few weeks - I was too lazy - I sent the fork in after all. It was a warranty case, Rockshox assured me.

Until then, I rode the equivalent from the competitor Fox - the 36 - and although I didn't have a direct comparison on a standard track, the Lyrik suited me better. All the better that the fork was back in no time. However, I can't say how long the service will take without an editorial address.

The service did the fork good: no more rattling, everything as before. So I rode the fork for another few months. But shortly before I wrote this article, something happened again. Not quite as loud, but rattling - again slight bushing play, but this time apparently only on the right fork leg. An isolated case or a more frequent problem? I can't say.

Rockshox Lyrik: Why the old one when there's a new one?

Rockshox presented the new Lyrik at the beginning of the year - a real new start. Highlight: The fork is once again available as an enduro version with 170 millimetres of travel. In addition, the inner workings have been completely redeveloped: new air spring, new damping cartridge and a clever system for permanent lubrication of the bushings. Click here for the complete article of the new Lyrik.

I haven't ridden the new fork yet. What I do know is that the Ultimate version costs 1350 euros. The predecessor is priced at 1199 euros RRP - although significant discounts can be expected in online shops. By the way: The old Lyrik weighs 2035 grams (29"), the new one has gained weight: 2280 grams (29").

Conclusion Rockshox Lyrik Ultimate E1 (until 2026)

The Rockshox Lyrik may have had a successor - but the "old one" is still one of the best on the market. According to our colleague Max, who has already been able to test the new Lyrik extensively, it is not a game changer. In other words: the "old" Lyrik Ultimate definitely still has its raison d'être. Especially as there are substantial discounts online. The setup works wonderfully, the response behaviour is as smooth as butter, it bounces confidently on rough trails and the single-spring characteristics are just right. The only drawback: the repeated bushing play on my test model.
Laurin Lehner, test editor