The three previous spec compilations for Fox, Wound Up Composites, and ENVE were pretty straightforward. These three companies, in their brilliance, lay out all of the information needed to understand the effect that their forks will have on bike design. Unfortunately, not all companies choose to make life simple. And, with that, it’s time to look at the 2017 Rock Shox lineup.
But, before we do. You can probably guess that I’m not impressed with the information available from the manufacturer on Rock Shox forks. It seems that they will provide axle-crown distance or the offset but rarely, if ever, both. Without guessing what the missing value may be, it is difficult to design a bike with one of their forks. Now maybe I’m missing something, and the info is in plain site, but it almost seems as if they don’t want you to have all of the specifications necessary to design a good bike. Sure you can argue that a mm here or there won’t make a big difference, but it will make a difference. Did I mention how impressed I am with Fox, Wound Up Composites, and ENVE for sharing all of their specs?
| Wheel Size (inches) | Travel (mm) | Axle-Crown Length (mm) | Offset (mm) | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SID World Cup | 27.5 and 29 | 100mm | ??? | 42, 46, 51 | It's not clear whether all offsets are available for both wheel sizes |
| SID XX, RL, and RLC | 27.5 and 29 | 100mm | ??? | Same as above | Same as above |
| Reba RLT and RL | 26 | 120 | 493 | ??? | |
| 27.5 | 120 | 507 | ??? | ||
| 29 | 100 | 506 | ??? | ||
| Pike RC | 26 | 160 | 542 | ??? | |
| 27.5 | 150 | 542 | ??? | ||
| 29 | 140 | 551 | ??? | ||
| Recon Gold RL and TK | 27.5 | 100 | 490 | ??? | |
| 29 | 100 | 506 | ??? | ||
| Recon Silver RL | 27.5 | ??? | 42, 46 (AM) 42, 46, 51 (OE) | ||
| 29 | ??? | 42, 46 (AM) 42, 46, 51 (OE) | |||
| Recon Silver TK | 27.5 | 100 | 480 | ??? | |
| 29 | 100 | 510 | ??? |
Actually, that’s it. There are more forks in their lineup but so much information is missing that I can’t be bothered to compile what is there. Maybe I’ll come back to finish it but, instead, I would prefer to work with forks where the information is easily available. Like Fox, for example.
