When it comes to mountain bike forks, two of the most popular brands are Rockshox Pike and Fox 34.
Both of these forks offer the best in suspension, durability, and performance, but there are some differences between them. Rockshox Pike forks are designed for aggressive trail and enduro riding, while Fox 34 forks are designed for cross-country and trail riding.
Rockshox Pike forks offer a stiffer, more responsive ride, while Fox 34 forks provide a smoother, more comfortable ride.
Both forks have their pros and cons, so it is important to consider your riding style and terrain when choosing which fork is right for you.
What Is Rockshox Pike Forks
These are the perfect choice for any mountain biker looking for a reliable and durable suspension fork.
Pike Forks are designed to provide a smooth and controlled ride, while also offering excellent performance on technical trails.
With its stiff 32mm stanchions and a Lockout system, they are an ideal choice for aggressive riders who need a fork that can handle the toughest of terrain.
They feature a 15mm Maxle Lite thru-axle, which helps to provide a stiffer and more responsive ride.
Maxle Lite also helps to reduce the overall weight of the fork, making it a great choice for riders who are looking to reduce the overall weight of their bike.
It features a Charger Damper, which helps to control the fork’s compression and rebound, allowing you to adjust the fork’s performance to suit your riding style.
The Charger Damper also helps to reduce the amount of stiction that can occur when riding over rough terrain.
It also features an adjustable air spring, which helps to provide a more consistent feel when riding over different terrain. The air spring can be adjusted to suit different rider weights, allowing you to tailor the fork’s performance to your needs.
Overall, the RockShox Pike Forks are a great choice for any mountain biker looking for a reliable and durable suspension fork.
With its stiff 32mm stanchions, Lockout system, and adjustable air spring, the Pike Forks are the perfect choice for aggressive riders who need a fork that can handle the toughest of terrain.
What Is Fox 34 Forks
These are a popular choice among mountain bikers and enduro riders.
They offer a combination of lightweight performance, responsive suspension, and dependable durability.
Fox 34 is available in a variety of travel lengths, ranging from 120mm to 160mm, and is designed to handle a wide range of terrain.
It utilizes a FIT4 damper, which provides three on-the-fly compression settings, allowing riders to quickly and easily adjust the suspension to match the terrain.
The FIT4 damper also features rebound adjust, allowing riders to fine tune the suspension to their personal preferences.
This features a 15QR thru-axle system, which provides a secure connection between the fork and wheel, ensuring that the wheel will remain firmly in place, even under the most extreme conditions.
The 15QR system is also designed to be user-friendly, allowing riders to quickly and easily install and remove their wheels.
Overall, It is a great option for riders who want a lightweight, responsive, and dependable fork. With a variety of travel lengths and adjustable features, the Fox 34 is sure to provide a great ride no matter what terrain you’re tackling.
RockShox Pike And Fox 34 Forks – Key Differences
Travel Adjustment
Rockshox Pike is a popular choice among mountain bikers due to their lightweight design and adjustable travel. The travel range of the Pike is adjustable from 80-160mm, allowing riders to customize their ride to their terrain and riding style.
The Pike also features Rockshox’s Charger 2 damper, which provides a smooth and responsive ride.
It also has a 35mm chassis, making it stiffer and more durable than other forks on the market. Additionally, the Pike has a 15x110mm Boost axle, providing more stiffness and control when cornering.
Fox 34 is another popular choice among mountain bikers due to their adjustable travel and lightweight design. The travel range of the Fox 34 is adjustable from 80-140mm, allowing riders to customize their ride to their terrain and riding style.
The Fox 34 also features Fox’s FIT4 damper, which provides a smooth and responsive ride.
It also has a 34mm chassis, making it stiffer and more durable than other forks on the market. Additionally, the Fox 34 has a 15x110mm Boost axle, providing more stiffness and control when cornering.
Air Spring
RockShox Pike features an air spring system, which allows for adjustable spring rates. The air spring is adjustable by adding or removing air from the positive and negative air chambers. This allows riders to fine-tune the feel of their suspension.
Fox 34 also features an air spring system, which is adjustable by adding or removing air from the positive and negative air chambers. Riders can adjust the spring rate to match their riding style and terrain. The air spring system also helps reduce the weight of the fork, making it easier to maneuver.
Compression Damping
RockShox Pike features a Charger damper that offers a wide range of compression damping adjustments. The damper has three positions: open, medium, and firm.
The firm position is firmest while the open position is softest. Medium is a middle ground.
Charger damper also features a low-speed compression adjustment. This adjustment allows riders to fine-tune the fork’s performance on small bumps.
Fox 34 features a Fit4 damper that offers a similar range of compression damping adjustment to RockShox Pike. Fit4 damper has three positions: open, medium, and firm.
The firm position is firmest while the open position is softest. The middle position compromises.
Fit4 damper also features a low-speed compression adjustment. This adjustment allows riders to fine-tune the fork’s performance on small bumps.
Comparison
RockShox Pike and Fox 34 are both excellent forks with a wide range of compression damping adjustments. Pike offers a slightly softer ride than Fox 34, while Fox 34 offers a slightly more responsive ride.
Ultimately, the best fork for you will depend on your individual riding style and preferences.
Rebound Damping
RockShox Pike: Rebound damping is an important feature of these forks. It is the feature that helps the fork to return to its original position after it has been compressed.
Rebound damping helps to control the speed of the return, allowing a rider to adjust the rebound damping to suit their particular riding style.
Rebound damping on RockShox Pike forks is adjusted via a dial located on the top of the right fork leg. This dial allows the rider to adjust the rebound damping from slow to fast.
- Slow Rebound Damping: A slow rebound damping setting will cause the fork to return to its original position more slowly. This can be helpful on rough terrain, as it will help the fork to absorb the bumps and provide a smoother ride.
- Fast Rebound Damping: A fast rebound damping setting will cause the fork to return to its original position more quickly. This can be helpful on smooth terrain, as it will help the fork to track the ground better and provide a more responsive ride.
Fox 34: Rebound damping on these forks is adjusted via a knob located on the top of the right fork leg. This knob allows the rider to adjust the rebound damping from slow to fast.
Rebound damping on Fox 34 forks works in the same way as the rebound damping on RockShox Pike forks.
A slow rebound damping setting will cause the fork to return to its original position more slowly, while a fast rebound damping setting will cause the fork to return to its original position more quickly.
Steerer Tube
RockShox Pike features a tapered aluminum steerer tube that is 35mm in diameter. This steerer tube is designed to be stiff and durable, providing superior performance and control.
It is also designed to be lightweight, helping to reduce the overall weight of the bike.
Fox 34 features a tapered aluminum steerer tube that is 34mm in diameter. This steerer tube is designed to provide superior stiffness and strength, while also being lightweight. This helps to provide the rider with better control and improved handling.
Crown And Uppers
RockShox Pike features a 35mm chassis and an alloy crown and uppers. This upper feature a black anodized finish, and the crown is made from forged aluminum.
They also feature an adjustable rebound and compression damping system, as well as a lockout feature for climbing.
Fox 34 features a 34mm chassis and aluminum crown and uppers. The uppers feature a black anodized finish, and the crown is made from forged aluminum.
It also features an adjustable rebound and compression damping system, as well as a lockout feature for climbing.
Axle And Dropouts
Rockshox Pike Forks feature a 15x110mm Boost axle and a 32mm straight steerer tube. The dropouts are post-style and are made from aluminum.
Fox 34 Forks feature a 15x110mm Boost axle and a tapered steerer tube. The dropouts are post-style and are made from aluminum.
RockShox Pike Vs Fox 34 Forks – Similarities
There are some similarities between Rockshox Pike Forks and Fox 34 Forks.
- Both forks are designed for trail, enduro, and downhill riding.
- Both forks feature 35mm stanchions, which are larger than the 32mm stanchions that are found on many other forks.
- Both forks feature adjustable rebound damping, which allows the rider to adjust the speed at which the fork returns to its original position after it has been compressed.
- Both forks feature a tapered steerer tube, which provides improved steering precision.
- Both forks are available in a variety of models, each with its own set of features and specifications.
Are Rockshox Pike Forks Better Suited For Downhill Or Cross-Country Riding?
Rockshox Pike forks are better suited for downhill riding.
They are designed to provide maximum stiffness and control when going over rough terrain. The Pike forks feature a dual-position air spring that can be adjusted to suit different riding styles.
It also features an adjustable rebound and compression damping system that allows riders to fine-tune their ride.
Fox 34 forks are better suited for cross-country riding. They feature a lightweight chassis and a low-friction stanchion design that provides a smooth and responsive ride.
The forks also feature an adjustable air spring and rebound and compression damping system that allows riders to customize their ride.
The Fox 34 forks are designed to provide a comfortable and efficient ride on cross-country trails.
Final Words
Rockshox Pike and Fox 34 forks are both excellent choices for mountain bikers looking for a reliable and durable suspension fork.
Pike offers a stiffer and more responsive ride, while Fox 34 is more forgiving and offers a smoother ride. Ultimately, the decision of which one to choose will depend on the rider’s preference and the type of terrain they will be riding.
