Great vid and quite appropriate as looking at a Pike currently. Found a 2022 Pike Ultimate going cheap ,new but may reconsider that from what you said about the older models! Currently running an older Sid Ultimate 120mm on my Flaremax and wanted something around 130 but not ruin it's sprightly handling. This could be just the ticket! 👍
Thanks for this video. I was about to drop some coin on the 2023 Pike but didn't realize that some of the reported "harshness" was potentially bushing-related. I'll wait and grab this new version once it comes down in price. SRAM / Rockshox have history with this. I've owned 26" Rebas and a 1st gen Pike that had tight bushings, and recently had to replace the lowers on my SID Ultimate after 2 years because of the bushing play.
Hi. Thanks for the review. In your opinition, is it fair to say that this Pike sits between the new Fox 34 and 36 in terms of stiffness and capability? Thx!
Thanks for the great video! I have a 120mm Rock Shox SID on my Epic Evo 7 and find it quite harsh. Looking at upgrading to the 130mm PIKE for a more plush feel. Have you ridden the SID to compare to?
The stock tune on the SID is certainly firmer than Pike, particularly on the Ultimate model if that's what you've got. However you could get a suspension tuner to open up the compression valving and make it much smoother for way less than a new Pike. Plus it wouldn't throw out the geometry like a longer fork and it wouldn't add 400g of weight.
@GuyKesTV Great review, thanks mate! Regarding the bushings - heard from some they had similar spiking issues with the Charger 3 Lyrik. Any idea if they fixed bushing tolerances on the 3.1 Lyrik as well? Couldn't find anything online yet regarding this.
Im confused to how the new damper or vavles can fix sticky bushing of the previous ultimate? I haven't noticed any sticking on mine but i dont send it hard.
@@paulh1860 if you’ve not had any spiking then you don’t have an issue to fix 👍🏻 Some of the Charger 3 forks were totally fine in terms of bushing fit and it sounds like you’ve got one of those.
@@paulh1860 You can buy an upgrade kit to make the Charger 3.0, a 3.1. Its not a complete damper just some internals so its quite cheap around 80 quid I think.
Was that a 130mm Pike on a 120mm Specialized Epic Evo? Not quite clear what you were riding? The background noise on that video was a little tough for hearing well.
Good buy I recon! Got a charger 2.1 Pike & Lyrik - enjoying both a lot. Just as much as my Fox 36 grip 2 (needed a bike park we to dial in and kashima is not my cup of tea visually). Test rode a charger 3 Lyrik and that was fantastic already. Might have been luck of the draw or the bike though. Hard to tell the difference when changing frames, bar and all the rest. Heard and read a lot of complaints about some outgoing charger 3(.0) RS forks. Will probably get the 3.1 Lyrik, once prices come down a bit. Sounds like they might have fixed all the downsides.
Helpful insight.. I’ll drop a 3.1 in my Lyrik. Hopefully more on the new rear shock soon
Lol Guy, what an analogy at 10:37! 🤣
Lol wasn’t sure I heard that right the first time… but yep 😁
Can’t deny my finger hovered over the edit button. But ‘occasional motion without the emotion’ (or whatever I said) seemed like a fair comparison 🤷♂️
@@GuyKesTV As long as the tube algo doesn't complain, I say keep the humor!
Great vid and quite appropriate as looking at a Pike currently.
Found a 2022 Pike Ultimate going cheap ,new but may reconsider that from what you said about the older models!
Currently running an older Sid Ultimate 120mm on my Flaremax and wanted something around 130 but not ruin it's sprightly handling.
This could be just the ticket!
👍
Yes I’d either get Pike with Charger 2.1 or 3.1. Both a great match for FlareMax
Thanks for this video. I was about to drop some coin on the 2023 Pike but didn't realize that some of the reported "harshness" was potentially bushing-related. I'll wait and grab this new version once it comes down in price.
SRAM / Rockshox have history with this. I've owned 26" Rebas and a 1st gen Pike that had tight bushings, and recently had to replace the lowers on my SID Ultimate after 2 years because of the bushing play.
I just put the new Ultimate with the 3.1 on my Trance, and it's incredible. Highly recommend.
Hi. Thanks for the review.
In your opinition, is it fair to say that this Pike sits between the new Fox 34 and 36 in terms of stiffness and capability?
Thx!
Thanks for the great video! I have a 120mm Rock Shox SID on my Epic Evo 7 and find it quite harsh. Looking at upgrading to the 130mm PIKE for a more plush feel. Have you ridden the SID to compare to?
The stock tune on the SID is certainly firmer than Pike, particularly on the Ultimate model if that's what you've got. However you could get a suspension tuner to open up the compression valving and make it much smoother for way less than a new Pike. Plus it wouldn't throw out the geometry like a longer fork and it wouldn't add 400g of weight.
I must have got a good one and within the working range for how i ride it because the Charger 3 Pike I have is great!
Interesting to hear so many ppl had “spiking” on their pike 2023s. Mine is just consistently harsh as hell 😁
I just got really bad bushing lock on every Pike I tried. Sounds like the new valve and shim kit could get you sorted for about £100 though 🤞🏻
@GuyKesTV Great review, thanks mate! Regarding the bushings - heard from some they had similar spiking issues with the Charger 3 Lyrik. Any idea if they fixed bushing tolerances on the 3.1 Lyrik as well? Couldn't find anything online yet regarding this.
Hi Felix, yes all the new generation 3.1 forks now have reworked bushing fitment and sizing checks so Lyrik and Zeb should be consistently sorted now
@@GuyKesTV Cheers mate! That's great, all options open for the next one then :)
Maybe change the title to 2025 and add Charger 3.1 to help steer traffic your way.
Fair Point, on it
Nice video.i have an hardtail Ebike, I'm looking at these forks 120mm what do you think?
Good choice, they should work really well if you already have 120mm installed
@GuyKesTV I have 100mm at the moment but another model runs 120mm, so I would think I will be OK at that
I like how it seems you don't even need to breath while you're smashing this sooooo long and enduro style downhill trail. 😅
@@damiencabirou2785 my mates think I was born with a spare lung just for chatting shit 😂
Im confused to how the new damper or vavles can fix sticky bushing of the previous ultimate? I haven't noticed any sticking on mine but i dont send it hard.
Separate things. They’ve sorted out the QC on the bushings so they should all be the same size. AND they’ve also changed the valving in the damper
@@GuyKesTV ah okay, so there's no fix for the last gen other than buy new gen, until next gen comes out and gen before had issues we fixed?
@@paulh1860 if you’ve not had any spiking then you don’t have an issue to fix 👍🏻 Some of the Charger 3 forks were totally fine in terms of bushing fit and it sounds like you’ve got one of those.
@@GuyKesTV hope so 👌 I never heard anything about the problem until they released a new version, that's the annoying part.
@@paulh1860 You can buy an upgrade kit to make the Charger 3.0, a 3.1. Its not a complete damper just some internals so its quite cheap around 80 quid I think.
what size rotors are you running fromt and back, 203?
@@rickd4118 nah I’m not a fan of big rotors as I’m pretty light so 180s f&r for me
Was that a 130mm Pike on a 120mm Specialized Epic Evo? Not quite clear what you were riding? The background noise on that video was a little tough for hearing well.
Sorry it was windy as hell. Yes it’s an Epic Evo set up Enduro style, I’ll do a short vid on the tweaks I’ve made soon
Just bagged a new Pike Ultimate 2.1 charger for a great price from Pace Cycles.
Good work, 2.1 was an awesome fork 👌🏻
Ahh,
The fork I have been looking at!
@@maxlloyd3740 If it's a 2.1 not a 3 then they're awesome. Really forgiving with set up if you can't be arsed twiddling dials
Good buy I recon!
Got a charger 2.1 Pike & Lyrik - enjoying both a lot. Just as much as my Fox 36 grip 2 (needed a bike park we to dial in and kashima is not my cup of tea visually). Test rode a charger 3 Lyrik and that was fantastic already. Might have been luck of the draw or the bike though. Hard to tell the difference when changing frames, bar and all the rest. Heard and read a lot of complaints about some outgoing charger 3(.0) RS forks. Will probably get the 3.1 Lyrik, once prices come down a bit. Sounds like they might have fixed all the downsides.
@GuyKesTV yep deffo a 2.1 . Shoutout to your mates @ Pace for the great service