ÖHLINS RXF38 M.2 FORK
£1,450 www.ohlins.com
The RXF38 m.2’s 38mm-diameter stanchions make it Öhlins’ biggest single-crown fork, aimed at trail, enduro and e-bike riders. In the left-hand leg is the TTX18 twin-tube damper, where oil can flow both ways during compression and rebound. This is claimed to improve damping-valve response, creating great mid-stroke support and deep-travel control. The damper has 15 clicks of low- and four clicks (one a lockout) of high-speed compression adjustment, plus 15 clicks of low-speed rebound. A ‘setting bank’ where custom-made shim stacks can be installed extends adjustability.
Öhlins’ three-chamber, twin-piston air spring has self-equalising positive and negative chambers, plus an additional ramp-up chamber so you can add more progession. The spring can be adjusted further using volume spacers, but from stock, only the negative chamber has a spacer pre-installed. Initially, our RXF38 lacked sensitivity in the first part of its travel. We decreased the positive spring pressure, but this increased bottom-outs and slowed the rebound too much. After discussing the issue with Öhlins, we ditched the negative spring’s volume spacer. The fork then came alive, with off-the-top smoothness that was as good as, or better than, the competition. It absorbed trail chatter marvellously, providing huge levels of grip and comfort.
The damper soaks up medium-sized hits effectively, significantly enhancing bike stability. Mid-stroke support, once we’d dialled in the low-speed compression and bottom-out resistance, was impressive, too. We frequently used 95 per cent or more of the fork’s travel while descending, but it didn’t feel like it was diving under braking or when hammering into sharp, steep, on-the-brakes hairpins. It was the same in high-speed, high-load berms or compressions, where our bar height remained stable, helping to improve control and speed.
Öhlins’ 38mm chassis is marvellously stiff in situations where you need it to be, without being harsh and fatiguing. The fork has a subdued and damped feel on rough, fast tracks, but resists twist and flex in high-load situations, aiding steering accuracy.
Arguably, the rebound damping tune was too hard for our tester’s tastes and weight, which could be an issue, particularly for lighter riders. However, Öhlins offer a range of tunes, so finding the right one shouldn’t be too hard. It’s a shame the factory-installed negativespring volume spacer has such an adverse effect on performance, and that its removal isn’t communicated in any of the manuals or tuning guides. If you make sure the spacer is removed, the RXF38 m.2 is one of the best-performing forks on the market. Alex
Virtually infallible performance across the board, but you’ll need to ditch the negative air-spring volume spacer