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Suntour’s Taipei Bike Show Booth Showcases New Fork – Updated

The original SR Suntour Rux
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The original SR Suntour Rux

Suntour components have been relegated to bargainmart bicycles for as far back as I can recall being interested in bikes. In recent years, Suntour has been attempting to alter its image with the introduction of product lines like the Axon and Durolux.

Spotted at Taipei is what appears to be a new triple crown downhill fork. Suntour currently makes two triple crown walmart forks, the Duro and the Tux. This appears to be a revamping of the original Rux which was a 150 mm coil spring, open bath fork.  Suntour has been making suspension forks along time, they even claim to have pioneered cartridge forks, and rumor has it they product internals for major manufacturers like Marzocchi. Perhaps that pedigree will shine through when this fork is finally released.

In addition to the new triple crown, which appears to feature their simple to operate QLOC quick release system, this show bike features their durolux air shock. The shock has rebound adjustments, 6 compression clicks, and due to its bronze anodized finish, could maybe be mistaken for a kashima coated Fox shock from afar.

Far more interesting than the use of Suntours budget air shock, is the gearbox the frame is built around, although the Vboxx weighs nearly 10 lbs (4.52 kg) including cranks, sprocket, shifter, and cables. The sealed system has a 180mm q-factor, and 9 speeds, which offers a claimed 610% gear ratio. Sure the bike has a nice low center of gravity, but with many new DH bikes weighing in the low 30s, I’m not sure being able to shift without peddling (and having to run a square tapered crankset) will woo any riders away from the current crop of DH offerings.

The most interesting feature of Suntours Taipei show bike for budget conscience gravity riders is the new triple crown fork. The market for big gravity forks is currently dominated by three players, of which only two make “budget” forks, the introduction of another (possible OEM offering) might force these companies to improve their existing product lines by trickling down higher end tech. Until then, I’m keeping my fingers crossed for an announcement from X-Fusion…

Updated

Suntour Rux details:

• 200mm of travel (internally adjustable)
• 38mm stanchion tubes
• RC2 damping cartridge (sealed, serviceable)
• Air sprung w/ volume adjusting spacers for a linear or progressive feel
• Externally adjustable rebound, separate low and high speed compression
• Direct mount stem compatible top crown
• Weight: TBA
• MSRP: TBA

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Dantrell Eisenstien
Dantrell Eisenstien
12 years ago

Has anyone else here used their QLOC QR system? It’s CRAZY easy. Really a cool design.

Turbofrog
Turbofrog
12 years ago

I’ve always thought that gearboxes are sort of an interesting development. And when you add up all the components that you’re integrating there, the weight isn’t even totally off the wall.

In that system you’ve got:

Cranks, chainrings, BB, cassette, front derailleur, rear derailleur, shifters, shifter cables.

On high end groupsets, that’s likely to be in the neighbourhood of 2000g or more. So yes, it’s a 5 lb premium over the best of what’s available now, but it’s not ludicrous for something that’s self-contained, shifts whenever and however you want it, and has no dangling parts that could possibly be damaged. Heck, might even be better on a trail bike than DH….

Matt
Matt
12 years ago

QUICK RELEASE DOWNHILL FORK???? this isn’t 1995 folks

Federico .
Federico .
12 years ago

Oh come on Suntour is still pushing its ridicolous Vboxx!! It’s not interesting, it’s an OLD product which has not evolved in the past 5 years.

THIS is the FUTURE OF GEARBOXES: http://www.pinion.eu
18 gears, 11,5% steps, 636% overall (more than any other system)
Q factor: 174mm
Weight: 3179 gr (gearbox+cranks+shifter, just need to add rear pinion + chain tensioner)

Test ride by Pinkbike: http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Pinion-gearbox-first-ride-2011.html

The coverage on gearboxes by bigger websites is almost always disappointing, every rider can see they are the future for MTB still very few major websites and magazines get excited for something like the Pinion as much as they do for a stupid new Shimano/SRAM useless feature

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