RockShox Deluxe heralds the era of metric-sized shocks

RockShox has announced that, along with five other suspension manufacturers, they will be offering a new ‘rationalised’ set of shock sizes to the OEM market.

Essentially, they’ve condensed the current nine combinations of eye-to-eye lengths and shock strokes into six combinations, with nice even steps between them (three eye-to-eye lengths, with two stroke options in each).

Similarly, they’ve also simplified the range of mounting hardware available, from 82 combinations to just 18. Rather than the ad-hoc range of sizes currently on the market, they’ve applied logic to this too.

The three options of bolt diameter will remain: 6, 8 and 10mm; while there are now just six widths in 5mm increments: 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40mm. This should make it easier to measure and find the correct size of replacement hardware when it wears out.

What’s the point of this metric sizing?

The current range of hardware makes it very easy to mis-measure – a 21.8mm item is easily mistaken for 22mm, which has been known to result in the wrong size being ordered. With 5mm increments between sizes, this problem should be eliminated, unless you’re really very bad with a tape-measure. Also, with just 18 sizes available, it should be feasible for bike shops to stock all the available sizes – good luck finding a bike shop which does that now.

Won’t the longer shock lengths prevent frame manufacturers fitting the shocks in their frames?

So I have to go out and buy a new frame and shock? Shall I express my displeasure in capital letters on my nearest internet forum?

Who’s on board?

What else is new about the new Deluxe shock?

Riding the Super Deluxe

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