RockShox Revelation 426 Air U-Turn Mountain Bike Suspension Fork Review

Today’s review is actually a re-post of one found at bikefix.net As MTOBikes.com turns more focus on product reviews we have tried to identify others in the industry that we can look to for guidance.  Marc at bikefix provides us with just that.  In italics below is a blurb about “who, what and why” and below that is the review.  Thank you to Marc and the rest of bikefix for not only allowing us to re-post their review on our site, but for the excellent ongoing reviews that they provide!

why does bikefix exist? it was born out of the complaints of a couple of guys with what probably amounts to an unhealthy amount of riding different kinds of bikes all over the place. from the daily commute to epic backcountry hike-a-bikes, these guys just weren’t getting the kind of information they needed from reviews found in print or online. needing a distraction from the grownup parts of the internet, they decided to put their musings and criticisms into (virtual) print. while they have extensive industry connections, the vast majority of the equipment tested is bought with money out of their own pockets (and they’ll let you know if not). as a result, they’re particularly aware of value and durability- and understandably upset when things don’t work the way they should.

bikefix aims to provide unbiased, complete reviews that come out of direct experience not only with a particular product but also with its competition. we care where and why things are made the way they are. while we don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, everything can’t be the best part/bike/jersey ever,- something we see far too much of elsewhere. every product has its high points and lows. by communicating these to you, we hope that you will be able to make an educated decision and find gear that us ultimately transparent- after all, it’s really all about the ride.

“Is exactly what it says on the tin.” Sure, calling your suspension fork a “Revelation” requires a fair bit of hubris, but it seems that SRAM’s Rock Shox is pretty darn close to the mark on this one. Released a few years back, the Revelation is Rock Shox’s entry in the increasingly competitive ‘trail’ fork category. What this translates to in numbers is a 4lb, 100-130mm travel fork with stiff 32mm stantions. Up against forks from Fox (TALAS, Float, 32 VAN), Marzocchi (XC 700, 44), Magura (Laurin, Menja) and Manitou (Minute), it would seem that Rock Shox doesn’t have much of a chance. This is a shame, because of the 5 or 6 forks in this category that I’ve owned, the Revelation certainly has the best mix of ride and features.

When I ordered the Revelation last October, I was replacing a temperamental Marzocchi XC700sl (which undergoing rehab at the company’s warranty department). That had replaced a pimp, (self-adjusting) Pace RC40 Fighter which had in turn replaced the popular (but hardly excellent) Fox 32 TALAS. Before that? I’m not sure, but a Maverick DUC 32 and 2004 Fox TALAS are back there somewhere. Why so many forks? Well, there are a number of reasons. First, I’m a light guy. At 145lb, a fork has to have exceptional small-bump sensitivity to work for me. Otherwise, seal and damper stiction can make a fork feel very harsh on the small stuff. Because I’m not in the middle of most forks’ adjustment ranges, their air springs aren’t at pressures where they ramp up (become progressive), so bottoming out can be a problem. My Maverick, which works extremely well on both small and large bumps tends to highlight forks’ small-bump harshness and the bike’s somewhat rearward weight bias certainly doesn’t help either. So, what is it about the Revelation that has kept it on my bike for 8 months (with no plans of my part for a change)? Read more