RockShox and Kona Add New Models

RockShox Makes Big Changes to Line
RockShox has made major changes to their suspension line for 2006—from top to bottom. We’ve posted some of this information before on this site, so we’ll make this relatively quick.

The new Tora replaces Pilot.

Goodbye Pilot, Hello ToraRockShox’s entry-level Pilot fork is gone, replaced in 2006 by Tora. Tora boasts 130 millimeters of travel, a burly, forged aluminum crown, stout magnesium lowers and stiff 32-millimeter, 4130 taperwall steel stanchions. You’re basically looking at a 4.38 to 4.89-pound fork with three to five inches of adjustable travel. The weight range is due to the fact that there are four individual Tora models (two with air springs and two with coil springs).

All of the Tora models have external rebound damping adjusters and two of the Tora models (the Tora 318 Solo Air and the Tora 318 U-Turn) feature RockShox MotionControl platform suspension damping. The MotionControl damping on `06 Toras is similar to what you’ve seen on the `05 Reba and Pike lines, with one exception: the floodgate setting (the firmness of your suspension platform) is non-adjustable. RockShox sets the floodgate for Tora 318s at the factory. To adjust the travel on the air-sprung Toras, you need to open the forks and fiddle with the All Travel spacers. You adjust the travel on the coil-sprung Toras with the external U-Turn. Tora’s will retail for $225 to $345

Duke Out, Recon In Recon is another new model of 2006. It replaces the Duke line and is basically the next level up from Tora, though they are intended for the same style of riding. The Recons feature a similar crown and lowers as the Tora forks, and all boast three to five inches of adjustable travel. The main difference between the Recon and Tora lines is that Recons are, on average, lighter than the Tora models. You’re looking at a weight range of 3.92 to 4.53 pounds across four individual Recon models (two with coil springs, two with air springs). One of the reasons the Recon forks are lighter than the Toras is that they use 7000 series aluminum stanchions (as opposed to the steel versions on the Toras).

Recon is basically a lighter version of Tora--it replaces the Duke line.

Again, there will be four individual Recon models: two Recon 351s (which will feature MotionControl damping) and two Recon 327s (no MotionControl damping). Recons will sell for between $345 and $420

Revelation is like Reba--with an extra inch of travel and burlier construction.

A RevelationRockShox received a lot of requests for a longer travel version of their popular Reba model. The Revelation is RockShox’s answer. This new fork line consists of four, sub 4-pound forks with five inches of air-sprung travel and MotionControl compression damping.

To accomodate the extra inch of suspension travel, the Revelation’s lowers, bushings and crown are more rugged, however, than the Reba’s kit. Revelation forks feature a forged 6061 aluminum crown with an integrated remote cable stop, magnesium lowers and burly 7000 series aluminum stanchions.

There are four individual Revelation models (two 426 models and two 409 models). All Revelation forks are air-sprung and all feature some kind of travel adjustment feature (either All Travel spacers or Air U-Turn). The lighter All-Travel spacer forks adjust from 115 to 130-millimeters of travel. The slightly heavier air U-Turn adjuster forks can be set at anywhere between 100 to 130-millimters (roughly four to five inches of travel). The floodgate setting on all Revelation forks (again, this is shorthand for “how firm you want to set up the platform damping”) is adjustable. Revelation forks weigh between 3.74 and 3.99 pounds and will sell for $450 to $570

There's a new Air U-Turn Pike for 2006

PIKE Gets Updates, New Air U-Turn ModelPike returns to the RockShox line up in 2006. Main differences between `05 and `06 models? The `06 version feature aluminum control knobs, an Air U-Turn option and a longer travel Dual Air option. In a nutshell, you’re looking at a fork with 140 millimeters of travel (roughly five and a half inches), MotionControl platform damping and RockShox’s own 20-millimeter, Maxle quick release, thru-axle system. Weight range for the `06 Pikes is 4.08 pounds to 4.91 pounds.

What’s the difference between Pike and Revelation: well, Pike gets an extra half inch of travel and (not to get too redundant here, but), Pike is thru-axle, which makes it stiffer as well. Suggested retail price on the Pike models ranges from $495 to $720

The Boxxer RIde sports travel adjusters and tool-free thru-axle.

Boxxer Goes for a RideRockShox waved their upgrade wand at the long travel segment of their line as well. Case in point: The Boxxer Ride. This new dual crown fork is aimed at freeriders. It features U-Turn travel adjust (from five to seven inches of travel), Motion Control damping, and RockShox’s new BlackBox SpeedStack damping system, (essentially a high-speed compression control which, according to RockShox, gives riders more control at high speeds via a better-regulated compression stroke). The Boxxer Ride also uses RockShox’s tool-free thru-axle Maxle system. The Boxxer Ride is coil sprung and weighs in at 7.17 pounds. Suggested retail price: $780

The Pearl is RockShox's new long-travel rear shock.

Pearl: Rear Suspension for the All Mountain SetRockShox also debuted a new line of rear shocks at the show. The Pearl is intended to match all the new 130 to 170 millimeter travel forks. It features external Floodgate (“platform damping”) adjusters and Isolite: a new, patented spring technoloty (dubbed “Isolite”) which RockShox states is lighter, simpler and more robust than typical negative air springs.

In fact, low-maintenance and durability are Pearl’s big calling cards. The shock is oversized (which lowers internal air pressures and offers improved heat dissipation and durability) and overbuilt. It features a large, 12-millimeter damper shaft and 29-millimeter damper body to help withstand the rigors of freeriding. Shaft bushing length has also been increased by 66 percent (for greater stiffness and durability).

In short, the shock offers all the rebound, and platform damping you could want and pairs it with a burly construction. Think of it as playing in the same All Mountain/Freeride sandbox as the Fox DHX Air shock (I’ll cover Fox’s line in the very near future). Pearl rear shocks will sell for $300

KONA Adds Carbon Road, Women’s Bikes, Air on the Coiler
Kona Bicycles came to Interbike with a whole lot of new models. I won’t address all the line changes, but here are some of the models that caught my eye….

The top-of-the-line CoilAir gets air sprung for `06

Coiler Gets AirIn addition to referencing scatological humor, the Kona Coilers have always been about coil-sprung, All Mountain-style performance. All things have to change, I guess, and in this case, the top of the line Coiler model—the $3,999 CoilAir sports six inches of air sprung suspension front and rear.

The rear boing is provided courtesy of Fox’s DHX Air rear shock—this shock is showing up on a wide range of manufacturer’s lighter freeride models and signals a bit of a departure in in the industry. One product manager (not Kona’s) even made the bold statement “That shock signals the death of coil spring rear shocks.” That’s a ballsy stance….At any rate, the CoilAir is fronted by Fox’s 36 TALAS RC2 fork and comes equipped with RaceFace Atlas and Evolve components, a ton of Shimano XT drivetrain, Hayes Carbon V7 disc brakes and Sun Single Track welded rims. Weight is right around 32 pounds.

An Italian-built Kona? Yup.

New Kona Road Line Kona also came to Vegas with a reinvigorated road racing line. The top-of-the-line King Zing model shown here sports an Italian-built carbon fiber frame and fork (crafted for Kona by Dedacciai). The bike is hung with Dura Ace and FSA K-Force components. Other niceties include a Mavic Kysrium SL wheelset and Selle Italia SLR Carbonio saddle. There are five models in Kona’s Zing racing line. All feature Dedacciai frames. Prices range from $1,399 to $5,999

Kona Gets in Touch with Feminine Side Kona has always made very small frames that fit smaller female riders quite well. This year, they decided to finally announce this fact to the world. Kona’s LISA range of bikes includes a road model, a hardtail and a dual suspension bike--basically a 14-inch Kikapu Deluxe. Very cool.