RockShox new signature series range: SID, Pike, Lyrik and BoXXer forks, Deluxe, Super Deluxe and Super Deluxe Coil shocks, and the Reverb dropper post.

>>> Best mountain bike suspension forks 2019

2020 RockShox range need to know

• RockShox Signature series forks are SID, Pike, Lyrik and BoXXer
• Available in three flavours: Select, Select+ and Ultimate
• Updated Charger 2.1 damper gets reduced high-speed compression damping
• High-performance Maxima Plush fluid in all cartridge dampers.
• New SKF wiper seals reduce friction
• Rebound piston wearband offers more consistent damping and tracking
• Fork chassis and air springs are unchanged for 2020

In a good, better, best approach to model names, Select, Select+ and Ultimate indicate the performance level of each product line, with Ultimate being the flagship model.

And all of the classic RockShox colours are back too, including SID blue and a retro-silver Pike. But this isn’t simply a rebranding exercise that replaces RC, RC Charger 2 and RC2 Charger 2 fork nomenclature with Select, Select+ and Ultimate tags – RockShox has also updated some of the fork internals.

Can you buy the Charger 2.1 to upgrade your 2019 fork?

Yes, Charger 2.1 upgrade kits will be available aftermarket. RockShox will offer Charger 2.1 as damper upgrade kits in both RC2
and RCT3.

• AM [aftermarket] UPGRADE KIT CHARGER 2.1 RCT3 PIKE 26 CRN, £250
• AM UPGRADE KIT CHARGER 2.1 RCT3 PIKE 27 CRN, £250
• AM UPGRADE KIT CHARGER 2.1 RCT3 PIKE 29 CRN, £250
• AM UPGRADE KIT CHARGER 2.1 RCT3 PIKE B27 CRN, £250
• AM UPGRADE KIT CHARGER 2.1 RCT3 PIKE B29 CRN, £250
• AM UPGRADE KIT CHARGER 2.1 RC2 PIKE B1, £370
• AM UPGRADE KIT CHARGER 2.1 RC2 LYRIK CRN, £325
• AM UPGRADE KIT CHARGER 2.1 RCT3 LYRIK CRN, £250
• AM UPGRADE KIT CHARGER 2.1 RC2 BXR 27/29, £370

What about rear shocks?

The only damper changes from MY19 to MY20 is the new Deluxe Ultimate shock.

The Deluxe Ultimate shock is an entirely new damper made up of five tunable pistons, representing a new level of inline shock.
The shock deals with compression and rebound in a symmetric manner. The rebound/compression needle controls the oil flow in
the initial shock movement — metering oil through an orifice before travelling through a shim stack. Therefore, LSC and rebound are managed more consistently than ever before. This system also stops the backflow of oil in the compression and rebound circuits.

The compression adjustment dial on the Deluxe Ultimate shock provides a clearer defined position for the
base tune of the bike “0”. Moving to “+” adds damping and “-” takes away damping. The increased compression and rebound control is particularly effective at lower shaft speeds where the damping is harder to control.

How does the new stuff perform?

The above info covers the key changes to the RockShox fork line for 2020, specifically the Lyrik Ultimate. And while it’s always good to keep abreast of the latest technical developments, no matter how small, we actually got the chance to ride the current Lyrik RC2 back-to-back in an ABA test format with the new Lyrik Ultimate.

Read: 2020 RockShox Lyrik Ultimate: first ride review

You can’t beat a bit of back-to-back-to-back testing!