ROCKSHOX PIKE ULTIMATE RC2
£919 www.zyrofisher.co.uk
RockShox’s top-tier trail fork features both high-and low-speed external compression damping adjustment, plus low-speed rebound. The US brand have spent plenty of time fine-tuning their 35mm-stanchion fork range and the Pike chassis is stout and stiff while still being lightweight. We never had any doubts about pushing it hard through rough corners or deep holes, and it stood up well to everything. While the beginning-stroke sensitivity isn’t the best here, grip and front wheel tracking are good.
The Pike Ultimate doesn’t offer the ultimate in mid-stroke support, either. While it’ll hold up the front end adequately during hard hits and steep descents, the fork makes plenty of use of the middle part of its travel. It’s this freedom of movement that gives it such impressive comfort on the trail. The RockShox fork handles squareedged bumps and repetitive hits with a composed and forgiving feel that the others here struggled to match, taking the sting out of the trail remarkably well with its buttery, plush action.
What’s more, we weren’t at the limits of the Pike Ultimate’s damping range, and the rebound was fast enough that the fork could return to full travel between hits, helping it to maintain its ride height and use its full stroke. You get 17 clicks of low-speed compression damping, which seems excessive, but does let you fine tune the amount of support on offer. We found that one volume token gave enough progression. While the Pike Ultimate is ‘travel happy’, we had no issues with it bottoming-out easily. Overall, its balance of composure and suppleness is unbeaten here. It’ll work for a range of riders, and it’s a good price for the performance, too.