The demands of elite football leave little room for distraction. Training sessions, tactical meetings, match preparation and the relentless Premier League calendar define the week. Yet between it all, Andoni Iraola is muting WhatsApp groups to avoid spoilers from the cobbles. The AFC Bournemouth man...

"Provenance" is a new video from Michael Drummond that captures framebuilder Rob Quirk of Quirk Cycles in his element. Set in Rob's London workspace, it paints a vivid portrait of Quirk Cycles as the one-man brand transitions from one-off custom builds to production runs. Watch it here...The post Provenance: Inside Quirk Cycles (Video) appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

SRAM and RockShox both had some big announcements today. SRAM announced the addition of XX DH Transmission and new Maven B1 brakes, while RockShox announced a new Boxxer fork and Vivid Coil shock.All of these products fall in the downhill, or DH, category. And all three needed the perfect bike for us all to look at and say: Wow!Well, thanks to Pivot and their DH bike, the Phoenix, that need has been fulfilled. Introducing the Phoenix XX DH Special Edition.The Pivot PhoenixPivot released its latest iteration of the Phoenix in 2024. And, this was a special one. Two chains, six bars, MX wheels, a high-pivot; the new Phoenix seemed to have all the goodies we were looking for in a DH bike.To get a bit more technical, Pivot clarified its suspension layout as a mid-high pivot 6-bar platform. This 6-bar is built on a DW suspension platform, an agreement the brand entered into with Dave Weagle a handful of years ago.The more rearward axle path performed better when tackling square-edge hits and big chunk. However, with that rearward axle path, the concern is chain growth and pedal kickback. Typically, we see this mitigated by an upper idler pulley. However, Pivot chose to go with two chains and direct-mounted dual idlers. One chain connects an idler to the chainring, the other from an idler to the cassette.And with all of these extra idlers, chains, and other doodads, one would think Pivot created a pretty heavy bike. Sure, it may ride well, but it would probably be heavy nonetheless right?Wrong. Claimed weights hover around 36 pounds.Phoenix XX DH Special EditionNow, for the Phoenix XX DH Special Edition, Pivot uses their tried-and-true Phoenix frame, color-matched to the new Electric Red RockShox Boxxer fork. The very red frame is contrasted with a touch of black around the seat tube area, and also with white Pivot branding on the downtube.Specd on this special edition DH rig is RockShoxs new DH fork a 200mm travel Boxxer Ultimate. This new fork utilizes RockShoxs new LinearXL air spring and Charger 3.2 damper, providing an incredibly supple feel off the top but supportive through the midstroke. The end of the travel is protected with bottom-out support. Paired with the new Boxxer is the Vivid Ultimate DH air fork with 210mm of travel and a linear, but supportive platform.RockShoxs focus with the new suspension was on consistency, composure, and allowing the air spring to perform to its full potential. They feel that is best accomplished through a more linear platform that enhances traction, creating control, stability, and, most importantly, confidence.Accompanying the new RockShox offerings are SRAMs latest releases. Shrinking their direct-mount Transmission platform down to 7-speed, the company introduced XX DH Transmission. No longer do racers need to hesitate, even for just a millisecond, between shifts. With Transmission, SRAM says to put the hammer down and go.The brakes also appear to be the new Maven B1 Silver models (which are all black) based on the machined cut-outs in the aluminum brake levers. The spec sheet lists them as SRAM Maven Ultimate Stealth Black Edition, though, so well try to get clarification on that one. Along with these new offerings from SRAM and RockShox, Pivot chose some pretty spectacular components for this Phoenix XX DH Special Edition build.Fork: RockShox Boxxer Ultimate in Electric RedShock: RockShox Vivid Ultimate DHDrivetrain: SRAM XX DH TransmissionCranks: Praxis DH9 160mmBrakes: SRAM Maven Ultimate Stealth Black Edition (Maven B1 Silver?)Rotors: SRAM HS2 220/200mm F/RWheels: Crankbrothers Synthesis DH MXTires: Continental Kryptotal, DH Casing, Super SoftCockpit: In-house Pivot componentsPrice: $10,600Check out the Pivot Phoenix XX DH Special Edition at pivotcycles.com.The post Red Hot Special Edition Pivot Phoenix Gets New SRAM and RockShock Offerings appeared first on Bikerumor.

SRAM has unveiled a series of changes to its Maven brakes, relaunching the Bronze, Silver and top-tier models. Although the lever feel has changed, SRAM says the top-end power remains the same. With the lever feel of the mightily punchy Mavens being somewhat divisive, SRAM set about making some changes to the SwingLink cam mechanism and lever blade. The result is a brake that's lighter to pull but still offers outstanding stopping power. If you own the Mavens already, these new parts can be purchased as an aftermarket upgrade. Read more: SRAM says its new drivetrain is tougher, quieter and will make DH racers faster Lighter lever feel Braking style, lever setup and feel are all very individual, subjective things. Thats why different riders will like different brakes for different reasons. When SRAM launched the Maven brakes in 2024, I was a big fan of the power they possessed and how it was delivered. Not everyone was, though. While some criticised them for being too powerful, there were more who were unhappy with the initial lever feel, wanting it to be lighter. This might not have been such an issue if the Maven line-up didnt include the Base model. The more basic lever didnt feature the SwingLink cam mechanism and, as a result, felt lighter to pull. The Maven Base model won over rider after rider and SRAM was quick to take note. It knew it needed to update the Maven line-up and adjust how the pricier, more adjustable levers felt in a bid to please the masses and the result is the updates announced today. I caught up with Ben Crowe, Maven product manager, to find out how these changes came about. Out with the old An updated SwingLink cam helps to deliver a lighter lever feel on the latest generation of SRAM Maven brakes. Callum Wood / SRAM The current gen has that distinct heavy breakaway. As with anything, people who liked that just got on and rode it, says Crowe. While the original Mavens had their fans, that initial lever feel created more than its fair share of critics. Crowe continues: There were people who wanted a lighter-action lever. That was probably one of the number one things; getting rid of that cam-over feel and making that just a bit smoother and in line with Base. Along with an update to the SwingLink, the new generation of Mavens all get new lever blades and revisions to piston sizes within the calipers. Callum Wood / SRAM Despite lacking all the bells and whistles of its three pricier counterparts, the Base models lever feel was lighter and something many riders were gravitating towards. We had our SwingLink Mavens and Base Mavens in market, which had very different lever feels, so we got to take learnings from both and make improvements to the SwingLink versions, says Crowe. He and the product team got to work, using feedback about the original brake. The result? We made changes to the SwingLink mechanism, but almost everything else in the system is the same same level of power, same air management system, same gland and volumes. Same power, different feel SRAM has reduced two of the four piston sizes very slightly to keep power levels between this and the previous generation of the brake as closely matched as possible. Callum Wood / SRAM So, what did SRAM do to change the polarising lever feel of the Maven Ultimate, Silver and Bronze brakes? We did manipulate the hydraulic ratio slightly. But its the change in the SwingLink that is going to manipulate your mechanical advantage through the pull of the stroke, and then the slight change in the hydraulic rate is how we addressed the feel, says Crowe. Take a closer look and youll see the older brake features a red cam, compared to the gold SwingLink cam on the new model. This change means theres a higher initial leverage rate, delivering a lighter feel at the revised lever blade. SRAM has then designed the leverage rate to be more linear on the new brake compared to its predecessor, although this still builds progressively, with the aim of delivering more power as you get deeper into the stroke. Smoothing out the leverage rate helps to create a more predictable brake overall, with a ramp at the end where power tops out. The previous brake delivered a lot of power in the middle of the stroke with less ramp-up at the end and required more force to get the lever moving initially. With an increased mechanical rate, SRAM needed to balance out the hydraulic rate in order to keep the power the same. This was done by reducing all four pistons to the same 18mm diameter, compared to the previous iteration, which featured two 19.5mm-diameter pistons, alongside two 18mm pistons. The end result, according to Crowe, is the lever feel off the top is much more similar to Maven Base. Pleasing the masses In use, the initial lever feel is lighter, just as promised. Callum Wood / SRAM But how did SRAM settle on the final lever feel? And when did it decide that the existing offering wasn't quite right? Crowe explains: We rely heavily on feedback from riders that trickles up through our in-market reps, our OEM customers and just markets. We try to listen the best we can and when something feels like theres a momentum swell, you can feel that its not just one or two people saying something. Of course, its not as simple as making the decision to alter an entire product line because its a costly process. Crowe and his team will investigate the scope and costs of such a project before ploughing resource into it. In this case, it made sense to make some changes. But how big a change should they aim to make? Replicate the feel of the Base or try something more extreme? We found that a light lever action is good, but if its too light, you start to lose some of the feedback, says Crowe. It was the feedback that I really liked (along with the power) on the first Maven brake. I find if the lever feels too light, my braking isnt as accurate and I tend to pull harder than I need to. Getting that feel perfect cant be easy, though. What does the process look like for a brand such as SRAM? To the subjectivity part. Some people like that [a light lever feel] and want it as light as possible, and sometimes if its too light, you feel like youre losing that precision and feedback of how hard youre pulling, says Crowe. With the help of the machine shop in SRAM's Colorado Springs facility, the brake team was able to whip up a number of different SwingLink samples, each delivering a slightly different brake feel. Crowe gives some insights into the testing process: Because it was so subjective, we have some hard requirements on reach range, and what your max deadband is in the worst-case scenario. For the subjective side of where that curve starts to climb at the end of the stroke, we get a group of six to eight of us together and go and do week-long test trips. Although the lever feel has been updated, SRAM says the power is the same as it was before. Callum Wood / SRAM While riding, Crowe explains SRAM's riders avoid talking to one another, keeping feedback private to avoid influencing other members of the team. They then collate their feedback in the hope they can make a call on the final direction theyll be heading in. The one we went to production with was the almost uncontested preferred option, says Crowe. On the trail, it's fair to say the revised SwingLink and lever make a difference and the feel, especially that initial pull, is lighter. I'll have a full review coming soon, so keep an eye out for that. And theres more The top-end Ultimate brakes now come with carbon lever blades. Callum Wood / SRAM Not only did SRAM update the SwingLink, but the latest generation of Maven brakes also features new lever blades. While the Ultimate brakes get a lighter-weight carbon blade, possibly the most interesting update is the Silvers lever, which is a forged then CNC-machined number and is the choice of World Cup phenomenon Amaury Pierron. The Bronze brakes use a forged alloy lever blade. Whats more, SRAM is offering a retro-fittable 'tuning kit', which includes the new SwingLink (gold) and revised lever blade. That means if you have Mavens (Ultimate, Silver or Bronze) and want a lighter lever feel, you should be able to achieve it. And, in theory, by changing the SwingLink and lever but keeping the same caliper and pistons (including the two 19.5mm pots), you could increase power slightly more. SRAM also says it has improved overall consistency with the new brakes and made setup easier. Range overview SRAM Maven Ultimate SRAM's top-end Maven Ultimate brakes get a new SwingLink and carbon fibre lever blade. SRAM Adjustments: Contact adjust / reach adjust Lever blade: Carbon Caliper hardware: Titanium Weight: 363g Price: 290 / $299 / 325 (per end, without rotor) SRAM Maven Silver The Silver-level brakes come with a forged and CNC-machined aluminium lever blade. SRAM Adjustments: Contact adjust / reach adjust Lever blade: Aluminium, forged and CNC-machined Caliper hardware: Black stainless steel Weight: 379g Price: 260 / $265 / 290 SRAM Maven Bronze The Bronze-level Maven will likely appear on a lot of bikes especially eMTBs over the coming months. SRAM Adjustments: Reach adjust Lever blade: Aluminium, forged Caliper hardware: Stainless steel Weight: 381g Price: OEM only SRAM Maven tuning kit (includes two levers and two light action SwingLink assemblies) Price: 105 / $109 / 120 (carbon lever kit), 85 / $89 / 95 (CNC forged alu lever kit), 65 / $69 / 75 (alu lever kit)

These two limited editions of Quirk's Mamtor and Durmitor framesets will only be available to buy in March 2026, priced at 4,999 a whopping 9,250 respectively. When they're gone, they're gone!

The wait is over. Team Visma | Lease a Bike have confirmed their line-ups for Opening Weekend, and the headline is clear: Wout van Aert will make his 2026 road debut at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. After weeks of rehabilitation, altitude work and cautious updates following ankle surgery, Van Aert is offic...

Teravail is expanding its product lineup to include new drop bars, dropper posts, and more. We had a chance to take a look at the new Teravail Telec Dropper Post, the drop-bar Telec dropper remote, the new Teravail Feldspar handlebar, and Radia bar tape ahead of today's launch. Find our first look and details here...The post A Peek at Teravails New Handlebar, Dropper Post, and Bar Tape appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

Today, RockShox releases suspension offerings geared toward DH racing and riding at the highest level. New for the upcoming DH race and bike park season are a Boxxer and a Vivid Coil.And, it looks like RockShox will not be selling these products on eBay.A New RockShox BoxxerRockShoxs philosophy was threefold. First, they knew that, above all else, the fork needs to be composed, recognizing the connection to overall speed. Secondly, the new Boxxers design focused on enabling the air spring to perform at the highest level possible.Lastly, RockShox wanted the setup to be easy; no more counting clicks.LinearXL Air SpringOkay, lets get it out of the way. You might have seen it teased on pro racers bikes, and you for sure saw it on the eBay post. The new Boxxer is sporting a LinearXL air chamber at the bottom of the fork lower. This is thanks to new lower legs and a completely new air spring that work together to provide ride characteristics reminiscent of a coil.RockShox accomplishes this with the AirAnnex, which is the protuberance on the forks lower. And, as you have probably guessed, it increases the air volume of the lower leg. The increased air volume reduces the air springs progressivity and speed sensitivity, which are common in air fork lowers.Basically, the result is a more linear fork. RockShox engineered the new Boxxer with a position-sensitive linear curve, meaning that the rate of increased force doesnt change as the fork moves through the travel. This linear take creates a fork that is incredibly predictable. It is supple at the top of the travel, supportive in the mid-stroke, and ends with mechanical bottom-out support to protect against heavy impacts.Apparently, the DebonAir+ air spring is also still an option, perhaps for those who dont want such a linear fork. Looking at the spec sheet RockShox provided showing all the new Boxxer fork options, there are choices of LinearXL or DebonAir+ air springs.Another factor keeping the Boxxer incredibly sensitive during travel is the breather holes on the stanchions. According to SRAM, the breather holes equalize air pressure in the lower legs and the overall fork chassis. This helps further reduce the ramp-up effect caused by lower leg pressure at the end of fork travel.New Bushings and SealsHelping to keep the Boxxer running supple and smooth is a redesign of the forks bushings, thanks to RockShoxs ButterWagonTech. This is a pattern of divots on the stanchions that carries Maxima oil to the bushings with every millimeter of travel.Because lubricated bushings are happy bushings.RockShox also worked with SKF to design wiper seals with less friction. Unlike typical wiper seals, those on the Boxxer do not deflect into the upper tube when the lower leg is pressurized. This deflection increases friction. Rather, the SKF design keeps dirt out without grabbing the stanchion, resulting in far less friction.As with the previous Boxxer, this latest iteration also features Buttercups, reducing vibrations up to 20%.New Charger 3.2 RC2 Damper and Easier SetupPaired with the new LinearXL Air Spring is RockShoxs new Charger 3.2 RC2 damper. This new damper offering has increased damping (compared to Charger 3 or 3.1) to match the characteristics of the LinearXL air spring.The new damper is silent, ensuring the only noise a rider experiences comes from the trail.RockShox designed the new 3.2 RC2 damper with fully independent high-speed and low-speed compression and low-speed rebound. These dials now feature an incremental number range, along with dashes, for easier, quicker setup.While not new to the platform, the new Boxxer carries over crown-height gradients to ensure everything is clamped with perfect alignment. Numbers indicating chassis torque and sequencing are also indicated.New Boxxer DetailsTwo levels of the new BoxxerUltimate and Selectare available. Ultimate sees a completely new and simpler look, with RockShox on the outside of the fork lowers and Boxxer on the inside. There are also two color options: Electric Red or High Gloss Black.The Boxxer Select is only offered in the High Gloss Black. It also features a slightly different damper with the Charger 3.2 RC. This damper features independent compression and rebound adjustments, but lacks the separate high- and low-speed adjustments.Boxxer Ultimate (left and middle) and Boxxer Select (right)RockShox also leaves the Boxxer Select butterless as it doesnt utilize Buttercups or ButterWagonTech.Wheel size: 27.5 or 29Travel: 180mm, 190mm, 200mmChassis: 38mmOffset (27.5): 44mm or 48mmOffset (29): 48mm or 52mmPrice: $1,999 (Ultimate) / $1,499 (Select)A New RockShox Vivid CoilRockShox took the same approach as the Boxxer when designing their Vivid Coil. They sought the same three factors: composure, spring performance, and ease of setup.And, again, they are focusing on a linear platform. For RockShox, composure is the result of a predictable ride, and predictability is linear. But, to protect against harsh bottom outs, they have paired this linear coil platform with Adjustable Bottom Out support.Lastly, like the Boxxer, they wanted the setup to be easy. Quit counting clicks, thanks to clearly marked and incrementally numbered dials.But wait, the Vivid Coil isnt new. In fact, these Vivid Coil dampers arent even new! Yes, true, theyve been around for a while. But this is RockShoxs new take on the Vivid Coil, engineering the shock to pair with the most recent Charger 3.2 damper on the new Boxxer.So, old, but new, also.New DamperRockShox created the new RCT2 (and the other Vivid Coil dampers) to work lock-in-step with the new Boxxer 3.2 damper. Both are designed to be sensitive and supple off the top, matching mid-stroke support, and bottom-out resistance.The new dampers feature a redesigned base valve that reduces internal floating piston (IFP) forces by 40%. RockShox says the result is the most supple shock on the marketoffering unbeatable traction without sacrificing support.RockShox offers five Vivid Coils: Vivid Coil, Coil Select, Coil Select+, Coil Ultimate DH, and the Vivid Coil Ultimate. Each has a slightly different variation of the RCT2 damper, but all have the same 40% IFP reduction and 20 clicks of rebound.At the base level, the RockShox Vivid Coil features the R damper, indicating its rebound adjustability. While not externally adjustable, the main piston compression tunes are meant to match the Charger 3.2.Stepping up to the Vivid Coil Select, the shock now features the RT damper. This damper offers rebound adjustment and a threshold (climb) lever, while compression tunes remain externally unadjustable. The Vivid Coil Select+ adds low-speed compression adjustments and RockShoxs Adjustable Bottom Out feature. Also on the Vivid Coil Select+ are the numbered adjustments on the LSC dial.Stepping up to the Ultimate-level of the Vivid Coil means you get all the bells and whistles. Both high- and low-speed compression are externally adjustable and have numbered indicators. There is also the 20 clicks of rebound and Adjustable Bottom Out.One distinction between the RockShox Vivid Coil Ultimate and Vivid Coil Ultimate DH is the lack of a climb switch on the latter. This is obvious, and we hope you dont need to do any significant climbing on a DH bike.Currently, RockShox has released only the prices for the Ultimate and Ultimate DH Vivid Coils. Both retail for $719.See it all at sram.com.The post New RockShox Boxxer Gets LinearXL Bump Out, Stanchion Breather Holes & ButterWagonTech appeared first on Bikerumor.

As I rolled into the steep, off-camber trail, littered with roots and rocks, I could clearly see the line I needed to hold. Just a few inches off and Id be into the trees and cartwheeling down the side of a Welsh mountain. Letting off the brakes, I managed to slide the bike into position and committed. And then the revelation. As the speed picked up, I couldnt quite comprehend how well my front wheel was tracking the ground. There was grip and control like Id never felt. I could hold the line and ride it faster than ever before. As my front wheel fluttered over the chunky root spread, I knew the fork Id invested in was well worth the money. This was back in 1999. Id worked for hours on end in a supermarket, saving up to buy the latest RockShox Boxxer 151 and it was already changing how I was riding my bike. Now, 27 years on, RockShox has unveiled the latest, updated Boxxer. It's better than ever, dripping in cool tech and I was at the launch in New Zealand to see whether it could match the revelatory experience I had with the original fork. A brief history lesson The Boxxer came to life back in 1996 as a prototype fork for the top racers in the world. Since then, it's changed a lot, housing different air springs, dampers and wheel sizes. SRAM RockShox unveiled the first Boxxer downhill fork way back in 1996. Back then, it was a prototype and only a handful of top racers had access to the tech. It had 32mm stanchions, 150mm of travel and posts for rim-brake calipers. Then, in 1998, RockShox released the Boxxer to the masses, who could make the most of the open bath damping and mounts for disc brakes, which were slowly gathering momentum. In the early 2000s, coil springs were replaced with a single-sided air spring and the first Motion Control damper. Slowly, travel figures crept up to 200mm, different stanchion treatments were applied to reduce friction and damping adjustment, and tunability started to increase. Sam Hill rode for RockShox throughout his entire DH career and played a big part in the Boxxer's development. Sven Martin / SRAM As Im sure you can remember, it wasnt all about damper development. Once into the 2010s, the mountain bike industry decided to up wheel size from 26in to 27.5in, then 29in hoops. As a result, the Boxxer had to change, too. Before long, the stanchions were beefed up to 38mm and the Boxxer housed the latest DebonAir+ air spring and Charger 3 RC2 damper. As part of the BlackBox programme, Steve Peat was able to ride new tech from RockShox way ahead of release. Sven Martin / SRAM When it comes to success, the Boxxer must be one of, if not the most successful mountain bike forks of all time. It helped the likes of Steve Peat, Nico Vouilloz, Rachel Atherton, Sabrina Jonnier and Sam Hill (to name a few) win multiple World Cup races, overalls and World Championships between them. The revelation Unsurprisingly Rob's got no digital photos from his early days in downhill, so this shot of him dropping off one of the huge rock features on the famous Coronet Peak DH track in New Zealand will have to do. Callum Wood / SRAM I was one of the early customers. Although Id missed out on the early 1998 fork, I managed to secure the 1999 151. This replaced the RST Hi-5 Id been running up until that point. The lack of control it offered, along with the elastomers that drastically altered in performance depending on the temperature, meant it was rubbish. While I knew it couldn't turn me into Steve Peat or Nico Vouilloz overnight, the 151 felt incredible. On my first ride on a Welsh mountainside, I couldnt believe how well it kept my front wheel tracking the ground. Root spreads were swallowed, I was finding grip where I never knew it existed and my confidence was sky high as a result. Swapping to this new fork transformed my bike and how I could ride it. Spring in its step This bulge on the air-spring side of the lower-leg casting on the new RockShox Boxxer helps increase lower-leg air volume and deliver a more linear spring curve. Callum Wood / SRAM That was close to 30 years ago, though, and a lot has changed. The 2027 fork Im just back from riding in New Zealand's Queenstown Bike Park is a far cry from the coil-sprung, skinny-legged Boxxer I started out on. Lets start with the new, position-sensitive LinearXL air spring (stiffness varies depending on how far the fork is compressed) and the sticky-out bit at the bottom of the lowers, dubbed the AirAnnex. The LinearXL AirAnnex creates additional volume on the spring side of the lower legs (which looks a lot like a brake reservoir). This helps produce a more linear spring curve, reducing harsh ramp-up that can result from the air inside the lower legs compressing. Because theres less volume on the air-spring side (due to the difference in air-spring cartridge versus damper design), the lowers only needed the extra space on one side to achieve this. A more linear, less progressive spring curve helps produce more comfort and control deeper in the stroke. To achieve this, RockShox moved to a twin-tube design, with the resulting changes (decrease in piston diameter, etc) requiring higher spring pressures as a result. On top of this lot, breather holes placed strategically on the upper tubes (stanchions) further reduce pressure build by balancing pressures in the lower legs as the fork moves through its travel, boosting the overall effect and, according to RockShox, improving sensitivity and reducing any kind of harshness. RockShox says it has created a very predictable, supportive and controlled new air spring thats extremely supple. Slick and slippery Small divots in the fork stanchions help to transport lubrication oil to the bushings to ensure the fork remains slippery and sensitive for longer. Callum Wood / SRAM Some of that suppleness and sensitivity can be attributed to divots dotted around the stanchions. These dimples are found below the wiper seals. As the fork cycles through its travel, lower-leg lubrication oil can get trapped in these shallow pits before being transported to the bushings (and foam rings), ensuring things stay as slippery and friction-free as possible. This, in turn, helps create a consistent and very predictable feel, as well as upping the service interval to 50 hours. Inverted forks dont struggle with this issue because gravity helps keep the oil where it needs to be for maximum lubrication, so the RockShox ButterWagonTech, as the team refer to these divots, could be a real step forward for improved sensitivity over a longer period of time. To help further, RockShox has switched to a new Maxima 15wt lower-leg oil and helped develop new SG920 grease, in a bid to rid the Boxxer of as much friction as possible. It also worked with SKF to develop new wiper seals, which are said to 'grab' less on the stanchions as the fork switches between compression and rebound. Damping duties The updated Charger 3.2 damper features numbered dials to help riders keep track of their setup. Callum Wood / SRAM With less friction in the fork, RockShox had to reconfigure the Charger 3.2 damper, adding more damping force to help compensate for the lack of stiction. The updated speed-sensitive damper (which regulates oil flow and damping force depending on the shaft speed) is designed to be incredibly easy to set up a trait many appreciate with RockShox suspension units. Adjustments include rebound damping, along with low- and high-speed compression, which are claimed to be fully independent of one another. The updated rebound and compression tunes are said to still feel similar at the extreme ends (fully open or fully closed), with each click in between offering a tangible difference in feel. On top of that, youll still find ButterCups at the end of the spring and damping shafts. These little golden assemblies are designed to help eliminate high-frequency vibrations and reduce rider fatigue. Vivid imagination Updates to the RockShox Vivid Coil DH shock should boost sensitivity and control. Callum Wood / SRAM Its not all about the fork, though, with RockShox also unveiling the new Vivid Coil rear shock. According to the brand, it has tidied up the oil paths in the reservoir, reduced friction and IFP pressures (which lowers the breakaway force and ups sensitivity) and updated the damper extensively, claiming to have made the low- and high-speed compression adjusters more usable, without any harshness when you need to wind them on. As with the Boxxer, it has also numbered the adjuster dials to help riders keep tabs on their settings more easily. Bringing back memories There's nothing like throwing yourself in at the deep end. The Coronet Peak DH track is fast, rough and a great place to put suspension to the test. Callum Wood / SRAM So, did riding the new Boxxer conjure up the same feeling I had back in 1999 when I first tried the fork? I spent three days lapping Coronet Peak and the Queenstown Bike Park to get a feel for for the new Boxxer. While I dont think my experience of the new fork could be as transformative as my first time on a Boxxer remember, Id switched from a fork with elastomers and springs over to the coil-sprung Boxxer 151, which was a massive leap I was still extremely impressed. It's sensitive and smooth, but my biggest takeaway was how well it could handle big impacts late in its travel. Riding the rough, fast trails of Queenstown Bike Park, I couldnt believe what I could get away with when stoving the new Boxxer into the ugliest, steepest sections of track. There were times when I felt as if my arms were going to crumple and leave my chest slammed on the bar, yet the fork soaked up the hardest hits, supporting my weight without feeling harsh and recovering in an instant, to keep my front wheel tracking the trail. The Queenstown Bike Park is rough and loose. Rob was seriously impressed by the control the Boxxer offered when things got really wild. Callum Wood / SRAM This was seriously impressive stuff. The adjustments were noticeable and dialling it in didnt take long, as promised. Because my time with the new fork was limited to only a few days, Ill leave a full review until Ive spent more time on it, so stay tuned. Range overview The forks and shocks below are available for aftermarket purchase. RockShox will also have various Select+ and base models on complete bikes, so keep an eye on bike brand websites for specs. Boxxer Ultimate RockShox is offering the Ultimate-level fork for aftermarket sale. SRAM Damper: Charger 3.2 RC2 with ButterCups Spring: DebonAir+ Linear XL with ButterCups Travel: 180, 190 and 200mm Wheel size: 27.5in or 29in Offset: 44mm (27.5in), 48mm (27.5in), 48mm (29in), 52mm (29in) Price: 1,945 / $1,999 / 2,180 Boxxer Select If you're looking for some of the new tech at a lower price, there's the cheaper Select-level Boxxer to consider. SRAM Damper: Charger 3.2 RC Spring: DebonAir+ LinearXL Travel: 180, 190 and 200mm Wheel size: 27.5in or 29in Offset: 44mm (27.5in), 48mm (27.5in), 48mm (29in), 52mm (29in) Price: 1,460 / $1,499 / 1,635 Vivid Coil Ultimate A totally reworked reservoir, lower IFP pressures and a host of other tech has gone into the new Vivid Coil rear shock. SRAM Damper: RC2T with ABO (adjustable bottom out) Price: 690 / $709 / 775 Vivid Coil Ultimate DH For DH racers, there's the new Vivid Coil Ultimate DH rear shock. SRAM Damper: RC2 with ABO Price: 700 / $719 / 785

The Opening Weekend concludes with Kuurne - Bruxelles - Kuurne, and while nothing is final just yet, the preliminary startlist for the 2026 edition already points toward a fast and fiercely contested Sunday in waiting. Traditionally, the counterpoint to Omloop, Kuurne has long carried the reputation...