Sometimes when it rains, it pours. That’s definitely been the case with mountain bike suspension tech this year as big and small brands alike are releasing new and updated forks and shocks. We got a chance to get a closer look at some of the most interesting and innovative suspension bits at Sea Otter, and this is what we found.
Cane Creek Invert gravel bike suspension fork
Cane Creek showed off their new Invert gravel forks, the Invert CS and Invert SL, which we first wrote about earlier this month. The Invert CS has 40mm of travel with a climb switch while the Invert SL has 30mm of travel and no climb switch. This was our first time seeing the blue version pictured above which will be offered alongside the black fork shown previously.
Digit Ring with custom inline shock
We got up close and personal with the newly announced Digit Ring, a 140/128mm front/rear suspension travel trail bike at Sea Otter. One detail that we missed previously is the in-tube air pressure valve and climb switch which you can see in the detail photo above. The inline shock is machined in house for a custom fit.
DT Swiss suspension
This new Yeti ASR is running a DT Swiss fork and shock. Though the brand may not be as well known as others in the suspension market, DT Swiss suspension offerings are lightweight and well suited to a race bike like the ASR.
EXT Suspension shows prototype inverted fork
EXT was offering a sneak peak of their Estoria v4 shock and their dual crown inverted fork prototype.
New Fox suspension forks on display, and on trail
The newly released Fox 32 and 38 forks were spotted on some nice bikes at the Fox booth. We saw several athletes with the new Fox 32 on their Sea Otter race bikes too, including Factor’s Alexey Vermeulen, and also had a chance to take a quick test spin on a bike set up with one.
Marzocchi Super Z
Marzocchi has added the Super Z fork with up to 190mm of travel to its lineup. The fork features a Grip X damper and fits 200-230mm rotors.
Manitou Mattoc Pro Limited Edition fork
This limited edition 140mm Manitou Mattoc fork with 34mm stanchions suited for 29er wheels was spotted on a custom painted Yeti SB120 with a 1992-inspired look. In addition the build features a Manitou Mara Pro shock. We also saw a number of other builds sporting Manitou forks at Sea Otter this year, including the Digit Ring shown above.
MRP Ribbon forks
MRP showed off newly released Ribbon SL, Ribbon LT, and Ribbon LT coil forks with Lift Dampers at the event. Look for a review of the new MRP Ribbon LT Coil fork from Matt later this spring/summer.
Push SV Eight Shock
The Push SV Eight shock was recently released and we got an in-person glimpse at a few universal coil shocks from Push that should fit more bike frames compared to their $1,600 Eleven Six shock. Priced at $865, Push says you still get a lot of the DNA from the Eleven Six in the SV Eight but in a more affordable package. Built from the ground up and also made in house at their Colorado factory, this shock promises a great entry point into Push suspension.
Push Nine One Fork
Push also showcased their newly released mountain bike fork. This has been in development for quite some time and Push is very excited to get it into riders’ hands. This fork was designed and built from the ground up at the company’s Colorado-based factory.
High adjustability is offered through 28 clicks of high and low speed compression and 18 clicks of low speed rebound while the pneumatic bottoming system provides additional spring support toward the last 10-45mm of travel using a small pressurized air chamber that can be pumped between 5-50psi.
In addition, riders can adjust travel in 10mm increments from 140mm to 170mm. This inverted coiled fork comes with a 44mm upper chassis and 36mm stanchions offering the right amount of stiffness where it is needed. The lubricated coil chamber is claimed to be smooth and quiet. The fork seals and bushings stay consistently lubricated for optimal performance and to help protect the stanchions, and lightweight fork guards are included. Priced at $2,600, Push is now taking pre-orders.
RockShox announced the new Psylo forks ahead of Sea Otter and this was our first chance to see them in person. We spotted this RockShox Psylo fork on a Salsa Moraine eMTB build.
SR Suntour
A revised version of the SR Suntour DuroLux 36 fork was on display at the brand’s Sea Otter tent.
Prototype suspension wheeset from Two Hubs
This may be a unique thing to see in a suspension list, but this crazy looking wheelset from Two Hubs is currently in development and is set to give gravel riders an inch of travel suspension at the rear to cushion and smooth out rough roads. Although one inch of suspension is not much, it is still an inch of suspension! Not much additional info was shared but they said they hope to have a rideable wheelset next year.
Vorsprung Telum Coil shock
Vorsrpung showed us their upcoming Telum rear coil shock.
38mm stanchion X Fusion forks
X Fusion has two new forks, a dual crown DH fork and a single crown enduro fork, both with 38mm diameter stanchions. The forks are said to be available “soon.”
More suspension-related products
Finally, here are a few photos of suspension related products seen at Sea Otter including linkages from Cascade Components and high pivot bikes from Contra and Pivot.
