Fox isn't worried about Rockshox....much!

[shorty]

I remember reading in a magazine, an article about the fox racing shox factory, and about they way that test everything to make sure it's the best they can make. I also remember reading the Fox isn't terrible worried about Marzocchi, but is worried about Rockshox and Manitou's new technology.....well i don't think Fox should worry about new technology, just Rockshox "stealing" (i use that term loosely!) their ideas.

In a more recent edition of some Oz MTB magazine, the new Rockshox Reba was put to the test...the article also included some pics of the new fork, but what caught my eye was the fork arch....from the front it looks like any other weight weenie arch! but a shot from behind shows something far more interesting! The arch shows similar characteristics of Fox's Web Truss design!

I guess it isn't surprising to find that the new fork sports designs of competitors, but i guess it would be nice for a brand new, never been done before fork to have 100% originality!

 

[Tree Hugger]

If a design works and has no patent go for it I say. If the shit works why not. I think Manitou used it first anyway.

 

[Rik]

I think Manitou used it first anyway.

On the good old SX's, Mach 5's and similar forks from that era.

 

[Loonspoon]

And what about pro-pedal? isn't this just fox trying to play catch-up to progressive and manitou?

I think all suspension manufacturers are copying ideas from each other.

for example
- psylo was a copy of a bomber Z1 or a Manitou X-vert
- Marzocchi brought out 32mm stantions after fox did
- external travel adjustable forks from almost all manufactures after rockshox did it first (I think).

It's basically a result of competition. Which I think is a good thing. If the new reba is as good as or better than an equivalent fox fork for less cash, surely thats a good thing.

 

[mtb_man]

Don't forget Rock Shox ripping off Manitou's TPC damping and having to pay in the order of $2 million US in damages...

Nearly sent Rock Shox bankrupt too, that's why they had to be bailed out by SRAM.

 

[cooper]

And what about pro-pedal? isn't this just fox trying to play catch-up to progressive and manitou?

I think all suspension manufacturers are copying ideas from each other.

for example
- psylo was a copy of a bomber Z1 or a Manitou X-vert
- Marzocchi brought out 32mm stantions after fox did
- external travel adjustable forks from almost all manufactures after rockshox did it first (I think).

It's basically a result of competition. Which I think is a good thing. If the new reba is as good as or better than an equivalent fox fork for less cash, surely thats a good thing.

Pro pedal is nothing new, and fox admitts that
It is just a re shimming of the dampening and they have done this to satisfuy the new marketing of POlatform pedalling shocks

Besides it was Minitou who got fith technology which came from curnuc which came from the moto industry...

 

[Stinky]

Was talking to Tim Flooks of TF Tuned the other day and he was saying that the new Reba will shit all over the fox forks, works better, easier to adjust and is lighter and cheaper. Although I have just seen a pair of 05 Vanillas and they are pretty light for a 130mm coil fork. They look cool with new graphics and no bosses.

 

[No Skid Marks]

Maybee not the marketing blah blah, but I think you will find Stratos had the first platform style air/oil ajustment. No kids you probably won't find that in a magazine or that Stratos is trying to sue all the other air/oil dampening companies. I'm not talkin air sprung just using air to change the oil dampening. DNM and others had platform style ajustment ages ago.

 

[shorty]

I wasn't implying that shocks internals were bad to be ripped off....but to balantly copy the bracing design....and it's got nothing to do with playing catch up....if Fox wanted to, they could rip off progessive....but they made their own version of stable platform shocks, which are to be teamed up with well designed FS bikes. Suspension designs that are inherently bob-free to an acceptable level!

 

[S.]

Maybee not the marketing blah blah, but I think you will find Stratos had the first platform style air/oil ajustment. No kids you probably won't find that in a magazine or that Stratos is trying to sue all the other air/oil dampening companies. I'm not talkin air sprung just using air to change the oil dampening. DNM and others had platform style ajustment ages ago.

I'm not sure about this, but wasn't the DNM version at least (and I'm guessing the stratos too) using the air in place of a nitrogen charge in a conventional shock? Whereas SPV does that _and_ uses oil pressure to affect the damping as well?

Don't cut my head off if I'm wrong here, because I may well be.

 

[No Skid Marks]

S I just used the word style simply meaning similar, not %100 the excact same design. DNM with the fork design of dampening. Change oil hight and air pressure to achive similar effects of platform. Also add elastomers to inside spring stack for minor ramp up dampening charicteristics.

 

[Rik]

But oil height and air pressure don't really affect the intial part of the stroke only, do they?
And as for the truss design, yeh, they copied fox, who copied manitou as already stated. Not much is original in bikes.
Except for RockShox, who use rubber to vary their damping :lol:

 

[No Skid Marks]

You can run a thicker oil and then taylor the rest of the travell with air and oil volume or change the valving.

 

[j-ro]

Seems to be, most people on here can't deal with comptetition. as soon as something similar or running in parrallel design competition its automatically a copy!


Holey shit said wilbour wright, Their plane has an engine too!
copycats! :roll:

 

[kalem]

They can copy all they like. It's a very good thing that the suspension companies are battling so fiercly for our dollars! I don't care what brand name is written on my gear, as long as it performs!

 

[S.]

S I just used the word style simply meaning similar, not %100 the excact same design. DNM with the fork design of dampening. Change oil hight and air pressure to achive similar effects of platform. Also add elastomers to inside spring stack for minor ramp up dampening charicteristics.

Yeah cool, makes sense

 

[Disco]

lol all they gotta do is steal the BEST of everyones designs and build the best fork for each discipline EVER! :lol: there almost there... :wink:

Little Mike

 

[finny_447]

rock shox pioneered suspension and they are a great company so what if they are using other ideas it works and works well and thats all that counts

 

[Kreaky]

all u need is a shock company to make a sick shock that is the best and then they copy right every thing on it!!
Now that would make all the companys get there researches on full time and they will all start making new age shocks!!!

 

[miko]

It's not copying, it's evolution. Someone comes up with a better idea, bracing whatever, the others respond. Then this top of the line feature filters down through lower ranges. I think it's great! Come on, plush coil sprung 6 - 7 inch forks with a single crown that pedal?!? That's just mental! The guys that built the RS-1 would be freaking out!