RockShox

Pike RCT3 27.5 Charger DebonAir 150 Boost Fork - 2020

If there's one thing the Pike RCT3 27.5 Charger DebonAir 150 Boost Fork isn't afraid of, it's showing off its sensitive side, thanks to RockShox equipping it with a DebonAir Spring for a plusher feel that's all the more responsive to pummeling over roots and rocks on the trail. For this latest model, RockShox revised the Pike RCT3 with an increased range of low-speed compression tuning, a reconfigured Pedal mode for climbing and pedaling efficiency, as well as 2.8-inch tire clearance.

At first glance, the new additions to the Pike RCT3 aren't immediately noticeable, which is a good thing if you prefer the sleek and stealth aesthetics found on past models of this fork. However, upon further examination, you'll find its lower legs are cut-out to reduce weight by approximately 20 grams while maintaining the legendary stiffness you've come to love from Pike forks. Since it's available in Boost spacing only, you'll not only reap the benefits of increased front wheel stiffness, but also find this fork works with the high volume tires up to 2.8-inches wide. Another update, the brake mounts only accommodate rotors in the range of 180 to 200 millimeters, seeing aggressive trail bikes now use larger rotors for increased stopping power.

You'll be pleasantly surprised to find its new Charger 2 damper unit retains the Open, Pedal, and Firm settings of the previous model, but with a wider range of low-speed compression adjust in Open mode, as well as re-tuned damping in Pedal mode for better support on long climbs and smooth-buffed trails. Firm mode gets an update as well, allowing for compatibility with RockShox OneLoc remotes. This is helpful if you're a competitive racer using RockShox rear shocks, as you can lock out the front and rear simultaneously to gain efficiency while sprinting for the finish or pedaling up smooth climbs. One more thing to note, the new Charger 2 damper gets a bleed port for easier servicing at home.

We'd be amiss to forgo mentioning the addition of RockShox's DebonAir spring for 2018. This update overhauls the previous Pike's SoloAir spring by increasing the negative air spring volume, thereby improving small-bump sensitivity without sacrificing its support across technical sections and bigger hits. The addition of DebonAir makes it all the more sensitive when you're pedaling across root and rock-infested sections of trail, giving you greater traction over bumps without feeling like it's overly harsh.