Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Rockshox Revelation 426 Uturn

Rockshox Revelation is the bigger brother of their very popular Reba fork and little brother to the Pike. I bought this fork as a stop gap for my Turner Flux and ultimately to fit to my Jekyll. Little did I know what a great fork I would get.

The 426 Uturn is just about 4lbs, with external floodgate, compression, rebound and 100-130mm U turn travel control. Both positive and negative airsprings are provided.

The U turn height control enables me to find a balance for different terrain, higher gives a more vague laid back feel, lower more direct and accurate. My Flux really likes it at 115mm for singletrack.

The travel adjust makes no difference to the spring, it remains linear and does not ramp up when lowered so the bike feels the same just lower and more direct.

The Airspring requires only low pressure, I run just 7-9bar +ve and 6-7bar -ve (12st 6lbs rider) this implies good reliability in the airsrping seals and so far there has been no softening at all in the first 150miles of hefty XC use.

The compression control and external floodgate are easy to use on the fly helping to get the fork right for both my weight and riding style. Rebound control is plentiful but just like Reba has a rather on/off character in the adjuster.

This fork is amazing for the money RRP £350, whilst it's not that plush it is easy to get accurately tailored performance as you ride that leads to great handling.

My only criticism's would be a tendency to dive on heavy landing and the brace is just too close to the wheel for our gloopy conditions. Perhaps some would consider it's rather direct connection to the ground a disadvantage, personally I don't but if you're looking for a jiggle free cockpit perhaps a Nixon would suit better.

I thoroughly recommend this fork to anyone wanting a strong tough reliable usable light fork for XC and All Mountain riding. The free RS shock pump included in the box was a sweetener much appreciated.

Supplied by Cyclesurgery.com, West End Lane, London

3 Comments:


Farqui said...

I'm really starting to like the range of Rockshox bouncers, esp as they're such excellent value. They've made 'em a little lighter recently too.

It's true, Last wken the Revelation fork brace did clog up in places which didn't bother my Nixon. Which kinda makes sense as it's a more race orientated bouncer.

You mention diving thru it travel on landings. Are you able to tailor this with the Floodgate or does that just affect the small/high speed impacts ?


Rob said...

Yep, it can be adjusted, the rebound will slow it down progressively but too much and it will jiggle.

The floodgate can be adjusted too but at the expense of it's ability to soak up unwanted impact and control kickback.

The compression adjuster effectively stiffens the shock and helps to catch the drive thru, it's easy to move on the fly but you have to think ahead. When heading off downhill I knock it round to half way and the drive thru is reasonably limited whilst the impact absorption is still good. Steps and hollows really require full comp control.

It's only on the odd occasion the front wheel dives down a hole whilst the comp control is on minimum that it will hoof through. Having said that it does stop and doesn't fling me over the front (yet anyway) and is a minor price to pay for the ability to hit rocks and roots without blinking.


Farqui said...

I just clocked this "thread" over on the On-One website re: RS U-Turn adjuster seizing.

Rock Shox Revelation :: My thingy's gone all stiff

Before screaming "warranty" and doing the "name and shame" thing on forums, why not have a look at things before you send them back. Like on-one customer Mark Cook did - here's his observations from his Revelation rummaging...

Mark mailed us yesterday...


Just fetched the bike off the rack.

Has the 06 RS revs with the U-Turn.

Turned the U-Turn it only turned once then locked up at 115mm.

What have I done? everything else works.

Any Ideas? I bet nobody has stripped these done yet have they?

Cheers Mark

I suggested that he could send them back, but he was determined to have a look first. We both wondered if being stored upside down might have upset them, and maybe leaving them to chill out a bit would fix things. Mark reports back this afternoon...

Looked on RS web site, removed U-turn adjuster (Only a small C -clip then its off)

Found the detent balls rusty.

Removed, cleaned and greased, butter smooth now.

This looks like it needs more grease to keep out the water than what RS put in.

Oh and don't hang your bike upside down after washing either!!!

Let it drain out! whoops sorry

Mark

So there you go. Rusty balls cause stiffness. Etc.