Fox 34 vs. RockShox Pike - 2020 Edition | Which Fork Wins?
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- Опубліковано 27 сер 2024
- Fox Shox and RockShox still own the market as leading two suppliers for mountain bike suspension in today's world with their Pike and 34, but MTB suspension forks for trail bikes in 2020 are probably the best they have ever been and it is hard to imagine how they can get any better. There are many other contributors to the trail bike suspension market but none are as well known as the titans we call Fox and RockShox. But which one is better? Fox supplying the notorious Float 34 fork in many offerings from boost and non-boost, 27.5" and 29" wheel sizes, a lighter Step-Cast chassis, factory or performance finishings and their proven 3-position FIT4 Damper. RockShox holds their ground with a more modern approach by only offering boost spacing and one aftermarket level, the ultimate series, and allowing an option to use torque caps for more hub stiffness and 2 color options. Jeff goes over the key differences between the two forks so press play and learn what bike requires which fork and hopefully, you can decide which for you should be running.
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Which fork do you guys have, the RockShox Pike, Fox 34, or something else? Are you planning on purchasing one in the future? Let us know!
Worldwide Cyclery Fox easily has it in my opinion but I believe it would be a hitting blow to Rockshox if Fox came out with a Grip2 Fox 34
Looking to get a lefty. With fox dpx2 in the rear
Pike !
Just want an easy tunable and service fork
Why is there no pike RCT3, for sale, that makes it a bit simpler, and more like the 34....? I love my old pike RCT3 with the 2.0....
I got the MRP Ribbon Air.
You did make a video about it several months ago but why did you not put it in this video? It's the same category fork and a contender in this segment.
I like all the forks, but I mostly like to spoon after I fork
Fork that, it's all dudes in here man!
If I had to use one word to describe the worst fork I ever had, it'd be "fantastic"! ;)
😂🤦🏼♂️🤦🏼♂️
FORK OFF MAN
What
Damn fork more expensive then my whole bike
Its okay, 2021 year...
Yeah same
Cuz I still ride a kids hard tail cuz I am a kid
Same
Do a vid on the cheapest of the pikes and 34s
2019 pike on a 130mm bike. Good call Jeff!
Worldwide has the best and most informative vids. I started riding about a year and a half ago and these are my go to vids that have helped guide me.
I love the dynamic between you and your editor lol
You said: "ride them blindfolded...." hahahahahha
I double-dog dare you! :|
Followed by "that's a really challenging thing to do"
haha have u never ridden a bike blindfolded before?😂😂
Fox 36 Float on my Rocky Mountain Altitude A50. Beautifully supple over roots and other small/med hits. Not the most adjustable with compression dial on top and rebound on bottom but if you don't need extra adjustments a fantastic fork for trails and some enduro. Handles my 240lb frames very well v
IMO low speed comp makes more of a difference than most people realize
Wasn’t a fan of the pike on my 2015 Tracer but the pike on my 2019 Jeffsy feels great, supple and bottomless. Both RCT3 must’ve just found the right setup this time around
Amazing! I love my Pike but agree that for a lighter build a 34 would be choice.
Service intervals and serviceability are also different. I have a 36 rather than 34 and 2 Pikes and travel change on the Fox is much easier, at least going down within airshaft limits it’s just removing spacers and changing a bolt (unless your running a MRP then no bolt change). On the other hand the Fox takes 2x crush washer sizes and it’s far more preferable to have $100 of tools just to get the legs off. The RS you can just use the bolt and a 6” extension with the hex bit fitted (and reverse onto torque wrench to put back) .. but you need to do this less often with the Fox.
Going past a lowers service also takes more specific tools on the Fox ...
Stephen Lord yes this information is gold.
I have a 2019 pike rct3. I've been hearing a lot lately about coil conversions from companies like Push. I think you should do a review on something like that. Anyone have experience with this type of setup on their pikes? Would love to hear it
Jonathan Angieri they did a review on the acs3 from push a little while ago
I believe Matt Jones rides a push converted fork on his Marin.
@@m1chaelsc yes I saw that pretty much right after I posted that 🤦♂️🤷♂️
@@jonathanangieri153 I have push acs3 in my fox 36 feels amazing
@@wheeler3339 thanks for sharing!
I had the 120mm Fox Factory 34 step cast on my SB100 and that thing was freakin awesome. Super light, handled everything that I could throw at it and came back asking for more, although I probably should have run some more volume spacers in it. I do agree the Pike is definitely more for mid travel trail bikes, although you really can't go wrong with either. Kind of like Jeff said, 130/140 I would go Pike up front and 150+ I would go with a Fox 36 with the Grip2. Boom.
Does anyone actually hang onto their SB100's? Seems to be the bike everyone used to ride
@@mikebrewer1346 I wish I did, one of my favorite bikes! On an SB115 now :)
i just love fox kashima.. im paying for the kashima coat and orange color..
This was super helpful, I was looking to change my forks on my 1994 Marin and this helped me decide
Like the simplicity of 34 Fit Grip's free adjusted 3-position damper. You can change it freely between the range of dampening, not just from full open to medium, but to somewhere middle if you want to. Easy to change on the fly depending on the changing terrain.
For sure something like 36 Grip2 or Fit4 will be amazing, if you want to play with different settings, but perhaps sometimes less is more.
In my opinion the Grip damper is better than Fit4.
@@th_js Especially the Grip2 for sure.
@@Pienimusta Especially Grip2
I have the pike 2019 rct3 it’s awesome loads of mid range support , pike all the way !!!
My 2020 RockShox Pike ultimate direct mount holes for caliper are very soft metal magnesium. When you go to put on your brakes make sure you've used the longest bolts with washers or whatever it takes to get them all the way in. If not the standard Shimano short bolts May and will start the strip out the Magnesium thread and then you'll start to be into some s***.
Great vid. That beginning always gets me!!
I have both of these forks. I agree completely with the Fox 34 SC being best choice for my Gen 3 Tallboy (29er) and it is easier to set up. I weight 200 lbs and ride a XL frame but still ended up removing a factory spec token to get the compliance needed. The Pike is a great fork but Ive spent 2x as much time dialing it over the Fox and still dont have it "perfect". Another advantage is the travel can also be adjusted on the Pike with a different air shaft.
what I have learned from this video: Suspension gets higher than 2x the price of my whole bike...
And both Rockshox and Fox offer forks costing more than double what these cost, so you don't even need a particularly cheap bike for that to be true.
Fox 34 is a great fork straight out of the box very responsive easy to set up. I also had the Pike for 2 years had to muck around a lot to get them right with tokens etc, and then I blew the seals. But then again most forks perform best with a rider weight around the 85 kg. Not sure what would be a good fork for a heavier rider
i just got a santa cruz hightower with the pike!excited
Thanks Jeff I agree with your assessment of the forks for my riding anything over 130 mm should be Pike for trail riding
I've been curious about what the differences are in the different Fox 34 forks. Float vs Factory vs Performance vs Elite.
My bike came with a Pike DJ and I was planning on upgrading to a FOX .. but now that I’ve had my ride for over a month I just don’t see the need .. the RS Pike DJ has been amazing to me and easy to adjust, and I’m a big fan of the “maxle” that came with it as well 🤙🏻
I have a Cane Creek Helm coil on my 5010 and chameleon. 130mm on both and the Helm has 35mm stanchions and is super stiff. The coil also provides a nice plush ride.
I prefer the pike because its stiffer and more durable, and if you service them, the dust wipers are cheaper.
Unfortunately most of us still remember plastic leaking cartridges in Judys.
The fox forks design and kashima coatings look so much better..... but, ive just ordered the pike ultimate cos its a bit cheaper and better small bump
ive got a Pike 160mm rc3 on my Canyon spectral and a fox 34 120mm on my cube stereo ebike, for some reason the fox is easier to dial in and gives me a smoother ride, maybe its because the Pike is running on carbon rims and 650b,the cube is a 29 with aluminium rims. or maybe the extra weight of the ebike
but the fox does more flexing and doesnt feel as stiff as the rockshox
The e bike also effeks to way the fork work....
I ride the fox 34. Bumped it to 150mm on your smuggler errrrr my blue smuggy. Great fork then I paired it with a fox DPX2 that I picked up from WWC
Smuggler almost needs a 36 when running a DPX2 on the back. I just upgraded to those and damn, how does it transform the bike
Marco Walther 36 or 34. It all depends on what you’re looking for. I have no problem with the lighter 34.
The Dpx2 is just better than the DPS.
Been riding the pike ultimate and really enjoying it.... Cant speak on the fox 34 but would love to try it.
I have ridden both fox and rockshox, although one step down in price. And in the forks I have tried are all of them great forks but I slightly prefer the feel of a fox, but I can't really pin down what feels better.
I ride both and I like Rockshox more. I ride more free ride/enduro and I feel like they do much better in that area
I might be bad at tuning but Pike has seemed more supple off the top for me too.
Hey I know this is irrelevant, but is it true that you can make a fork more supple off the top if you add volume spacers and decrease air pressure? I’ve got a fox 36 fit 4 and was wondering if I could make it more supple.
YoNeilGaming wondering the same
Worked on my Pike.
What about quality control....which company has less warranty issues? Also, which company has the best warranty response times and coverage for the customer?
Rockshox wins it all especially in Europe 😂
Fox 34 for me
and 2 years later I bought an RS Pike 2022 Ultimate RC2 for $400 !
Nice to see the Orange Seal on the shelf there.
Best explanation I have watched yet. Thanks.
Solid explaination big thnk you!
Don't know about fit4, but fox grip damper has unlimited number of compression settings, despite the fact that there are only 3 "positions". You can rotate the knob in between those positions and compression will change.
Good overview. It is hilarious how you guys glaringly poke fun at your mistakes in the videos. Lmao.
Thanks for the video! Pretty useful information! But what about Charger RC damper? It's used in Pike Select fork for instance. There is no info in your article about it.
coming from an old school riding history I always loved the rockshox… having owned a rockshox pike ultimate and now owning a fox 36 on my new bike... I still love the pike... don't hate me
Well I don’t have the money for a 36 I got a pike select so I’d say your a very lucky person
Great review and I agree with the way you would spec these forks to the bike. It nice that Fox still supports non boost. Not that a front hub cost that much but what if you have a couple front wheels that you like to exchange, say a 27.5 and 29er front wheel.
I ride a Spectral with a Pike and I really like it. I always wondered if there was a huge difference. Good to know they are that close.
I like your eyes in this video. Fell in love.
Taylor has one subscriber, it's Jeff. Jeff and Taylor sitting in a tree.....
@@Vffr1 You have more likes than Taylor's comment lol
This video is very informative. I need to possibly get a new fork better fork rather I'm currently running a Rock Shock 29er SID. I have a question is it possible to get 29er Fox, Rock Shocks or any fork with 34 or 35 mm stanchions with straight 1 1/8 non- tapered Streer tube? I know that it may just be time to get a new bike with a tapered steer tube. Thank you and Keep up the good work!
which would be better for a hardtail?
If you're building a lightweight XC Hardtail you might prefer the Rockshox SID (available up to 120mm travel), which competes well with the 34 step-cast.
For a more trail oriented HT, however, you can't go wrong with either the 34 or Pike.
@Erick Pretty much, yeah. "Do I get a really good fork from Fox, or a really good fork from Rockshox? Decisions, Decisions."
Nice video. Question though which one of the two would you put onto a 27.5 trail hardtail that calls for a 130-150mm travel
Bro we loves some Rockshox
That flippin pidgeon in the background music is the most distracting thing i've heard in a long time.. great video otherwise tho :D
I would just match suspension brands between front and rear
I have a cane creek coil rear and a pike up front.......oh and a x-fusion dropper....yeah, not super matchy
Was on the 34s for a long time and bought a bike with pikes, thinking I'd swap them out. I don't know if it's my riding style, but the pikes feel bottomless and supple off the top. I'm converted.
Pike is the best trail fork in my opinion!
So Pike would be my choise
I ride fox 40 it's just magic FOX for life:)
Hey Jeff, I noticed you show a Revel as your current bike, so I'm just curious what you thought of the Pivot Switchblade if you've ridden it? And was it 27.5" or 29"? Thanks Bruv
Just upgraded to 2020 Pike, my riding partner has the previous pike, not sure of that's 2018 or 19. But my 2020 pike feels way smoother and buttery,
Nice work, well done and very helpful.
IMO i think the new rd lyric and silver pike look nicer then the kashiwa coats
Pike for me, I always prefer a hardtail bike have three mountain bikes a conanunu runs Manitou micro lubes my Kona Lanai runs marasashi dirt jam comps and my carbon fiber nine runs my rock shocks Pike have to say of all the shocks I've ever tried I like the Pikes the best but I've never had a set of fox shocks yet still looking to try some out I would love to get my hands on the 34 the 36th and be able to compare them directly to these but I don't have the money to have both man so I'll have to say I like the fight better but it's also because I like the additional adjustability that it offers I find when you run a hardtail bike the more suspension tuning options you get in the front the better it is
i am wondering, i checked the pike on the website, the drop out of the fork (where the rebound damper placed) isn't tilted while the one in the video is. Can someone tell me the difference? Or is it just an update? thx
I wish you would do tire videos and reviews like this. Comparison of similar tread design but different brands. You know, as opposed to riding the maxis D
Colby Bowers Onza is the best IMO. Too much Maxxis these days
I always watch your tech tips videos. Can u review some 2019 fox 34 rhythm 150mm.. Will. Appreciate it much hopefully 😊
I like both brands but when I bought my Bronson in 2014 the Fox 34 was less well reviewed at the time so I opted for the PIke. It's been a solid performing fork over all. I had new lowers put on last year (bushings had worn out ) and this year I've upgraded to the new Debonair spring and Charger 2.1 damper and that cost me about 300 bucks (did the conversion myself). The performance improvement has been amazing. Rides higher in it's travel, more supple and has good mid stroke support. No complaints about the Pike.
2019 Pike Ultimate 130mm on my Fuse hardtail. Like buttah!
Great and very interesting video! I would love to see a review on the new Boxxer Ultimate, maybe even a comparison to the Fox 40 Grip2? Greetings from germany!
Well, the boxer is 35mm and the fox is 40mm stanctions
what about grip2 damper?
Do something on the new revelation RC. it looks like a really good value
If you want to flex, take the 34, if you want to shred hard af take the pike
I currently have neither (Sektor Debonair). Pike sounds more my type, however I'm not going to constantly adjust my settings (or ever). I'd run whatever came on the bike!!!
Fox puts a funky blue cover/lever on its forks which aesthetically does not match most bike frames for the fork covers, so Rock Shox all the way!!!
Thank you for yelling suddenly. While on the headphons it was very pleasent expirience. You are such a cool and edgy guy!
hey, how do you think the revelation vcompares to the pike? im looking at builds and i cant choose between the two.
Sorry to be off topic but what trail are you riding from 8:58 - 9:07 or so? I live in Thousand Oaks and would like to know where that is.
Looks like Suicide Trail :)
What is the difference of the RS rc2 models and the rtc3 models? Both are called "ultimate" (i think)
Fox is like Apple, too much bling bling for the commitment
I have a 36 180mm black coat, a 36 160mm Factory with Kashima and a 160mm Pike...
Frankly, I see no difference. If I needed a new fork it would be a Fox 36, but if a bike came with a Pike I wouldn't mind it.
I have an older bike with a 150mm 32 - correction - is it a 34 ???? on it. That is a noticable step-down in every possible way. Either too stiff or just bottoms out on the smallest features. Not a problem I have with the 36 or the Pike.
I rephrase it:
I feel a difference, but it is not a "wow so much better", more like a "feels a bit different"....
With that, I would go for the FOX 34, just for the reassuring beefy look and the Kashima bling.
180mm 34? 150mm 32? I call that bs.
@@th_js check specs. 2014 Bronson had 150mm 32. 2017 Haibike Nduro 8.0 has 180mm 34. 2016 Nomad has 160mm Pike. 2020 Pivot shuttle team xtr has 160mm factory 34.
I own all 4 bikes at this very moment.....
@Denes K you are wrong. Your Haibike has a 180mm 36, not 34. It is impossible to extend a 34 chassis to more than 160mm afaik.
@@viktormichalek2376 Yep, I am an idiot :) HAHAHAH ....
Yes, both have 36 .... I don't know why I had 34 in my head :O
I wrote 36 down a million times and see it every day. Old age and confusion.
So yes... you are right ... both my Pivot and Haibike has 180/160 36 Forks.
Not sure about the bronson as I didn't want to dig it out right now from behind the Nomad and the Nduro :O ..... that is a 150mm ... that might be a 34 then ????
which one would you say would be better on a super agressive ht (64deg. head angle)
Are taxes included in the prices? Here in Europe those forks are way more expensive!!
edit: We have to pay 1200$ for a fox 34 performance
fantastic explanations
I have the fox 34 (130mm) but I just ordered the Fox 36 (160mm) for more travel and a shit load of adjustments.
Awesome video, what are your thoughts on the DVO forks?
What about dvo or ohlins? I use fox but I’m just curious
Who even can afford ohlins?
Lol ohlins are overpriced af!
@@policies8534 Just like they are in the motorcycle world haha.
New riddle is: Coming from a basic Fox34 @140mm on an aggressive plus hardtail do we look at a Pike or Lyrik Ultimate at 140-150mm? 🤔🤷♂️ anyone? I'm keen for some feedback and looking to try some of the new RockShox in Colorado conditions. Thx WC!
140-150 Pike, 160-170 Lyrik.
You could buy 4 bikes like mine, for the price of those 2 forks. A tear is dropping from my left eye, when I see these forks after I jump with my sping fork and hear 1000 noises coming out. One day, one day...
What Quick Release axle is available for the Pike Ulitmate, if any?
I think it would have been more beneficial to use wheel rate to explain the high and low speed compression adjustment.
I still cannot decide between these two (also the MY21 Fox 34 Factory is using Grip2, which has a similar LSC and HSC setting to the Pike). Funny because the difference is just 1mm stanchion diameter or a gold (Kashima) coating...
I ran a Manitou Mattoc Pro this year. Next year, I will run the Mezzer (in 160mm for the stanchions) and my son will run the Mattoc. How does the Mattoc compare to the Pike and the Fox? I personnaly loved it.
Pike Ultimate, Revelation or Select? Prices?
im a freerider,but i hava a 170mm fox34,its light,feels awesome but sometimes at bigger jump i feel its not stiff enough
Im tempted by the pike ultimate 2021 for my stumpjumper alloy. I currently have the stock fox rhythm 34 with 150mm of travel and basic grip damper but the RS fork im looking at are the 140mm model. Is this a sensible upgrade?
Everything iv read leads me to believe that the pike ult is a much better trail fork and loosing 10mm of travel is no big deal if it improves the ride quality??!
Could anybody please give the shoulder width of the pike fork? I'm planning to use this fork on my custom frame.
Doesn’t the pike ultimate 2020 also have a RCT3 version?
What about 34 SC vs SID Ultimate when it comes to 120mm?
Fox 34 is the wrong opponent. Fox 32 is the right one
@@sim0n2k38 are you sure? The nee Sid Ultimate has 35mm tubes! 💪
Yes I am. The counterparts go like this: fox 40 = Boxxer, fox 38 = Zeb, fox 36 = lyrik, fox 34 = pike, fox 32 = sid
@@timd9117 The SID 120mm is better than the FOX34 in all respects.