Two excellent 27.5 forks
Published Time:
2013-01-21
Two excellent 27.5 forks
We tested two top-of-the-line forks from Fox and RockShox designed for 27.5-inch bikes to see which one is right for you.
We spent several weeks in California and Colorado testing two new forks from Fox and RockShox (Jamie Kripke)
Fox and RockShox have been competing for the fork market for a long time, so it's no surprise that they've entered the 27.5-inch bike market—both manufacturers have launched long-travel forks for this class of bikes. We spent several weeks in California and Colorado testing two new forks, Fox's Factory 34 Float 160 FIT with Trail Adjust and RockShox's 150mm Revelation RCT3, to see which one is the best choice for you.
The RockShox Revelation uses the company's Solo air spring, with travel adjustable from 100mm to 150mm in 10mm increments. The core of this fork's motion control is the RCT3 damper, which controls shock absorption via a three-position knob, adjustable from fully open to fully locked; the fully open setting is only used to absorb large shocks. It also has a low-speed compression adjustment setting.
The RockShox Revelation is very smooth, half a pound lighter than the Fox, and $200 cheaper.
The Fox 34 Float has 160mm of travel and uses the company's CTD FIT damper with Trail Adjust, which has three platform settings: climb, trail, and descend. In trail mode, a separate adjustment mechanism allows the rider to select three additional damping settings to adjust the low-speed compression of the shock.
Both forks can handle various off-road conditions, but we found that the Fox had a slight advantage in downhill and consistently aggressive riding, thanks to its larger and more robust 34mm stanchions (and the extra 10mm of travel). This fork, when set to Trail, provides enough low-speed damping to absorb excess brake dive, and it can even adequately control excess sway when climbing.
The 34's thicker stanchions do result in a slight weight disadvantage; this fork is half a pound heavier than its competitor, which might make some XC riders prefer the Revelation. The 150mm Revelation also has low-speed compression adjustment to eliminate brake dive, but this fork feels slightly less supple than the 34. However, when the damping is fully open, the Revelation feels as smooth as the 34—even with large shocks. The Revelation is also $200 cheaper than the 34.
With 34mm stanchions and 160mm of travel, the Factory 34 is smooth and responsive. (Photo Courtesy Fox)
Both forks perform well in various situations, so choose based on your riding style: Riders who prefer high-speed and aggressive riding will prefer the Fox 34. Those who prefer lightweight and trail riding can consider the RockShox Revelation.
FOX Factory 34 Float 160 FIT with Trail Adjust
Price: $990
Weight: 4.35 lb.
More information: foxracingshox.com
RockShox Revelation RCT3
Price: $780
Weight: 3.9 lb.
More information: sram.com
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