First Look: RockShox Introduces the Inverted RS-1

A few weeks ago, we gave you a sneak peek at RockShox's new inverted fork, an offering aimed at the XC and "trail" category of riders.

Today, the company has officially announced the RS-1 and some of the key technology necessary to use it:

• RS-1 is available for 29ers only, a clear indication of its intended usage
• Externally adjustable air pressure and rebound only, coupled with remote lockout - deemed enough for XC racing
• RockShox has solved the issue of torsional stiffness by introducing a new axle/hub standard, called "Predictive Steering". It is based around a 27mm oversized axle ("Torque Tube") that runs through the entire length of the hub and is held in place by a variation on the company's Maxle. The Predictive Steering technology will apparently not be licensed, but the hub will be available for purchase as a separate item (there are wheels available from SRAM and DT Swiss today)

Press Release:

New RockShox RS-1

We set out to make the world’s most efficient XC racing suspension. We ended up with an entirely new world of racing.

When it came time to best our XC platform, it meant reevaluating every element that defines the most winning XC fork in world cup history. A ruthless approach to material optimization, an ultra efficient energy saving lockout and quite possibly the world’s lightest air spring – all designed to enable riders to find their next line. The outcome was something unexpected. A fork that ushers in a new-generation philosophy to XC rider efficiency, packaged in a chassis design never before seen by RockShox. RS-1 harnesses 25 years of creativity, refinement, and the courage to tackle the biggest engineering challenge of mountain bike suspension to date: the inverted chassis.

PREDICTIVE STEERINGFULLY INTEGRATED. COMPLETELY OPTIMIZED.
Engineering the RS-1 enabled us to use a fully integrated approach, avoiding the need for unwanted material in the chassis. We completely reimagined the fork’s structure, blending the legs, crown and steerer tube in a carbon mainframe resulting in an unprecedented level of integration and material optimization. The fully integrated RS-1 carbon mainframe improves steering precision and stiffness – every single gram serving its intended purpose, and nothing more.

For decades, engineers wanting to reap the benefits of inverted designs had to choose between light and flexy, or torsionally stiff and heavy. A dilemma that hindered the performance gains of inverted forks from being fully realized. Now we can’t claim to have invented the inverted suspension chassis. But we can claim to be the first company to deliver a design that’s light enough for the World Cup, while simultaneously delivering a stiffer chassis than traditional forks. The break-through technology centers around a reimagined dropout/wheel interface. Predictive Steering features a stock 15mm Maxle Ultimate mated with a solid oversized axle running through the hub, the Torque Tube. When the system is clamped with the corresponding dropout, the Torque Tube axle becomes a structural part of the fork, providing unparalleled stiffness. Fork leg twisting is minimized. And, since Predictive Steering technology only adds material around the dropouts and on the hub’s axle, the weight difference compared to a standard 15mm through axle setup is minimal, while providing an unprecedented level of torsional stiffness for a lightweight, inverted fork. This technology gives even the best riders room to find a new line. And it’s only available on RS-1.

AVAILABLE IN:

• RISE XX
• RISE 60 - 29”
• ROAM 50 - 29”
• Predictive Steering Hub

Conquer the small battles, win the war.
On the journey to find higher levels of rider efficiency, we observed that many XC racers tune their suspension to the hardest possible compression setting, looking for maximum pedaling efficiency under power. This leaves them having no choice but to endure the natural undulations and braking bumps found on every square inch of the trail. But this approach transfers speed killing, energy robbing vibration to the rider. Nothing solves the issue more efficiently than RS-1: the nature of the inverted design ensures the seals are constantly bathed in oil and minimizes binding between stanchions and bushings. The result is an unprecedented amount of small bump sensitivity, helping you stay more efficient everywhere on the trail and racetrack.

A Damper Designed For Acceleration
Contrary to popular belief, rewriting the rulebook isn’t all upside. After designing the fork chassis from the ground up, it meant developing an all-new damper to eek every percent of performance out of the RS-1. A tall order, but one that RockShox fully embraced.

We started by reevaluating how XC athletes produce efficient power and navigate course conditions while fatigued. We created a firmer lockout for moments of maximum sprint efficiency. We eliminated material redundancies by housing the circuit in a sealed cartridge, reducing weight. Then air was eliminated from the damper circuit ensuring absolute consistency. The Dig Valve’s compression tune was created to manage diving during successive hits and heavy braking. We added the Rapid Recovery system to keep the fork riding high, in the plushest part of the travel. We even made the cartridge easily serviceable in the race pits or at your local shop. We believe the Accelerator Damper crystallizes the performance of RS-1 by helping riders turn every pedal stroke into acceleration towards the top step of the podium.

RockShox Bottomless Tokens

• Easily tune your air volume in RS-1, Reba, SID, and Revelation
• Tokens thread in to topcaps just like they do in PIKE
• Black tokens designed to work in 32mm upper tubes