RockShox

Pike RCT3 Fork - 29" 150mm MaxleLite15 Dual Position Air

About the only thing that we could think of to improve the Rock Shox Pike forks would be an adjustable-travel option, a la Fox’s TALAS. Well, Rock Shox must have heard us, because they went and did just that in their new Dual Position Air forks. You can reduce your travel from 150mm to 110mm with a simple twist of the knob. On long-legged 29ers, this means less wheel wandering on seated climbs, while still allowing you to get rad on the way down. On top of that, the RCT3 damper that’s in this one allows you to tweak low-speed compression while also having three ride-oriented options at your fingertips.

The Pike’s 35mm stanchions offer stiffness unmatched by most trail forks. This stiffness is backed up by Rock Shox’s preset damper; with locked out, trail-tuned, and fully open options, you can hammer up the climbs, and still keep the pack away on the descents. It’s a good weapon to have in variable terrain, and if you’re the type who enjoys the down just as much as the up, the Pike’s the fork for you.