The 2023 Rockshox Pike Fork Lineup Got Some Interesting New Tech

The Rockshox Pike is a longstanding favorite among mountain bikers and bikepackers alike. The 2023 Rockshox Pike was just redesigned with a 35mm chassis, new tech that’s tricked down from their bigger forks, and a couple of new bells and whistles that make it seem like the latest and greatest might be even more backcountry worthy.

One interesting technology that only comes with the Pike Ultimate is what they call ButterCups (above and below-left). These are little gold-packaged rubber pucks that live at the end of the damper and air spring shafts and fit into the lower leg of the fork. According to RockShox, similar tech is found in off-road vehicles, chainsaws, and other machines that are plagued with high-frequency vibrations. Like a rubber mount on the handle of the chainsaw, ButterCups are designed to dampen high-frequency vibrations before they hit your hands and arms and cause fatigue on long days riding. Rockshox claims they eliminate trail chatter by on average of 20%. I’d be curious to see how much of a difference they make out on long backcountry rides.

The new Charger 3 damper was designed to improve tuning. In short, it keeps the oil flow for high speed compression and low speed compression completely separate, allowing independent tuning of HSC and LSC. The new damper design features an internal floating piston and coil spring opposite the piston.

Rockshox’ Debonair+ air spring was also tweaked to be more plush at the top of the stroke, with a more supportive mid-stroke and improved end-stroke ramp up. That’s all language we heard with the last iteration of the Debonair, but it sounds like they tweaked the curve again to accommodate more aggressive riding.

Here are the specs, as released, for each of the new 2023 Rockshox Pikes:

2023 Rockshox PIKE ULTIMATE

The 2023 Rockshox PIKE ULTIMATE gets the works, as far as all the new bells and whistles. It’s the only one in the lineup that features the new ButterCups tech and the bushing package, which are 53% longer than previous models to further optimize friction reduction, according to RockShox.

• Damper: Charger 3 RC2 w/ButterCups
• Air Spring: DebonAir+ w/ButterCups
• Extras: Pressure Relief Valve (PRV)
• Hub interface: Hub End Cap Adapters
• Bushings: Ultimate Bushing Package
• Travel options: 120mm, 130mm, 140mm

• Fork Offset: 37mm (27.5″), 44mm (27.5″, 29″)
• Price: $1,054, €1,139, £1,017



2023 Rockshox PIKE SELECT+

The 2023 Rockshox PIKE SELECT+ is the only other fork in the range to get the built-in Pressure Relief Valve and Charger 3 RC2 damper. Unfortunately, prices and weights aren’t currently available.

• Damper: Charger 3 RC2

• Air Spring: DebonAir+

• Extras: Pressure Relief Valve (PRV)
• Hub interface: 
Hub End Cap Adapters

• Bushings: Standard
• 
Travel options: 120mm, 130mm, 140mm

• Fork Offset: 37mm (27.5″), 44mm (27.5″, 29″)
• Price: Not available

2023 Rockshox PIKE SELECT

The Select model doesn’t get much in the way of the new technology mentioned above, aside from the DebonAir+ air spring. However, it can be upgraded to the new damper and ButterCups tech.

• Damper: Charger RC
Air
• Spring: DebonAir+
• Hub interface: 
Hub End Cap Adapters

• Bushings: Standard
• 
Travel options: 120mm, 130mm, 140mm

• Fork Offset: 37mm (27.5″), 44mm (27.5″, 29″)
• Price: $790, €855, £763

2023 Rockshox PIKE

The barebones Pike is also missing a lot of tech, but is fully upgradeable, as well.

• Damper: Rush RC

• Air Spring: DebonAir+

• Hub interface: Hub End Cap Adapters
• 
Bushings: Standard

• Travel options: 120mm, 130mm, 140mm

• Fork Offset: 37mm (27.5″), 44mm (27.5″, 29″)
• Price: Not available

Learn more about the 2023 Rockshox Pike lineup over at sram.com/rockshox.

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