RockShox has overhauled its big-hitting, single-crown fork, claiming the only part that remains the same is the axle. The new ZEB gets a completely new chassis, an updated air spring and damper, as well as a host of new features intended to make it smoother and more predictable on the trail. Revised damping ranges, along with new adjustments, make it a seriously tuneable fork, too. On the hill, riding it back-to-back with the previous-generation ZEB, theres certainly a difference to be felt between the two. While both feel incredibly supple and smooth, the latest iteration handles bigger impacts with more composure, especially when youre deep into its travel, recovering quickly, and always feeling predictable and consistent. When you factor in the price, which starts at 965 / $989 / 1,080 for the Select-level fork, the new ZEB could well be the big-travel, single-crown fork to beat this year. I tested the new fork at a RockShox launch event in New Zealand, and I was seriously impressed. Read on to get my initial ride impressions. Read more: RockShox boosts all-important sensitivity and control on new Vivid Air and Super Deluxe shocks Perfectly poised During back-to-back tests, Rob could feel the difference between the older and new ZEB forks. Callum Wood / SRAM Having spent three days lapping the trails of Queenstown, New Zealand, along with a number of rides on my local trails, riding it back-to-back with the previous-generation ZEB, I feel Ive got a decent handle on how the new fork performs. Staring with setup, although RockShox has since updated its air-pressure guide slightly, I stuck with the suggested setting, which felt spot-on. Like the recently updated Boxxer, the ZEB uses the new LinearXL air spring, paired with the AirAnnex. The bulge in the lower-leg casting, just in front of the brake caliper, is there to add volume to the lower legs its only on the spring side so it can match the already greater volume of the damper leg. It's designed to help prevent unwanted pressure build-up as the fork compresses. Limited pressure building in the lower legs creates a smoother ramp-up when youre close to the end of the forks stroke. This helps the ZEB feel smoother through the last part of it travel and, as I felt in New Zealand, especially on longer runs, more comfortable. This additional section on the lower-leg casting adds volume, creating a smoother ramp-up towards the end of the travel. Sven Martin / SRAM Breather holes on the upper tubes enable the lower-leg volume to increase as the fork compresses, helping to create a more linear, predictable feel, no matter how fast the fork is cycling through its travel. Whats more, though, this new spring and damper make this generation of the ZEB feel as if it sits a little higher in its travel than the older fork. When I first jumped on the previous ZEB, one of the first things I noticed was how smooth it was. It felt as though it rode a little deeper into its travel than the fork it replaced so much so, in fact, that as well as upping the spring pressure to nearly 15psi above what was recommended, I also increased the bar height by 5mm to compensate. The new ZEB feels as if it sits up a little more and gives back more in terms of support when you load it up, but without ever feeling harsh. That, for me, is a real positive. However, its not only that feeling that makes it better than the outgoing model. The new ZEB feels more controlled and consistent deep into its stroke. The change in the way the spring works makes the fork feel as though theres more of a buffer deep into the stroke, as if theres a little extra travel to tap into. With a less abrupt ramp-up and an incredibly quick and smooth recovery, rapid hits that keep the fork sitting low in its travel deliver more composure and comfort. This felt particularly noticeable when smashing through a lengthy, matted root spread, where the fork was working hard to transition continually from compression to rebound. In this situation, while both forks felt smooth, the new ZEB seemed more comfortable with more consistent front-end grip. Smoothing things out RockShox has reduced friction in the ZEB, meaning it needed to increase the damping as a result. Callum Wood / SRAM The improvements over the old fork arent all down to the changes to the air-spring, though. ButterWagonTech essentially consists of divots placed in a strategic pattern around the upper tubes, below the wiper seals. As the fork compresses, these divots fill with lubricating oil from the lower legs, and transport up and over the bushings which have been cut to improve the flow of oil and wiper seals. Doing this leaves a thin film of lubrication for the lower tubes to flutter smoothly over the upper tubes. That oil has changed, too, with RockShox moving to a medium-weight Maxima offering and a new SG920 grease. On top of that, theres now more oil in the lowers, too. New SKF low grab wiper seals reduce friction further. The small dimples in the upper tubes help to transport oil, and keep the bushings and wiper seals well lubricated. SRAM But a smoother fork and improved air spring would mean nothing without control. In this case, that comes from the new speed-sensitive Charger 3.2 damper. To match the suppler fork feel, RockShox had to adjust the damping range slightly, upping it to keep it more closely in line with what was on offer previously. When testing the forks back-to-back, as well as riding in my preferred settings, I also rode laps testing the extremes of each dial. Maxing out the low-speed compression adjuster on each fork had a dramatic effect, causing the fork to ride much higher in its travel. This felt more pronounced on the newest ZEB. With the old fork, due to how deep it sat into its travel, I tended to run quite a lot of low-speed compression damping to keep it propped up, which may explain the differences I felt. Running the high-speed compression fully closed was different, though. Both forks felt better supported through the harshest of hits without feeling harsh, although the new ZEB felt smoother. And while on the older fork I didnt run any high-speed compression damping as standard, I was using a couple of clicks of it on the new ZEB. RockShox is still using its ButterCups assembly at the base of each leg, too, which helps to mute high-frequency vibrations. Dialling it in Getting the settings right didn't take long, but more importantly, making changes is quick and easy, and very noticeable on the trail. Sven Martin / SRAM As well as the new damper adjusters being numbered in a bid to help riders keep tabs on their settings, RockShox has added a new tuning feature. Theres still scope to add volume spacers to the spring leg to alter how the spring curve behaves, but theres also the new Adjustable Bottom Out to play around with. A new feature for the ZEB is the Adjustable Bottom Out, which can be tweaked externally and makes a notable difference on the trail. SRAM By turning a 5mm hex key at the base of the spring leg, you can move the bottom-out bumper position by 10mm, altering how the final 7-17mm of travel will feel. There are seven clicks to choose from, and it makes tuning the final part of the travel quicker and easier than using spacers. Number-compression damping dials help riders keep track of their settings more easily. SRAM This is a setting I played with a lot while in New Zealand. Although it only alters the final part of the travel, it feels as though it has a marked effect on the ride. After tinkering quite a bit, I settled on using four out of the seven clicks from fully closed, which gave the fork a really controlled final ramp-up at the end of its travel, and never felt harsh or as though it lacked support. Details, details A new integrated mudguard bolts directly onto the revised, reshaped fork arch. Sven Martin / SRAM Of course, theres more when it comes to the final touches. A revised lower-leg arch now features removable caps. The integrated blank cap can be removed and replaced with two fender options that screw neatly into the back of the arch. While theres no doubt how neat this solution is, fixing a fender in place with the small bolts is a little fiddly. Cutouts either side of the arch are said to help reduce pressure on the upper fork bushings, improving sensitivity further. RockShox has also moved the air-bleeder buttons up and onto the back of the new, wider crown, which it claims improves steering precision. The bleeder buttons were moved to make them easier to reach and to improve the overall look of the fork. The ZEB now features bleed buttons on the back of the fork crowns, which are easier to reach. Sven Martin / SRAM These buttons help relieve pressure build-up within the fork, often caused by a change in altitude or temperature, causing the fork to have a more pronounced ramp-up through the final part of the travel. Previously, these were situated on the back of the lowers, below the seat of the wiper seals and went from push buttons to threaded caps during legal back and forth between RockShox and its competitor, Fox, which uses a similar design on its forks. My initial verdict on the new RockShox ZEB Rob needs to do more testing, but he's been mightily impressed by the latest RockShox ZEB. Callum Wood / SRAM Compared to the old ZEB, this new model is an improvement, especially in those situations where youre really hammering through bumps that keep the fork deep in its travel. The ride dynamic also suits me better. I realise this is a very subjective matter, but if you like a livelier, better-supported front end on your enduro or trail bike, the new ZEB delivers exactly that. RockShox has done a great job and delivered an incredibly good fork. Compared to the new Fox 38 Factory (1,439) and Podium (2,199 Factory version), the ZEB even in the top-tier Ultimate version is cheaper. Considering the performance on offer, this could well be the MTB fork to beat this year. RockShox ZEB range overview Not a bad place to get to grips with a new fork. Sven Martin / SRAM RockShox ZEB Ultimate Flight Attendant The priciest ZEB on offer includes the Flight Attendant system, which adjusts damping levels automatically. SRAM Travel options: 150, 160, 170, 180mm Wheel-size options: 27.5in, 29in Damper: Charger 3.2 Flight Attendant Spring: LinearAir XL Prices: 1,750 / $1,799 / 1,965 RockShox ZEB Ultimate The new ZEB Ultimate is feature-packed. SRAM Travel options: 150, 160, 170, 180mm Wheel-size options: 27.5in, 29in Damper: Charger 3.2 RC2 Spring: LinearAir XL Prices: 1,265 / $1,299 / 1,415 RockShox ZEB Select+ The Select+ version of the ZEB uses the same air spring and damper as the Ultimate, but forgoes some features, including ButterCups. SRAM Travel options: 150, 160, 170, 180mm Wheel-size options: 27.5in, 29in Damper: Charger 3.2 RC2 Spring: LinearAir XL Prices: Not available aftermarket RockShox ZEB Select We've a feeling we'll be seeing a lot of ZEB Selects on bikes this year. SRAM Travel options: 150, 160, 170, 180mm Wheel-size options: 27.5in, 29in Damper: Delta RC Spring: LinearAir XL Prices: 965 / $989 / 1,080 RockShox ZEB The cheapest base model of the ZEB uses a different air spring and damper from the the pricier models in the range. SRAM Travel options: 150, 160, 170, 180mm Wheel size-options: 27.5in, 29in Damper: Delta RC Spring: DebonAir+ Prices: Not available aftermarket